How does fluid get in/out of a torque converter? If you look at the picture you can see the bell housing has holes in it so it is externally dry. Does it travel through the transmission shaft?
I know what happens when it's inside the TC, just no clue how it gets there.

Attached Thumbnails

 

fluid travels "around" the shaft. thats why theres a seal there

__________________
have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Gotcha. I've never had one apart (yet).

Torque Converters are magic.

I have read the theory of operation in several different manuals. The fluid multiplication is a great feature, and what made the automatic tranny a real alternative. The fluid coupling used, principally by Chrysler, before the TC was terrible--no off the line performance, and it ate gobs of power.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

the stator inside the covertor was the game changer in torque convertors

the dual coupling transmission pontiacs used in the early 60's i always thought was a really cool transmission.

and the one-way clutch

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

never driven one with a locked up one way clutch. how does it behave?

Like you're constantly going uphill.

No. The one-way clutch that makes the stator work--without it, the TC is just an inefficient fluid coupling.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

If the stator is locked, it impedes the rotation of the pump and turbine elements. If the stator is free (overrunning clutch NG), then it will act like a fluid coupling.

Like I said, "Its Magic"!!

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

The one way clutch locks the stator which re directs oil flow from the impeller to the back side of the turbine blades during torque multiplication.
I dont understand what happens if the stator never free wheels.

Not sure I do, either, but here is my guess. If the stator never free wheels, then it is always multiplying torque, and not locking up. That would mean increased fuel consumption and engine wear.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

It's only multiplying torque when the pump is turning much faster than the turbine. When locked, it's a stationary object that consumes power, increasing fuel consumption as you mentioned. Picture dragging a 5-gallon bucket behind a boat.