[88CRX]

Originally Posted by apgrok1

Ok, here is how an auto trans works
A. The torque converter has an outer shell which;
1. is connected to the flywheel
2. is also connected to the system pressure pump, so that any time the engine is running, the trans will always have system pressure. This is what also contributes to the inefficiencies of an auto trans. You are always using some power to turn that pump.
3. has fins on the inside of the shell to push oil against the stator
4. has the lock up clutch in it to provide 1:1 ratio between the engine and the rest of the trans, otherwise there is always slippage between the shell and the stator. It was designed this way.

B. The stator is a multibladed fan-looking part that is internal to the TC shell. It is connected to the input shaft of the rest of the trans. It is also connected to the lock-up clutch. When the lock up clutch is disengaged, the stator has no connection to the shell other than the oil being thrown against it by the fins. This is what turns the stator. When the clutch is engaged, the stator is locked to the TC shell, providing the 1:1 ratio.

C. The rest of the trans is a series of planetary gear sets. A planetary gear set consists of a central cog (called the sun gear), three or more cogs that are engaged to the sun gear (called planet gears) and are all mounted to their own carrier plate, and finally a ring with teeth on the inside (called a ring gear) that is meshed with the planet gears. Usually, one would lock one of the three sets of gears stationary to get an input and an output from the other two. For example, if the ring gear was held stationary, the sun gear would be the input and the carrier plate fro the planet gears would be the output as the planets would travel around at a different speed. Internal clutches hold these gears stationary. There maybe three or four of these sets of gears.

So, the internal clutches of the transmission are what allow your trans to connect the stator to the wheels, AND are what are disengaged to provide neutral. When there is no pressure to any of the internal clutches, the planetary gears are allowed to turn in any direction at any speed to which ever gear has the least resistance. Even though the TC shell may still be pushing the stator to turn, the input power has nowhere to go as all the internal clutches are disengaged.

Oh i see, so the lock you were talking about is not the torque converter's

The trans still spins, but no load