Dodge 2001 Ram 1500 Owner's Manual page 2065

21 - 430 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - 44RE
TORQUE CONVERTER (Continued)
Fig. 236 Stator Location
1 - STATOR
2 - IMPELLER
3 - FLUID FLOW
4 - TURBINE
TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH (TCC)
The TCC (Fig. 237) was installed to improve the
efficiency of the torque converter that is lost to the
slippage of the fluid coupling. Although the fluid cou-
pling provides smooth, shock-free power transfer, it is
natural for all fluid couplings to slip. If the impeller
and turbine were mechanically locked together, a
zero slippage condition could be obtained. A hydraulic
piston was added to the turbine, and a friction mate-
rial was added to the inside of the front cover to pro-
vide this mechanical lock-up.
OPERATION
The converter impeller (Fig. 238) (driving member),
which is integral to the converter housing and bolted
to the engine drive plate, rotates at engine speed.
The converter turbine (driven member), which reacts
from fluid pressure generated by the impeller, rotates
and turns the transmission input shaft.
Fig. 237 Torque Converter Clutch (TCC)
1 - IMPELLER FRONT COVER
2 - THRUST WASHER ASSEMBLY
3 - IMPELLER
4 - STATOR
5 - TURBINE
6 - PISTON
7 - FRICTION DISC
TURBINE
As the fluid that was put into motion by the impel-
ler blades strikes the blades of the turbine, some of
the energy and rotational force is transferred into the
turbine and the input shaft. This causes both of them
(turbine and input shaft) to rotate in a clockwise
direction following the impeller. As the fluid is leav-
ing the trailing edges of the turbine's blades it con-
tinues in a "hindering" direction back toward the
impeller. If the fluid is not redirected before it strikes
the impeller, it will strike the impeller in such a
direction that it would tend to slow it down.
BR/BE