torque converters for automobiles

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

The following are the key takeaways from this article:

  • A torque converter converts the engine’s torque into hydraulic pressure to shift the gears.
  • The important parts of a torque converter involve the stator, impeller pump, turbine, clutch, and transmission fluid.
  • The causes of torque converter failure include increased friction, contaminated fluid, and damaged components.
  • The symptoms of torque converter failure include gear slippage, shuddering sound, transmission overheating, and fluid leakage.
  • The possible solution to torque converter problems includes checking the transmission fluid, replacing damaged seals, and replacing the torque converter.
  • The cost of repairing the torque converter can range between $50 to $1000.

 

Introduction

A torque converter is a hydraulic device to convert the engine’s torque into hydraulic pressure for shifting transmission. The size of the torque converter can change according to the engine size and specifications.
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The bigger engines produce more power, requiring a bigger torque converter to translate the torque and vice versa. The torque converter is an intelligent device designed by automakers to overcome the problems of automatic transmissions, such as low fuel average, shaky transmission, etc. (1) Torque converter problems can be critical as they can restrict your vehicle’s performance. This article will discuss the causes of torque converter failure, common symptoms, and possible solutions to these problems.

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Important Parts of Torque Converter

The following are some important parts of the torque converter:

Stator

The first part of the torque converter is the stator, also known as the middleman of an automatic transmission system. The stator receives transmission fluid and sends it back to the impeller pump.

Impeller Pump

Impeller pump is connected to the crankshaft. So, yes, the same engine crankshaft rotates the camshaft and moves the impeller pump.
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When the impeller pump receives transmission fluid, it spins and provides the force. So, when the engine revs up, it spins and causes fluid to flow faster and harder.

Turbine

turbine is another important component of the torque converter. This turbine is different from traditional turbines, as it has splines attached to it.
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These splines further connect with the transmission shaft, so when the turbine rotates, the internal components of the transmission move, and gears are shifted directly with the engine load (1). Hence, power is provided to the wheels.

Clutch

Friction clutch is the major reason for an increase in the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. The friction clutch locks the converter at a higher speed, so the vehicle’s fuel efficiency increases.
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Friction clutch also decreases gear slippage to increase transmission efficiency.

Fluid

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Fluid is another important component of the torque converter. It is because a torque converter works on the principle of hydraulic fluid pressure.
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Fluid couples the engine with the transmission and smoothly drives the vehicle without stalling. In addition, engine stalling is avoided when the vehicle is stopped in a particular gear.

An advantage of the torque converter is that it is a separately attached component to the transmission (1). As a result, the driver does not have to replace other transmission components in case of any damage to the torque converter. However, the transmission components might get damaged if the vehicle is driven for longer distances with a damaged torque converter.

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Role of Torque Converter

The torque converter is an important transmission component that is filled with fluid. It is a coupling between the transmission and engine to convert the torque into hydraulic pressure.

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The role of the torque converter is particularly important in an automatic transmission system, where different parts of the converter translate engine power. With a faulty torque converter, the driver might experience a lag in driving and underdrive conditions despite pressing the accelerator.
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Another impressive aspect of the torque converter is that it can increase the torque when the engine revs up. With this technology, automatic cars have become particularly effective as the problem of inefficiency and jerky gears does not occur anymore. Another plus point of the torque converter is the increased fuel average of the automatic vehicles. Previously, drivers avoided automatic vehicles due to low fuel mileage. Still, with a smart component such as a torque converter, the fuel average of automatic vehicles surpasses manual ones.

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Causes of Torque Converter Failure

Following are a few reasons for torque converter failure:

Increased Friction

Torque converter comprises five main parts: clutch, bearing, turbine, stator, and impeller.

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Bearings are introduced between these components to alleviate friction. However, these bearings have a lifetime, and sometimes due to the external dirt components, the bearings fail.

This is when the internal parts of the converter start rubbing against each other, increasing the friction. This can even lead to the failure of the torque converter. A common symptom of converter friction is the cracking/sliding sound when accelerating your car (1). It is an indication that there is inadequate fluid to lubricate transmission parts. In some cases, the bearing has failed, and the internal friction between the converter components has increased. Therefore, it is recommended that the drivers replace the faulty bearing to avoid the failure of the converter and the entire transmission system of the car.

Contaminated Fluid

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Contaminated fluid can be another reason for torque converter failure. The engine powers the fluid to flow through the converter and transmission components. The fluid lubricates different converter parts for their seamless movement.

The contaminated fluid particles can include carbon, lead, steel, etc., that can get stuck between different components such as bearings, stators, impellers, etc. The driver should replace the transmission fluid at regular service maintenance to avoid this problem. You can consult the vehicle’s instruction manual to know about the regular service maintenance mileage. In some cases, the fluid might get contaminated due to some broken component that might leave its particles in the fluid.

