91 rs....

converted to carb, took the ecm out.

how is this effecting the tranny? is the TC not locking up or being used at all? someone please explain.

i am by far NOT a tranny guy. i cna hold my own in any other area...but trannys scare me lol.

 

The TC is controled by the ECM so with out it it isn't locking up. there are a few alternatives. Wiring the lockup to a Switch or use a Vaccum switch that locks the converter up at a certian Vaccum.

I am by no means a tranny guy just asked the same questions a few days ago so someone will chime in and tell you how best to wire this.

Just my .02

 

now i DO have the TC lock up rigged VIA aldl/switch.

but im wondering how much power/torque im losing due to the ecm not controlling the TC.

 

How about, none? Lol..the ECM controls VERY LITTLE of the transmission. Basically, the lockup. That's it. The converter is going to behave the same with or without the ECM essentially, minus the lockup function. You're fine with the switch as long as you're good about when to turn it on and when to turn it off. I'd flip it on over 40 mph. It's meant for cruise-only. WOT, turn it off. Decelerations, turn it off. The lockup serves a few basic purposes, those being gas mileage, and trans life. By directly locking the trans to the engine, it increases gas mileage and lowers rpms by eliminating parasitic loss through the converter's fluidic power transfer. And also...if the converter ISN'T locking up, it the converter WILL get hot, and thus so will the trans fluid....which reduces your transmission life.

Hope this helps.

 

well...i never turn the switch on unless im about to get on it and wish for the torqe to come in a lil early.....i never use i on the higway.....

i have a tranny cooler if that helps even out the tc not locking up.

is this something i should be concerned about ...or just know in the future to buy the lock up module for 70 bucks.

What exactly does the ECM read/sense to know when to lock up the TC.

i have the ecm, its flawless. but the car is carbed so its useless UNLESS the ecm can control the TC without any of the fuel injection stuff.

so can i still use the ecm to control the TC even if all the FI stuff is gone? what sensors tell the TC to lock up?

 

As far as the ECM being used JUST for the transmission...I really don't know. Never heard that idea proposed before! I believe the TCC lockup, in the ECM, is speed dependent. But then there are exceptions, such as throttle position, and brake applied or not, that affect the TCC's lockup. Being that it's speed dependent, I imagine it uses the Vehicle Speed Sensor. Don't know what it uses to determine that you're accelerating so it should disengage. And the brake application, there's a switch that disables lockup when brakes are engaged.

Just a small tidbit.....leaving the TCC locked while in WOT.. Well, it will usually hold up to it just fine...but it DOES put a lot more strain on the converter than normal......so I'd be a little cautious using it. It PROBABLY won't break....but PROBABLY isn't much of an assurance is it?

Also FYI, I'd use that switch ANY time you're cruising in 4th gear. ESPECIALLY on the highway. Trust me..the mileage, and extra trans heat it reduces is well worth it. Just remember to turn it off when you're slowing down.

 

to be completly honest my car rarely see's the highway, its honestly an around town car....so im almost never in OD as it is.....

there isnt much of a time where it needs to lock up, im either accelerating or cruising in second on 45 mph streets..... so i dunno....

i know theres no kind of brake sensor so im guessing it relys upon the TPS and VSS for the most part......i mean a TBI doesnt have many sensors to begin with so.....unless it uses the MAP sensor....or IAC somehow......

who knows......maybe i should ask in the tbi or ecm sections

 

Or you could wire the brake pedal switch in line with the toggle Switch so that it will unlock the converter any time the brake pedal is pressed. That would be a lot better than to keep flipping the switch all the time. Just a thaught

 

good idea. so the TC only engauges at cruice in 4th? (i told ya, im no tranny man)

 

Now I have thaught about using the vaccum switch but I really think the Toggle Switch is a Great Way to do it as long as you unlock the converter while Decelerating like Nixon1 Recomended or wire it to the brake pedal switch.

I think I am going to use a 3 position toggle Switch and with a Brake pedal Switch

Up Position- Let the vaccum switch opperate the TC normally
Middle Position- Lock Converter Manually ( wired to break switch also So it would unlock on Deceleration)
Down Position- Unlock Converter Manually

The Best of all worlds

Ohhh BTW you can use the ECM for tranny Controll Only I have read about people on the DIY PROM board doing this

 

yeah i have no means of programming proms , and to get all the stuff to do it i might as well just buy the TCI switch.

Any way you could whip up a MS paint schematic ?

i dont understand how you are saying to wire it so that the circuit closes when you press the brake.

So the TC ONLY locks up in 4th while cruise? is this correct or incorrect.

 

Normal operation with what I've seen, is the TC is speed dependent. I KNOW it will lock up in 3rd at the appropriate speed. And it will do 4th of course. I haven't tried second gear, but I imagine if you ran it out high enough, it would engage in second gear also. Never in first though; fluidically impossible.

And yeah, the converter is designed to operate only at cruising. Deceleration, anything more than the SLIGHTEST acceleration, etc. will disengage it basically.

Wiring it in with the brake switch is a VERY good idea...as means of a failsafe. I'm just too much of a simpleton to think of things like this. Me and electrical don't go together. After I started a fire wiring STROBE LIGHTS...yes, strobe lights.... I gave up.

 

i hate strobes.....ive accidently jolted myself with those suckers 100 times.....and its not just one solid Bzz AHH.... like a plug wire....its 100 bzz bzz bzz bzz bzz bzz so your arm goes numb ina matter of 1 second lol.

anyways....the TC lock up doesnt seem neccesary, it seems as though its only gas efficiant, and other than that...it doesnt help much

i have a pretty decent tranny cooler infront of my condensor....so im not TOO worried about tranny temps.....unless its a huge diff when the tc doesnt lock up.

please correct me if im wrong. the tranny i have is fairly NEW and i dont wish to destroy it....ty

 

The TC Does lock up in 3rd and 2nd But not in 1st.

I don't Have a 700R4 As of yet, I will be replacing my T-5 with a Pro Built Automatics Street/Strip 700R4 Some time later this year. Painless wiring has a Vaccum lock up kit. If ya go to their web site find the part # then look up the wiring directions on their web site. (they arre in a pdf format) you will see how exactly it is wired then all you have to do is wire in the toggle switch accordingly since there kit includes the wiring for the Brake Pedal. now for my idea with a 3 position Toggle I will need to auctually have everything infront of me to beable to do it and check everything with a multi tester before doing a Wiring Diagram. Little confusing with out everything in fornt of me.

When I do do this I will do a Write up on it.

Your car should already have the brake switch on it so just probe the wires on it to see what they do with and without the pedal depressed. Might need to use a relay or two but that is no big deal. Relays are easy once you understand them. here is a explanation of relays for the Simpletons Like Nixon1 LOL J/k
http://www.f-body383.100megsfree5.co...elays_work.htm

 

lol no one answered my question....will tc not locking up directly harm the tranny?

Will the tranny cooler compensate the heat for the TC not locking up?

 

Yes the TC not locking up will create more heat and can damage the TC and I would think probally wear on the Tranny form what I understand.

for just your toggle switch and a brake switch it would look something like this. Not sure on wire colors and this is just a quick drawing so I am not responsable for any thing.

 

well.....the TC only seems to lock up very little during daily use unless you go on road trips, which i never do, i rarely drive on the highway....


and, is the brake switch a normally open switch? because it looks as though the circuit is completed when the brake pedal is depressed.

 

would one of you be so kind as to IM me on AIM so we dont have to clutter up the board. AspiredTwo

ty