Some Torque Converter Questions...
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,841
Likes: 0
From: Inver Grove Minnesota
Some Torque Converter Questions...
I need to get a converter. My motor makes most of its power above 3500. (About 400-425 horse.) So what would be a good stall converter for my application. Oh by the way it is a turbo 350.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
2800-3200, behind a decent small block that will give you around 3600-3800 of flash stall. That would be a good one for a daily driver. BUT if you are only going to run 3.08s, its gonna be kinda loose driving around town. Very streetable still bet a little loose. You will have to give it more gas to take off and your rpms will be 2000-2200 every where you go at light cruise. With a 3.55-3.70 it will be a little tighter but still flash good.
If you are just wanting all out acceleration, you can get you a 3500 stall, that will get you a 4000-4200 flash and thats gonna launch you really well. Once again, gearing and torque all play a role in TQ converter stall speed and looseness.
With any stall, you need a GOOD tranny cooler and ET Street tires or DOT stickies of some sort. Don't waste your time on regular radials.
If you are just wanting all out acceleration, you can get you a 3500 stall, that will get you a 4000-4200 flash and thats gonna launch you really well. Once again, gearing and torque all play a role in TQ converter stall speed and looseness.
With any stall, you need a GOOD tranny cooler and ET Street tires or DOT stickies of some sort. Don't waste your time on regular radials.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,444
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
You need to buy a high end converter that is very efficient. I have driven around with as high as 3800 stall.
Good converters under no load level ground at 70 mph going down the freeway only have 200-300 rpm more that full lockup converters.
Vigilanty, Protorq, Art Carr, hughs.
3000 rpm is very doable in the 9.5 or 10 inch models for our heavy Vettes
I never really had very much traction even with 285/40/17 Z-rated. For the street they are okay. at the track I always used slicks with my little 355 ci motors
Good converters under no load level ground at 70 mph going down the freeway only have 200-300 rpm more that full lockup converters.
Vigilanty, Protorq, Art Carr, hughs.
3000 rpm is very doable in the 9.5 or 10 inch models for our heavy Vettes
I never really had very much traction even with 285/40/17 Z-rated. For the street they are okay. at the track I always used slicks with my little 355 ci motors
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,444
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Originally Posted by Little Mouse
gkull how much are high end converters in cost??
http://www.artcarr.com/storm.cfm?fun...ProductID=7120 $763
I had failures with the sub $500 even furnace brazed blah blah blah converters. I shattered a sprag and it wasted the tranny also. My last converter was $1140 and worth every penny of it. over 4 years of trouble free use. I could do line lock burnouts with wheel speed of 90 mph to heat up my slicks and never give it a thought. Manual shifting at 7500 rpm and never let off the gas. or down shifting coming into a turn and the rear wheel would kick out because of going to fast for the gear. Not a big deal.
That cheap junk B&M or TCI just blew apart the first time I hammered it. I got so sick of stuff dying the first time out testing. It's the same thing for trannys. I got tired of changing them out under warranty and just went and bought one of the best.
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Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 465
Likes: 1
From: FRANCE (Lyon)
you will use your corvette for?
- street only
- street and strip
- strip only
your th350 is stock?
nb: if you don't have an OD and you use street only or street and strip! remeber that you munt keep stall speed under RPM engine for crusing speed!
i make simple:
3500 RPM for 60MPH (60MPH imagine that is your crusing speed so max legal speed)--> stall converter UNDER 3500RPM because under stall speed a converter make a lot of heat
My set up:
ZZ430 (430fts.lbs @4000 and 430hp @5800)
3.55 rear axle
th350 with B&M transkit (rebuild home made)
2000rpm stall speed converter (B&M holeshot)
225/70/15 tiers (4 corner so rear and front)
great for street and 1or to week end on strip a year
(can hear tiers scream in passing 2to3)
Hope this help!
- street only
- street and strip
- strip only
your th350 is stock?
nb: if you don't have an OD and you use street only or street and strip! remeber that you munt keep stall speed under RPM engine for crusing speed!
i make simple:
3500 RPM for 60MPH (60MPH imagine that is your crusing speed so max legal speed)--> stall converter UNDER 3500RPM because under stall speed a converter make a lot of heat
My set up:
ZZ430 (430fts.lbs @4000 and 430hp @5800)
3.55 rear axle
th350 with B&M transkit (rebuild home made)
2000rpm stall speed converter (B&M holeshot)
225/70/15 tiers (4 corner so rear and front)
great for street and 1or to week end on strip a year
(can hear tiers scream in passing 2to3)
Hope this help!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 7
From: Longwood Florida
Originally Posted by gkull
That cheap junk B&M or TCI just blew apart the first time I hammered it. I got so sick of stuff dying the first time out testing. It's the same thing for trannys. I got tired of changing them out under warranty and just went and bought one of the best.
Sooo TRUE... I HATE TCI (Total Crap Industries)
I am running a 3000 stall non-locking 10 converter... FROM HUGHES. These are up in quaility over the TCI and B&M
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
For the quality per dollar, Hughes is pretty good. TCI and B&M converters are junk. They have less stall then advertised and usually blow up. Years ago I ran a BOSS HOGG stall from Alabama. It was your typical local speed shop special and was $150. It was a 2500rpm. It worked so well that when I built a stronger motor, I bought one of their 2800-3200 10" converters for $250. That converter lasted for years and the car would 60' 1.60s with a 3.42 gear. I would probably not recommend them but.. I did have good luck with em. TCI street fighter was junk as was the B&M hole shot.
Art Car, Trans King, Vigilante, Yank, Continental, COAN are all top quality and efficient converters but they are all $600+
For $300-350 you can get a 10" Hughes, around 3000 stall. I have not used one but they make quality stuff. I just bought a 12" Hughes 2500 converter for my dads 70' Nova.
Whatever you get, make sure its a 10", not a 12" that is just re-bladed and re-brazed.
Art Car, Trans King, Vigilante, Yank, Continental, COAN are all top quality and efficient converters but they are all $600+
For $300-350 you can get a 10" Hughes, around 3000 stall. I have not used one but they make quality stuff. I just bought a 12" Hughes 2500 converter for my dads 70' Nova.
Whatever you get, make sure its a 10", not a 12" that is just re-bladed and re-brazed.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
As for your tires, you will need atleast drag radials..No street radial(like a BFG radial TA or Michelin)is going to hook up if you leave hard on the converter. Just get you some Nitto DR 555s, they hook pretty decent and give about 10k miles of use. I have them on my 99 TA.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,920
Likes: 731
From: Youngstown Ohio
Originally Posted by JustinD
I need to get a converter. My motor makes most of its power above 3500. (About 400-425 horse.) So what would be a good stall converter for my application. Oh by the way it is a turbo 350.
1. Vehicle weight
2. Rear gear ratio (decide on this BEFORE getting converter)
3. Camshaft characteristics- duration, rpm power band
4. Engine HP and peak torque RPM
This is the info needed that I was asked before mine was built as well as car use (street-strip). Good luck
