Does my cam need a converter?
Does my cam need a converter? I am starting to upgrade my engine with a new 224 cam from TS&P. Its not a big cam I know, but its better than stock. My question is would I need a aftermarket stall converter for my a4 to make this cam work? Dont get me wrong, I am planning to get a stall converter down the road, but with my budget, its just not in the cards for now and the cam was just too good of a deal. I am still mostly stock with only bolt on mods, but I am getting mixed thoughts from people if I ask them if the cam can go in without upgrading the converter. I went ahead last night and pulled the stock springs and pushrods and put in the tsp 918s and pushrods to get ready for the cam. I just need to get either the converter, or the answer that I dont need one right now and then I can deflower my engine so it wont be a stock virgin anymore 
. Here is a pic of the cam card:
Let me hear from ya techies.
. Here is a pic of the cam card:
Let me hear from ya techies.
I have an A4 and I will say this, if your running anything other than a stock cam then you need a converter. Many people will say you will be ok, and that might be the fact but also the fact is that you will be leaving a lot on the table. A good middle of the line converter is a 3200 - 3400. This will give you room to grow if you so choose to go with a bigger cam down the road.
good luck
good luck
I have a Vig 3600 with my TR224. Also not a bad idea to get a tranny cooler and a shift kit if you can. I got a good deal from Thunder Racing a while back when I bought it all together.
The car is gonna pull like **** without a converter. Your brakes are gonna hate you at stops
The car is gonna pull like **** without a converter. Your brakes are gonna hate you at stops
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 14,620
Likes: 17
From: BFE
This 224/224 114+4 LSA is -4* overlap so fairly decent idle and it will work on stock stall without too much adverse effects (besides not reaching full power potential). Meaning it will not pull radically on the brakes if idle is set correctly and can be used on stock verter for awhile till money is gathered for a converter swap.
I recommend a SS3600 Yank or VIG 3200 with that cam.
I recommend a SS3600 Yank or VIG 3200 with that cam.
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i have a tr220. i know its smaller then the 224 but i have no issues with my stock stall at all... I cant imagine a 224 is so much more aggressive that you CANT use the stock stall.. i didnt care about buying a converter because i have a t56 in the garage for when i get motivated enough to install it... If you like to launch there is nothing better then a converter though... just need some tires to hook. If I was keeping the auto you bet i would have a converter in my car though... its gotta be one of the best bang for the buck mods as far as ET goes. So if your planning on keeping you car an auto, honestly there is no reason not to stall it...
A stall is def a good mod with the cam, but to answer your question, it is not going to hurt anything running your car without it. You will def perform a lot better with one and prob be able to tune it easier, but you can put a cam in your car without having a converter
it will work if you have to, drove mine over a year on the stock stall..but it sucked...car was slow as **** (prolly slower than it would have been with a stock cam), pulled through the brakes, and in general just annoyed me
the stock cam needs a stall...anything bigger and its desperate for one
the stock cam needs a stall...anything bigger and its desperate for one
It will work.. stock like performance until you reach your new powerband. I ran a 226/226 112 patriot camshaft on the stock converter in my last car (98 z28), 1.9 60ft with a stock 3.23 geared car is pretty descent. Idle'd at 650rpms, sounded NASTY and did not push through brakes.
10 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Houston Tx
Should you stall it? YES. Do you have to do a converter install? NO. You wont drive it long before you make the converter purchase.Stop lights, 30mph,backing up the driveway, lack of performance, these are just a few of the pains with a cammed stock stall A4. My car (h/c/i C5) didnt really come alive untill after I installed my converter. I run a Circle D 4C with a 236 duration cam and love it. You can launch it @ 4 grand, and it will just burn the tires down as long as you let it. 
Thanks for the responses guys, I am still on the fence if I should install the cam without a stall, but dont get me wrong, a stall is in my future. Plan is to go with a 3800 to 4k stall, yank SS maybe. Its just that I am so tight on money atm, than I have even considered a ebay stall, Revmax..... 
I have come out of that coma, and am not going to waist a little money, and just save the money and do it right the first time. Hell, I may just get a wild hair up my *** and just cam it on stock stall anyway. I have a DD so if its that bad, Ill just garage it till I can get my stall.
I have come out of that coma, and am not going to waist a little money, and just save the money and do it right the first time. Hell, I may just get a wild hair up my *** and just cam it on stock stall anyway. I have a DD so if its that bad, Ill just garage it till I can get my stall. 
I have a 228R from TSP and drove it around on stock stall for a few months with the biggest issue bein the brakes. when I went to have it tuned they told me to get a stall before they should tune it for a better response. Id say go for it with a stocker until you can get a stall, as long as thats all you can afford