Yellow Bullet Forums banner
Cancel
Create thread New Garage Forums

Poor man's lenco? (TH400 with clutch)

Jump to Latest
65K views 187 replies 90 participants last post by  Shovelhead78  
#1 ·
#52 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by erobert3
You got a lot to learn about torque converter's. They multiply torque sometimes as high as 2.5 times engine torque.

How?:razz:

I already know what they can and can't do...let me here you explain it to me

Dam!....:smt017 I thought I was going to learn something here...guess not:confused:
 
#55 ·
Bill Diehl said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by erobert3
You got a lot to learn about torque converter's. They multiply torque sometimes as high as 2.5 times engine torque.

How?:razz:

I already know what they can and can't do...let me here you explain it to me

Dam!....:smt017 I thought I was going to learn something here...guess not:confused:
Click to expand...
Torque Multiplication is kind of a bad term. It's just the fact that the engine is running faster than the transmission. There's no magic happening that will miraculously make an engine putting out 500ft-lbs... put out 700ft-lbs. It's just allowing the engine to be at a higher rpm than the tranny... where it can put out more torque.

Bottom line... Running an engine through a converter and auto tranny is less efficient that through a clutch and straight cut gears. If you can keep the engine in its sweet spot with a stick and get traction... you'll go faster
 
H
#53 · (Edited)
Its funny reading all of this .... They were pretty good and alot of fun.. Technology has come so far this setup like so many others is obsolete.. Not so long ago at super chevy events there was a guy running in a ********* up class with a Blown Big Block Iroc "white"with one of these Clutch Turbo 400's.I think he was sponsored by B&M. Very fun to watch but he broke alot of parts. I had one in a 68 camaro street car with a blown small block and it was fun on the street and very reliable. Mine was built by fairbanks trans and converters. My how the times have changed..
 
#60 ·
These are a great trans in the right application.
Mine was built in the late 70's and I ran it up until about 2000 in my short wheelbase altered I had, it was not the right application.
It is bulletproof, but weigh's a shitload, about 200lbs with the steel bell housing and clutch.
We welded tabs on the chevy bell housing so it would fit my Ford.
Mine has a sintered iron disc I got off a guy with an alcohol funny car.
I left at about 7000 and it would bounce all 4 wheels off the ground, so we had to drop the base pressure to about 550lbs and stick a shit load of counterweight in it.
BUT, there was no slippage in top gear like my C4 has now and it top ended like a motherfucker.
I still got it now, who knows where I'll use it again?

Image


Image


The front seal would weep sometimes, so we just left a rag in the bell housing when I raced.


Image
 
#63 ·
because the clutch turbo or torqueflight is 50 year old dangerous technology.

The "lenco" transmission replaced the "clutched" automatics, the reason being... they were stronger and they also "equalized' the playing field....not everybody was born to row through the gears like Ronny Sox.

there is no doubt a converter has its place, but...if I can't get anybody to explain to me how a torque converter works, how the hell are the going to be able to adjust a clutch? That "crowd" is mutch better off sticking to an automatic with a converter in front of it.

There are other reasons also but, school is over for today...carry on
 
#65 ·
I tried the clutch turbo back in the early 70's late 60's The rpm drop between 1st and 2nd was the game breaker. Not to mention back then we all used rpm instead of torque for are builds. A small blk fell flat on its face at the shift and would never recover. back to the liberty pro shifted Muncie. Did have a few guys running them with big blocks and it was better but never a real threat. I recommended the removal of the bell housing on the 700r4 in the early 90's and make a plate to accommodate the use of gm's 700r4. the engineers just looked at me, then a few years later the 4l60 came out with yep a bell housing, reduced the number of cases machined they all used the same case then.
 
#67 ·
I got one that may have been in JungleJims' vega, thing is bullet proof. McLoed made a hydraulic T-O bearing for me and a dualdisc ram clutch. I had it for my comp car and plan to use it in the prostick class this year behind a smallblock. I believe they use the same clutches as a lenco, maybe a tranny guy will explain. The surprising thing is that when cranking the engine it'll walk the car if in gear and pedal out just like a manual.
I was told it was in a fuel funny car but had to be rebuilt often, JungleJim had it but I haven't been able to verify. They were in a few funny cars back then.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#69 ·
Anyone else catch the fact that it won't back up? LOL. So 2500, and it's junk right off the hop.

