TC or Gears?
TC or Gears? I would rather have a TC, but I would think that would tear up my Tranny. Are these safe? What would be a good all around TC to use for mostly street and occasional track use? TIA
Re: TC or Gears? A good converter will give you close to twice the ET gain that gears will. And it's not all because of the superior launch. With the stock converter, you shifts points drop back to only 3800-4000 rpms. With a 3000 stall converter, they drop back to a much better 4400 rpms and with a 3500 stall converter, the shifts only drop back to 4800 rpms. This extra shift extension means the motor will be closer to peak hp and tq more often during the run. That's why a ST 3500 will drop ETs 7 tenths in a 2.73 car while swapping to 3.73 gears alone is only worth 3-4 tenths.
Once you have 3.23 gears, swapping to 3.73 gears will net you even less of a gain. More like 2 tenths, whereas a ST3500 converter will drop ET more than 5-6 tenths. Racing from a roll, a car with a converter has a very strong advantage, even without gears.
Choose a modest converter (like a Super Yank 3500), get a good cooler, and you will be fine.
Once you have 3.23 gears, swapping to 3.73 gears will net you even less of a gain. More like 2 tenths, whereas a ST3500 converter will drop ET more than 5-6 tenths. Racing from a roll, a car with a converter has a very strong advantage, even without gears.
Choose a modest converter (like a Super Yank 3500), get a good cooler, and you will be fine.
__________________
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
2013 Corvette Grand Sport A6 LME forged 416, Greg Good ported TFS 255 LS3 heads, 222/242 .629"/.604" 121LSA Pat G blower cam, ARH 1 7/8" headers, ESC Novi 1500 Supercharger w/8 rib direct drive conversion, 747rwhp/709rwtq on 93 octane, 801rwhp/735rwtq on race fuel, 10.1 @ 147.25mph 1/4 mile, 174.7mph Half Mile.
2016 Corvette Z51 M7 Magnuson Heartbeat 2300 supercharger, TSP LT headers, Pat G tuned, 667rwhp, 662rwtq, 191mph TX Mile.
2009.5 Pontiac G8 GT 6.0L, A6, AFR 230v2 heads. 506rwhp/442rwtq. 11.413 @ 121.29mph 1/4 mile, 168.7mph TX Mile
2000 Pewter Ram Air Trans Am M6 heads/cam 508 rwhp/445 rwtq SAE, 183.092 TX Mile
2022 Cadillac Escalade 6.2L A10 S&B CAI, Corsa catback.
2023 Corvette 3LT Z51 soon to be modified.
Custom LSX tuning in person or via email press here.
TECH Regular
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
Re: TC or Gears? I agree it's not all in the launch if you have a good efficiency 3500 converter. Though, I would guesstimate the average acceleration after 60ft is about the same for stock/3.73 and 3500/2.73. If most of the driving is in the city and 1/4 is not the plan I could still somehow justify doing gears given the startpoint is 2.73.
What I would like to see is some folks post before and after 60ft, trap speed and ET results for vig2800/w 2.73s or similar verter that is not too loose with 2.73 so I could estimate if there is any significant gain after 60ft.
What I would like to see is some folks post before and after 60ft, trap speed and ET results for vig2800/w 2.73s or similar verter that is not too loose with 2.73 so I could estimate if there is any significant gain after 60ft.
Teching In
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Cookeville Tn
Re: TC or Gears? I have stated this before and some believe and some don't but here is my 2.73/2800vig testimonial.
I started out with a baseline of 8.9 @ approx. 82 mph with a 2.73 ta along with lid, k&n, and I think cutout. 60ft was right around 2.10 flat with an occasional high 2.0. This was on radials but traction was little issue at the track so better tires would have helped little. These times were recored thoughout 2000.
I swapped out to a vig2800 and nittos. With no other changes I was able to run a first time out 8.3x@88 with a 2.0 60ft spinning half way down the track.
Over the next few months and with no moeny spent I was able to get this 8.3 down to a best of 8.03@ around 90. The improvement was due to change of air pressure and adjusting shift points. Got 60's down to the high 1.7 range.
This was all done at an elevaton of 2000ft and the da usually in the 2500-3000+ range.
