How do you guys know when your TC is locked?

[JDiepstra]

Like the title says, how do you know when your Torque Converter is locked? I want to hear everyones opinion!

 

[JVolpe]

Well the obvious way is to feel it happen while driving. You should already know when it should lock up based on what gear you are in and what your OD on/off condition is.



When it locks if feels like another gear shift generally. The rpms will from that point on sort of parrellel the speedometer. This is because you have TC lock and are not using fluid coupling that varys with pressure.



It will lock when in 2nd gear, it will lock in 3rd gear when OD is locked out and it will lock in OD around 53mph with normal acceleration.



Not sure what else you are looking for.

 

[THoltz]

My DTT smart controller indicates status of factory lockup signal. Transmission receives factory signal around 33 mph and maintains signal until I take my foot off throttle or drop below around 33. With the controller on, after trans receives factory lockup signal, it will maintain lockup until I drop less than 33 or turn controller off. And with the DTT, I can definitely feel the trans lock.

 

[Matt400]

That's hard to put down on the keyboard. I can tell because it feels like I just let the clutch pedal out all the way out, feels like a stick at that time.



On my 05 I can start off in D and as soon as I feel the shift to second if I pull the lever to 2nd soon after there will be what feels like another shift but what it was was the TCC locking up.



Say I am doing a steady 40mph uphill in drive, fast enough for 3rd but not for 4th and I hit the TH button, I get a split second loss of torque followed by a very solid engaugement resulting in a lower RPM than what I had before hitting the button which is locked in 3rd at that time.



4th locked feels like a stick in 6th, when you bear into the go pedal the R's don't rush up (unless its unlocked) instead you just get a speedo climbing faster than the tach.

 

[WCPoe]

Well on mine even before I got my ATS trans the rpms would go up a few hundred rpm with the slightest bit of throttle. Once the convertor locks the rpms would only go up gradually with my speed. It still does this although to a lesser extent with my ATS 5 Star convertor until the unit locks. I'm sure this is because the 5 Star is alot tighter. Watch your rpms as you cycle the go pedal a bit.

My stock transmission locked at about 50 mph or so normally driving and would unlock with a tap of the brakes or just slowing down a bit. The ATS stays locked to a much lower speed just dependent or how low I have the controller set and it has a green LED to indicate the lockup so you'll know for sure.

Just my 2 cents.