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Old 11-01-2019, 01:46 PM   #9 (permalink)
EcoCivic
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keito View Post
FWIW my '17 Fusion locks the converter after it shifts into 3rd, has a 6 speed trans
I'd like to know why the engineers chose to have it this way.
Not saying it's wrong, just curious.
Interesting. My guess would be because they found that 3rd gear is the earliest they can lock the converter while still shifting smoothly. I noticed that at least with my car, shifting it with the torque converter locked up feels a lot harsher in lower gears. A 1-2 shift locked up jerks the whole car and makes the engine surge and doesn’t feel happy. But a 2-3 or 3-4 shift locked doesn’t feel nearly as harsh for some reason. My guess would be because the car has more inertia at higher speeds, but I don’t know for sure.

This could also be because some people don’t like the immediate and direct response of getting on and off the throttle that occurs with a locked converter. I notice this more in lower gears. I like the direct response, but some people may feel like it’s harsh.

Last edited by EcoCivic; 11-01-2019 at 01:59 PM.. Reason: Added info
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