I'd like some help in choosing a torque converter. I don't know much about them execp they basically multiply torque. I'm wondering what would be best for my application. Note that it's a daily driver 80%town/20%highway. Racing is all street. Also, what diameter and rpm, etc is the stock converter? I have found stock specs hard to find. :p:

 

As I understand, our converters are about 2000 rpm.
I am using an Edge 3000 stall 9.5" on my hotcammed 95 with 3:55 gears. If I had it over to do again I'd go down to a 2600 or 2800 stall. It's a bit much for everyday town driving for my taste.

Gordon

 

Stock converter for the 87+ years is like 1500rpm, a little too low for the L98s and much too low for the LT1s.

You probably would do best with 2400-2600 stall.

 

Do your homework on this mod before you do it. Get in with a local club and see if some of the guys who have done higher stall TCs will let you take a ride.

The slip effect causes some daily drivers to be aggrevated by the mod.

Good luck!
:seeya

 

Thanks for the responces guys. What does the lock-up mean? I see some guys that do burn outs and its as if the car is locked in place. Is this just great power, or is it locked as it appears. I'm sure I'll come accross as stupid with this one but it drives me nuts not knowing. :hat

 

when the TC locks, all the engine's power is transmitted through the driveline, it works like a clutch

when guys are doing those great burnouts, they usually have a line-lock installed, which is something entirely different

 

I have a 2400 in mine and it is great for everyday driving or if you really want to put someones head in the seat and make it stay there.....

 

What brand is your 2400 stall TQ and how long have you had it in? Thanks...

 

Standing on the brake pedal accomplishes the same thing

 

I'm using and Edge Racing ( http://www.edgeracingconverters.com ) 9.5" 2800 stall (the "Street Edge" at their site).

It's worked wonderfully for me behind an LT4/Hotcam conversion with an occasional 100hp shot of nitrous. The lock up works great and has handled several dyno pulls on nitrous with no ill effects.

The 2800 stall works well with the 3.07 gears and the elevated idle speed (850-900) needed with HotCam usage. You will definitely notice the "looseness" of a 2800 stall compared to the stock converter in the sub 3000rpm range (when not locked up). Especially if you do a lot of "around town" driving. Plus it's tough to keep tranny temps down "around town" even with a B&M 24,000lb rated tranny cooler. A larger than 9.5" converter may tend to run a bit cooler though.

I think a 2800 stall may be a bit high for a daily driver, stock LT1. With my current setup WOT shifts occur at about 6500rpm. The 2800 stall allows the engine to get into the 3K+ rpm range quickly so I can access the higher rpm power of the combination. My setup is not for drag racing. Just spirited back roads fun.

For your stated style of driving I'd recommend a 2200-2400 stall, stock diameter (12") or slightly smaller (there are some 11" and 10.5") converter.
You'll probably be able to get by without an extra/external tranny cooler that way as well.

 

DUHHHHH

 

Stock converter on most of all C4s and C5s as well as F-bodies is around 1500 to 1600 rpm stall speed, no more.

 

Teh stock converter on 91's is 1395. Very low i wondered about putting a higher one in myself when i had the tranny rebuilt. They would not give me the 3 year warranty unless it stayed at the stock stall though

 

vader86 wrote:
"Stock converter for the 87+ years is like 1500rpm, a little too low for the L98s and much too low for the LT1s..."

I'm not disagreeing (I don't know enough about it to have an opinion one way or the other) but just for the sake of educating myself why do you think GM decided on the stall speed they did for the stock TCs? I know at certain performance junctures, trade-offs have to be made. What advantage do you suppose GM saw in settling on a 15-1600 stall speed as opposed to a 2000 or 2400? Didn't I read somewhere that one year Vette had a stock TC with a stall speed actually around 2000? If this is true, why the blip? Why bump it up one year and then bring it back down in subsequent years? Thanks...

 

The stock convertor is around 11" I believe, I have my PI Vigilante which is 9" at 2800 stall.

If you go to a smaller diameter convertor, a tranny cooler is highly recommended.

 

I wanted a higher stall in my 94 and I didn't want to go to the point where it would feel mushy at low rpm. I decided on the converter from an S-10 and have been pleased. You have a tough decision to make.

 

:iagree: The higher stall rating let your engine revv up higher. Personally I don't like a high stall touque converter either. I don't like that soggy feeling. Sometimes when you modify an engine a lot, you have to make sacrifices like this. If I didn't really need it to make the car driveable, I would stick as close as possible to a stock converter. The big thing is,"Will your car stay running when you put it in gear?". If you can pull it in gear and it will idle, I wouldn't change. Everyone has different opinions and preferences.

 

:iagree: Torque converter lockup locks the drive train as if it were a manual transmission. This is for fuel economy. The Burnout lock you are talking about is a kit that is an add on to lock the front brakes to hold the car in place. The torque converter is not lock when they are doing this. You want the torque converter to act as a torque multiplier when you do this.

 

Yea and toast your back brakes also!! :U

 

No more back brakes!! :U :withstupid: