SY 3500 w/shift kit here with lid, headers, ORY & catback. I LOVE it. It's my daily driver and I still get 18mpg out of it.

 

I daily drive TCI SSF 3500 equipped 11sec T/A.

It works well and it's priced reasonably. Can't ask for much more than that in my opinion.

 

"I just don't think the SS series are as good as they should be."

The SS converter line isn't the quickest converter made....nor is it meant to be. However, you gotta respect the SS line for what it IS meant to be....a GREAT street/strip converter with more emphasis on street than strip. I found it very easy to pull mid 1.5 60fts with my SS4000 and 3.23 gears (3525 lb raceweight.) If I'd been looking for 1.4s I'd have gone with a PT converter....but then it wouldn't be such a pleasure to drive on a daily basis so I happily settle for 1.55s and 11.20s in this NA mild heads/cam daily driven grocery getter.

There is no other converter line made by ANYONE that has better street manners while also giving better performance at the track than Yank's SS line. NONE. That's the SS line's claim to fame. The exclusive 21 blade stator makes this possible.

 

Why'd Yank stop making the ST3500? You'd have to kill me to give mine up.

 

They replaced it with the more expensive but superior SS line. Same hit, better drivability, less weight. The ST line was a GREAT bang for the buck converter. Maybe they'll come back out with something similar one day.

 

That is a very bold statement that better suited to be called an opinion instead of a fact as implied.

The SS line is a good converter but is no better than the TCI 3500 or 3800. If you are just looking to toss away an additional $200 (or what ever) then Yank is the way to go.

If you want a great product that has great performance on the street and strip as well as great customer service then TCI is the way to go. You get all that for less money.
Or you can pay more and get Yanked!



John

 

"That is a very bold statement that better suited to be called an opinion instead of a fact as implied."

Ok John, here's you chance to prove my bold statement wrong.

"There is no other converter line made by ANYONE that has better street manners while also giving better performance at the track than Yank's SS line. NONE."

Name one. Name ONE converter made that BOTH gives *BETTER* street manners AND *BETTER* performance than the SS line. I didn't say almost as good. I didn't even say "the same". I said "BETTER" street manners AND "BETTER" performance. So name me ONE converter than has better street manners AND better track performance.

Good luck!

 

"but is no better than the TCI 3500 or 3800."

I disagree. The TCI is a GREAT converter, no doubt about it (I very often recommend it as you know), but it does give up some (NOT a large amount. Just a small amount that is important to some and not to important to others) efficiency (I've dynoed TCI converters and Yank converters on the same dyno locked and unlocked, btw) and drivability to the SS line. If you want the higher efficiency then you have to pay for it. "Almost as good" is not the same as "just as good".

 

Stephen,

I cannot name that converter for you, as I have NOT owned (nor have you) EVERY LS1 converter out there and therefore cannot say “Better than all”. Your statement is based on opinion and limited exposure (though more than most) to other converters that you have owned.

That is my point.

John

 

My statement is based on years of observation and I say it with a large degree of confidence. It's also based on the simple logic of a 21 blade stator v/s an 18 blade stator converter.

Does anyone other than Yank make a 21 blade stator converter for the LS1 in the 3600-4000 range? Anyone at all??? I'm told "no". If this is indeed the case (and if it's not then that company SERIOUSLY needs to sponsor LS1Tech.com since no one I've read of here has heard of them) then I don't see how it would be possible to build an 18 blade stator converter that both outperforms and has better streetability than a comparable 21 blade converter. It's just the nature of the beast.

It's kinda like saying, "Hooser slicks hook at the track better than ANY radial tire that comes stock on a production car." Maybe the author hasn't actually owned every single set of stock production radial tires in the entire world...but it's still a quality statement supported by logic and common sense.

You can't name that converter because it simply doesn't exist at this time. That is my point.

 

My statement is based on years of observation and I say it with a large degree of confidence. It's also based on the simple logic of a 21 blade stator v/s an 18 blade stator converter.

Ah…the tried and true idea of “more is better” Perhaps this is the case. I am not a TC engineer so I can not say for sure. I guess I have to take Yanks word on this.
I know that GM uses these in a select few applications. I would think that if the 21 blade stator was that great then they would be used in more applications.



Does anyone other than Yank make a 21 blade stator converter for the LS1 in the 3600-4000 range? Anyone at all??? I'm told "no". If this is indeed the case (and if it's not then that company SERIOUSLY needs to sponsor LS1Tech.com since no one I've read of here has heard of them) then I don't see how it would be possible to build an 18 blade stator converter that both outperforms and has better streetability than a comparable 21 blade converter. It's just the nature of the beast.

