What a 4500hp SMX does to a Converter!

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[@mattcangie]

As a watchmaker, I blue a lot of stainless watch hands using open flames and sometimes, electro-induction to get just the right hue. Straw(360*F), tan(400*F), orange(445*F), brown(500*F), purple(545*F), blue(590*F). It happens in a blink so timing is critical. The colors of Steve's converters indicates they experiencing a temperature greater than 780*F but less than 1K*F for several dozen seconds as the material is quite dense. This would result in a charcoal-like black hue. Anyways, I hope he finds the source of this heat and/or a plan to suppress it.

[@willecutlip]

Spot on! 🤓

[@JPiolunek]

Happens in the welding (TIG) field also especially with precipitation hardened stainless alloys

[@keithcarpenter5254]

​@@JPioluneksugaring?

[@andrewbloniarz286]

​@@keithcarpenter5254that's if you don't purge

[@danmyers9372]

@@jasonstormoen- No one knows more than a person with a computer monitor, keyboard and and an internet connection. Absolute authority.

[@moondogg73]

We appreciate the hell out of you for showing the process. Teams never show the struggles it takes to make these beasts do one more run.

[@MrMice...]

I think you guys finally have the YT stuff down. Steve's camera presence on point. Angles, focus, the edits and transitions are all dialed. Go job everyone. Enjoying the content. 👍

[@stykytte]

Only thing that needs a touch is the audio levels, intro/outro music is really loud in comparison, but yeah, everything else is on point.

[@yugotime1598]

I said previously those Jiffy Tite fittings have a small orifice size in relation to actual AN size. It has been noted on street car builds that having them on the line out will cause the temp to get out of whack quickly. I had to remove them from my personal vehicle for the same issue. The temperature was manageable with normal fittings.

[@FadetoBlack1463]

I was going to say the same. They are a big NO-NO.

[@FadetoBlack1463]

@@richb.4374 You can actually open them up and take the center part out that keeps them from leaking when you un-couple them. Then they flow like a -6an.

[@jodyallenbaugh9427]

Its not a street car build duh

[@FadetoBlack1463]

@@jodyallenbaugh9427 Right, so it would only be worse on a race car.....

[@edw102472]

My understanding is the jiffy tites are used for the external stationary cooler that you would hook up in the pits after a run. Therefore they have no bearing on flow going down track because those lines are just looped.

[@dennisfrankum4519]

Overheat issue! Hey Steve, I just noticed the you have a “cooler bypass hose” on the side of the trans. If you have lines on there as well as lines that go to a cooler, once the cooler gets full, the oil is going to take its least line of resistance and bypass the cooler! I had this very same issue years ago when I raced and it took me buying 8 new converters before I found the problem. The way I found it was by removing both cooler lines at the cooler and starting the car. I instantly got oil out of one line and within a few seconds, I got pressured oil out of the second line. If you don’t want to go through all of that, at least use a digital laser thermometer on the cooler in/out fittings and see if the oil temp there matches what your trans temp gauge is showing. I would remove the bypass hose, just my thoughts. Thanks for reading.

[@michaelfackler9716]

If you have a t-fitting and fluid flowing at each other at a right angle (90 degree) it interferes with flow ,causes a type of hydraulic lock or blockage , its hard to describe , fluid flowing straight through a t-fitting gets hydraulically locked when pressure gets introduced at a 90 degree angle , I dont know how the fluid routing is , but you may try a 45 degree t- fitting versus a 90 , good luck taming the bacon grease , love the info

[@2009antz]

Steves the type of guy that if he told me the sky is green I would believe him without doubt. Mans just knows what hes talking about

[@genxray951]

I like the fact that even with as much as he knows he is humble enough to be willing to learn what he doesn't know.

[@rolliefoster2837]

Thanks for taking the time out of your day to show us the tech !

[@williamdundon9770]

Thanks Steve I don’t own a race car but love cars and mechanics. It’s so funny how much I enjoy your updates on your struggles in making this car do what you want. Thank you thank you.

[@veto8792]

Man I love this channel. Steve is the best. Thanks for learning us as always.

[@stevemorrisracing]

I appreciate that!

[@iamblaineful]

As a jet boater, I can boil 50F water in a blink of an eye via cavitation, but the upside to cavitation is that it leaves it's telltale signs. On the trailing edge of the fins in the converter, pull out a magnifying glass and look for pits in the metal. Cavitation is extremely violent to metals in well under 1sec of cavitating a liquid with a metal fin. Trust me, you will see it. Cavitation will also increase heat and it's effects very rapidly, 1 second is a very long time, I'm talking in fractions of a second during cavitation will cause massive heat build ups. We can turn jet boat impellers blue/purple in cold water in a second.