So there you have it. The vhange to the vig improved the 60 by 3 about tenths but I picked up 9 tenths.....in an 1/8 mile. Also gained 7-8 mph. These are unusual gains but there are factual and many off this board witnessed them along with one of the mods here.
On a side note....... the 2.73 geared absolutely kicked butt in the 1/8 mile for my setup. I went through the traps in second and it was pulling great. Had I been running a 1/4 the times wouldn't have been as impressive due to the 2-3 shift would have occurred right after the 1/8 mile and it would lose some once this occured.
btw......i'm not a vig pimp. Just stating facts. I now run a tp4400 and couldn't be happier and wouuld reccommend it to anyone interested in racing n/a.
<small>[ August 10, 2002, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: Rooster ]</small>
I started out with a baseline of 8.9 @ approx. 82 mph with a 2.73 ta along with lid, k&n, and I think cutout. 60ft was right around 2.10 flat with an occasional high 2.0. This was on radials but traction was little issue at the track so better tires would have helped little. These times were recored thoughout 2000.
I swapped out to a vig2800 and nittos. With no other changes I was able to run a first time out 8.3x@88 with a 2.0 60ft spinning half way down the track.
Over the next few months and with no moeny spent I was able to get this 8.3 down to a best of 8.03@ around 90. The improvement was due to change of air pressure and adjusting shift points. Got 60's down to the high 1.7 range.
This was all done at an elevaton of 2000ft and the da usually in the 2500-3000+ range.
So there you have it. The vhange to the vig improved the 60 by 3 about tenths but I picked up 9 tenths.....in an 1/8 mile. Also gained 7-8 mph. These are unusual gains but there are factual and many off this board witnessed them along with one of the mods here.
On a side note....... the 2.73 geared absolutely kicked butt in the 1/8 mile for my setup. I went through the traps in second and it was pulling great. Had I been running a 1/4 the times wouldn't have been as impressive due to the 2-3 shift would have occurred right after the 1/8 mile and it would lose some once this occured.
btw......i'm not a vig pimp. Just stating facts. I now run a tp4400 and couldn't be happier and wouuld reccommend it to anyone interested in racing n/a.
<small>[ August 10, 2002, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: Rooster ]</small>
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
From: cookeville, tn
Re: TC or Gears? Its me again..Rooster from above...got my regualr id working.
fyi.....
the 2.73 vig2800 was also an absolute blast to drive on the street. Much more fun than my current tp4400/3.73.
fyi.....
the 2.73 vig2800 was also an absolute blast to drive on the street. Much more fun than my current tp4400/3.73.
Re: TC or Gears? The basic question of TC or gears for the Auto' cars is consistantly TC for 1/4 mile stuff. I don't race my cars, just enjoy the HP and playing with mods. The choice of what level stall gets a whole lot more cloudy. Thats the question that will challenge your will to do it. Take your time and use the search a bunch. There is a ton of info/opinion on this and you don't want to go thru two or three installs to get what suits you. Your best bet is to ride/drive someone elses car that has a known setup to establish your focus. Another great source I'd think would be to call and talk to the guys at PI and Yank directly. They deal with us all day every day and have got to have the best/broadest mental database about we customers wants etc. that must exist. They want you to be satisfied right off also so I'd bet they can have the best shot of sorting out what they have for you. Good luck.
We've got 24000 miles behind the 382 stroker on the PI convertor with no troubles at all. Dependability with the PI unit seems, from what I've read on various boards to be a bit better with PI but then that's also what I bought so ...
<small>[ August 11, 2002, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: P&DZs ]</small>
We've got 24000 miles behind the 382 stroker on the PI convertor with no troubles at all. Dependability with the PI unit seems, from what I've read on various boards to be a bit better with PI but then that's also what I bought so ...
<small>[ August 11, 2002, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: P&DZs ]</small>
Trending Topics
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Fort Walton Beach, Fl.
Re: TC or Gears? I only gained about .25 in the 1/8 with 3.73 gears installed and decided that I needed a TC if I was going to improve on that time at all. I think that I might be able to wean out another tenth with those gears now that I have my shift points optimized and no longer hit the limiter. I think though if I had to do this over again I would have invested in my TP4400 before the gears. One thing that I have noticed is that I am going to have to do some tuning with the TC install. Didn't have to do that with the gears...
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo