Torque Converter Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
From: Plano TX
Torque Converter Question
Not sure of the specs on the rebuilt engine (came with the car on the front end of a restoration). 350 SB, holley 750, edelbrock alum heads. underdrive pulleys with hooker headers and sidepipes. I was informed that the torque converter was small and was intended that way for the set up of the car. I was able to drive on Thursday.
Question, the throttle felt very soft until the rpm's built up. Is there anything I can do to take the softness out of the pedal/throttle?
Question, the throttle felt very soft until the rpm's built up. Is there anything I can do to take the softness out of the pedal/throttle?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
its designed that way so the engine hits the torque band at the same time as the torque converters starts to stall.......nothing to do but enjoy it or swap it out.....it will feel really loose until it starts to stall, you may try pushing the pedal a littel harder that my make it stall ( not feel mushy) sooner
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Sounds like they have fitted a high stall convertor. There is not much you can do except swap it for a stock or lower stall one. The convertor is generally matched to the power range of the engine - so it lets the engine flash up to its rpm range where it begins to make power. If you swap it for a lower stall you could risk having sluggish off the line performance. It's all a bit of a balancing act. Do you know the specs of the cam?
Brock
Brock
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
Likes: 43
From: San Antonio TX
You may not have enough rear gear for the converter you have, or you may have too much converter for the rest of the package. If you have the engine/converter/rear gear all in balance, you most of the time don't even notice a higher stall until you stand on the pedal. Now, if this is a 5k rpm converter, yeah it's going to feel sluggish down low.
But the description of your problem is vague and has meaning only to you. We're assuming we're responding to a converter issue, but it could as easily be in context of a tuneup issue that you're experiencing. So please feel free to fully explain exactly what it is that you mean.
But the description of your problem is vague and has meaning only to you. We're assuming we're responding to a converter issue, but it could as easily be in context of a tuneup issue that you're experiencing. So please feel free to fully explain exactly what it is that you mean.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 700
Likes: 0
From: Lantana TX
Originally Posted by gerry72
You may not have enough rear gear for the converter you have, or you may have too much converter for the rest of the package. If you have the engine/converter/rear gear all in balance, you most of the time don't even notice a higher stall until you stand on the pedal. Now, if this is a 5k rpm converter, yeah it's going to feel sluggish down low.
But the description of your problem is vague and has meaning only to you. We're assuming we're responding to a converter issue, but it could as easily be in context of a tuneup issue that you're experiencing. So please feel free to fully explain exactly what it is that you mean.
But the description of your problem is vague and has meaning only to you. We're assuming we're responding to a converter issue, but it could as easily be in context of a tuneup issue that you're experiencing. So please feel free to fully explain exactly what it is that you mean.
It sounds like the stall is too big for the engine. You realy should not feel that much of a difference. I have a good engine with a 11" 2600 TCI stall and I can't feel it. It all blends together. Now on the other hand if I stuck a 8" race converter my car would sound just like yours does.
You need to tell us what the engine spec's and rear gears are?
