I was looking through my ESM the other day and reading up on the auto tranny operation. I'm wondering if it would be useful to make a manual torque converter lockup override. I'm thinking it would allow for manual-tranny-like engine braking on the trail if you could engage the lockup on your own, instead of a lot of the braking being lost stirring the fluid in the converter.
Anyone know if this might put too much stress on the lockup clutch or something else in the system?

Brent

[This message has been edited by OffroadX (edited 06-06-2001).]

I think it would work very well as long as it's used only in one gear, and disengages on moderate power application, as it does now in fourth (or 3rd with OD off.)

Naturally you would also have to be sure it disengages below idle speed to avoid stalling the engine. A bit of electronics with existing sensors could do all this.

The angled vanes in the torque convertor are optimized for the engine driving the vehicle, not the opposite, that's why engine braking is so poor at low revs.

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It would be a momentary (spring) push-button affair, as long as the button is depressed, the lockup is engaged, upon release it behaves normally. Nothing to remember.
There's just 1 solenoid involved, not a big trick really. Just need to put a relay in ahead of it to swap in another source of power when the button is pressed. I'd love to be able to put the button on the shift lever similar to the O/D button, but I don't see a slick way to run the wires, much less mount a switch.
Actually, you would probably be better off with both hands on the wheel in a situation where you're using engine braking, now I'm thinking of a floor-mounted switch sorta like the old hi-beam switch on cars from the 70's...

Brent

[This message has been edited by OffroadX (edited 06-06-2001).]

I've heard this thread before, basically it's not possible and I don't remember why.
I tried to find the thread to link to but couldn't, sorry.

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2000 Silver Ice V6 4x4 3pak
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