Automatic Trans without Converter

[dickj]

Somebody (I can't remember who) recently was telling me about using a coupler with an automatic, and that they were able to put it in gear at idle.  Is that possible?  It would seem that there would be no way to put it in gear until the car was moving fast enough to accomodate first gear without bogging. I'm using a TH-350.  He may have been talking about a PG, but I can't remember for sure.  He may have been talking about a roundy-rounder on a dirt track, but if he could pop it in first gear on sand, it would seem like that would work on salt too? ? ? ?

DickJ

[doug odom]

Dick, On roundy round cars I have put a valve in line from the main pressure to the pan to bleed off line pressure so you could start from a standing start. The valve was hooked to a pedal (like a clutch). The reason was the rules said the car had to start from standing still. What they really wanted was to not allow converterless automatic transmissions because of the light flywheel. They just didn't write a smart rule and got out smarted. Now this was a little hard on the trans clutches but on a short track with the low rearend gear 1st. gear was about 10 to 1 so it was not too bad. I don't see any reason to ever have it on a LSR car. I have never had any problem with my TH350's without a converter on the salt.

[Dave Haller]

I run a Turbo 400 with no torque converter. I wanted to run it on a chassis dyno but knew I couldn't with direct drive. Had no problem out on the salt this year with it. Pushed out to speed, dropped it into first and came down on the engine after the five experiencing no problems. I know Tom Bryant runs a Turbo 350 in is comp coup and has been having a great trouble free time each time they run at the salt or El Mirage.

[handelbars]

i also run a turbo 400 without a convertor and have no problem. just push it up to 20mph pull it into low gear and get it on. never had a problem.

[Richard Thomason]

Diverter valves work great. If you are going to just stick it in gear, you might want to consider a reverse valve body. You don't want to go into high gear at 20 mph and then have to down shift twice. It can kill the engine.

[desotoman]

Somebody (I can't remember who) recently was telling me about using a coupler with an automatic, and that they were able to put it in gear at idle.  Is that possible? 

DickJ

Dick,

Anything is possible, but you might not like the consequences. LOL. I have run two types of vehicles without torque converters. One is a boat that has a turbo 400 in it and I have owned for 30 years with no problems. The other is the roadster under my screen name to the left. It runs a John Kilgore turbo 350 without a torque converter, with a reversed shift pattern. Push it up to 20mph and drop it into first gear, bring the rpm up to feel it engage and take off. Motor freewheels in 1st and 2nd gear if you let off the throttle. I just had John look at the trans after many years of service and it was perfect, just put new clutch packs in since it was apart. In my opinion some units which replace the torque converter are better than others, but that is up to you to decide.

Good luck,
Tom G.

[#31]

im confused how do u run a auto trans without the torque converter. what parts are needed to do this can someone let me no

[SPARKY]

Bo, TCI and others offer a coupler that connects the flex plate to the pump in the trans  one end is splined the other looks like the pump ears that go into the trans..---works great

[Peter Jack]

Further to Sparky's post, the pump is then replumbed so that there is an inlet line and an outlet line routed through the case. These lines are plumbed through a valve which allows the pressure to either bypass or activate the clutches or bands.

Pete

[panic]

In the diagrams and service text you'll see the pump drive component referred to as the "spider".