suggestion's on a torque converter
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 529
From: Ann Arbor, MI
As RollinSScamaro states, the Yank SS3600 is very tight and suitable for daily driving. I could accelerate briskly (0-60 in 10 seconds or so) while keep the revs below 2700.
In contrast a TCI 3600 (a cheap factory modded converter) would barely move below 2500 and I hated it for street driving.
I have used 4 different converters in the past 5 years:
1. TCI 2800 - nice for street driving, but bogged the cam'd engine under high throttle.
2. TCI 3600 - so loose on the street, I went back to the TCI 2800.
3. Yank SS 3600 - Excellent on the street, nice and tight.
4. CircleD 3600 triple disk - Also excellent on the street, nice and tight; indistinguishable for the SS3600.
Sure, $750 for a CircleD or Yank might be a budget buster, but everyone that buys one then loves it and regrets having wasted their money on their previous cheap converter.
In contrast a TCI 3600 (a cheap factory modded converter) would barely move below 2500 and I hated it for street driving.
I have used 4 different converters in the past 5 years:
1. TCI 2800 - nice for street driving, but bogged the cam'd engine under high throttle.
2. TCI 3600 - so loose on the street, I went back to the TCI 2800.
3. Yank SS 3600 - Excellent on the street, nice and tight.
4. CircleD 3600 triple disk - Also excellent on the street, nice and tight; indistinguishable for the SS3600.
Sure, $750 for a CircleD or Yank might be a budget buster, but everyone that buys one then loves it and regrets having wasted their money on their previous cheap converter.
As RollinSScamaro states, the Yank SS3600 is very tight and suitable for daily driving. I could accelerate briskly (0-60 in 10 seconds or so) while keep the revs below 2700.
In contrast a TCI 3600 (a cheap factory modded converter) would barely move below 2500 and I hated it for street driving.
Sure, $750 for a CircleD or Yank might be a budget buster, but everyone that buys one then loves it and regrets having wasted their money on their previous cheap converter.
In contrast a TCI 3600 (a cheap factory modded converter) would barely move below 2500 and I hated it for street driving.
Sure, $750 for a CircleD or Yank might be a budget buster, but everyone that buys one then loves it and regrets having wasted their money on their previous cheap converter.
TECH Junkie
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 716
From: Poplarville, MS
SAVE-UP are you are just throwing your money away and possibly throwing away your trans also. Cheap OE modified convertors just don’t work in these cars. Most of the time they fail and take the trans out with them. If you can’t afford a good convertor with a billet cover ($800) now then you can’t afford a new trans when it fails ($3000). So SAVE-UP
You guys ever heard of a company called Atlantic coast converters? I think I'm going to go with them. I heard nothing but good things about them. They offer a custom 9.5" billet converter for $675.
For 75 bucks why not just go with yank or FTI? I personally haven't heard of them, doesn't mean they aren't good but why not go with something that is known far and wide to work. Plus yank and FTI offer a free restall if you buy new iirc. At a 75 dollar difference the budget thing doesn't really come to mind
I think its OK to be different every now and then. A good friend of mine runs one in his lsx mustang and its been in for 3 seasons he runs 5.20s in the 1/8 without issues. So I'll give it a shot and save $75
I love my FTI 3800...
Long story short, Greg took care of me after a member sold me a hosed 3600. I called Greg and told him the story and he basically built me a new 3800 with a free restall and warranty for no extra charge.
I have sent him some business for what he did and will continue too...Greg did not have to do what he did, top notch customer service Imo!
Long story short, Greg took care of me after a member sold me a hosed 3600. I called Greg and told him the story and he basically built me a new 3800 with a free restall and warranty for no extra charge.
I have sent him some business for what he did and will continue too...Greg did not have to do what he did, top notch customer service Imo!
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 529
From: Ann Arbor, MI
I found some praise for Atlantic coast converters on Yellowbullet.com and a few other forums. No complaints on BBB. It therefore seems like a reasonable choice and a much better choice than anything based on a stock converter.
Good luck with it, and if you remember, give us an update after running it for a while.
Good luck with it, and if you remember, give us an update after running it for a while.
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Verdad Gallardo I found some praise for Atlantic coast converters on Yellowbullet.com and a few other forums. No complaints on BBB. It therefore seems like a reasonable choice and a much better choice than anything based on a stock converter.
Good luck with it, and if you remember, give us an update after running it for a while.
Good luck with it, and if you remember, give us an update after running it for a while.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
rev max converters are reliable but as I said earlier they're modded factory converters. look at the trap speeds of the guys running the larger ones, most are lower than a bolt on auto. the converters are much less efficient than their counterparts from yank fti etc.
op I would either say screw it and get a good budget 3200 converter from the big 3 and be content with it. the next option would be buying a used billet one but I understand your concerns there. other than that you could hold off a bit and save for what you want which is usually what I do in most cases.
op I would either say screw it and get a good budget 3200 converter from the big 3 and be content with it. the next option would be buying a used billet one but I understand your concerns there. other than that you could hold off a bit and save for what you want which is usually what I do in most cases.
