Art Carr was originally a pretty good company. Then Mr. Carr sold the company. Art Carr the company's reputation diminished with the new owners. Mr. Carr later started a new company in California and he still has a reputation for excellent work.

 

Well depending on who did the converter, you still haven't really answered the question, there may be little point in getting them to re-stall it anyway. Loosening up the existing in-efficient converter isn't going to be the key.

Like I said earlier, 8" converter's ain't all the same as the next one. DM's combo for example was an ATI (quality converter's generally) and was then re-worked by Lenny @ Ultimate (absolute gun with converter's) and if you still are not sure here is what you should do, which is what I did before ordering a converter.

Go to google, and type in the following - (converter company name) converters yellowbullet

Do this search method with several highly reputable converter companies, and see what people have to say about these converter builders, especially those with feedback on naturally aspirated deals.

Then when you've worked out a few, go to their website and fill out their detailed custom spec sheet for a converter recommendation.

Then weigh up the options, do you really want to screw around with a converter that potentially hasn't got the right parts inside, and bending a few fins to loosen it up will most likely only make it more inefficient than it already seems to be.

If you are serious about track results, starting fresh with a decent reputable converter builder and selling your existing stall is probably not such a bad idea. Or just leave it and enjoy it for what it is, as it is your car to decide what you want to do with it.

 

If you really have 17% converter slip, I think the advice above ^^^ is as solid as you can get.

 

This is why I'm calling him person to person. I will have him replace the insides if needed to correct the slip as well as bump up the stall to what it needs.
Not just give it more stall. ATI said they need to cut it open and then see what they can do...but that may be nothing...then I'm out of a converter.

Hell, might even be broke inside ?....we'll see.

 

You have a lot of people trying to lead you to water here. Sell the art car for what you can. Call ATI and give them your full specs and get one done. At least you know you have a top notch converter. The more you spend in the old one... the more you will be out if/when its not right. You will see ATI on a lot of bracket champions cars. They are a good company IMO with a good reputation. They are probably two blocks away from where you live. Drive by and drop a down payment on one.

I have a ATI in my car. Not that its fast or anything.

 

I'll put it like this. My 346 c.i. motor with a 239/247 .624/.624 110lsa camshaft ran best with a stall converter that flashed to 5800rpm on launch. It had a 4.10 gear, but my car weighed 3000lbs. with me in it.

You guys need more stall and less gear.

 

I've been reading everything I can get my hands on about torque converters. For anybody that stumbles across this thread and is having a difficult time understanding the technology that goes into building a converter, this link is a must read. It made everything PERFECTLY clear.

Thank you everyone for your input, it is truly appreciated. But I just couldn't wrap my head around WHY a converter could make such a difference. This link explains it better than I've ever seen. Thank you again for your input…and I think I have a broken sprag, lol

http://www.ultimateconverter.com/tor...or-drag-racing

 

Soooo....what it run ?

 

My personal best with the cam only combo was 6.38@104. Car weighed 2980lbs. on that pass. It ran consistent 6.45-6.50 and it was nearly negative -700 DA in December when it made that pass. Track was on kill and it went 1.29 to the 60' which it normally went 1.31-1.33 consistently.

Here is a 6.42 pass. BTW all my PB with the cam only combo were off the footbrake.


6.45 pass


I used to turn that combo 7400 and 6600 through the traps in the 1/8th. It really needed a 4.56 gear to run the 1/8th.

 

Who built your converter martin? Awsome launch off a foot brake.

 

Thanks Martin...Now as for the rest of that combo ?

Checking sofa cushions for change
Really, do you guys think a "need a converter" sign and standing on the street corner like those "homeless people" do, will work

 

Circle D built it. One of their 5c units that was modified for 5800rpm flash speed. It really flashed closer to 6000rpm.

