Stator

Stator






1 Stator

2 Impeller

3 Fluid flow

4 Turbine

The stator assembly (1) is mounted on a stationary shaft which is an integral part of the oil pump. The stator is located between the impeller (2) and turbine (4) within the torque converter case. The stator contains an over running clutch, which allows the stator to rotate only in a clockwise direction. When the stator is locked against the over running clutch, the torque multiplication feature of the torque converter is operational.






1 Direction stator will free wheel due to oil pushing on backside of vanes

2 Front of engine

3 Increased angle as oil strikes vanes

4 Direction stator is locked up due to oil pushing against stator vanes

Torque multiplication is achieved by locking the stator's over running clutch to its shaft. Under stall conditions (the turbine is stationary), the oil leaving the turbine blades strikes the face of the stator blades and tries to rotate them in a counterclockwise direction. When this happens the over running clutch of the stator locks and holds the stator from rotating. With the stator locked, the oil strikes the stator blades and is redirected into a "helping" direction before it enters the impeller. This circulation of oil from impeller to turbine, turbine to stator, and stator to impeller, can produce a maximum torque multiplication of about 2.4:1. As the turbine begins to match the speed of the impeller, the fluid that was hitting the stator in such as way as to cause it to lock up is no longer doing so. In this condition of operation, the stator begins to free wheel and the converter acts as a fluid coupling.