A torque converter was instrumented with 29 pressure transducers to measure the torus, clutch plate, and torque converter cavities using telemetry to transfer the data. The torque converter was placed in a six-speed front wheel drive transmission and a test cell was built to drive and load the transmission to mimic in-vehicle performance.
Steady state tests were completed to establish a baseline for pressure performance of the torque converter. The transient events tested include back drive and gear shifting. Back drive showed how the pressure fluctuates across the speed ratios above 1 as well as identifying the stator speed. Gear shifting presented how large the pressure change can be between each gear state. Low speed downshifting, where hydraulic demand can possibly exceed pump capacity, resulted in showing the control over the torque converter clutch was still possible and reliable. These results can be used to improve future calibrations and designs