TCI VS. YANK
10-07-2003, 07:40 AM
#21
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Re: TCI VS. YANK 2xLS1,
Most of the points in Yank's "TCI Exposed" page are not factual. Let's start at the beginning.
TCI Exposed
That is a TCI part number 242932 (not 249932) torque converter that is rated at 3500 stall speed, not 4400. TCI doesn't even make a part number 249932 converter.
TCI doesn't use a cutoff wheel to remove the old hub and every impeller is now machined on a highly accurate CNC lathe.
Every TCI converter has a maximum runout specification of .010" TIR. They're typically .004"-.005" TIR. I've seen OE F*rd units off as much as .022". If the converter measures more than .010", then it is cut open and repaired.
On our first batch of 242932 converters, we did use the #7 impellor and 082 stator, from there on we used the #6 impellor and 082 stator, which stalls approximately 300 less than the #7 and perfectly matches our advertised stall speed (3500). We use .070"-.080" turbine clearance, not .200"+.
All TCI converters are precision balanced to within 10 gram-in.
Our turbine hubs are CNC machined and hardened. They are machined to the proper specification in the seal bore.
The turbine that was shown is the picture is not scaling, nor would TCI use a part that was scaled.
Yep, the furnace braze did miss a couple of spots. This is common for all furnace brazing processes. The most important factor in the strength of a 245mm turbine is to reinforce the blades by hand welding them. Thanks to our 675 hp dyno engine we were able to identify all of the weak spots, before we began selling the converter.
Our clutch assembly is an OE GM unit. The clutch lining did fail because of a faulty bonding process. This was the first one that had failed. Thanks to Yank's webpage, we were able to identify the problem immediately and fix it.
Now, we do reinforce the cover with 6 reinforcement lugs attached to a thick mounting ring. That is an improvement over the old stuff. Yank should post pictures of our new stuff instead of the first design stuff. That change was not made because of a problem with the cover cracking, but rather it was an improvement made to provide a more stable lockup surface. The old cover design was certainly not prone to cracking though, much less warping. If a front cracks, then it will leak, because of the high converter charge pressure. I've never seen one of our LS1 converters come back for a leak.
There are several things that can contribute to uneven pilot wear, including transmission to engine alignment. That is a particularly bad problem on many F*rd transmissions. Like I said earlier, TCI has a very tight runout tolerance.
Kevin
Most of the points in Yank's "TCI Exposed" page are not factual. Let's start at the beginning.
TCI Exposed
That is a TCI part number 242932 (not 249932) torque converter that is rated at 3500 stall speed, not 4400. TCI doesn't even make a part number 249932 converter.
TCI doesn't use a cutoff wheel to remove the old hub and every impeller is now machined on a highly accurate CNC lathe.
Every TCI converter has a maximum runout specification of .010" TIR. They're typically .004"-.005" TIR. I've seen OE F*rd units off as much as .022". If the converter measures more than .010", then it is cut open and repaired.
On our first batch of 242932 converters, we did use the #7 impellor and 082 stator, from there on we used the #6 impellor and 082 stator, which stalls approximately 300 less than the #7 and perfectly matches our advertised stall speed (3500). We use .070"-.080" turbine clearance, not .200"+.
All TCI converters are precision balanced to within 10 gram-in.
Our turbine hubs are CNC machined and hardened. They are machined to the proper specification in the seal bore.
The turbine that was shown is the picture is not scaling, nor would TCI use a part that was scaled.
Yep, the furnace braze did miss a couple of spots. This is common for all furnace brazing processes. The most important factor in the strength of a 245mm turbine is to reinforce the blades by hand welding them. Thanks to our 675 hp dyno engine we were able to identify all of the weak spots, before we began selling the converter.
Our clutch assembly is an OE GM unit. The clutch lining did fail because of a faulty bonding process. This was the first one that had failed. Thanks to Yank's webpage, we were able to identify the problem immediately and fix it.
Now, we do reinforce the cover with 6 reinforcement lugs attached to a thick mounting ring. That is an improvement over the old stuff. Yank should post pictures of our new stuff instead of the first design stuff. That change was not made because of a problem with the cover cracking, but rather it was an improvement made to provide a more stable lockup surface. The old cover design was certainly not prone to cracking though, much less warping. If a front cracks, then it will leak, because of the high converter charge pressure. I've never seen one of our LS1 converters come back for a leak.
There are several things that can contribute to uneven pilot wear, including transmission to engine alignment. That is a particularly bad problem on many F*rd transmissions. Like I said earlier, TCI has a very tight runout tolerance.
Kevin
10-07-2003, 12:16 PM
#22
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Re: TCI VS. YANK
Yank has been a great innovator in the LS1 market and has a proven performance record and has great speciallity converters. Pretty easy to get what you're looking for with a Yank because of the LS1 testing they've done.
10-07-2003, 04:51 PM
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Re: TCI VS. YANK I can't believe all this quality vs. price stuff, I have seen TCI converters run the same or better numbers as the yank, look at the list that WILWAX you posted "not many tci on this list" but look one of the heaviest cars on the list is the colonel's car look around it the same type setup and weight with different converters there are lighter cars with yank converters going slower and the next few cars faster than him are only a few hundredths faster and some are a hundred or so pounds lighter, so it looks to me like in performance it is there no doubt. I have seen post of people talking about price and paying for quality and warranty thats BULL, YOU GET NO BETTER QUALITY AND NO BETTER WARRANTY from yank for the extra money, from all the emails we got from the last big converter debate, it seems you get little to no warranty with the more expensive yank. We have ran both and the TCI is there all around price, quality and performance no doubt.
