Quote Originally Posted by Kakaire
thx
Your torque converter is like a big piece of goo between the engine and the driven wheels. When you put your foot down to make more power, the power is trasmitted through the goo, giving an 'elastic band' feeling -- like your right foot is not directly connected to the driven wheels. Which it isn't. It is in a manual car, though, because a clutch (hopefully) doesn't slip the way a torque converter does.

The torque converter has to behave this way to accomodate slow speed driving and in-gear idling, given that you don't have a clutch.

At higher speeds, to increase economy and throttle response, the torque converter can lock up, which means that it stops being goo and starts being a solid mechanical connection between engine and wheels. When the torque converter is locked up, throttle respose is as good as in a manual car.

My post was prompted by my desire for that manual-car level of throttle response through medium-speed corners. I hate that there's a delay and a gooifying effect of my right foot's movements by the time they get to the driven wheels. A locked up converter would make it much easier for us auto guys to balance the car through corners with the accelerator.

Hope that explains things.