New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech - Torque converter selection suggestions?

As you can see in my signature I only have a small cam in my car so far as far as power mods. Intend to add headers and exhaust soon. Long terms plans will require a new trans and rear end. Still for now I would like to get a higher RPM torque converter to take advantage of what I have while saving for the expensive stuff. Any suggestions on specific stall speed and brands etc.? Is my daily driver so was thinking around 1000RPM over stock. I don't want to spend too much money as I will have to buy another when when I get the new tranny so trying to get something good but remembering it will be replaced in the future.

I do want to stay with a lockup converter which, along with the OD helps keep MPG as good as it can be. I stuck with stock shift points on the suggestion of the dyno tuner.

Find out where your peak torque is, and get your stall speed about 500 rpm lower than that.

I will take a look at the dyno sheet but while the HP is an obvious climb according to RPM the torque is pretty consistent from the RPM he began measuring at on the sheet up to peak. It changed very little from 2000-6000 with a low and peak being close to the average. Not a bad thing but hard to select in such a way I think.

Ptc 3600...

Just find your peak and go from there. I would guess somewhere in The 3200 to 3500 range for a stall speed.

3200 to 3600 would be a good range like bww said. Read around in the Automatic section for brand preferences or call a sponsor. I know Vigilante used to be highly recommended but I'm not so sure anymore since I haven't had an Fbody in over a year.

my vigiliante feels like stock. id look into them.

As you can see in my signature I only have a small cam in my car so far as far as power mods. Intend to add headers and exhaust soon. Long terms plans will require a new trans and rear end. Still for now I would like to get a higher RPM torque converter to take advantage of what I have while saving for the expensive stuff. Any suggestions on specific stall speed and brands etc.? Is my daily driver so was thinking around 1000RPM over stock. I don't want to spend too much money as I will have to buy another when when I get the new tranny so trying to get something good but remembering it will be replaced in the future.

I do want to stay with a lockup converter which, along with the OD helps keep MPG as good as it can be. I stuck with stock shift points on the suggestion of the dyno tuner.

- Headers should have been done with the cam and dyno tune, IMO. You'll have to retune for the headers, which will cost more money. Headers will also allow you to realize more potential from that cam.

- Ideal stall speed for best performance with a 224 range cam will probably be in the 4000rpm stall range, +/- 200rpm, however anything is better than nothing. 3500 is the minimum I would suggest.

- I disagree with your dyno tuner. Stock shift points should not be retained for a 224 cam, as you are likely shifting before even hitting peak power (although your lack of headers may be causing a lower peak rpm at the current moment....maybe this was the reasoning behind the suggestion?).

- I would not worry about a new rear end for an A4 car unless your are planning a pretty serious build, or it actually breaks. Lots of us have gone some pretty quick 60-foots with the stock 10 bolt and the automatic. The rear is not a manditory upgrade for an A4, especially for street-only use, like it is for an M6 car that's going to be raced often.

Why do you think you will have to replace the converter when the new transmission goes in? Unless it is having problems it can be drained, filled, and used again.

Even if the trans fails, the converter can be rebuilt by the manufacturer for a decent price (IIRC in the $200-250 range).

I like my Yank SS 3600 a lot. I wouldn't go smaller especially if you plan to keep modding. It is tight enough around town I didn't even notice a severe drop in MPG and on the highway it is the same as stock converter.

I'd say the bare minimum for the 224R would be 3200rpm stall speed or so. We have had a lot of success with the Yank convertors and offer their full line-up.

Just find your peak and go from there. I would guess somewhere in The 3200 to 3500 range for a stall speed.
What does peak have to do with it?
- Headers should have been done with the cam and dyno tune, IMO. You'll have to retune for the headers, which will cost more money. Headers will also allow you to realize more potential from that cam.

- Ideal stall speed for best performance with a 224 range cam will probably be in the 4000rpm stall range, +/- 200rpm, however anything is better than nothing. 3500 is the minimum I would suggest.

- I disagree with your dyno tuner. Stock shift points should not be retained for a 224 cam, as you are likely shifting before even hitting peak power (although your lack of headers may be causing a lower peak rpm at the current moment....maybe this was the reasoning behind the suggestion?).

- I would not worry about a new rear end for an A4 car unless your are planning a pretty serious build, or it actually breaks. Lots of us have gone some pretty quick 60-foots with the stock 10 bolt and the automatic. The rear is not a manditory upgrade for an A4, especially for street-only use, like it is for an M6 car that's going to be raced often.
Perfect.

What does peak have to do with it?

What is Shift Extension?

Yank SS 3600

Yank SS 3600

+ 1 on this

What is Shift Extension?

The amount of rpm you drop to when you change gears. It keeps you in your powerband better.

The amount of rpm you drop to when you change gears. It keeps you in your powerband better.

I think he was being a little bit sarcastic.... I could be wrong however.

a 3200 stall would go well with the 224r cam in your sig, that would be a very dd friendly combo. i personally have a yank ss3600 and drive it almost everyday and it feels great. if i didnt have a yank id get a ptc or vig.

The amount of rpm you drop to when you change gears. It keeps you in your powerband better.

:jest: Is was a Jeopardy reference...answered in the form of a question...:bang:

That's what i figured.. In that case, ls cars love large converters.. Whether a stock cam or an ms4 and everything between they would all like a 4400 more than a 3000.

That's what i figured.. In that case, ls cars love large converters.. Whether a stock cam or an ms4 and everything between they would all like a 4400 more than a 3000.

