I think it's really important to know a bit about the internals of a car, so that when you are getting your car serviced you can talk intelligently with the auto technician. As well, there are many easy DIY jobs you can do on your car to save your some money which can make all the difference when you are young and starting out. This site is where I am recording everything I am teaching my kids about auto servicing, and because I think it will be useful to many other families as well. I hope you find it useful for your family.
Teaching my kids abouts cars
Why It's Crucial To Service Your Vehicle's Torque Converter Carefully
Kenzi Jacobs
When you own a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission, you will need to take it in for service every now and again. However, you may need to do more than simply change the oil, as the very nature of the transmission system means that some of that lubricant may be hard to reach. The problem may arise within a very complex part known as the torque converter, so it pays to understand how that works and what you should do to service it properly.
The Basics Of Torque Converter Operation
The torque converter is essentially comprised of two fans (or blades) connected together by a viscous liquid, usually hydraulic oil. The input fan is attached to the crankshaft of the engine, while the output fan is connected directly to the transmission. As power is delivered from the crankshaft, it begins to spin the input fan, which in turn causes it to move forward and push against the hydraulic fluid between them. This creates a pressure wave that travels through the fluid and causes both fans to rotate at different speeds.
This difference in speed creates a phenomenon known as "slip" which allows for additional power transfer from one fan to another without any mechanical connection or friction being created between them. To put it simply, when slip occurs, more energy is transferred from one fan to another than would be possible with traditional mechanical connections.
How Torque Converters Help Your Vehicle
Torque converters provide several benefits for your vehicle by allowing for smoother gear shifting and better fuel economy due to their efficiency when transferring energy from one fan to another without creating unnecessary friction or heat buildup between them. Additionally, they also allow for greater flexibility when driving. After all, they enable your car or truck to remain in gear even if you take your foot off the gas pedal. The "slip" design keeps some amount of power flowing through them even when no direct mechanical connection exists between them.
However, to enable this all to happen, the system must pressurise the transmission fluid, and it is pumped through the torque converter at speed. As this happens, some of it will remain within the narrow interior spaces and will remain there when the engine is switched off. To make sure that the old fluid is removed to make way for new lubricant, an experienced technician will need to use some specialised equipment.
What You Should Do Next
As you can see, the torque converter is a wonderful machine and capable of great things, but you must look after it if you want to avoid problems in the future. This is why it is important to take the vehicle to an experienced mechanic so they can evacuate the old fluid and replace it with new.
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