Torque Converter Carnage!

[Kentucky Boy]

I was out riding today. I changed my jet from the stock 95 to a 110. Replaced the fuel pump and lines. I had been doing some 180's and was spinning the tires. One of the TC springs flung out and started slicing my seat up as well as my paint.

Here's what was left of the spring. Turned into a wicked weed eater.

Really whipped around and shredded my seat. Luckily it did not touch me.

Front of the seat.

 

[itsid]

dang it.. ONE post would suffice...
•MERGED•

'sid

 

[Panhead5496]

WOW! That is scary

 

[tgus3]

ive had the whole unit come apart and fly in all directions but it never cut anything up. good thing it didn't shoot up higher and hit your neck

 

[itsid]

Indeed.. scary stuff...

I wonder how the weights expanded enough to actually cause that carnage without bending the bell...

OR did the spring work hardened over time and you forgot the maintenance ?

'sid

 

[Randy H]

Indeed.. scary stuff...

I wonder how the weights expanded enough to actually cause that carnage without bending the bell...

OR did the spring work hardened over time and you forgot the maintenance ?

'sid

B. S.
Who on a go kart forum can determine the amount of work hardening over time? And WTF would maintenance have to do with it?

 

[Kentucky Boy]

I think it's simply too much hp and strain on the TQ. It works fine unless I really put my foot in it. The springs and weights were less than a year old with not much riding time on them.

 

[itsid]

B. S.
Who on a go kart forum can determine the amount of work hardening over time? And WTF would maintenance have to do with it?

well the first question:
you, me, him.. everybody... at least in the case of TC garter springs

second question:
everything!

Proper maintenance
means proper cleaning every now and then
(say every other freshly installed belt or so)
including fresh dry lube on the weights.

while you're at it, you check the weight wear
(with the weight wear indicator)
And since you're already there you check the spring wear.
unhook the ends..
and if they don't snap back straight
or they're stretched (longer than 7 7/8")
or they're not perfectly identical
they need to be replaced.

running a garter spring over an edge (say the back side of a knife)
can also find you work hardenen spots (they're no longer as flexible as the rest )
since that isn't uniform on garter springs, especially if the lube is gone for a while

See? easy!
And should be done during regular maintenance

I think it's simply too much hp and strain on the TQ. It works fine unless I really put my foot in it. The springs and weights were less than a year old with not much riding time on them.

that can't be it really...
the travel (stretch) on the springs is limited by the size of the driver bell.

The spring doesn't care AT ALL about HP or Torque,
it starts expanding at around 1800rpms and stops
as soon as the driven tells it to.
It does not have to transmit any power or hold back anything..
it only has to contract the weights and of course is dimensioned so it adjusts engagement rpm.

Maybe it was faulty on day one..
which isn't to be ruled out especially if it's a chinese clone,
maybe it was installed incorrectly (from the factory perhaps)
the hooks had to be spaced 180° apart exactly in the center of each weight, since that spot sees the least amount of stretch as the weights expand.

Maybe water affected the springs (they do rust!)
maybe the internals weren't lubed at all, maybe dirt got into the unit..

All possible.. but it's not the engine's fault.


'sid

PS great.. Jake and Elwood are now stuck in my head sheesh.