If Yank does it then it must be good. I would think that if the 21 blade stator were that big of an advantage then other much larger (finically and size wise) companies such as TCI, B&M, and Precision Industries would also BUY the 21 blade stator from GM just as Yank does.


It's kinda like saying, "Hooser slicks hook at the track better than ANY radial tire that comes stock on a production car." Maybe the author hasn't actually owned every single set of stock production radial tires in the entire world...but it's still a quality statement supported by logic and common sense.

This is an over simplistic example that does not apply here.



John

 

"My opinion based on fact and first hand experience is that of all the TC I have owned Yank is the ONLY one I would not buy again."

And that has exactly WHAT to do with my statement about the SS line of converters?

"The Yank converter performed well below expectations was woefully inefficient, and the customer service was complete and total crap."

Again, this has WHAT to do with my statement about the SS line of Yank converters?

It seems to me that once again you've found a reason to break out your public bashing of Yank. Not that you asked, but as I've told you before, it's getting kind of old. You've only voiced your displeasure with them about 1000 times now. IMO, you should give it a rest or risk folks thinking you're just bitter. I sympathise with you but seriously John, I think enough is enough.

P.S. I have a 21 blade stator converter and I can tell you this, with or without your belief, it plain out rocks!

 

BTW, you can learn alot from oversimplistic examples. Sometimes they're intentionally simplistic to get across a terribly simply idea. The point there was that sometimes a little common sense goes a long way. In the same way that example seems simplistic to you, the idea that there is no single LS1 converter made with better streetability and track performance than the SS line is terribly simplistic to me.

 

I've seen the internals of TCI and Yank, needless to say i'm quite willing to pay more. tci is affordiable but its less efficient and has a stock tc like lockup.


Another question. Everybody says the sy3500 is great if your wanting to use street tires. However, i can't always hook on my street tires and a factory tc. If i flash the stock tc at a light it'll spin for the most part. by any chance is the sy3500 softer than stock? what are the stock specs?

 

Stock is like an ~1800 stall and 1.6 STR o believe, and SY has basically the same STR just stalls higher.

 

Stephen,

I think you brought up “Bashing” a bit too soon.

Stating fact is not bashing. What I said was not bashing but fact.

It is no secret that I do not like Yank’s business practices and that I know that their customer service is poor at best and that it is very hard to get in contact with them. I have also acknowledged that Yank converters are for the most part good converters. The SS converters are a good converter; I just question your opinion that it is the “Best”.

Getting back to the original question in this post.

I would recommend the TCI 3500 or the Precision Industries Vigilante 3200 for your application based on your requirements.

Both converters are very good on the street and at the track. TCI and PI are great companies that make a great converter and provide great customer service when it is needed.
When you buy a converter or any big-ticket item you need to consider all aspects of your purchase. Performance, price, value and support all need to be considered.

Do a search on each of the converter manufactures in the transmission section and in the Sponsor feedback section. Use the results to help you make a decision.

IMO you cannot go wrong with a TCI converter.

Good luck

John

 

Please share the details of what you saw.

How do you know that the TCI is less efficient that the Yank? Most of the information I have seen indicates that when comparing like (stall speed) converters the efficiency is equal.

John

 

John, fact or not, when it's crammed down our throats in practically every post you make, it comes across as bashing. Not just to me either. Behind the scenes it's becoming a perpetually flowing source of humor. It especially looks bad for you when you bring up stuff that has nothing to do with what is being discussed at the time. Example...We were discussing the merits of my statement concerning SS converters. You then proceded to tell of your bad experience with a PT converter that may or may not have been defective. That had nothing to do with what we were talking about. You see, you went out of your way to bring up, YET AGAIN, how your converter didn't please you (nevermind that your tranny *may* actually have been the cause of your problems.)

I never stated that the SS converter was the "best" converter made. That would be a broad statement and wouldn't hold true for everyone. It would hold true for *some* people, however. I'm not going to restate again my statement that you *claim* to disagree with (I honestly think that deep inside you agree but you're insistant on being the devil's advocate for the sole purpose of it being at Yank's expense.) It is clear that you are STILL trying to make them pay for your bad experience with them last year. In this case it's done your cause (that would be an attempt to damage Yank's reputation despite all of the good there is to say about them) no good....for you simply can't prove the statement in question wrong. Meanwhile, people are standing in line to buy Yank converters. Why? Because many people believe that they're a fine converter....many might even say, "The best!"

Good day.

 

Stephen,

You are correct. I was completely out of line with those (Yank) commits. They had no place in this thread. I have deleted them.


PM sent to you.


John