Torque Convertor lock up instal

[Drillerscott Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Drillerscott]

Very interested in this for my 2005 1KZ Grande, would someone mind sending me the info?
[email protected]

Regards Scott.

[BlakMoth Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close BlakMoth]

Sent it for you guys


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Drillerscott Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Drillerscott]

Thanks bloke.

[Davis Dieso Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davis Dieso]

Finally been able to attach a link to the instructions. Tis difficult, time/ability!!!!
Try this, and let us know if it doesn't work for whatever reason.
I've tried it and worked fine, just be patient for it to load up.
Cheers, Jamie

https://www.dropbox.com/s/x7karsquuv...p%20.docx?dl=0

[Drillerscott Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Drillerscott]

Thanks for the emails fellas, look forward to doing this to our Grande.

[delicar Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close delicar]

Hi all, I have been following this thread with great interest particularly after my recent trip of 3600ks out bush towing my little camper trailer and having experienced first hand the some what useless g/box in my 03 diesel prado, so I downloaded the info from Jamie and also the info from the Auto wholesale gearbox mob in Vic and put it to a couple of very astute mechanical mates of mine who work for the RAA here in SA and there opinion was DONT do it due to the weak construction of the torque lockup band in the gearbox that damage will occur, similar to using the bigger Toyotas to tow in fith gear all the time and stuffing the g/box which is a well known problem.
So I put it to you mob has any body actually fitted these lockups, been using them for a long time and experienced any problems.
cheers Mick

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

I would like to do something like this but also a little concerned my two main concerns are:

Can the brake pads on the torque convertor handle the load, for instance in a KIA I own, the torque convertor locks up when in drive and the vehicle speed exceeds 80KMH. They are designed to take the full engine power, as soon as you back off, drop below 80KMH or the transmission goes to change the lock up disengages till the prime conditions are meet again. Is the torque converter lockup in the Prado able to take full engine power under all conditions?

My second concern is the bands in the gear box, bands are basically little clutches that lockup gears to change the ratios. I suspect the Prado would be similar to the KIA in that when it changes gear it unlocks the torque convertor to enable a bit of slip to occur when the gear box changes gears. With the torque convertor locked up any difference in the required input shaft speed to match the output shaft speed will have to be taken up by the bands and the torque convertor brake pads, ie the bands and or torque convertor brake pads slip until engine speed reaches the correct speed, this may not be good for the bands and shorten their life considerably. It could also place extra load on the planetary gears in the gear box itself.

I would also be interested to hear form any auto transmission experts out there as to their opinions on this and similar modes?

Cheers
Leigh

[Davis Dieso Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davis Dieso]

I read these last two threads (Mick and Leigh) with interest.
Very relevant points and something all should do before jumping in and making alterations like this on there vehicles.
I am a qualified (long time ago) mechanic. I did my lock up knowing full well the ramifications of what "could happen".
I understand what goes on to the clutches during changes etc. First of all there are no bands in the modern auto trans'. Just clutch packs. The more these clutch packs are subjected to "slip" and "power", there ultimate life will be reduced. Also bad servicing will have the same effect. Most modern auto transmissions should outlast the vehicle if serviced and driven accordingly. All auto's have planetary gear-sets that are markedly stronger than a conventional manual gearbox, as the side loading on gears is non existent, due to the load being shared by 3 gears in contact and load distributed in 3 equal directions. Drag cars have for years put enormous power through gears and clutches that were essentially made to take the original engines power, but with (in most cases) just increasing oil pressure (to increase clutch clamping pressure) is all thats done. Yes other mods can and are done in some instances for ultimate gain.
I have now done around 10,000km with mine and don't consider it puts undue strain on the clutches during the gear change or lock up engagement. There is not any more slippage than I would consider "normal". It changes and locks up very nice. HOWEVER, time will tell for operational life and I am prepared to take that chance. I will monitor my trans oil carefully and see how it goes. I would also understand anyone being too concerned to try it. No naysayers could talk ME out of it. Its just great.

