MULTIPLYING REACTOR

At idle, the stator locks on its one-way clutch, stops turning, and redirects the flow of fluid exiting the center of the turbine. On throttle application the fluid exiting the center of the turbine hits the blades of the stationary stator. The reason this is key is that as the fluid jets out of the center of the turbine the vortex is turning the wrong way – against engine rotation. The stator – or reactor corrects the flow direction of the fluid and multiplies the energy contained within. This helps the impeller to spin the turbine faster by redirecting the fluid from the center of the turbine. The fluid then enters the center of the impeller with engine rotation, and then back out through the outside blades at a higher flow rate. In this way the stator allows the converter to multiply torque as the turbine assembly spins up on its way to the coupling phase of 9/10ths. The one-way clutch in the stator will release as the 9/10ths is achieved and the stator will freewheel, and go with the flow. The angles and curvature of the stator blades have great influence on how this multiplication of torque is delivered – or whether the converter delivers a soft or hard "hit" or torque. The reactor, therefore, can greatly influence reaction time. Altering power delivery to the chassis and tires can make the difference between hooking up, and going up in smoke.

SIZE DOES MATTER

While the stator controls the multiplication and delivery of torque as the torque converter reaches the desired 9/10ths, other factors control when the converter will stall, or start on its way to 9/10ths. Stall is the condition where the impeller is spinning around with engine rotation, but the turbine is stationary – such as at idle. Maximum stall is the point where this situation is overcome and the turbine starts to spin. Factors that control stall are the physical size of the converter itself, the angle of the blades within the impeller and turbine, vehicle weight, and the horsepower and torque created by the engine. Knowing the various factors that affect the fluid dynamics inside the converter an important conclusion can be reached. Converter selection depends not only on converter construction and size, but also largely on the vehicle it's going into. A converter that's right for one vehicle or combination may be entirely wrong for the other. From tire size to chassis setup all factors must be taken into consideration in making the best possible choice. There is no one-size-fits-all racing converter.