LS4 Performance Grand Prix GXP | Monte Carlo SS | Impala SS | LaCrosse Super

Is it just me, or does the torque converter suck?

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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 07:33 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Nacho SS
To get a new converter in, you basically have to drop the entire front clip pretty much...
It's not that bad actually, you support the engine from the top, then you unbolt the craddle and lower control arms, support the steering shaft, take out the axles and unbolt the tranny.
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 07:41 AM
  #22  
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Well i got a thought, i've had to put a loose convertor in to match a big hairy cam. So by default to fix a loose convertor you would have to put a big hairy cam in. lol
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 03:41 PM
  #23  
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Replacing the converter is the only way to change the STR.
Now that I can agree with!
It is not the stall, it is the STR ratio.
I think when you originally made this statement is what threw everyone (including myself) for a loop since the high stall speed is causing the "loose" or soft feel that the original author of this thread was complaining about.

I'm still a little confused, however, with your comparison here:
For example we can use my '95 LT1 Caprice. 3.73 gears+2800 stall+~350 lb-ft+~2.45 STR means it is hard not to melt the 255 tires when leaving a stop sign. Goes like this: Hammer the gas, stalls up to 2800, say it makes 320lb-ft of torque here. The STR multiplies this by 2.45ish and the tires see the equivalant of almost 800 lb-ft of torque for a moment. (as the speed of the output gets closer to the input, the STR ratio drops closer to 1:1 until they are equal when the input speed = output speed.
Why would a 2800 RPM converter have a STR of 2.45 in this case and a 1.8 STR with a 2800 RPM converter in our cars?
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 03:55 PM
  #24  
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the STR is independant (to a large extent) of the stall. My LT1 converter was made for the street and I wanted it to feel tighter, so I spec'd a higher STR. My Caprice only feels soft for the briefest of moments when getting on the gas, compared to the Impy SS it is like night and day (tight vs loose) and they are probably both around the same stall. Best example I can think of is that 1/4 throttle will give a softish launch with the LS4, but will spin both 255/60 tires on the Caprice for 10' or more. A similar converter would make launching impossible with the front wheel drive and you would feel the swap during DOD (and it would irritate most customers). The LS4 converter is not what most people would want for the street, it (in my opinion) was spec'd out as a compromise due to the FWD and DOD operation.
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 05:44 PM
  #25  
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Heck, I think that the LS4 converter is the perfect set-up for a nice lumpy cam
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 09:53 PM
  #26  
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i second the big lumpy cams theory. i know nothing. but it sounds good to me
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Old Sep 28, 2007 | 10:51 PM
  #27  
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If I read Jay's post, it sounds to me like he might have a problem.

My car doesn't roll when I lift off the brake, but I've never noticed the difference from my V6 versions.

It does remind me of slipping the Z's clutch off the line though.
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