Hey everyone!
I have a general question, but wasn’t sure where to post it properly.

I recently acquired a amethyst 1998 Durango 4x4 with a 380HP MP long block for my girlfriend. The truck absolutely screams!
(Many other engine/computer mods)
My question is can you put a switch on the transmission to control the lock up torque converter?
A friend of mine did this with a cheeve turbo 400, is it possible to do this to any electronic controlled transmission?
My reason for asking is the lock up happens too soon. The trans. has never been rebuilt and has 202,000 miles on it. (No kidding!) It shifts great, but locks up very early in high gear. I am afraid of this hurting the trans.over time.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

How soon? My torque converter locks up around 45 MPH. I have never had any major issues with it. A friend who owns a tranny shop did recommend I use Lucas and limited slip differential additive along with the factory recommended fluid to improve shift quality and to make it run smoother. Less than 2 miles down the road I could feel a marked impovement in the way my car drives.

 

Thanks for the tips, that’s why the transmission still shifts hard and has over 200k on it.
Imodified the intake runners and made a billet plate to hold a 1000cfm 4bbl throttle body.
The problem with this is the kick-down adjustment is very hard to set, this being the case the converter
locks up very early even if you set the shifts long.
I also installed an aftermarket 2200 stall-converter, it is a lock up that works very well.

I would just love to be able to have a switch to leave the converter out of lock-up until I get up to speed on the interstate.

Thanks for the response though!

 

How could the converter locking up hurt your trans? That's what it is designed to prevent. When a torque converter is unlocked, there is a lot of slippage that occurs, escpecially with high power engines. This is generating heat and is where your trans can be hurt. But when it locks up, your trans is at 1:1 ratio with your engine, so there is no slippage at all. So as long as the rpm's that it is locking up at are fairly low, this is the best thing for your transmission.

 

I do understand the lopck up is there to help, Istill would like to be able to control the lock-up at my will.

Thanks for the response.

 

Do you have a tow button? If you do you can lock it. Otherwise a computer access would do the trick. Sounds like you need the trans built to handle the motor. Mine is built to handle over 550 HP. But also I have a 46RE built to the nuts. If what you are saying is true the trans couldn't hold up. I would build the trans up and this would solve all your troubles.

This is a classic way of how NOT to build a truck!

Now ifthe motor, trans, T-case, and gearing were builtfirst then you could have had the chance of building a computer program to run it. building needs to be done before computer upgrades. Now not dissin ya butthis thing is built bass acwards.

 

You are probably correct, this may not have been the correct order to put this thing together.

Right or wrong could be argued in how you are using and maintaining your truck. Again as I have stated before the stock trans with a aftermarket converter has over 200,000 miles on it. It has always seen towing duty, making passes at the strip, and daily transportation since new. (And as I stated elsewhere, I drive this truck hard.)
I'm not looking at making the transmission last longer, anything more than it's already done is more than most I've experienced.

I have a nother trans ready to replace this one if and when it does fianlly let go.

I was hoping for more direction on where others may suggest looking for an answer to my original question, being, Can YouUse A Switch to Lock And UN-Lock The Torque Converter?

.Thanks.