Torque Converter Opinions...

[mAnYsTyLeS]

In the coming weeks, I THINK I will have cams and a torque converter installed on my car for my final modifications (yeah right). After that, I think I'm going to purchase an older muscle car and try to learn a few things about them. I'm helping my friend put a 327 in an S10 and it's really fun...even though I mostly watch...

Anyway, with the modifications I have below and possibly leaning towards the new CompCam Thumpr Cams...can anyone recommend a good torque converter and recommended stall?

My car is usually driven on the weekends since I take the subway to work. I drive aggressively when given the opportunity and I visit the track about 5 times a year. If there's open road in front of me...I always gun it (as long as it's safe of course).

I've heard of TCI and PI and I usually like to lean towards quality pieces (so if one of these brands is better than the other, then I would go for that one). I was told that when installing a TC'er one shouldn't install more than a 3000 stall if it's going to be driven on the street. Let me know what your recommendations are before I contact TCI and Precision Industries. Thanks for your suggestions (as always).

I'm starting to realize that this car is more of a weekend warrior for me now that public transportation OWNS me. My mods are below and I have about 300RWHP. Thanks!


G

 

[Hawgman]

For the hp you are running you would be fine with a TCI Streetfighter or a PI single disc. But will tell ya right now that 99.99999% of the people here are going to say PI, and there will be a few that pay absolutely no attention to what you said your driving habits are and the amount of horsepower you have and will tell you to get a PI triple disc

As for stall.. yea, I would stay at 3k or maybe even a little lower.

 

[don_w]

I agree with Doc... for a non-FI application, I would save some coin and go with the TCI or PI single.

Now, having said that, I actually question why you would change the TC at all. A higher stall TC is of little value on the street. It's main purpose is for launching at the track. I'm not sure 5 trips a year would warrant a change. But hey, its your car and money.

 

[mAnYsTyLeS]

Understood...good info guys, thanks!

 

[06tyrfryr]

I am running the tci 4000 stall and will actually only flash to 3200 on motor and works real well. you still retain the lockup feature so it will not suffer on interstate driving. I have had no issues with it and have been running nitrous for almost 2 seasons now. I have no experience with any other brands as of yet

 

[mAnYsTyLeS]

So it's looking like TCI and Precision Industries are the brands to look at. After checking there websites though...TCI is waaaaay cheaper. Does this mean their product is not of quality?

 

[08StangGT_CS]

Just got a PI single disc on mine. Feels nice but cant really determine the performance gains. I did slower times due to more spinning of my street tires and knocked of 0.3 seconds on street radials.

 

[SloSVO]

the converter has to go hand in hand with sticky tires..

 

[mAnYsTyLeS]

Just got a PI single disc on mine. Feels nice but cant really determine the performance gains. I did slower times due to more spinning of my street tires and knocked of 0.3 seconds on street radials.

How does it feel on the street? How much was the converter? Installation? Do you need a tune? I contacted Precision Industries and this is what they recommended for my ride:

9.5" Stallion Single Disc Lock-Up with a 3000 Stall - $735

Is there that much of a difference between the Stallion and the TCI StreetFighter that goes for $500???

 

[2k05gt]

from what I have been reading the TCI is a good converter for N/A lower powered cars, once you get FI the TCI's tend to fail upwards of 500hp.

As far as stall rpm choice, I am stil confused with this, it makes a difference what gears you have, Again what I have read so far is that below 3.73 do not go over a 3000, 3.55 and below 2800 4.10's max 3500. these are for N/A cars.

Are these numbers true? maybe some one else can clarify

 

[akula52]

TC

For your current level, you can get the best of both worlds for cheap. Tungsteno6 has one for sale new in the box for $375. Its a TCI street fighter with a 3000 stall. Go to the Mustang GT parts for sale on this forum!

 

[Hawgman]

I have been trying to get a good understanding of stall speed and how it affects daily driving for a while now. I talked to Jack at PI on Thursday and when I got off the phone I was as confused as a hungry baby in a titty bar.
But basically what he said (or at least what I think he said) is for the most part stall speed is something that only truly comes in to play if you have a trans brake. He said a common misunderstanding of a stall is power braking the car.

The stall speed is a complex thing. Its derived using the Mue of the torque converter and the engine torque curve. Basically what it tells you is how fast the engine "input" side of the torque converter can spin while the transmission side does not. It is at what time the non moving side of the TC exerts enough force such that the engine is under full load, and cannot rotate the engine side of teh torque converter any faster. It has NOTHING to do with your cars braking ability, or ability to "stay put".

An overly simplified way to think about a torque converter is to think of 2 fans in a liquid. the engine is connected to one, and the trans/drive train is connected to the other. By spinning the first (engine) fan, you push the fluid in a circle. you put the second (trans) fan facing the opposite direction right next to the first fan. (as if lining up the axis they spin on) This then is pushed by the fluid to rotate in the same direction. There is also a lockup clutch that when activated "locks" the fans together.

Any time you make make one side spin faster than the other, you're creating heat in the trans fluid. This heat must be dissipated somehow, and that's why you need a better transmission cooler.

The way a "looser" (higher stall) converter effects daily driving is the time in which it takes to load the engine. Everyone knows the non linear way an automatic transmission loads. It revs up quick (to say not quite 3000 rpm), the RPMs rate of increase slows a bit, then the engine revs quickly up to redline. The higher stall TC will allow that "pause" (the RPM in which the converter locks up) to be higher. On a car with a larger turbo, this can allow more time in boost.

The way it supposed to work is the stall speed should be raised at least to the point where the torque curve is heading for it's peak. As a rule of thumb, the stall speed should be set to match the rpm at which the engine is making at least 80% of it's peak torque for a street driven vehicle. If you simply power brake, you are going to have wheel spin long before you reach the actual stall speed of the converter.

 

[don_w]

If you simply power brake, you are going to have wheel spin long before you reach the actual stall speed of the converter.

Zackly! For example, I have a 3500 stall PI triple, but at the track the tires want to spin at about 2600 when footbraking. Of course, with peak torque occuring not much higher than that, it is just where I need it.

 

[mAnYsTyLeS]

For your current level, you can get the best of both worlds for cheap. Tungsteno6 has one for sale new in the box for $375. Its a TCI street fighter with a 3000 stall. Go to the Mustang GT parts for sale on this forum!

So is this StreetFighter ^ the same as this... Precision Industries 9.5" Stallion Single Disc Lock-Up with a 3000 Stall - $735

But not as well-made?? Anyone know why the StreetFighter is 10inches compared to PI's 9.5 inches? Does this matter?