Torque Coverter Shutter?

[Dr.Kayak]

I'm running an EZ with a small cab-over camper. I'm wondering if I'm getting TC shutter at light throttle. It seams very slight, at around 55mph which is around 1700rpm. Could just be bumps in the road. But, I don't feal it as bad at 75 when the truck is closer to 2,000rpm.



I only have 11k miles on the tuck and baby it. Keeping it out of OD when under 50mph.



What does TC shutter feal like? Will I know it for sure?

 

[Snow man]

It sounds like you have it,your description is exactly how mine acted. The problem is worse at 1700 than at 2000,so that makes sense. You should either pull off the EZ or order a VB,if you continue to drive with it slipping,you will burn the TC,and eventually the transmission up. When in lockup watch the tach,and speedo,if the tack jumps up ahead of the speedo in lockup,you are slipping. The camper 's wind drag,and weight may be to much. My 2 place jetski trailer at 1500 lb was all it took to slip my stock TC,and i have 4. 10's which are easier on the trans.

 

[Chipstien]

Just wondering if you are driving on concrete or blacktop. If it is concrete than it might be the expansion joints in the road. When I slipped the stock tran it didn't shudder at all. It would just gain RPM's without gaining speed.

 

[WyoJim]

Dr. Kayak... I travel with a big wind grabbing slide in camper. I thought the wind was buffeting me when I was on cruise control at around 60 mph, thats probably around 1700 rpm. I ran it all over the states while it did this for 49000 miles. DUH.



Finally one day I stopped the truck and got out to see how hard the wind was blowing. Well it was dead calm. It had to be the torque converter. Double DUH.



I called Bill K and ordered a valve body and EZ. The EZ came first so I put it on and tried it on a hill in 3rd locked. I could spin the tach like crazy with the speedometer laughing at the effort.



The Valve body arrived and after installation I could not slip the TC no matter what I did while driving empty or with the camper on. No slip for 20,000 miles so far.



You might have the line pressure increased on your stock VB and solve the problem... Good luck what ever you do.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

Thanks for the replys. It does seem to vary with road serface. Also I'm curently traveling across the deserts of So. Cal. The winds have been very high the whole trip. No doubt the stock transmission shifts into OD at too low of an RPM. Might experemet and take the EZ off.

 

[LSMITH]

I would bet that when you are feeling the shudder if you go to a heavy throttle setting it will stop even though your RPM and speed have changed very little. 1700 is where you are making a ton of torque even at light throttle positions, if you are slipping something it is going to start at 1500-1900 PM. The heavy throttle will increase pressures MASKING the problem, as in the way the BD pressure-lok works. You could very well be slipping the TCC, or clutches in the transmission itself. How do you tell which it is for sure? I would suggest you call your transmission king of choice and have them help you out. Either way it is not good. You can take care of it early or trash the transmission and get one full up from your vendor of choice. Hope my rambling helps.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

Well, I took my EZ off. Have 400 miles to drive home. Will see if it feals different with out the EZ.



So much for the claim that the stock transmission will handle an EZ.

 

[BK]

another good transmission thread...



I have my wish list building for what I would like todo with my transmission, once things turn around for me.

My past investigations and watching the threads, I haven't seen anyone suggest that the stock transmission would put up with any increase in power.



The "qualified sources" I've come to appreciate from TDR, have all seemed to suggest to plan you transmission upgrades around the power you'll want..... kinda like buying a kit of parts set up for each other. .

Box, TC & VB.....

or if you not adding power seems just a VB is a good thing to make the stock transmission last longer at stock power, with hard duty.

even better throw a TC in while your at it if you have the $$s.



I've been tempted to do as you did. I'll need tires soon and will go to either 33's or 35's and wanted to regain the power lost from the taller tires... but I keep telling myself I need to do the transmission 1st, before adding the box. But one still questions it.



Thanks for asking / sharing your issue. (as well as those that answered)

Helps us all lurking and reading.





Bob

 

[tmacc]

Dr. Kayak,

Do you have 4. 10 gears? Your rpm and speed is the same as mine when this happens. Does this happen at light throttle or going up a slight grade? I've had this shudder/hesitation, what ever you want to call it for about 15 month. I had it before the EZ went in. I and many other have this problem. If you could do a search, you'd find a dozen threads on this. It's not the TC slipping and it's not caused by the EZ. Althought the EZ does seem to acserbate it. One or two folks have solved it by replacing the following, VP44, IAT sensor, MAP sensor, APPS, etc. They are the few. Many have replaced some of the above listed parts and it didn't help. So far, I haven't heard of anyone finding a solution for the problem. Some folks have suggested that it's something in the ECM. I have noticed that when the weather warms up the problem goes away. Have you noticed this more in cooler temps? We have had some 90* temps and it disappeared. Today it was in the mid 50s and it was back.

I have talked to a Cummins tech, and he said that they can hook up their computer and take a road test and determine if it's the ECM (or some other engine related part or sensor) or the transmission. I haven't done this yet because they can also tell what mods you've had on the truck. I'm sure there is a test that a transmission tech can perform to determine if the TC is slipping too. Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful, but it may give you some peace of mind about your TC.

Tom

BTW I have a DTT VB. It's a good way to go even if it doesn't solve the shudder problem. Hopefully I get the TC in soon. It's sitting on the garage floor w/ all the other associated parts.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

Tmacc, I do not have 4. 10 gears. I'm probably a little too high on my RPM numbers. It does happen at light throttle going up a slight grade. The shutter is very slight. Doubt a non-TDR driver would think it's anything other than the way a 3/4 ton truck rides. I became concerned when I realized the shutter went away at higher RPMs.



Today I drove 375 miles with the EZ off. All Interstate running 70-80mph. Did not notice the problem at that speed on flat interstate. I DID notice that without the EZ it shifts into OD at a higher RPM. I like the transmission shift characteristics MUCH better without the EZ. I now understand why Bill K. custom tunes the VB based on the engine HP. I also agree than a stock auto is not suited for ANY power upgrades.



I can live with this "shutter" as long as I have the piece of mind that I'm not destroying the transmission with the EZ. After today, I can even live without the EZ.



Thanks... . Chuck

 

[Chipstien]

Get the VB... . you will love it.