Cheers, Jamie

[delicar Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close delicar]

I did again confer with my mechanical mates last night, three of them this time and again the answer was no don't do it with the main objection being that I could put the actual lockup plate under too much stress causing it to slip and stuff the box causing an expensive repair which will far out weigh the benefits gained and after having viewed how small these lockup clutches are I tended to concur with them. BUT!!! they're not driving this useless bloody car and putting up with it's stupid idiosyncrasies as I am and neither do they allow for my rather grandpa gentle way in which I drive trying to save a little fuel in this guzzling machine as I do.
I have spoken to a trans guy on this subject who showed me a lockup plate and explained the ramifications on using a locker and he reiterated that common sense prevails and to be discretionary with the switching e.g. after reaching 70 ks or so that all should be ok. I also spoke (again) with Auto trans mob in Vic who sell these things for $495 plus $27 bucks postage ( bit rich I thought) about their product which is still manually switched and was told of all the benefits of fitting these units.SO!! these things have been around for years and if they were to stuff up g/boxes I'm sure we would have heard about it let alone them being taken off the market. If you go to the Auto wholesales site and look in the ask orto section there is a pic there of the old original kit that they made a zillion years ago for the GU Patrol which is simply 1 relay with a switch and a fuse.
So after all my messing around I tend to agree with Jamie and will go for it
cheers Mick

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

I had a look at a unit that appears to have a good reputation, in this unit
it has an ECU that plugs into the ODB port, the ECU monitors the engine
speed and when it reaches per-determined speed for each gear it locks the
torque converter.

At the moment I'll stay a fence sitter, in the future if frustration drives me to it
I'll probably do a similar mode but I will probably include a logic unit to look at the
gear box control. The logic unit will check to see if a gear change is occurring,
if so then turn off the converter lock, once the gear change has been completed
then wait 2 seconds and engage lock again etc.

Cheers
Leigh

[delicar Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close delicar]

bloody hell Leigh do you do rocket science in your spare time?
Back to it, I am totally unaware as to when the lock actually works and always thought that this facility was only designed to work say in top gear at a certain speed to provide a direct drive when cruising, a bit like an over drive and any necessary slip during changes is provided by the clutch packs as Jamie has suggested or is this busy little guy cutting in/out all the way thru the change cycles?
cheers Mick.

[Davis Dieso Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davis Dieso]

I can fully understand the hesitation Mick, for sure. I have no long time span to judge my results, so cannot say whats going to happen?? I have not seen the lock-up plates either, or anything else to go by. However, I assume the lock-up is designed to take the full engine power (full throttle) lock -up. I haven't actually done it, but I assume that if you just flattened the accelerator (and waited)(and waited) it would lock-up eventually. If not then lift the foot slightly would allow it to lock. I realise this isn't going to happen lots of times. They do lock-up thousands of times in there life though and last they do. I have never heard of a lock-up failing in any car. But no doubt the trans specialists have.
Anyway, looks like I'm the guinea pig in this case. I'll definitely post here if anything should happen. Don't want anyone else to have problems.
In answer to your question RE: when it locks up? It only locks up when its in top gear and you reach a certain speed with relevant acceleration. ei: Mine locks up about 83km/hr with light/medium throttle. Heavy throttle then kicks it out when it changes down a gear. Bloody thing does this without even sticking your boot into it. Very annoying. How your meant to power on when all it does is kick back and rev (which once it gets to approx 3000 rpm its all over for them anyway).
It is heaps better with lock-up control I can tell you.
Cheers, Jamie

[Davis Dieso Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davis Dieso]

That certainly sounds like a good thing Leigh, A more high tech version of mine. It may present another issue of lots more lock-ups, as its doing it each gear shift. This may cause increased wear. Anyway, it sounds damn good, so I'm sure you will have a following if you get it up and running. keep us posted.
Cheers, Jamie

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

As a matter of interest, I remember seeing an exploded view of my KIA's auto,
the torque convertor lock up, it is a bit hard to see from the diagram but the
torque convert clutch appears to be a circular strip of clutch medium that is
attached to the torque converter, in front of the torque converter is a disc
that is pushed against the torque convert, very similar to a normal clutch
except there is only one friction plate and it appears a lot narrower than a
normal clutch.

[Davis Dieso Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davis Dieso]

Correct Leigh, I may stand corrected here but from my research it looks like they all work the same way. I've spent a fair bit of time on you tube, looking up how the lock-up clutches work. All seam to be the same. Some may not, but only seen one design.
My argument is, if the lock-up clutch is that weak, then they would be failing left right and centre. In 11,000km my auto oil hasn't changed a bit. All changes and lock-up work perfect. Only time will tell. J.