Jim Yanik wrote:

> Josh S <Josh@clean.spam> wrote in news:Josh-
> D0B8B7.16053514052008@news.telus.net:
>
>
>>In article <GOFWj.12025$MQ1.9489@newsfe11.phx>,
>> "Elle" <honda.lioness@spamnocox.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>From this survey, I think we could argue that newer
>>>automatic trannies seem to do better at highway speeds, even
>>>though it often has fewer gears. The lock up converter (used
>>>only at higher speeds) is the first area I would explore to
>>>explain most of this higher efficiency.
>>
>>My Chrysler 4 sp automatic, which came out in the early 90s, has lockup
>>on the top 3 gears. In effect it has 7 gears.
>>The fuel mileage is excellent.
>>
>
>
> "lockup" doesn't change gear ratios,it just eliminates torque converter
> slippage. it "locks" the input turbine to the output turbine.
>
> No "7 gears".
>
> "Overdrive" would be "extra" gears.
>

When he wrote "in effect" he was probably right. Unless the RPM at
lockup happens to match between one or more of those combinations, you
get seven different "ratios" of crankshaft to ouput shaft speed, even
though it doesn't happen because of gear ratios changing.