Torque converter and top end
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Teching In
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 36
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Torque converter and top end I have heard that a torque converter takes away from the top end of the car. Is this true? If so, by how much does it hurt the top end of the car? Can it be fixed and if I put a lid and SSRA will it help much to alleviate this? 
It's a pure efficiency deal. The general trend is lower
efficiency for bigger STR and higher stall speed, or a
higher necessary RPM to get into efficient coupling.
The best converters for efficiency top out around 97%
and a lot of race types are well less. There's always a
tradeoff. I have never, ever seen converter makers
publish an efficiency vs RPM curve and I surely wish
one of the mags like, say, Chevy High Performance
would take on a dyno test of popular converters
(say, two models apiece from PI, TCI and Yank - and
bought from distribution, not cherry-picked) and show
real RWT/RWHP vs RPM dyno curves. That would be
hot. But it would be guaranteed to **** off at least
two of the three advertisers, so don't hold your breath
waiting for those kind of facts.
efficiency for bigger STR and higher stall speed, or a
higher necessary RPM to get into efficient coupling.
The best converters for efficiency top out around 97%
and a lot of race types are well less. There's always a
tradeoff. I have never, ever seen converter makers
publish an efficiency vs RPM curve and I surely wish
one of the mags like, say, Chevy High Performance
would take on a dyno test of popular converters
(say, two models apiece from PI, TCI and Yank - and
bought from distribution, not cherry-picked) and show
real RWT/RWHP vs RPM dyno curves. That would be
hot. But it would be guaranteed to **** off at least
two of the three advertisers, so don't hold your breath
waiting for those kind of facts.