Damaged Components

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Another common reason for converter failure is damaged components. As discussed above, a torque converter comprises five major components, and failure in either component can fail the entire converter system.

One major symptom of the damaged converter components can be oil leakage. If you can spot oil leakage near the converter area, it is a sign that the converter is damaged. If oil leakage is near another transmission component, it will depict damage in that particular area.

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Symptoms of Torque Converter Failure

Following are a few symptoms of torque converter failure:

Gear Slippage

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The first converter failure symptom can be gear slippage. Next, you will notice that the car starts decelerating when pressing the accelerator.

Further, an increased noise will indicate that the gears are slipping. The torque converter acts as a coupler between the transmission and the engine (5). It functions to convert engine torque into hydraulic pressure resulting in transmission shift. In case of converter failure, the gears will slip into overdrive.

Shuddering Sound

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Another symptom of torque converter failure can be the shuddering sound. The shuddering sound will be louder during the gear shift, and the driver might experience overdrive/underdrive conditions while driving.

A shuddering sound can be an indication of gear slippage as well as the breakage of some converter component that is causing trouble in driving (2). In any case, the driver must not drive for longer distances with shuddering sounds as it can further damage the transmission system.

Transmission Overheating

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Some modern vehicles have transmission temperature indicators integrated into the vehicle’s cluster meter. If there is an abnormal fluctuation in the transmission temperature, it can be an indication that some component is malfunctioning.

An overheated transmission can act like an overheated engine or brake pad, where it ceases to function. So, you might experience your car stuck in a particular gear. Some other day, you might notice that the gears shift abnormally due to an overheated transmission (2). If your car does not have an automated transmission temperature indicator, you can stop the car to check the transmission temperature manually.

Fluid Leakage

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Torque converter also has seals that prevent fluid leakage. However, if the seals get damaged, the driver will experience fluid leakage around the torque converter.

So, fluid leaking around the transmission indicates that the torque converter is failing. You can take action to change the torque converter seals before the problem aggravates, and you have to change the entire torque converter or the transmission system of the vehicle (3).

Possible Solutions to Torque Converter Issues

Following are a few solutions for the torque converter issues:

Check the Transmission Fluid Level

Gear slippage and shuddering sound indicate that the torque converter is failing. However, this issue can be resolved with less effort than checking and filling the transmission fluid reservoir (4). Less fluid in the transmission reservoir can cause both of these problems. So, fill in the fluid and test-drive the vehicle for a few miles. Similarly, you can also check the color of the transmission fluid (2). It is generally reddish, but the contaminated fluid will be darkish black/brown. In this case, you should change the transmission fluid earliest to avoid further issues.

Replace the Seals

If you are experiencing a sudden drop in the transmission fluid, it is better to replace the torque converter seals (3). These seals are commonly available in the market or on different eCommerce platforms, given your vehicle’s make, model, and variant. Unfortunately, repairing the seals is almost impossible, so replacing them with new ones is recommended instead of wasting money on seal repair.

Replace the Torque Converter

An average torque converter is designed to last for 150,000-200,000 miles. However, if you are experiencing symptoms of damage in the torque converter, then it is better to replace the converter. A damaged converter exerts pressure on the engine and transmission system, so it is better to replace the converter at the earliest (2).

The first step should be to replace the transmission fluid, followed by the replacement of seals (4). If the torque converter problem persists, then consider changing the torque converter to avoid complex transmission problems.

Cost to Resolve Torque Converter Problems

The following table illustrates the cost required to resolve torque converter problems:

Common Transmission ProblemsCost Required to Resolve the Problem
Low Transmission Fluid$125-250 to replace transmission fluid
Torque Converter Issues$600-1000 to replace the faulty torque converter
Bad Torque Converter Bearings $50-100 to replace torque converter bearings
Bad Torque Converter Seals$200-400 to replace torque converter seals

Conclusion

The torque converter is an important transmission component that can impact the vehicle’s performance if damaged. The possible causes of torque converter failure include increased friction between the components, contaminated fluid impacting the internal components, and damaged components (turbine, impeller pump, stator, and clutch). When the torque converter fails, you experience gear slippage, shuddering sound, transmission overheating, and fluid leakage issues.

FAQs

If the torque converter fails, you will face issues such as difficulty in the gear shift. In some cases, you will face transmission overheating issues. In this case, the car will not accelerate even when you accelerate the car. This indicates a problem in gear shifting.

The torque converters are designed to last for 150,000-200,000 miles. Usually, converters go well before this distance. But if the converter goes bad before this mileage due to a particular issue, it is recommended to replace it to avoid long-term transmission issues.

No, a manual car has a clutch instead of a torque converter. The driver can use a clutch to shift the gear and translate engine torque to hydraulic power.

References

About Author

Andrew Ray

Andrew is an automotive technician with 10 years of experience mainly in American and Japanese cars, covering everything from routine vehicle maintenance and engine inspections to tire rotation.