:drive:

- Headers should have been done with the cam and dyno tune, IMO. You'll have to retune for the headers, which will cost more money. Headers will also allow you to realize more potential from that cam.

- Ideal stall speed for best performance with a 224 range cam will probably be in the 4000rpm stall range, +/- 200rpm, however anything is better than nothing. 3500 is the minimum I would suggest.

- I disagree with your dyno tuner. Stock shift points should not be retained for a 224 cam, as you are likely shifting before even hitting peak power (although your lack of headers may be causing a lower peak rpm at the current moment....maybe this was the reasoning behind the suggestion?).

- I would not worry about a new rear end for an A4 car unless your are planning a pretty serious build, or it actually breaks. Lots of us have gone some pretty quick 60-foots with the stock 10 bolt and the automatic. The rear is not a manditory upgrade for an A4, especially for street-only use, like it is for an M6 car that's going to be raced often.

I will try to make this short. This was not planned... I had to go hunting for missing rocker trunion bearings and as long as the motor was apart I put in those parts you see at the same time rather than taking it apart and getting no power gains or doing it again at another time. It was not planned but when the motor was partially apart I had some fast decisions to make and parts to get quick as my car was a State away. The dyno tuner will tweak the tune for me when I get headers so no issues there. The trans and rear end are for the future, such as when I either go with a Procharger or big time heads and cam. The cam is making the 40Hp claimed on the dyno chart. The other things were inexpensive upgrades when the motor was apart. So headers and exhaust are planned next as is the converter. That will do me for a while until I can afford to do the big stuff and need the stronger parts. Thoughts are a 12 bolt or S60 and perhaps a 4L80E. I asked the tuner about shift points and he said the were pretty good where they were but would be happy to change them if I wanted. Have to take his advice. He had several Vettes in there including a Lingenfelter and a LS7 he was rebuilding and seems to specialize in LS powered cars so I took his advice. Perhaps I will do the converter at the same time as the headers and see what he has to say then.

That's what i figured.. In that case, ls cars love large converters.. Whether a stock cam or an ms4 and everything between they would all like a 4400 more than a 3000.

:nod: 3000 or 3200 or even 3600 is never the right answer if max 1/4 mile performance is desired from an NA LS1.....stock cam or not. All those stall speeds are just a compromise between good performance and good driveability. But if all-out performance is your goal, 4000+ should really be the starting point IMO....especially with any sort of cam bigger than stock.

I asked the tuner about shift points and he said the were pretty good where they were but would be happy to change them if I wanted. Have to take his advice.

I can't say that I've seen any dyno sheets for 224 cammed LS1s with completely stock exhaust, so I'm not sure how much this might hamper the high rpm power of the cam. But this is something you will definitely want to take a look at once you get the headers/exhaust and retune, otherwise you will likely be leaving performance on the table. Stock shift points are 6000rpm, and that cam should still be making power for several hundred rpm beyond that with proper exhaust flow.

Get a PT4400 then! :D

:nod: 3000 or 3200 or even 3600 is never the right answer if max 1/4 mile performance is desired from an NA LS1.....stock cam or not. All those stall speeds are just a compromise between good performance and good driveability. But if all-out performance is your goal, 4000+ should really be the starting point IMO....especially with any sort of cam bigger than stock.



I can't say that I've seen any dyno sheets for 224 cammed LS1s with completely stock exhaust, so I'm not sure how much this might hamper the high rpm power of the cam. But this is something you will definitely want to take a look at once you get the headers/exhaust and retune, otherwise you will likely be leaving performance on the table.

This is my daily driver so while there will be some compromises power is not going to be one of them. It will not be a dedicated drag car and I may not achieve the fastest 1/4 mile time possible but it will be much better than stock. I hope that the future increases in engine power will help those numbers get up but realistically it is going to always be a daily driver and it will be getting driven hard both accelerating and cornering as often as possible, it is why I got this car...to have fun. NOW I can actually plan things instead of making quick decisions when my motor is apart in a shop for what was supposed to be a tiny job. But sure a converter will help things now as will the exhaust stuff which is why I am asking for suggestions of what people have used and of course will be talking to the manufacturers too. Good to get consumer feedback as well is my thinking.

What is the stall speed of a stock converter?

As you can see in my signature I only have a small cam in my car so far as far as power mods. Intend to add headers and exhaust soon. Long terms plans will require a new trans and rear end. Still for now I would like to get a higher RPM torque converter to take advantage of what I have while saving for the expensive stuff. Any suggestions on specific stall speed and brands etc.? Is my daily driver so was thinking around 1000RPM over stock. I don't want to spend too much money as I will have to buy another when when I get the new tranny so trying to get something good but remembering it will be replaced in the future.

I do want to stay with a lockup converter which, along with the OD helps keep MPG as good as it can be. I stuck with stock shift points on the suggestion of the dyno tuner.

I have the 224r TSP cam, when i had the shorty headers, which is a tad better than stock manifolds, I made 365 rwhp and 364 Tq on the stock converter.
The shiftpoints where not adjusted then, and was actually hurting my overall performance. You could deff feel the punch of the cam, but shifting at 6K was horrible and slughish. So i'd get that corrected.
With that cam, you should atleast be shifting at 6200 Rpm when your HP Is heading south.

Go big on the stall!!! you wont regret it. Im happy with my 3800 RPM Stall...


Throw some LT's and ORY, and the Improvement will feel like when you went from stock to your 224r cam. :cheers:

What is the stall speed of a stock converter?

About 1600rpm for a stock LS1 converter.