I have an auto. When I am on the gas, like accelerating up a hill, and my O/D is off in 3rd, I notice that right past 3000 rpm (3250 maybe, around 60mph) the engine loses about 100 or so rpm. It not a gauge problem, as I can hear the change in engine speed in my exhaust. Is this the torque converter locking up? It's hard for me to gauge how much throttle I am giving it, but I try to keep it steady, and not give it so much that it down shifts.

 

WARNING: The audio is full of static. I changed it to a music track, but youtube said it might take a while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhVC2NJPQ2o

Check out about 19 seconds in.

 

TC doesn't lock in 3rd with OD off.

 

With OD disabled, it should lock up the TCC right around that speed, if you're at a low throttle angle.

 

The FSM (and my experience) disagree:

 

I would estimate 20-30% throttle, but like a said, with the foot gauge, its hard to tell.

 

2/8 throttle = 25%, thats all I need. That page is different than the one in my FSM (1997). Which one is it?

 

'95, but they all do it (all of the 4th gens I've driven, anyway). The later FSMs don't specifically mention it, but also don't specifically exclude it.

 

Yeah I found the section on lockup very vague in the 97 FSM. But thanks, I appreciate the info.

 

i never turn od off, there's no reason to. my mechanic and the dealer both agree on that.

 

Most of the time no, there is no good reason.

However saying flat out that there's never a reason to is absolutely incorrect.

If you're hauling a heavy load, towing a trailer, then you should turn OD off.

If you're driving around town ~40-45 MPH, turning OD off keeps the trans from hunting back and forth between 3rd and 4th.

If you want to top out 3rd, you have to turn OD off or it shifts into 4th early.

Etc.