Current/Amps/? to Lockup Turbo 200-4R Converter

I'm looking to build a simple delay box that will delay lockup in 4th gear for about 10 seconds. Does anyone know the current draw that the 12V circuit that locks up the converter draws?

The delay relays I see are in the neighborhood of 30V 10A. Not being an electrical engineer, I'm not sure what that really relates to. All I'm sure of is a 10A fuse isn't very big in my fuse block.

 

On my transmission the instantaneous draw for the forward gear solenoids can be as high as 30 amps. That is me measuring in an unloaded situation. If you want to be safe measure the draw for the TCC solenoid. Then you will know. You can always do trials with breakers 10a, 15, 20 and so on if you have them handy.

 

I'm thinking like an amp or so tops. The most a MegaSquirt can sink is 5 amps, and the directions say some of the inputs can handle grounding the TCC directly to a MegaSquirt output.

 

I didn't figure it could be too high. The wiring isn't that big. Looks barely big enough to run a dash light, let alone do any real damage. I'll wire in a fuse. I bought two as the were coming from China and are only 1.89 each and won't be here until the end of Oct at the earliest.

Delay time: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281444597348?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Video of it working: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cBrKsKDHg4

 

X2 Just got a new solenoid for the GN and there is no way to put 30 amps through that wire.

 

Got confirmation they are on the way. I'll post back once I get them with a review of them if anyone is interested. Maybe I'll build kits for others.

Does anyone else with a lockup experience NO delay in 4th and engagement? Mine, even though I use a vacuum switch, at low speed/high vacuum will go from 3rd to 4th+lockup instantly. It feels like it jumped two gears. There is no delay upon hitting 4th and the TC locking up. That's why I want a few seconds delay to give the motor a chance to pull past the shift.

 

My old '69 Firebird did the automatic lock up thing after shifting into fourth and it happened sequentially. Shift, half a heart beat, another 200-300rpm drop. I don't recall being overly bothered by it.

My current one is controlled by the megasquirt and the dang thing will lock the converter up in 2nd gear with light throttle. That is a weird feeling. I would like to get a vehicle speed sensor wired in so it won't lock up until 30mph or so, but for now it does it fairly promptly with regular driving. I have it calibrated just right though for in fourth gear to unlock right when I want it too, so that is the setting/load is what it uses for 2,3, and 4 until I get a vehicle speed sensor wired in. 1,000rpm at 25mph in 4th gear and converter locked is a bit strange too.

 

Since I do not have the electronic skills that I see here I use a highly sophisticated organic neural controller. When lockup is needed in OD I throw a switch in the console.

I do admire what you guys are doing just beyond my skill set.

 

Mine is going to be pretty simple as far as cost and complexity goes. We'll see what it acts like.

 

Well, I seem to have discovered a flaw in my plans that will further complicate life. It appears the way this works is that 12V is hot all the time and it is the grounding of the 4th gear pressure switch that causes the lockup.

Anyone with experience with a lockup circuit believe this to be true? If so, I can probably get by with what I have and still make it work but I won't be able to tap into the brake disconnect switch like I thought.

When I tapped into the brake switch, it was hot all the time so I knew I was in for an interesting experience.

 

That is correct, the pressure switch applies the ground.

I cannot remember for 100% sure, but I think if you get a cruise control brake switch the second plug that is for the cruise control shut off operates opposite the brake light terminals. Aka, when the brake pedal is pushed the light switch part closes and the cruise control part opens. Taking a continuity meter to the parts store would make it easy to verify.

 

Yes, I already have the upgraded brake switch. The problem is that the power is only broken when the brakes are pressed. It is 12v all the time down to the plug on the trans. The outbound side is the ground and I'll have to tap into the ground side.

My previous theory was the brake switch only got 12V after the trans hit 4th gear.

Now I'll have to reconfig it so it gets 12V and set the ground side to be the switched side of the delay relay. The major problem is it runs to the vacuum switch that is bolted to the side of trans. Just have to use 4ft longer wires is all. Don't want this little circuit board in the elements though I may try it once just to make sure it works.

 

Ah. I don't know what modifications to the in pan wiring, but the transmission guy that set up my 700-r4 made it so that it would only lock up in 4th gear and I just applied 12v to one wire all the time (I should of hooked it up to the brake switch to interrupt it when braking, but didn't..). I didn't have the delay box so it locked up almost immediately after shifting into 4th (unless I turned the toggle switch off, which I never did..).

 

Sorry I am late chiming in here but you guys are correct that you should have power to the TCC at all times and control the lockup through the ground side of the system... I use a normally closed switch for the brake switch so that applying the brake opens the circuit, and then the normally open vacuum switch hooked to an engine vacuum source, also a lighted toggle switch in line so that the lockup only engages if:

1. The brakes are not applied
2. The vacuum is over 10 HG
3. My toggle switch is turned on (this way I can keep it off if I want to)

Keep in mind that the TCC should not be locked up under power over about 300 HP unless you have some heavy duty Torque converter built for that... I paid $950 for my Hughes converter and it is safe to lockup at about 600 HP but the low end converters will die QUICK when trying to lockup under power.

Also keep in mind that even when you wire a toggle switch only into the system there is a delay of about 1.5 seconds before it locks up so factor that into your timing of the lockup application.

 

The solenoid on my 700R4 is 24 ohms, so 24/12 = 2 amps. I'm pretty sure the solenoids in my 200R4s are the same.

 

The specs on it says 2000W max and/or DC 0-30V/max 10A so that should be well below the threshold... I hope.

 

2000W is crazy, I don't get that! You would need a 166 amp alternator to power it.

30V @ 10A = 300W so @ 12V it would draw 4A or 48W. That's still double the amps my 700R4 drew. I connected mine to the radio circuit and never blew a fuse.

 

Exactly, just because it is rated that as a max, doesn't mean I'm going to run that through it. At 2A should live for a long time. I've only tested it with LED lights so far.

 

I used a 5 amp fuse on my 12v power to the tcc and never blew a fuse after 5 years.

 

Resurrecting an old thread.

I finally had a long weekend so I decided to dig in. I rewired the lockup circuit, moved the vacuum switch to the firewall just above the vacuum booster and plumbed in the delay module. It has rained a lot so I haven't had an opportunity to test it but I did a little testing to be sure it functions as I expected.

S0, it is wired like this:

12v power from IGN goes to back half of cruise control brake switch terminal. The adjacent terminal (with a pigtail splitter noted later) goes through firewall to transmission power side plug. The output transmission ground terminal is wired to the vacuum switch terminal, moved to the firewall for easier adjustments. The output terminal of the vacuum switch goes back inside the firewall to the delay module. Delay module is wired 12v from pigtail splitter on output of the brake switch. Delay module output normally open is connected to ground.

Might theory is that all of the below must be true for lockup to occur.

1. Must be in 4th gear for pressure switch to close
   
2. Must not have brakes applied to keep brake switch closed
   
3. Must have vacuum above adjusted point to close vacuum switch
4. Must have vacuum above idle while connected to ported vacuum
   
5. Delay module must have expired timer to ground lockup terminal

To unlock the converter any one of the following can trigger it.

1. Not in 4th gear
2. Brakes applied
   
3. Low vacuum
4. Idle condition

Any time there is a transition from locked up to not locked up, the delay module will cause an adjustable delay, currently set for 5 seconds, before the converter locks up.

So far I've invested about 4 hours, $5 for the module plus a spare in case I blow the first one, $15 for a couple of packets of wire and some terminal.