The torque converter is a very important part in terms of power transmission between the engine and the wheels in vehicles. For this reason, it is important both to know the working principle and to recognize the malfunctions that may occur in case of failure. In this way, the main reason for the decrease in performance or the decrease in driving comfort in the vehicle can be determined easily.
What is Torque Converter?
The torque converter is a part that transfers torque to the wheels in automatic transmission vehicles. It transmits the torque to the wheels with a fluid-containing mechanism and prevents back-sliding on slopes. Torque converter, which is a kind of powertrain, has a structure consisting of turbine, stator cover and pump. Its most basic task is to transmit the movement of the crankshaft first to the gearbox and then to the wheels. The torque converter provides comfort by making gear shifts smoother.
How Torque Converter Works
The torque converter senses the rotational motion directly from the engine. The torque converter works similarly to the principle that one fan rotates the blades of the other fan with air. Here, instead of air, fluid, namely transmission oil, is used to provide rotation. Thanks to the transmission oil of the torque converter, the turbine rotates and transmission takes place in this way.
There is a fan connected to the torque converter. The part of this fan is connected directly to the crankshaft. Thanks to this shaft, the rotation created by the motor is transferred to the fan. In the transition phase from the fan to the gearbox, the gearbox oil comes into play. In this way, the force transfer is done in a soft way, so to speak. The rotational force generated in the fan creates a kind of centripetal force in the transmission oil. This activates the fluid and the torque of the engine is transferred to the turbine.
How Many Parts Does a Torque Converter Consist?
Torque converter has 4 main parts. These; turbine, stator, impeller, that is, fan and cover.
The turbine can be thought of as a kind of propeller. It moves thanks to the centripetal force created by the fan in the transmission oil. If the fan doesn’t spin, the turbine won’t spin either.
The stator can be described as the brain of this part. With its special structure, it increases the rotation speed of the transmission oil and therefore the torque. It is this part that gives the torque converter its converter property.
Impellers are also known as fans. It is fixed to the outer cover. It rotates continuously with the movement from the motor. It initiates the movement in the torque converter by creating centripetal force in the transmission oil.
The cover is a part welded to the fan body. It turns the torque converter into a closed part by wrapping it. One end is connected to the flywheel of the engine. Thus, it allows the torque converter to take action from the engine. This is how the torque converter rotates when the engine rotates.
Frequently Asked Questions About Torque Converter
How to Identify Torque Converter Failure?
Torque converter is not an easily broken part. However, it may malfunction from time to time or problems may occur in the parts of its structure for different reasons. The most reliable way to understand this is to get support for fault detection from the nearest authorized service. Torque converter faults can be difficult to detect by the driver. Damage assessment studies of uninformed or inexperienced persons may damage the vehicles. Therefore, the best step would be to consult the experts at the authorized service when any torque converter malfunction is suspected.
What Does a Torque Converter Do?
The most important tasks of the torque converter can be listed as follows:
It transmits the motion created by the engine to the gearbox.
Thanks to the special parts in its structure, it increases the torque coming from the engine and provides transmission in this way.
Vibrations may occur from time to time in the engine and other power transmission parts, and the poor performance of these parts can lead to torsions and reduced torque. It minimizes these negativities by increasing the torque and dampens the vibrations.
It automatically provides a swirling action to the transmission oil.
