Speciality torque converters ?

[smallfry]

Does anyone know of a company who supply speciality, modified or bespoke torque converters in the UK ?

I can find plenty who will remanufacture or recondition them, but any enquiry about modifying or making a bespoke unit gets a blank response. In fact it would seem that no one here knows that much about them.

Plenty in the USA, with an entirely different attitude, but I thought it would be nice to give the work to someone here (and save the transport and import charges)

[Chicken Drumstick]

Can't help I'm afraid. Interested in what mods you are doing though

[ashtrans]

Hi, we have modified some in the past,

what do you have and what would you like to achieve ?

Dave

[tiddler]

Dave at Ashcrofts sorted mine out a few years ago when I supercharged the 4.6 and wanted the 4L converter I was using to be a bit less slippy.

He explained it was a bit of a dark art and he couldn't be sure how it would turn out but mine ended up just how I wanted it to be.

[smallfry]

On 4/24/2020 at 3:52 PM, Chicken Drumstick said:

Can't help I'm afraid. Interested in what mods you are doing though

What I am doing, very slowly, due to there always seems to be something ELSE to do, is a Lexus UZ engine conversion. I want to couple it to a hybrid ZF 4HP22/24 or maybe just a 4HP24 all electronic box. Don't know yet. I could adapt the Lexus Aisin unit to somehow fit the LT230, but the gearbox sump flange will interfere with the transfer box unless it  is "clocked" severely, and I do know know if the gearbox would be happy with its sump at an 35 to 45 degree angle. Obviously the oil pick up would need modifying though. I have seen lengthy adaptors made to mate it to the LT230, but I don't want to do this for the reasons below 

 I want the whole ensemble as short as possible, I want to avoid using the standard ZF bellhousing plus an adaptor plate, as this will push the inconveniently mounted alternator into the steering box. I COULD change it for a P38 setup, but do not really want to if possible. The other thing I have seen done, is to raise the front of the engine up, but I don't like this either, as it only gives about 10mm clearance which I feel is not enough, and also it alters the propshaft angles a bit, which again I don't like, and most importantly, it looks carp !

The engine doesn't really lend itself to repositioning the alternator and re routing the serpentine belt easily, so all in all, its easier in many ways to keep the engine /gearbox short, and give the footwells a haircut instead. 

Anyway, re the torque converter. The Lexus one obviously does not fit the ZF gearbox, and the usual RR type ZF converter will not fit the Lexus flexplate, as the Lexus unit has six mounting points, and the ZF unit having four, plus the pilot is the wrong size to fit the Lexus crankshaft. However, I have found a converter from a Jaguar which has the correct size pilot, but the mounting pads are wrong, SO what I wanted, was TC with the mounting pads changed, or possibly a bespoke unit made (I have not even touched on the operating characteristics yet) but as any enquiries in this country seem to have drawn a blank, I have decided to make my own. Sort of.

I have cut off the existing mounts and am in the process of making some more, and my plan is to get the thing physically fitted up to "prove" it can be done, then see if someone will cut open, clean out, rebuild and balance the one I have altered. ATM if seems to contain some dubious looking grey coloured oil, so as much as I would like to, I could not afford to run it as is, and risk ruining a perfectly good gearbox.

If the was a way I could satisfactorily clean it out myself, then I would. After which I could then have someone alter the stall speed or whatever needs doing.

 

 

One off

 

 

All off