Guys I have a Buick 350 with around 350hp/425 torque and I need to know what stall converter to use when I change to a 200r4. This is car is going to be a cruiser and sometimes my daily driver.
My recommendation is go with the biggest stall that still locks up that your budget can afford. Off handedly, 2,500-3,000rpm is probably good.
Have a converter built for your application. Cam choice is one of the bigger factors determining converter choice. Even with the lock up feature, you will not like a converter that is too loose. I would talk to Jim Weise. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?278923-Updated-Torque-converter-program!!
And my advice would be almost exactly the opposite - go very conservative on converter for a street driven car. I have a 2800 stall converter in my 71 GS that the previous owner put in. it can stall about 1500 if you idle away from a stop sign, but with even light part throttle it stalls at maybe 2500 and it's an absolute pig to drive on the street. The net result is the tranny feels like it's slipping in traffic, the tranny gets very hot even with an external oil cooler, and Cops and bystanders think I floored it in school zones when I haven't - lots of unwanted attention. That said, it does exactly what it's designed to do at the strip, and was probably good for two tenths. And it's just right for burnouts. But we're really not doing that stuff every day, are we? My own advice, take it all in a different direction. Both my 65 and 73's have switch pitch tranny's and conservative gears. I can bring the stall in either up to about 2500 (or more with the 73 KB converter), which really makes the 3.42's feel like 3.90s. Unless you're planning to drive 100 miles a day, consider the approach.
If you've have a dyno sheet showing the HP/TQ curves, then certainly get one customized to your application. Otherwise, its just as much guessing as picking a shelf unit but more dollars. Different brands/manufacture's converter's will have different properties even with the same stall ratings. A good converter won't hit stall speed unless you want it too. I know several people that run 4,000+rpm stall converters and will idle away from a stop at ~1,200rpm or so. But they spend the dollars for good, well made, torque converters. With a lock up converter, my guess is it's going to be more tighter than looser because its pretty tough to get a real high stall rating on a lockup converter.
If it helps at all, when I swapped my TH400 for my current 2004r (Which I absolutely freking LOVE! and am SO glad I swapped it in) I chose a lock-up converter from CK Performance, their low stall one. I believe 1800-2000. I am very glad I did, as it makes my 455 with the 3.73 gears extremely fun around town and on the highway. For street, I tend to agree with Rhett, but I am no means an expert nor pretend to be. I think as Larry said, Cam is very important when choosing a converter as well
I don't want a race car but I do want a performance so 1800-2000 might be best. I have always just ran stock before.
