Torque Converter Question
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From: Fayetteville NC
Torque Converter Question
Here's a question to show my vast knowledge...How do torque converters work? Do they just stall till a certain RPM, and then roast your tires? Are stall converters feasible for a daily driver?
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http://auto.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm
Yes you need a TC for a daily driver.
Its basically a clutch for an automatic.
Yes you need a TC for a daily driver.
Its basically a clutch for an automatic.
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From: Fayetteville NC
I know every automatic must have a torque converter. Isn't there a difference between a regular torque converter and a stall converter though? If so, is a stall converter feasible for a daily driver?
Melting Slicks
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From: What did the 5 fingers say to the face? SLAP!!
Originally Posted by my1st_vette84
Isn't there a difference between a regular torque converter and a stall converter though? If so, is a stall converter feasible for a daily driver?
So technically, no. There is no difference between a torque converter and a stall converter, since there is no such thing as a stall converter.
You can realistically go up to around 2800 stall speed rating on your torque converter for a daily driver. Anything above that and you run the risk of feeling mushy at part throttle.
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A torque converter (TC) is a fluid coupling that multiplies torque while slipping. There is a certain engine rpm above which the TC will no longer slip (well not much anyway, there is always some slippage). That point is called the stall RPM and is closely related to the flash rpm of the TC.
To determine your flash rpm, roll out a little from a stop and pop the throttle while watching the tach. The point to which the tach jumped before you felt acceleration is the flash rpm.
The reason for going to a higher stall TC is that the engine is at higher RPM on launch, which means more torque & HP.
My '88 TC had a stock stall of around 1,500rpm and I had a 2,00rpm TC installed to help launch a little, which is the same stall as in an '85 Vette A4 (I don't know what came in the '84).
To determine your flash rpm, roll out a little from a stop and pop the throttle while watching the tach. The point to which the tach jumped before you felt acceleration is the flash rpm.
The reason for going to a higher stall TC is that the engine is at higher RPM on launch, which means more torque & HP.
My '88 TC had a stock stall of around 1,500rpm and I had a 2,00rpm TC installed to help launch a little, which is the same stall as in an '85 Vette A4 (I don't know what came in the '84).
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From: Fayetteville NC
So with a 2800 TC, I'm not going to spin the tires everytime I take off? That was a big concern, because a friend of mine made it sound like a high stall like 2800 would just roast the tires everytime I took off.
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Going to a 2,800rpm stall TC will likely roast the tires if you hammer it at a light, as it will flash up well into your engine's power band. If you take it easy on starts you will not notice much difference.
With that stall on a TC you will likely also need an additional tranny cooler, due to additional heat generated with so much slippage.
Such a TC will feel "loose" on the street. For example, when coasting to a stop in my IROC (3,000rpm TC) I can pop the throttle to rev the engine to show off the loud exhaust and feel no forward pull. Of course the TC clutch locks up it drives like a stock TC.
With that stall on a TC you will likely also need an additional tranny cooler, due to additional heat generated with so much slippage.
Such a TC will feel "loose" on the street. For example, when coasting to a stop in my IROC (3,000rpm TC) I can pop the throttle to rev the engine to show off the loud exhaust and feel no forward pull. Of course the TC clutch locks up it drives like a stock TC.
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From: Fayetteville NC
If I'm slowing down in traffic, and then speed back up, am I going to have to really hit it to get it to go, or will it still drive fairly normal? Do I need to beef up anything other than an additional tranny cooler when I put in a higher stall converter?