jeepmichelle1 wrote:
After reading your guide, i think i have torque converter shudder. Ive had my CRD for about 5 years and i experience a shudder in my engine whenever my vehicle is trying to shift-- only going up steep(er) hills, in between 2000-2500 rpms. Ive been thinking its the tranny going bad, or such. But now im thinking it might be this. What exactly would be the symptoms of torque converter shudder and would it occur at the same rpm every time?
thanks!
Michelle
Shudder happens when the engine torque is greater than the friction resistance of a clutch. With the CRD, the transmission clutches are usually overkill, and the clutch that most commonly slips, is the lockup clutch in the torque converter.
Usually this happens under acceleration, and unless modified somehow, maximum engine torque happens around 2100rpm.
The CRD torque converter clutch locks/unlocks at about 48-52mph. If you are accelerating when this happens, and the shudder starts about there, then it's the torque converter lockup clutch.
The trans usually does the 3-4 upshift around 43-44mph. when you feel this shift, push the throttle hard but don't floor it, and keep the speed under the trans lockup speed. Just hard acceleration for a very brief moment. If it shudders, then it's a transmission problem. I use this loosely, as it could be a hydraulic solenoid sticking, a bad electrical connection, or a bad clutch. Unlikely, but it does happen.
Find a stretch of road that isn't high traffic, and test it to find out the exact circumstances and speed that it happens.
Also, the speeds I mentioned are the speeds per my speedometer. If you have different tires or (?) your numbers could possibly be a little different.