i have heard a lot of talk about dodge having a loose torque converter
and others installing a tighter converter

are there any reason dodge uses this type of converter

is it easier on the trans, last longer, or runs cooler

i guess i am asking is if a tighter converter is better why do they not use it

 

M, Its aahhhhh cheaper and makes the diesel feel like a gasser to make the conversion from Hemi to Cummins less emotionally stressful. ks

 

They make them so they are driveable for the gas crowd that isn't sure they like diesels..

 

Dodge use the loose convertors to keep the rpm's over 2000, this helps the stock trans make enough psi to hold the trans together.
The stock engine also needs the loose convertor to make it more drivable. You have very little boost at low rpm and it would bog.

 

they do it cause they're cheap to manufacture and its a dumb contract they have the TC company...look under ur hood where u have all ur info and you'll see who makes the TC's...the loose TC's transfer less power through the tranny before lockup and therefore places less strain on the tranny...i think dodge tries to justify the loose TC's by sayign that at least u wont get stuck and not go anywhere...u will instead rev really high, build boost and get moving.....

just cost cutting...but not as bad as the cost cuttign that goes on at the F word

 

maybe...... but the f word uses triple disk converters stock!!!! and there not loose.....

 

with my dunrite shift kit i get 95 psi at idle and 200psi at wot. they could jack up the psi if they wanted the clutches to last longer. they use the loose tc simply because they are cheap. it doesnt make it drive any better. in the old days they did need to be a little loose because the early cummins had low horsepowers. now that they are up at 325 and 610 they have no problem pulling a low stall converter even off they line. my truck was a dog before i changed to a triple disk converter even with the edge/ juice. now i can actually put the power to the ground. even running stock now it pulls hard. the truck makes peak torque at 1600 rpm why would you want a coverter that revs to 3100???? another main reason they use the loose converter is to lower egt's.

 

Has anyone done their own conversion from stock to aftermarket TC? I am looking at replacing my converter to get some torque on the ground, but I would rather do it my self if I can.

How complex of a job is this? A day? A Weekend? anybody got pictures?

 

I just did mine as well as replaced the direct and overdrive clutches and put a dunrite shift kit in. wasnt bad at all. if you are only going to replace the TC then it would be a piece of cake. you wouldt even have to remove the tranfer case. just unhook all the electrical, linkages and hoses and remove crossmember slide back the whole unit far enough to remove the TC and then slide it back in. there is alot of room under there to work on a 4x4 plus put the front on jack stands. mine was on a 05 but they shoud be simular except on yours you will also need a porta power to jack the frame apart. to get the crossmember in and out.

 

JCROMAN, When you did the TC, how much did it affect your MPG? I just can't imagine that running the truck up to 2000rpm to get it moving reasonably is efficient.

My current TC will cause my truck to lose speed unlocked vs. locked at a consistent throttle application. It's most apparent from 40-50 mph, which is a speed I spend a lot of time at around Anchorage and on our highways here.

Should I just look onto a TC lockup switch instead, or is the new TC the best way to go?

 

I just put it in about 2 weks ago. I seemed to have gained about 1mpg. It is so tight now that it's almost like being locked all the time. its that much better. I also have the lock up switch intalled. I dont really care for it much. It wont make up for the stock tc being loose especially at lower speeds and you wont really need to use it with a low stall converter. get the low stall converter you will not regret it. its feels like i gained 50 hp. the truck really gets up and goes now. I highly recomend the dunrite triple disk.

 

Yeah Id agree with most others - the main reason for the loose TC is cost cutting.

By transferring less torque to the tranny, the tranny will probably last a little longer. However, Ive heard some people argue that the extra slipping causes more heat build up, and of course high temps aren't good for the tranny.

A tighter TC would probably help your gas mileage slightly, but as expensive as a TC replacement is ($2-3k?), the money you'll save on fuel is relatively small - so not worth it.

In my opinion, the only way to really justify a TC upgrade is if you plan to add one of those "boxes" that adds lots of HP and torque, because the stock TC just wouldn't be able to handle the extra power.

 

If you replace the TC with a tighter one you should also replace the valve body or at least put in a kit to up the pressure in the transmission to help the band and other internal live longer.

On my 99 I seen no MPG increase in any of the aftermarket parts I put on and I had quite a few of them.

 

Where can one buy a Torque Convertor? And a shift kit to raise the pressure? I have an 04 CC 4x4 Dually 325hp and it feels sluggish from a stop and its doesnt have the same grunt as the older ones do. Also about the EGT's going up from doing this, should I upgrade to a bigger downpipe?

 

Ripper406

I got my TC & VB from the guys over at ATS diesel performance, made a huge difference in performance on my truck. As for the EGT's going up, can't help you there, I did the modification with the TC, VB and exhaust the same time since I had the truck up in the air.

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