Buying a torque converter

Hi Guys. I am putting this thread here because the it seems to get the most views and there are a few converter threads here already.

I am looking for a 10", roughly 3200 stall converter, full weight 72 skylark, 455 3.42 rear. Rest of specs here:http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?p=1739723#post1739723 In addition to that I have added boxed rear trailing arms, an airbag in the pass spring and a 1" rear sway bar.

I see a lot of people here with JW, ATI, Coan, and the ones Jim W sells. ( I don't know who makes them) JW seems at the bottom of the price scale, ATI and Coan are near the top. I believe you get what you pay for and a converter is no place to try to skimp by. I want a converter capable of launching the car with at least low 1.6 60' times on slicks, yet have the car be efficient while cruising around and not build a lot of heat from low rpm slippage.

What 60' times are you guys pulling with these different converters and how do they act on the street?

 

There are a lot of good converters out there, as well as a lot of poor ones. In my street strip car I have an ATI 10" that I purchased used from Tom Rix many many years ago. This was originally one of the GSCA club converters. I sent it back to ATI and they went through it for a minimal charge. It's been in the car since the early 90's and still works flawless. It drives very well on the street and allowed me to run into the high 10's with a 4000lb car (with driver) with 1.5x 60 ft times.

I think any of the ones you mentioned would be a good choice, as long as it's built to YOUR specs. It's important to have as much info available about the car when ordering. From my experience, I would order an ATI, Coan or Tri-shield (Jim's), before any other, although like I said there are a lot of good ones out there, as well as BAD.

Steve

 

I have two converters from Jim Weise, very pleased. I would recommend getting in touch with Jim if you are thinking of buying a converter. Jim doesn't brag about his stuff on here, he just lets everyone do whatever they want about buying parts. So I will relate something he told me. He's sold many converters over several years which were used in all different applications including racing. At the time he told me this a couple years back, he NEVER had one fail. I think that is an amazing thing as racing punishes parts sometimes to the very limit, and lots of parts fail from that. But not the converters JW sells. So I say contact him first for all the details.
Mike

 

You can give Lenny a call at Ultimate Converter Concepts in NC. Excellent guy to deal with & has been a sponsor for our Northeast GS/GN Buick events for years. Tell John from the Buick club told you to call. Call him to pick his brain before you commit! Check him out on yellowbullet.com

 

I would think that JW's continued and ongoing involvement with Buick combinations would be reason enough to get the right one from him the first time. A nice price is icing on the cake.

 

Agreed. Just to clarify, Jim Weise, owner of Trishield Performance and V8Buick.com is not JW Performance Transmissions.

Devon

 

I have a jim w 9.5 converter in my street car and i like it a lot im sure that with the right tires i could get a 1.6 60ft

 

Oh, definetly..I did not intend to confuse the two. I don't use John Winters stuff.

 

I think I was confused about this myself. You guys may have helped prevent a costly mistake!

 

My prices on converters are direct from the manufacturer, so there is no retail markup.

Companies like Coan, who makes a fine product by the way, price their converters with a wholesale and a retail price scale.

This is so they can wholesale to re-sellers, who then charge the same price as you pay if you buy directly from Coan.

I have no in between pricing structure, your buying from me at wholesale, which is why I am less expensive.

Certainly not because my product is lacking..

JW

 

Does anyone have 60' times with their TSP converter? Maybe people with these just drive them? Hope not! Anyone?

 

I ran a switch in a stock appearing car years ago, the converter was from Kenne Bell, best 60' was 1.59, vs. ATI 1.56 vs. Continental 1.56, all the same car. The SP converter was around 3200, the others about 3500.

Larry, what is the foot stall on your converter?

 

I think you need more converter. I once had a trans guy tell me that flash is nothing more than inertia in the tach needle, I always go by foot brake. Anywho, I'm curious to see how the new mill runs this year!

 

Converters will flash high if the feed from the pump is too small. This will cause stall-stretch as well. They will flash till they fill properly and airiate if there is not enough volume. I set mine up with .220" feed holes. This is on stuff with 6000+ stall and a trans brake but high torque foot brake apps. will do the same thing.

 

My 12" VP is a direct copy of the KB unit, as far as fin angles go.

I had one since the 80's and we took it apart when I started building them years ago.

Difference is my are either hand brazed or furnace brazed.. Bell's were not, and least the one I have wasn't.

JW

 

We went 1.20 in George's Tube car..

JW

 

Not to take over this thread, but I have a question for Jim:

In my new drag car in BG last fall, I went 1.2xx all week long with a best of 1.21. Not bad for a ladder bar car weighing just over 3000lbs. I'm running a 10" ATI converter (that was generously donated to my cause, THANKS Cory!!), which is listed as their "Nitrious/Blower" converter, (this thing is HEAVY!). I sent it back to them to have it adjusted to get the best results that I could. I'm very happy with it except that I am computing 13.7% converter slippage and going through the traps at 7000 rpm. I could go with a recommended 9" that may even help improve those 60' times, but could it help the percent of slippage? I think it may be just as bad or worse. I did switch to 3.89 gears in place of the 4.11's. Let me know what you think.

Steve