quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

+1 Your absolutly right. I've played alot with stall converters and I've driven them all on the street from a 2400 up to a 4000 and now with a new 5200. More stall = more heat = dead transmissions, I've been there done that got the T-Shirt. My $70 B&M Super Cooler was the best insurance I've eva bought, it dropped my trans temps to the point where I can drive my car around in 100 degree weather in traffic and not have an issue.

bowtienut

iTrader: (1)

Observations on 4000-5200 race converters are irrelevant when we're talking about a high efficiency street converter, which is what the OP asked about.
I currently run an 8" ATI in the Impala, and I couldn't agree with you more about the need for a cooler when driving around with a converter like that.

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

Actually I was just refering to that I've used all types of converters. My current converter is a 9.5" Vigilante, I didn't go to the 8" ATI because I street drive my car and I didn't want to loose my lockup. As an example when I had my stock trans I had a 2400,3200,3600 and 4000 vigilante in it. When I went to the 3200 my temps were up around 210 on a hot summer day, I dropped in my cooler and brought it back down to the 160 that it was at before I put in my vigilante 3200 converter. And that transmission lasted two years of racing behind a potent 355 runnin deep in the 11's at over 120mph pulling the wheels off the ground. Heat kills transmissions, heat is a byproduct of slippage, which is what the clutches are doing when you are in the "spongey" part of the converter. Keeping the trans cool will keep it alive, I wouldn't even think about ordering a converter without a trans cooler at the same time. Either that or get your checkbook out because a new trans will be in your future.

sdotlog

Just wondering did all f bodies come with stock auxiliary coolers that's hooked up in parallel with the radiator setup like the b bodies were? I've never really looked at one. Or am I completely wrong about that being an auxiliary cooler?

bowtienut

iTrader: (1)

that statement worries me! there is no clutch slippage involved when you're in the "spongey part of the converter".
I still think you've never experienced the latest cutting edge street converters like the Yank SS3600 we were discussing. Vigilantes are great converters; I still have one in another vehicle. But they have not kept up with the times like Yank has. The SS3600 I had in my Impala with the stock engine ran cooler than the previous Yank 3000 converter I had in it, which was the same technology as Vig's present street converters.
Maybe I'm just spoiled/biased by the Impala's fairly robust stock cooler setup. I'll end my comments on this by saying, one more time,......If you need an aux cooler with the SS3600 converter in your F-body, then you needed it with your stock converter too.

Elliott's94Z

iTrader: (12)

Either way run a cooler...don't get caught up in the **** match weather or not to run one. It's a inexpensive modification and wise to do.

Z-RATED94

iTrader: (6)

Another vote for you using the SS3600. You'll be very happy with the way it performs with those 3.73 gears.

ROWDYZ28

I ran a Yank SS4000 on my old TA a while back w/ a transmission cooler and it was a little on the high side for street use but nothing you couldn't get used to. For an everyday driver the SS3600 is hands down the way to go.

Jake_the_Snake

iTrader: (5)

from the yank website:

Is a transmission cooler needed with my Yank high stall converter?
9. Not typically with the street strip converters below 3000 stall. The superior efficient design of the Yank converters generate less heat than our competitor's offerings, making trans coolers unnecessary in street/strip applications. For more hard-core racing applications (or converters over 3000 stall speed), a trans cooler is always cheap insurance to protect the transmission when "hot-lapping" the car.

02sleeperz28

iTrader: (26)

3600 Vig here I love it!

Edit: I also have a trans cooler, I paid a lot of money for my trans/stall (RPM) and I refuse to allow something as small and cheap as a trans cooler to be the reason my trans breaks. Get a trans cooler either if your trans is built or not....use common/conscious sense please.

Vulcan2422

iTrader: (1)

I have a 3200 Stall from Monster Transmissions. Good people there (not knocking any other companies either since they are great also) and always willing to help out. For the price, I couldn't beat it. I also put a Tranny cooler in with it and she ran strong and hit hard also. But that's just my .02

1badzee

iTrader: (12)

There were none (from what I've seen). I've also seen some cars with factory-looking aux coolers but something tells me that someone else incorporated them..

1badzee

iTrader: (12)

Yeah, I run a trans-spec 3,700 stall 10" converter in my TH350. Went with that because it was affordable, and I drive the car on a daily basis. Performs excellent. No real difference than the vigilante I had in my 4L60. Great guys to do business with..

http://transmission-specialties.com/

sdotlog

If that's the case then adding a cooler would be essential. I measured out the stock aux cooler and measured out to 11x4x2. Measely little thing but seen a hand full of threads where other b bodies were ok with higher stalls. In op case, id get one.

illusions

iTrader: (3)

It's a good idea to run an aux cooler even if your still on the stock converter. It's just added cheap insurance. I always run an aux cooler. just removing the tranny fluid from the HOT radiator and into its own cooler is a valid reason to install an aux cooler especially where I live or the summer months. I use a cooler designed for an RV so I know I get good cooling all year round. I have a trans temp gage so I know its running cooler.

VF1000R

In a 4200 lb vehicle , I'm running a 3100 stall, but I hit the track infrequently so this is a suedo daily driver.

baylove

iTrader: (35)

im running a 3600 stall converter with a b&m tranny cooler this 1
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BM...2/?image=large

StealthFormula

iTrader: (35)

I use to DD my car with a Yank SS3600 and 3.73's. Was real nice for the street and strip. It also worked excellent with my LE2 setup as well. I was dumb and didn't run a cooler so my trans took a dump with only 15,000 original miles on it. I blame it on the stall creating more heat than stock so no matter what a $70 trans oil cooler should be purchased. We run the B&M 70264's on our WS6 and GTO and I would recommend that. I now have a Yank PT4000 stall and as much as I like it at the track I miss the SS3600 because it is really nice and tight around town and really makes the car feel like it has loads of torque.

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

my vote is for a SS4000 and u would have to be a moron not to throw on a cheap cooler for insurance.

brucer

geez i'm disappointed... cant believe all you guys with your big converter talk, not one of you use a trans temp gauge?

the biggest factor in torque converter heat buildup is the weight of the vehicle, the heavier the vehicle the more heat generated..

my tbucket when it use to run had a 3500 edge converter in it, i had a single pass frame mounted cooler on it, and that was it, didnt even go to the radiator, just out of the tranny into the cooler and back into the tranny..it probably didnt even need a cooler.

my 80 chevy truck i'm using an edge 9.5 inch 3500rpm converter, i have a b&m cooler with integrated fan on it, its set at 160degrees.. its a built big block and a built th400..

i would use a tranny cooler anyways, you should be able to find an operating range of the 4l60e its probably around 160 to 180 degrees just guessing.. kind of common sense being your engine temperature is usually between 160-200 degrees, thats also why factories ran the transmission line through the radiator, not only to cool it but to also heat it. theres an normal operating temperature range for a transmission.


i'm using a local built converter in my camaro,call it stimulating the local economy.. its a 2500rpm Champ converter.. $150 bucks with my core .. i've used several converters from this place,in my own and in a couple cars and trucks i built for people, all have been great converters, would put them up against my edge converter..