When my car is "cold", my TC doesn't lock up right away. It usually takes about 3 or 4 miles at 90 km/h. I've guessed that it's either becaue of cold ATF, which for some reason doesn't allow the lockup, or else the computer isn't allowing it for some strange reason. Can someone please explain. TIA

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Kevin-87 Firebird 2.8 A4
Ported Intake, K&N, !Cat, Cutout coming soon...
Best 0-60 10.26 seconds...for now

 

The torque converter will not lock until the engine reaches a certian temp.I don't know if this is to help with a quicker warm up,with the rpm's being slightly higher,or what!My TC must be getting ready to die...when the temp allows it to lock it will lock then unlock about 5 times within 5 or 6 miles.It doesn't do it all the time.But it is really annoying!

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Kevin S
89 RS w/2.9
modded some but not heavily


"I am just as enthusiastic about flying saucers as I always
was, but the problem is that we are in the middle of a
long, long trough. There's only so many times you can pick
over old bones. There just aren't enough new sightings. It
is not like being a philatelist - there is always something
new to say about stamps."

- Denis Plunkett, 70, a retired civil servant from Bristol
who founded the British Flying Saucer Bureau, which has
suspended its activities because of an apparent sharp
decline in the number of alien visitors to Earth.

 

So, in other words, it's a function that is governed by the computer? Would there be any downside to burning a chip that causes the TC to lock up at a lower engine temp? The mileage losses due to higher RPM's does add up over time. Can't wait 'til I start burning chips!

 

You would probably waste even more fuel that way. The reason they wait is because the engine will tend to lug until it warms up. Think of driving a standard in too high of a gear.

 

From the start, I agree that it would lug alot until it is warmed up. But my engine is definitely warm enough to support a locked TC after only a couple minutes. Instead, I spend more time unlocked. I think I could safely lower the temperature required to lock it up in the chip. Also, could I use the TC lockup trick with the ALDL port to have it lockup while driving?

 

It may even decrease engine life since it's not fully warm and lugging is stressful on the motor.

But I truly don't completly believe that statement because with a high powered motor with steep rear gearing, the rpms are overly high while cold and that would cause more wear IMO....

I believe the true reason GM did this is to light off the cat coverters faster...or to prolong their life.... to reduce pollution because a lugging cold motor not only is running rich because it's cold, but would be overly 'richened' by the high load (low vac) cold condition wasting gas like transfixleo stated, and under such a stress, the excess gas causes cylinder washdown wearing things faster.

These theories I gathered over the years and the only one that makes the most sense is light the cat off quicker.