should I get a Torque Converter???
07-27-2003 | 09:33 PM
#1
should I get a Torque Converter??? I'm looking to get some more mods and am trying to decide which to get first.
Headers, a Torque Converter, or rear end gears.
What do you all think with what I have now???
Headers, a Torque Converter, or rear end gears.
What do you all think with what I have now???
07-27-2003 | 09:43 PM
#2
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From: -TeXaS-?
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Id get the gears first, then headers, then a converter. But definately the Gears before the Converter. But thats just me I would want my car to breathe better first before anything.
07-27-2003 | 09:49 PM
#3
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? wow thats just the oppisite that i would do/ did..
I would say converter 1st! there is no other bang for the buck like a converter.
then headers, then gears...
I would say converter 1st! there is no other bang for the buck like a converter.
then headers, then gears...
07-27-2003 | 10:04 PM
#4
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? A torque converter will give you the larger performance gains over any other modification (other than nitrous). A converter will allow the car to launch better and increase low end acceleration which in return will lower your ET's. If the car still has 2:73 gears, I would suggest doing those next. A street/strip converter plus 3:42 gears or higher (depending on your goals) will gain you atleast 6-7 tenths or more in some cases. Headers are also an important modification but will not do much if you can not get a good launch. The majority of your time will be within the first 60ft.
Picking a converter rely's on your ultimate goal with the car. You want to pick a converter that will reach its stall just before the engine gets into its power band. If you get a converter with too much stall speed, it will actually slow your car down. Your converter speed will increase with power.
Picking a converter rely's on your ultimate goal with the car. You want to pick a converter that will reach its stall just before the engine gets into its power band. If you get a converter with too much stall speed, it will actually slow your car down. Your converter speed will increase with power.
07-27-2003 | 10:09 PM
#5
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Thanks for all the responses so far!!!
As far as the current gears, they're 3.23 according to the little sticker in the glove box. (reads gu5)
I was thinking of going with something close to a 3500 converter. Is that too much seeing as this is still my everyday driver?
Thanks again!!
As far as the current gears, they're 3.23 according to the little sticker in the glove box. (reads gu5)
I was thinking of going with something close to a 3500 converter. Is that too much seeing as this is still my everyday driver?
Thanks again!!
07-27-2003 | 10:09 PM
#6
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From: Lockport,IL
Re: should I get a Torque Converter???
A torque converter will give you the larger performance gains over any other modification (other than nitrous). A converter will allow the car to launch better and increase low end acceleration which in return will lower your ET's. If the car still has 2:73 gears, I would suggest doing those next. A street/strip converter plus 3:42 gears or higher (depending on your goals) will gain you atleast 6-7 tenths or more in some cases. Headers are also an important modification but will not do much if you can not get a good launch. The majority of your time will be within the first 60ft.
Picking a converter rely's on your ultimate goal with the car. You want to pick a converter that will reach its stall just before the engine gets into its power band. If you get a converter with too much stall speed, it will actually slow your car down. Your converter speed will increase with power.
Picking a converter rely's on your ultimate goal with the car. You want to pick a converter that will reach its stall just before the engine gets into its power band. If you get a converter with too much stall speed, it will actually slow your car down. Your converter speed will increase with power.
a bigger stall I vote tc first.
07-27-2003 | 10:13 PM
#7
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? That is why Vigi allows for a free restall of the converter. If you are not happy with the converter or you do alot of upgrades to the car, you can send the converter back and they will restall it to whatever you would like. If you do not plan on any internal modifications in the near future, I would suggest going a bit smaller than the 3500. However, if you do plan on more modifications, then it shouldn't hurt to go with atleast a 3200 at this point.
Like I said before, your mods are depending on your ultimate goal with the car.
Like I said before, your mods are depending on your ultimate goal with the car.
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07-27-2003 | 11:30 PM
#8
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From: -TeXaS-?
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Well I guess everyone here has their different opinions. Do what you want to do first. You wont go wrong by doing either first.
A converter will give you some big ET Gains.
But like I said, I would rather do the headers first. Example I see you have Flowmaster catback, I would finsih the exhaust and get the headers.
