Comment by ErroneousBosh
10 hours ago
I don't see how it could even have any measurable torque.
You could improve it by making the cylinders have sticky-out bits that would scoosh the fluid around better, like little paddle wheels, and if you wanted to get some serious torque transfer you'd push the two paddle wheels so close together that the paddles actually kind of intersect.
Indeed, then this design will truly have come full circle.
That's a slippery slope that leads right back to traditional gears.
you could increase fluid viscosity