[Shotimes] Rod Bearing Change @190K miles

[Donald Mallinson]

Just for fun, while out running errands today, I did some 
experimentation with the 96 V8.

The Torque converter will not lock up below 25 mph at all, I suspect 
this is built into the computer.  At 24 mph the engine was turning appox 
1500 rpm and as soon as you gave it any gas at all it was near 2000 rpm 
and smooth as glass.

At 25 mph, the torque converter would lock up in high gear and the 
engine would turn 1300 rpm.  To accomplish this you had to have a 
feather foot on the gas and just barely touch it or the torque converter 
would not lock up.  At this point I could give it maybe 10% throttle or 
less before the converter unlocked and rpm's rose above 1500.  At very 
slight throttle openings, the engine stayed near 1300-1400 rpm till 
speed rose, and the engine was again....smooth as glass.  No sign of 
distress or any noise, growling, bucking that are sure signs of lugging.

As soon as you gave it any more gas pedal, the torque converter unlocked 
and we were into 1500+ rpm and a very happy engine.

So there is just one limited time where rpm's will be below 1500 and it 
takes a lot of concentration to force the car to 25 to 27 or so mph and 
a very light foot to keep it below 1500 rpm.  And again, no sign at all 
of engine distress.  It would take a very concentrated effort and 
specific goal to keep the V8 SHO below 1500 rpm for more than a very few 
seconds and if you have ANY traffic, forget it, you will be all over the 
rpm scale but not anywhere below 1500.

Don Mallinson