I have never driven/used a high stall converter. I understand the benefit for using one for racing, but how does it change the drivability of a street car?
The main reason for changing a torque converter is because of a cam change. Bigger cams hold the valves open longer so the engine can breathe at higher RPM where it will make more HP. Depending on how big the cam is, along with that increase in high RPM HP is a loss of idle smoothness and low end torque. A big cam changes the power range of the engine, it shifts it up. The typical stock cam power range is roughly 800-4500 RPM. Stock converters typically stall around 1400 RPM. That's a good match. Step on the gas in a completely stock car and the engine is allowed to jump to 1200 RPM, and away you go, no drama, car just goes. Now you put in a big cam, and the power range now starts at 2000 or even 2500 RPM. You pull away from a light and the car feels like you threw an anchor out the window until you get to 30 or 40 MPH, and then you floor it and it goes pretty good. So now, Joe Blow down the street tells you your problem is your converter, and you should buy this super whammer jammer torque converter on page 52 of the Jegs catalog. You do so, and install it, and the converter is too loose. Now it feels like the transmission is slipping, and the car is lazy in normal street driving, it feels like the engine is revving freely but the car is not moving in response and the transmission fluid gets hot. These are two extremes, and this may or may not happen to you, but it is possible. The biggest mistake made when selecting a cam is to go too big. The biggest mistake made when selecting a torque converter is to buy an off the shelf unit just looking at the specifications in a catalog. There are lots of factors that influence the stall speed of a converter, car weight, engine torque and gearing are the big ones. Having a converter purpose built for your combination is the way to go, it is more expensive. Converter technology has come a long way over the years. Today you can have your cake and eat it to. With the correct converter for your combination, you should hardly notice at all that it isn't stock. It should feel stock in light to light typical street driving, but when you step on it, it should let the engine rev up to the sweet spot RPM of the motor. That doesn't come cheap. You get what you pay for when it comes to converters. If your engine is stock, or even lightly modified, you may not need a converter.
Good information. Typical off the shelf converters stall rating is estimated for a higher power big block. Put it on a smaller engine, and “2800” is 23-2400 A quality built converter specifically for your setup is best. Trans cooler would be a good idea to add .
Looking back at the OP's build parameters, I'd get a 9.5 converter from Jim. It will be perfect. http://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/tsp-9-5-street-strip-converters-lifetime-warrantee.147066/
Thanks Larry. The best wording I've read & heard on how they work in correlation with each. I finally understand. Your are the wizard Thanks again..
I hear that these are what all the fast guys use, the name alone takes a full .5 of your 60' Thanks for making me spit my coffee Larry.