[@whyamihereg]

So happy with Steve, Carl and Marty with my build!!! All so helpful and professional!

[@alexmanning8710]

I love this channel! Steve really does show the good the bad and the ugly! Very interesting stuff!

[@joed899]

As an engineering student (1 semester to go) I love the fact I can see how things work on your channel in the real racing world rather than some picture in a textbook. Thanks for the transparency, you're helping a lot of people get the concepts.

[@demotors070161]

Love this converter / fluid stuff! I spent 24 years doing friction testing in support of additive development for OEM factory fill ATF fluids. Never worked on fluids like you use. Keep on keepin on!

[@h.h.legacydiesel6724]

Steve, behind you 100%, this is one of those unique problems that you will figure out! Thanks so effin much for sharing this with the greater us! Yes your on to something, a restricted line, external. Or a passage way internal, restricted, will cause heating of fluid and slow to react to operate shifting? Bumping in? Hope all is back to normal for you! Trans trouble from polish beads to hey? Maybe ? Good luck! This is a low 6 sec, or high five sec, machine! As you say, " a freight train at the end of the quarter mile ". Get thus train digging, some one point teens in the 60' 😛

[@split150]

This is some of the best and most interesting car stuff anywhere on the internet. Period.

[@dennishackworth7027]

I've had flow problems, in hydraulic systems from the rubber inside of the braided hoses. It's something simple but critical, maybe lol. .Good Luck Steve, thanks for taking your precious time to show everyone what's going on.

[@chevyheavy79]

Got to have that clearance Clarence

[@nikkojones2784]

It's amazing how one can have Brutal HP but it takes a lot of components to put it to the pavement. That's when the R&D, Trial & Error, Sleepless Nights, & Prayers...Lord willing & stacks of fiat currency later, things come together. Thank you Steve U Da Master !!

[@brandonburdette7895]

It's awesome getting to learn this stuff thanks Steve for sharing you knowledge It's greatly appreciated buddy 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@BeardedManCrafts]

Love you Steve!!!! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give us some brilliant knowledge

[@marklowe330]

Thanks for your time. I really enjoy watching you explain whats happening. Keep the content coming.

[@toddclark332]

Thanks for the update Steve and you have a better evening later ❤

[@ferdis7]

Steve is one of few people who shows it all, only way people could doubt is if they're new xD Other than Clay Mcmillan and a handful of others, racing is nothing but secrets and cliques... Gotta appreciate the honest ones!

[@eddieshabazz5603]

That lady Ashley seems like a great addition to the team. I'm super stoked to see a girl with the aspiration to be a high end mechanic or machinist or both. Also that's fantastic that you hired her Steve. Great job my man. And Ashley should be extremely proud to be blessed enough to be working with such an absolute world class engine designer and builder who is so revolutionary. I would work for u for free because your knowledge is friggin priceless. Very few want to teach anyone anymore in most industries they expect everyone to automatically know which is complete B.S. thats a major part of what sets u beyond apart from others. Mad respect Mr. Morris and tell that Garrett to fix that converter pressure issue because he knew that and left it which makes no sense. He's got double the power plant and his most consistent and best times were with the other engine which seems ass backwards to me. Your friend Eddie from Ontario Canada. And p.s it's only a matter of time before u get an order from me for an SML

[@joshmiller8663]

Steve thank you so much for the video's showing the inner workings of everything. Best tech video's on KZbin.

[@jestablitz3804]

We love what your share and it just shows everyone who you are. Thanks for another Tech session Mr SMX

[@tmccombs1410]

Great videos Steve, really enjoy the channel. Glad to see someone diving in to trouble shooting converters. Few people understand them. I've tested billet converters in a previous career and can verify everything you've said an are seeing. The oil temps DO get that hot. The energy input to the oil is the engine torque x slip. With your Hp levels, I'm surprised any fluid survives for long. I've worked on the testing/development of many of the ATF's you know well. The base sock you're running is a very good synthetic to withstand those temps better. It is oxidizing as evidenced by the smell and the color change on the dye. On the last video, you mentioned higher slips towards the end of the track, that would likely be due to density changes and a little aeration reducing the density of the fluid on the fluid coupling. BTW, you can back calculate the flow through the converter based on the energy input and the temperature rise you measured at the case point (specific heat of the fluid must be known also). I only figured that out after turning a converter blue! Best of luck with the new setup!

[@wobblysauce]

I think it is like a pill in the hose joins somewhere, restricting flow for the external cooler looped into the main line.

