SSellers

Apologies all around before this even gets started since this is going to be dumbed down and sloppy. In a very generalized and layman's term sort of explanation, here is what a converter does..... it basically keeps the driveshaft from fully engaging until the rated stall speed. By setting your stall speed up with your engine characteristics, what you do is try to get your stall speed around the RPM where your engine makes maximum torque. By doing that, you are fully engaging the driveshaft (without slip) at the engine's most efficient and powerful point. There are several factors that come into play like weight, gearing, etc. You can still drive around at low RPM with a higher stall and it will slip (like feathering the clutch) which is why you want to run a cooler. Setting up a stall correctly is kinda like what they are doing with CVT's as those try to keep the engine at its torque peak. A factory car is set up to drive under a wide range of conditions while giving good life to the transmission in its basic (cheapest) form and providing best economy which is the reason for a low stall. It locks up at low speed so that you are pulling that baby gear way low in the power range. If you do gears alone you are at least giving a higher multiple to that torque coming through the tranny but it's not as significant as having the rear end get torque at the engine's peak point.

Please, everyone jump in and correct me.

BWZ_2k2Z28

man, just the info i wanted. Big thanks SSellers and everybody else too. Learned alot from this thread.

LQ4Supra

iTrader: (1)

SSellers, you pretty much hit the point of having a stall over gears (if you have to choose between them). And you also made a great explanation of why a stall will trump gears all the way around as a mod for an auto. I really wish I had done a 3500 when I did the 4L80 conversion but I didn't have the money at the time so I have a stock stall for now. If I could have done a 3500 stall, even with the stock motor I'd be much happier and my mileage would still be about the same.

murphinator

iTrader: (2)

good thing you did a great job explaining everything or you would have had a lot of takers on that statement lol

SSellers

Thanks. Once in a while I can get the jumble of stuff in my head to shake out and actually resemble what is going on in there. Typing is better since I can read it first; if it comes out of my mouth all bets are off. I think my dad played too rough in the tub with me whan I was little. My uncle was a lot better. Wait, what?

reeperz28

iTrader: (1)

Daily driving my car right now and I have 2.73 still and a 3000 stall. Had this setup before the heads cam intake when I was stock, the looser converter down low with 2.73 sucks. I would reccomend the 3.42's then when You get bored get the stall converter a nice 2800 -3200 with the stock cam is fine for street driving fun. To many die hard dragsters on this forum haha.

reeperz28

iTrader: (1)

Edit-went from 18 mpg city to 14 with stall converter and 2.73 highway stayed same.

"MAC"

iTrader: (1)

I have a 3600 stall i did that when i had to rebuild my tranny. At first it was weird to drive wasnt used to it but once i did it became fun to drive. I know have 3:73 gears, cam, and stock heads are worked its like i have a whole nother car. Thing of it is that SSeller is def right. Since i first bought the 3600 stall i had to get a good cam to match where my peak power band starts and the stock gears wouldnt be good so I do believe the 3:73 gears match well with the set up.