Once you finsihed the exhaust on the car, finish the Induction with a SSRA or FTRA. Then go ahead with the tranny and Converter etc. then the rear end w/Gears blah blah. But thats just me I dont like to jump to another section of the car until I have done the job right and theres no room for improvement.
A converter will give you some big ET Gains.
But like I said, I would rather do the headers first. Example I see you have Flowmaster catback, I would finsih the exhaust and get the headers.
Once you finsihed the exhaust on the car, finish the Induction with a SSRA or FTRA. Then go ahead with the tranny and Converter etc. then the rear end w/Gears blah blah. But thats just me I dont like to jump to another section of the car until I have done the job right and theres no room for improvement.
07-28-2003 | 12:03 AM
#10
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From: I-L-L-I-N-O-I-S
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Guys/girls,
He has an LT1, so I wouldn't recommend anything more than a "true" 3000-3200 stall converter at the most because his PCM is OBD1. If he has any intention of dragracing that car at the track, he'll wind up with that famous 1-2 WOT shifting problem. For his car w/ 3.23's, I'd either use a Yank 2800-3000, Midwestern(same size), or a Vigilante 2800(which actually stalls a little higher than its rating).
BTW, he can't do a FTRA or SSRA on an LT1.
Good luck,
Mike
He has an LT1, so I wouldn't recommend anything more than a "true" 3000-3200 stall converter at the most because his PCM is OBD1. If he has any intention of dragracing that car at the track, he'll wind up with that famous 1-2 WOT shifting problem. For his car w/ 3.23's, I'd either use a Yank 2800-3000, Midwestern(same size), or a Vigilante 2800(which actually stalls a little higher than its rating).
BTW, he can't do a FTRA or SSRA on an LT1.
Good luck,
Mike
07-28-2003 | 01:11 AM
#11
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Well I did a 3200 Vig Converter. I have the LM exhaust and a lid and I'm running 13.1's. That might not seem that great, but when you consider that my car is fully loaded with a system, dropped 2 inchs and I ran the track with 18's in humid weather, I think its good. With some good 16in tires and better traction I'd get my 60ft down which would give me much better ET's, probably 12.7 - 12.5.
07-28-2003 | 05:43 AM
#12
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From: Further South than Hell
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? I went with gears first as this is one of the criterias that will able you to choose your TC stall. Yank rcommends S/F 3500 for me but I think i'll play it safe and go with a 3200 true stall.
As far as headers I want LT's but by law I shouldn't move the cats location. From the posts most poeple say that shorties are a waste of money. Is there no performance gain over cast irons at all???
Anybody??
I came into a set of Hooker shorties for next to nothing. Should I do it?
or not 
As far as headers I want LT's but by law I shouldn't move the cats location. From the posts most poeple say that shorties are a waste of money. Is there no performance gain over cast irons at all???
Anybody??
I came into a set of Hooker shorties for next to nothing. Should I do it?
or not
07-28-2003 | 06:12 AM
#13
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Re: should I get a Torque Converter???
I came into a set of Hooker shorties for next to nothing. Should I do it? or not
or not
07-28-2003 | 09:18 AM
#14
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From: -TeXaS-?
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? BTW, he can't do a FTRA or SSRA on an LT1.
Good luck,
Mike
07-28-2003 | 11:31 AM
#16
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From: Troy, AL
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? Stock stall on an LS1 is 1850-1900 (my '02 checked out at 1900.)
For an LS1, at least, a TQ converter is THE single best modification you can make, IMO.
For an LS1, at least, a TQ converter is THE single best modification you can make, IMO.
07-28-2003 | 01:01 PM
#17
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From: Sarasota, FL
Re: should I get a Torque Converter???
Stock stall on an LS1 is 1850-1900 (my '02 checked out at 1900.)
For an LS1, at least, a TQ converter is THE single best modification you can make, IMO.
For an LS1, at least, a TQ converter is THE single best modification you can make, IMO.
07-28-2003 | 01:23 PM
#20
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From: Sarasota, FL
Re: should I get a Torque Converter??? So, you think stall speed is probably the same, but they are not interchangeable. Just thought I'd check, just in case the '02 Vette verter would be an upgrade. Guess it answers that question. Thanks.