[@superdave2403]

Steve I love your videos! I would love to have more of your knowledge!!! The trans lines are too small though. I have used those and had problems on street cars with external oil coolers. Go bigger! Love the car .

[@douglasmayherjr.5733]

Steve, I appreciate your willingness to pass along information so freely. Like you said, this is not a new problem that only you are dealing with, other teams and people are fighting the same battles. I guarantee when you figure this out, you’ll never forget it. I’m also really impressed with your ATF fluid provider, they have some awesome fluid that is really heat resistance. Normal ATF, would look like Charcoal. The Heat that is generated in the torque converter is impressive when slipping or stalling, whatever the proper term is. I enjoy learning about all kinds of stuff, I work in the HVACR industry and Mechanics is Mechanics. Thanks again for funding our education.

[@duygukayhanisaskank4915]

Hey Steve, THANKS for another great & informative video. I always learn somethn'. I realize ya' keep busy & not much time to read the comments we subs leave. But if you do read this well-intended comment...I'd like to give ya' my 2 cents worth: A few years ago, I had a similar issue with my trans. fluid reaching excessive temps. It was a custom-built, TH400 Transmission & torque converter in my '67 Pontiac GTO. I finally resolved the issue...after locating & fixing a restriction. I had trans. fluid getting to the converter...BUT...not enough fluid flow when it was under a high RPM load. The torque converter was not at peak fluid compacity under "lock-up load". Honestly, I believe this is what's cookn' your torque converter(s). So, look for a restriction in the trans. fluid plumbing or a pump//pressure issue. Best regards, Ben

[@hommie789]

Steve, I work on heavy equipment mining stuff and when the torque hits those kinds of temps that fast it is usually the stator sticking or seized. Seen it lots and with temps far hotter than this, it's amazing how much heat can be created by shearing oil but it happens.

[@jimkillen1065]

Yea i worked in the coal yard on the equipment and operated it . I seen that also

[@richardhunn4298]

As mentioned below those fittings (and hose ends) are orifices. You need to get an accurate flow rating of the pump and match those orifice (fitting id and line) to minimize your restriction and corresponding heating (due to pressure drop).

[@kilgorefamily76]

"This week on America's Top Chef: Converter Cooking with Steve and his SMX Smoker"

[@br549rdr]

Thank you so much for walking us through this process.

[@bobherz6586]

I like seeing the 'not so fancy' trans jack. Shows that even the big shops use sensible tools, not everything has to be Snap-on or Matco. (thumbs up)

[@--_DJ_--]

I spotted the HF Pittsburgh under there too.

[@jamesplotkin4674]

@@--_DJ_-- Shows a high-dollar team doesn't need to waste money on "boutique" tools. It'd be fun to see a Harbor Freight sticker on the car!

[@wesalbright9817]

The price is good and it's small and fairly light so it does not take up much room in the trailer he tows behind the wagon on the drag and drive events

[@jamiealexander6585]

Great content Steve keep up the awesome videos!

[@jaredthomas6808]

Thank you Steve. Love these videos and love watching your troubleshooting process. Godspeed~

[@Thefabforums]

Steve you care way too much about what people comment. If your not careful, over time it will affect you in a negative way. Do your thing 👊

[@keithpardini9065]

Hey Steve, did you check the "hose blow" method on the other transmission to see if you got the same "resistance" feeling? When you blew thru the hose at the upper port (@ the 14 minute mark) you stated there was some resistance to blowing into it and a possible restriction. If you try it with the other trans you are going to put in, it should tell you if that restriction is normal or you have some blockage. Just a thought.

[@ShinyaSenshi]

Same thought I had. Would be a quick check to confirm the theory. Also if it is just a straight pathway I'd of blown it out with an air hose to see if there was an improvement.

[@beckyumphrey2626]

He was comparing the two transmissions. Watch it again and listen closely.

[@timskiff9422]

8400 rpm forcing fluid through a 1/4” line might create some heat, ya think?

[@lawnmowerman25]

Appreciate this level of detail on failure analysis. Definitely learning something new.

[@SuperJeanq]

Hey Steve, as an aircraft tec, we lockwire some hydraulic or fuel line fittings so they cant undo under pressure or vibration. Would be a very easy thing to do. Takes about 15-20 seconds and its a sure fix for the future.

[@amadorzuniga1]

Question about flow. Would the trans lines need to go up a size? They do look tiny for what you are doing with the car. If I was worried about restrictions I’d want a bigger line to the cooler so it can cool more faster. Maybe?

[@williamsnider6277]

May as well get a transmission rebuild table, would really help with the fluid mess!