Considering we use the EXACT same kit as the others you cited in your post and build principles, you truly haven't seen our product. We offer only billet converters for LS cars and again use the same core, and kit components as the others.
We USED to sell a more economical converter for bolt on cars, but haven't done so for about two years. They were great for bolt on cars, but too many people pushed them WAY too hard in turbo and heavy NOS applications. Rather than get a bad rap for this, we elected to stop selling them altogether....
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 7,323
Likes: 529
From: Ann Arbor, MI
...
We offer only billet converters for LS cars and again use the same core, and kit components as the others.
We USED to sell a more economical converter for bolt on cars, but haven't done so for about two years. They were great for bolt on cars, but too many people pushed them WAY too hard in turbo and heavy NOS applications. Rather than get a bad rap for this, we elected to stop selling them altogether....
We offer only billet converters for LS cars and again use the same core, and kit components as the others.
We USED to sell a more economical converter for bolt on cars, but haven't done so for about two years. They were great for bolt on cars, but too many people pushed them WAY too hard in turbo and heavy NOS applications. Rather than get a bad rap for this, we elected to stop selling them altogether....
Revmax has lots of fans on this forum.
Hmmm. Modded factory converters you say?..
Considering we use the EXACT same kit as the others you cited in your post and build principles, you truly haven't seen our product. We offer only billet converters for LS cars and again use the same core, and kit components as the others.
We USED to sell a more economical converter for bolt on cars, but haven't done so for about two years. They were great for bolt on cars, but too many people pushed them WAY too hard in turbo and heavy NOS applications. Rather than get a bad rap for this, we elected to stop selling them altogether....
Considering we use the EXACT same kit as the others you cited in your post and build principles, you truly haven't seen our product. We offer only billet converters for LS cars and again use the same core, and kit components as the others.
We USED to sell a more economical converter for bolt on cars, but haven't done so for about two years. They were great for bolt on cars, but too many people pushed them WAY too hard in turbo and heavy NOS applications. Rather than get a bad rap for this, we elected to stop selling them altogether....
I had one of those cheap Revmax converters in my bolt on lt1 firehawk, and absolutely loved it. I will be buying a Revmax converter shortly for my supercharged c5. My 95 firehawk had a 3200 revmax, and a airfoil, and the best pass at the track was a 13.2@101 on street tires. Before the converter I was running 13.6-13.7 consistently.
If you aren't looking to spend too much and want a good converter, you might want to take a look at ptc. I personally have a yank ss3600 and love it, but I've never heard anything bad about ptc especially for the cost.
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Lake Jackson, Texas
I like how you ask for advice on converters, then ignore said advice and go with what you want anyway.
Because I couldn't afford to spend the money on the converters everyone else wanted me to get. I got a top of the line converter with top of the line customer service. I'm happy
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 24,241
Likes: 89
From: Turnin' Wrenches Infractions: 005
Most budget aka 400 dollar units are just reworked factory converters from other vehicles. So they use a lot of modded factory parts. The higher end stuff is a completely 1 off deal. The backs are billet machined steel and the innards have larger lockup clutches along with larger bearings and a more efficient fin design.
If you really want a 3600 stall then you sort of have to go billet. The reason being is that to increase stall speed you have to change blade angles and other things inside the converter, there comes a point where that can only be done so much before the design becomes inefficient. 3200 seems to be the cutoff line with modded factory budget converters, they're good units but companies usually limit them to 3000-3200 because after that the design is inefficient. Above that it takes a "new" design aka the billet series in order to make the converter efficient.
With that said any of the companies FTI Yank Circle D etc are great options. I do feel circle d is a little more on the expensive side seeing as they used to be priced right with yank and FTI but have since raised prices. I would honestly call all the companies and go with what you feel best. You can't lose on any of them. Greg at FTI is a great guy and has built some of the fastest 4l60e converters.
If you really want a 3600 stall then you sort of have to go billet. The reason being is that to increase stall speed you have to change blade angles and other things inside the converter, there comes a point where that can only be done so much before the design becomes inefficient. 3200 seems to be the cutoff line with modded factory budget converters, they're good units but companies usually limit them to 3000-3200 because after that the design is inefficient. Above that it takes a "new" design aka the billet series in order to make the converter efficient.
With that said any of the companies FTI Yank Circle D etc are great options. I do feel circle d is a little more on the expensive side seeing as they used to be priced right with yank and FTI but have since raised prices. I would honestly call all the companies and go with what you feel best. You can't lose on any of them. Greg at FTI is a great guy and has built some of the fastest 4l60e converters.