Converter had about 9-10% in the 1/8th. Probably 6-7% in the 1/4. Very efficient 9" converter. Really wish I had been using a 8" converter, but Circle D nailed it on the 9".
2002 Z28
Stock bottom end LS1
Katech rod bolts
Stock 241 heads
Lunati Platinum Dual Spring kit with Ti retainers
5/16" .080" push rods
239/247 .624/.624 110+0
Fast 92 ported by Vengeance
NW 92mm TB
ARH 1x7/8" long tube headers
Custom stainless steel 3"x14" collector extensions (worth nearly 20rwtq over straight headers from 5800-7400rpm)
TH400 with ultra bell
9" Circle D 5c 5800 flash speed
12 bolt rear end with 4.10 gear and a spool
35 spline axles
275/60 Hoosier Drag Radials(the new mickey's would of been worth some E.T. and MPH over these)
Custom 4" intake tubing to a 4" velocity stack in the bumper

Here is the dyno graph for my car. It was ran on the dyno just like it was at the track. 19psi of air in the tires and no dyno tricks. If this car would of had a 10 bolt with 17" wheels and street tires with a T56 it would of made 460rwhp/400rwtq easily.



This cam held 400rwhp for nearly 1500rpm. The average power it made in the operating range it was used in made it a killer combo.

 

everyone thinks i'm crazy when i say that my 6,000 converter is very streetable. i ordered a 4,500 but once i grabbed the trans brake it held 6k on the dot. i love this thing.

 

I used to drive mine on the street a lot with the 5800 stall. It took about 2600-2800rpm to get it up to full speed.

3000-3400rpm if I was really in a hurry. Had it actually had full exhaust on the car out to the back bumper and not just under my feet at the floorboards it would've been much more enjoyable.

Here is a little secret. The louder your exhaust is the looser your stall converter is going to "sound". The more noise it makes as the converter slips the more the slippage will be amplified by your brain.

 

Very stingy Dyno I guess Martin ?

2980# and 6.45 660'
Your HP computed from your vehicle ET is 505.86 rear wheel HP

 

Actually, that is very similar to what mine dyno'd. Mine dyno'd 440 RWHP @ 6650 RPM and the drag race calculator says 510 HP for my car to go 121.3 @ #3665 in regular positive D/A. So, I think that is about right. The drag race calculator does not equate to RWHP, I have always considered it more like average FWHP.

 

Anyone with a Moroso slide rule Calculator ?

 

Martin is all over this, and impressed to see someone that posts realistic RWHP numbers rather than over-inflated BS.

Check out pro systems calculator on their website, seems to be more accurate than the old school moroso slide.

 

Our dyno is stingier than most. Most bolt on F-bodies make 320-340 on our dyno instead of the "normal" 340-360 most tend to see.

We have a 224XLC that utilizes a load cell so it reads lower than your normal Dyno Jet 248C.

Now my runs were made with no load, but I think they are very accurate. I don't really go by online calculators as they normally say the engine is making more power than it really is.

If you did it by weight and trap speed it may be more in line with what my graph says. Also keep in mind it normally trapped 103.5-103.8, but in the negative DA I had that day it trapped over 104mph every pass. I bet it was making 20hp more easily because of the air.

The two videos I posted above were from the same day I made the 6.38 pass, but the camera died and we weren't able to record the 6.38 pass. Just kept playing with the front extension on the shocks and tightening them up to keep the nose down. The 6.45 pass had a 1.34 60', the 6.42 pass had a 1.32 60' and the 6.38 pass had a 1.29 60'. The air also went from -250ish to -700 on the 6.38 pass.

You can say the stars aligned and everything came together to work the way you see it here.
Thanks VLS1. There was no point in doing any trickery or inflation with my numbers as it wouldn't give us an accurate depiction of what my engine made while it was running down track.

I guess I could of messed with the dyno, or put 40psi of air in the tires and posted it online and bragged about it, but again it never crossed my mind as my car is a race car and I need to test it how it is raced.

 

Just doing some more calculations....

4.10's with 28" tires and a trans at 1:1 ratio shows 142.XX MPH.

Subtract my 17% converter slip is 117.XX. (where I am)

Now if I take that 142.XX MPH and subtract that 10% for converter slip it puts me at 127.XX MPH....(where I should be)