[@nicolelongneckergallery]

Thanks so much for sharing with us. Good luck finding the issue.

[@sz2122]

“It’s still green……although it went in purple” 😂😂 said it like it went in green too & was perfectly good fluid lol

[@ronbuckner8179]

Steve, what about the I.d of those metal flex hoses. I noticed you seem to have either 5/16’ or 3/8’ flare ftgs and your hoses were 1/4 I.d. That would be substantially flow restrictive from my experience with vapor flow. 1/4 would be good for 12,000 btu. And 3/8is 97,000 btu’s@ 7 oz p.s.I.

[@WPAPi3.14]

You need more bigger lines and biggah cooler!!!😎

[@Disneymkvii]

God bless you, Steve Morris! This was maybe my favorite video you've done to date!

[@bt9653]

I’m 55 and owned a custom machine shop for 30 years. You are so interesting as we are primarily industrial based.

[@merkyworks]

Thank you for showing & teaching

[@nexrace]

thanks Steve for taking the time to show what it takes to make these things go.

[@chasejaburek3083]

And that's what makes you a pillar in the drag and drive segment love the content been learning alot thankyou

[@directorwiechern1474]

Love your attitude dude, that is what keeps us watching, and yes understanding and learning with yoall. Thank you and cheers. Doug

[@rayjay8322]

Hey Steve! I do love your videos because you go into depth! You just can't go wrong with Marty'Chance! The first converter I got from him was in 2005 for my 2003 Mach1 for the Mighty Mite C4 I swapped in. I sent him Dyno sheets and all the pertinent info and he nailed the converter perfectly!

[@shoominati23]

I reckon the main causation of that is oxygen entrainment in the fluid lines going to the transmission. A friend had that problem on a bracket car, turned out the fine mesh oil pickup on the BBC was the problem, and going to a drilled metal type solved the problem.

[@leadslinger5130]

I'm so blown away at what you guys can do. That fact that these parts get pushed this hard and even have a hope to run it again blows my mind lol.

[@Blownxw351]

Thanks Steve learning a lot hopefully I can keep it up there lucky we have guys like you making videos .

[@beckyumphrey2626]

Excellent video. Always learning.

[@scottyknot7403]

Your getting real good on camera brother. Love the information and just how you are approaching everything is becoming more precise. Keep up the great work. I wish i could afford some merch but on my lunch and on the way home its all about the smx decompression to just my brain back in my groove. Love the channel and how you talk things out. Be safe and keep it up. If your ever in Tampa dinner is on me!

[@fredstarr9690]

Love the channel Steve! Super informative and 6 second passes!

[@beekeeper6109]

Thank you for showing this, great content Steve.

[@stevemorrisracing]

My pleasure!

[@billsimmons7754]

Just started watching your videos. I really like how you are not shy about telling us what you do know and not too proud to admit what you don't know. For instance stating type k thermocouples are good to 2000 degrees F. And not to quibble but as one who used to instrument rocket engines I can verify they even go a bit higher. Love you clean shop and appreciate your energy level.

[@RiceEatin2010GT]

Love that you take the time and do these videos for us. 👏👏

[@FTGMotorsports]

Never fun dealing with these types of issues… but this is incredibly informative and entertaining. Thank you, Steve.

[@richwood8650]

Thanks for paying for my education! I do appreciate it Steve!

[@melloyello63]

Always something to learn, Thanks Steve.

[@bm9860sts]

Awesome content Steve. Definitely helps us all learn.

[@stevemorrisracing]

Glad to hear it!

[@krisk0609]

I’m an idiot but this looks like the worlds best heart surgeon having to talk to the the worlds best brain surgeon. Both are the best in the world in their fields but not the same carryover. Love Steve. Thanks man.

[@novanut1964]

good video, i liked the employee cam, see how much work gets done

[@tatersalad6872]

I LOVE this stuff! I can no longer physically do the kind of car stuff I would like to so I eat this stuff up. Started college for auto but couldn't stay at it. I really appreciate that you really take the time to deep dive into this stuff. I love the deep dive learning sessions.

[@dinosshed]

Gotta love Steve, always a good guy. Ended up machining chamfered slots into the stator shaft and ran a scavenge pump to extract the oil. It helps draw the fluid through and prevents cavitation in the converter. The problem is caused by oil shear and being aerated, it doesn't flow and turns into a furnace. Staging with all that power, the heat created is extreme.

[@gcrauwels941]

Really enjoy seeing the process of finding the problem.

[@donanything6816]

Thank you Steve. Enjoy learning on your channel.

