Thread: Torque Converter Question

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It essentially acts like the clutch in a stick shift car. It is a fluid coupling that allows the engine to disengage from the transmission when the car needs to come to a stop. Without it, the car would continue to move.

When you are idling, very little fluid is being pumped into it, but the harder you push the gas, the more fluid you get, and the car begins to move.

When you hear of a hi-stall converter, it means the rpms can go higher before it starts to move the car forward. If you have ever brake raced a car (sit there holding the brake down while stepping harder on the gas) you have experienced a place where the car wants to move. With a hi-stall converter, that rpm spot is moved higher, so you can have a cam that is really lumpy, and it won't want to move the car forward at the higher rpm levels.

This is a little simplistic, but basically how it works.

Don

PS: Something else is going on with the 3rd gear issue, not sure what though.