10-07-2003, 11:03 PM
#25
Re: TCI VS. YANK
Yeah their transmissions are proff of the GREAT 'proven performance record'.
Daily driven, beat on the weekends!
I can't believe all this quality vs. price stuff, I have seen TCI converters run the same or better numbers as the yank, look at the list that WILWAX you posted "not many tci on this list" but look one of the heaviest cars on the list is the colonel's car look around it the same type setup and weight with different converters there are lighter cars with yank converters going slower and the next few cars faster than him are only a few hundredths faster and some are a hundred or so pounds lighter, so it looks to me like in performance it is there no doubt. I have seen post of people talking about price and paying for quality and warranty thats BULL, YOU GET NO BETTER QUALITY AND NO BETTER WARRANTY from yank for the extra money, from all the emails we got from the last big converter debate, it seems you get little to no warranty with the more expensive yank. We have ran both and the TCI is there all around price, quality and performance no doubt.
10-08-2003, 09:00 AM
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Re: TCI VS. YANK PLEASE do not tell me that someone is trying to imply that TCI is "low-tech" 
No track results yet, but we installed the new TCI converter that Kevin mentioned above in our 2002 Trans Am last night and it feels GREAT. We hope to take it to the track ASAP to get some numbers, if it will ever stop raining
This car is BONE STOCK, and that means stock exhaust front to back, stock airlid, everything. We wanted to test the converter first thing, to see what the actual gain is over stock. But just driving-wise, I would say this is the most street-friendly converter we have ever had, save for MAYBE the TCI 2800 that we ran briefly in our SS. But when you romp on it, this converter BLOWS AWAY the 2800. This converter flat out rules in the upper RPM range. None of that flat-lining that you get with most 3200+ converters. It just pulls and pulls. And if it pulls that hard in a stock car that makes no power to help out up there, I can't wait to see how it feels with some basic mods like an airlid, headers/y-pipe, etc. And not too far down the road is the Comp Cam install. I can't wait!
Numbers coming as soon as it quits raining!!
No track results yet, but we installed the new TCI converter that Kevin mentioned above in our 2002 Trans Am last night and it feels GREAT. We hope to take it to the track ASAP to get some numbers, if it will ever stop raining
This car is BONE STOCK, and that means stock exhaust front to back, stock airlid, everything. We wanted to test the converter first thing, to see what the actual gain is over stock. But just driving-wise, I would say this is the most street-friendly converter we have ever had, save for MAYBE the TCI 2800 that we ran briefly in our SS. But when you romp on it, this converter BLOWS AWAY the 2800. This converter flat out rules in the upper RPM range. None of that flat-lining that you get with most 3200+ converters. It just pulls and pulls. And if it pulls that hard in a stock car that makes no power to help out up there, I can't wait to see how it feels with some basic mods like an airlid, headers/y-pipe, etc. And not too far down the road is the Comp Cam install. I can't wait! Numbers coming as soon as it quits raining!!
10-08-2003, 03:00 PM
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Re: TCI VS. YANK kristi what converter are we talking bout?
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
10-08-2003, 04:10 PM
#31
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Re: TCI VS. YANK
kristi what converter are we talking bout?
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
John.
10-08-2003, 08:00 PM
#32
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Re: TCI VS. YANK
kristi what converter are we talking bout?
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
i'm looking at tci ssf 3500 but is there something better?
here's my plan:
00 z28 a4 2.73 hooker catback/tsplid full weight
plus one extra 17" ws6 rim with nitto in back for added traction (not that the nitto 555R's needed it) ran 13.797@103.45 on a crappy track. Pretty much inline with all the other cars, if not better. helmet + 200lb driver with 1/2 tank of gas. not a great time (for me, but thats what mods are for).
3.42 gears/kit/carrier
ls6 intake 02 ta !egr
pacesetter !egr !air
cmrmotorsports kit 224/226 579 580 112lsa cam
(power to 6100rpm, good torque)
transgo shift kit/trans cooler
160 thermo
FTRA(maybe)
asp pully
Which Killer TCI 'verter do i want to have the best streetability? Is there something better than the SSF3500 for my application? I drive 90% city traffic 35mph speed limit, 5% freeway, and hopefully every other weekend when the tracks open back up again.
If tci has something new, name it, cause i want it. I don't want a loose 'verter nor do i want to lay drag every time i need to move in city traffic. Already used up my no-lo on laying drag in my vw. lol.
John.
I just got my tci ssf3500 installed in my vette today. I work be able to drive it until next week, other things goin on the car too. I cant wait.
10-08-2003, 08:10 PM
#33
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Re: TCI VS. YANK Hey John/Kristi, will you guys be running at Thunder again this year? There is a class just for bolt-on cars and if I remember correctly Kristi didn't do too bad last year running brackets
10-09-2003, 08:34 AM
#34
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Re: TCI VS. YANK Yeah, we will be there. I got to get Kristi ready for the brackets 
we sold our camaro and just got the T/A a few weeks ago,hope to have all the bolt-ons done and be able to run in the bolt on class, its also a convertible so we have to decide on the roll cage issue. 
we sold our camaro and just got the T/A a few weeks ago,hope to have all the bolt-ons done and be able to run in the bolt on class, its also a convertible so we have to decide on the roll cage issue. 