[@kable698]

Thank you I definitely appreciate your efforts for our knowledge

[@kenithisaacs3508]

I really love watching your content because so much educational stuff

[@subarumanrp233]

You're AWESOME Steve! Thank you!

[@TheTakeone1]

Way too awesome. Keep up the good work. Steve Morris is the man!

[@jonferron3053]

Great content ty,you addressing the shadetrees out there is the best

[@DerredmaxTRIAX]

This is one of the best channels I have ever seen!

[@ruthlessadam]

Thank you Mr. Morris. I appreciate you!

[@cjespers]

Thanks for the video. Love to see you smiling like that Steve.

[@bennyhelgeson401]

Thanks Steve. Very interesting.

[@rogerholloway8498]

I enjoy your show so much more than any other "mechanical show" I watch and I watch lot of them. Thanks for being square with the world, it will always come back to you in good karma!

[@ryno6101]

Very great detail thanks There should be a oil flow rate out that hose , or volume per minute

[@matthewuhrich6439]

Steve check the pump bushing where the input shaft goes into the pump. Depending on how that pump is made it has a cooler hole and if the bushing moved from heat or was installed wrong it will block the exhaust to the converter.

[@metrickarma]

Thanks for the video! Have a great day, Steve!

[@jeremyhartman1225]

Love the content. I appreciate you showing us how much goes into these cars. 💯👍

[@gordowg1wg145]

Yes, what people forget about is that when a torque converter is stalled, whatever power the engine is producing while it is stalled is going DIRECTLY into the fluid. A "2000 hp" engine may "only" be producing 1000hp/1350Kw at stall rpm and boost, but that's like having 1350 Kw electric jugs heating the oil for those few seconds. 1350kW is 25kJ/s, if we take the heat capacity for a synthetic transmission oil as ~1.666 kJ/kg/K (using metric/SI because it's much easier), that means 15C/27f per kg of oil, which would be 'just' 75C/135f degrees rise for a 5 second stall. Doesn't seem much, but that's on top of the driving/engine warm up, tyre cleaning, pre-staging bumps, etc. When all this is taken into account, it's not that surprising the fluid in the torque converter can boil, further reducing the torque capacity of the converter and the amount of liquid absorbing the engine output. Then there's the initial slippage and possible change slippage on the actual run. Steve, can you log the temperatures of the transmission fluid entering and leaving the transmission - it may also give some interesting feedback when touring with the transmission torque converter locked vs unlocked?

[@williambarry8015]

Dang your talking hydroelectric levels of energy.

[@padders1068]

Steve! Great video, thanks for sharing! Every day is a school day, I ALWAYS learn something from your videos and good to see Dewey is back up to his usual photo bombing skills! 🙂

[@KPaul7]

Thanks Steve, can't wait to see what the fix is if any.

[@charliefrharper]

In my experience, the convert oil is getting that hot when the speed delta between the rotor and the stator is too big. This usually happens if the converter is too soft for the amount of power applied during accel or if the car is too long in lunch control. Thats one of many reasons why a commercial gearbox like the ZF 8 Speed is locking up the converter as soon as possible.

[@throttlebottle5906]

yes, they're basically overpowering the converters so hard they slip like mad the whole run. but tightening them way up would likely knock the tires off, violently shake the car apart and break something if it did hook solidly. what I see more or less, is the converters being used like a centrifugal slipper clutch, which would be rebuilt every run. probably needs far more oil flowing through to cool it, but there's certainly other issues involved in doing so.

[@deanwaring6100]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏻 👍🏻

[@brettwalker6016]

So sick! Have to get those hoses sorted especially on a car of this caliber! Ant wait to see this thing crushing again

[@garywoodward847]

Awesome video Steve very informative.

[@davidmarvosh5354]

Love all the help you're getting with failure mode analysis. May seem like nothing significant is happening at the moment but it will come. Extreme horsepower requires extreme engineering. Also have a plan for positively verifying the eventual fix.

[@davidmarvosh5354]

@Stevemorrisracing_ How about that!! I'll get a kick out of that. I'm a retired engineer and former national champion drag racer. If you ever need some assistance in the Saginaw area let me know. I'll get you my contact information.

[@dragracer112]

Love your wealth of knowledge Steve

[@TucsonHippy]

As an aircraft electronics tech I had to troubleshoot a lot of problems. Sometimes you got it first try because of knowledge and experience and sometimes the plane just didnt want to cooperate. Those times you had to find what the problem wasnt before you could find out what the problem was. Looks like thats the boat you are in right now. Keep on truckin and it will come to ya. Thanks for the vids!