I can't believe someone put that in a late-model mustang. (Based on car in the first pic, and under-car shot in the third pic).
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#83 ·
Its a neat concept and they are a lot of fun for awhile. I had a TF/clutch in my 68Roadrunner. It basically shifts with fury and anger w/o a converter and overlapped so hard on the 2-3 shift that it would loosen every screw inside the car and empty the contents of the ashtray into your lap every time it shifted. Was nice to get it out of the car once the fad wore off.:)


Hutch
 
#111 · (Edited)
Hutch said:
Its a neat concept and they are a lot of fun for awhile. I had a TF/clutch in my 68Roadrunner. It basically shifts with fury and anger w/o a converter and overlapped so hard on the 2-3 shift that it would loosen every screw inside the car and empty the contents of the ashtray into your lap every time it shifted. Was nice to get it out of the car once the fad wore off.:)


Hutch
Click to expand...
Yep,The one I pic'd would chirp the rear tyres on the 1-2 shift even on the stickiest track.
I had so much clutch dust coming out my race suit looked like John Force's.
Even slipping the clutch it hit the rear tyres like crazy.
I raced that g/box for years and never broke it once.
This pic is about 20yo.

Image
 
#87 ·
Hey Bill. A clutch and a converter are not even in the same game , let alone the same planet. You can't multiply anything with a clutch no matter what you do.

Think about it for just a second. Have a 2 speed with a clutch and one with a converter. The converter car will have made a pass and be back in the pits cooling before the clutch car with the same 2 ratio's will be at the 1/8th mile marker and that's a fact.


Hutch
 
#91 ·
Hutch said:
Hey Bill. A clutch and a converter are not even in the same game , let alone the same planet. You can't multiply anything with a clutch no matter what you do.

Think about it for just a second. Have a 2 speed with a clutch and one with a converter. The converter car will have made a pass and be back in the pits cooling before the clutch car with the same 2 ratio's will be at the 1/8th mile marker and that's a fact.


Hutch
Click to expand...
:p l like the way you explained it but it don't explain how...I guess I got to go read the wiki post over and over before the techno nuts get me:p
 
#96 ·
Yeah it's true, the converter recycles the torque to an extent, clutch slips, it's GONE. By the way, that old clutch turbo looks pretty nice, add some close ratio planets and it would be right for a vintage gasser effort. Back when we had one of the guys in the group running a clutch turbo, 454, 3200# Camaro, ladders, 14x32 5.38, Don Stanley built it, think with Winters parts, ran mid 10's didn't break, good wheelies.
 
#98 ·
Mr. Hipster said:
Yeah it's true, the converter recycles the torque to an extent, clutch slips, it's GONE. By the way, that old clutch turbo looks pretty nice, add some close ratio planets and it would be right for a vintage gasser effort. Back when we had one of the guys in the group running a clutch turbo, 454, 3200# Camaro, ladders, 14x32 5.38, Don Stanley built it, think with Winters parts, ran mid 10's didn't break, good wheelies.
Click to expand...
there were several around the Chicago area...that was long ago I can't remember who all had them
 
Y
#99 ·
It is sad you appear to have such poor imagination skills you can't visualize it in your mind. I guess because you cannot create an image of how it functions in your head, you will not believe it is real. "Imagination" is not frivolous daydreaming, it is “image initiation”.
 
A
#101 ·
I remember back in the early 80's, this old Italian guy ran a clutch Turbo in his BB 70 Chevelle, street car, i didnt know much about them.. all i knew is he scared the shit outta me when i took a ride in that car, he was a short little fuck all i remember is seein his pointy leather shoes mashing that fuckin gas pedal as them N50's were screamin..
 
Yellow Bullet Forums
posts
24M
members
152K
Since
2005
A forum community dedicated to drag racing drivers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about racing, builds, pro mods, hot rods, events, turbos, nitrous, superchargers, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Trash Or Be Trashed Naturally Aspirated Let's Talk Drag Racing Turbo Charged Nitrous - Induction Solutions