Transient Maneuvers and Pressure Analysis on an Automotive Torque Converter

This work involves an investigation of internal fluid behavior of an automotive torque converter in a front-wheel drive automatic 6-speed transmission. The fluid behavior is identified through 29 pressure transducers instrumented throughout the torus, acquired through IR Telemetrics multiplexed channels, and analyzed with custom MATLAB code. The main vehicle operating conditions studied in this research are back drive scenarios or low motoring torques. Findings showed speed and torque limits for open converter coast down conditions as well as pressure field behavior with negative input torque