I've been beating on mine for years and it keeps on ticking; even with full throttle lockups.
Torque Converter thoughts?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Good to hear, i really liked my 2400rpm stall on my vette, i would say that from the factory i believe the car had a 2000rpm stall.
i dumped the old converter before i found out it's written on the converter, so i never verified.
And i still have not committed to a new converter yet.
does anyone know if a 700r4 can support lockup in 3rd and second?
If it can support it, i might spend some extra money on a better converter, and install a manual lockup override switch...
i dumped the old converter before i found out it's written on the converter, so i never verified.
And i still have not committed to a new converter yet.
does anyone know if a 700r4 can support lockup in 3rd and second?
If it can support it, i might spend some extra money on a better converter, and install a manual lockup override switch...
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 165
From: Utah
I have been locking my my converter at the strip for decades, both 700r4 and now a 4l60e. I have made over 2000 runs doing this. A few years ago I broke a hardened input shaft of my 4l60e locking the converter up right after the 1-2 shift with my Rossler tranny. I now lock it up after the 2-3 shift and my billet shaft has not broken yet. Full throttle shifts with a locked up converter can take out a weak part of a tranny because there is no "give" during shifts. The drivetrain is locked up and it is tough on clutches and everything else. I have a 5 disk converter that is built for this abuse. For normal street driving, you won't have a problem.
I think it could be entertaining having lockup between gears, i mostly drive the car by manually moving the stick, so I'm thinking an on/off switch mounted to the shifter would let me make best use.
And "normal street driving" as in street tires shifting wot in stop and go traffic?
Last edited by Gibbles; Jan 15, 2017 at 02:16 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Thanks!
I think it could be entertaining having lockup between gears, i mostly drive the car by manually moving the stick, so I'm thinking an on/off switch mounted to the shifter would let me make best use.
And "normal street driving" as in street tires shifting wot in stop and go traffic?
I think it could be entertaining having lockup between gears, i mostly drive the car by manually moving the stick, so I'm thinking an on/off switch mounted to the shifter would let me make best use.
And "normal street driving" as in street tires shifting wot in stop and go traffic?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 165
From: Utah
I doubt my car will ever make it past 400hp, likely to stay right around 300-350hp.
At least for the next few years...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,102
Likes: 1,981
From: St. Charles MO
Transmission durability is one of the few places where crankshaft torque is actually important (as opposed to power). If you have a TPI car that's making even 300rwhp, much less 350rwhp, it will be making prodigious torque. That will stress the t/c and trans as much as higher-winding engine making more power but the same torque at a higher rpm. I don't know how much safety margin there is in these things, so maybe it doesn't matter. OTOH, is it possible to "tune" the speed of the t/c clutch engagement to give a just a bit of slip and reduce the shock?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Transmission durability is one of the few places where crankshaft torque is actually important (as opposed to power). If you have a TPI car that's making even 300rwhp, much less 350rwhp, it will be making prodigious torque. That will stress the t/c and trans as much as higher-winding engine making more power but the same torque at a higher rpm. I don't know how much safety margin there is in these things, so maybe it doesn't matter. OTOH, is it possible to "tune" the speed of the t/c clutch engagement to give a just a bit of slip and reduce the shock?
Last edited by 383vett; Jan 15, 2017 at 08:50 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,102
Likes: 1,981
From: St. Charles MO
It's not really the engagement of the converter clutch that will damage a tranny. It feels just like another gearshift. It is making a gear change with the converter locked up. Since there is no slippage from the converter, wot gearchanges can be hard on tranny components.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 10,641
Likes: 13
From: Slidell Louisiana
Here is my thought. Get a Precision Industries Vigilante. They offer a free restall within 2 years. That means if your pump blows debris into the system and thus the TC, you send it back and they will cut it apart, clean it and if you wanted a restall, so be it. Shipping of course applies. What this means to you is that you can go with their recommendations and if you don't like it, have them restall it after trying it for up to 2 years or if you make a serious mod then.
Better to pay a little more the first time than to buy something twice.
My vig has been flawless!
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 165
From: Utah
Looking over the vigilante, it looks like it's priced inline with the fti srl line.
and looking at one site that has prices listed, a 3 disk lockup is priced at 899.
(probuilt site)
fti srl 3 disk converter runs about 1k
How important is a 3 disk lockup for my hp range?
and looking at one site that has prices listed, a 3 disk lockup is priced at 899.
(probuilt site)
fti srl 3 disk converter runs about 1k
How important is a 3 disk lockup for my hp range?
Last edited by Gibbles; Jan 16, 2017 at 06:53 PM.