I've ran quite a few converters in my car and the vigilante has done the best with me. My old 355 originally had a 3200 TCI on it (garbage) I went 11.90's with it. I then switched to a 3600 vigilante and I ran 11.55 before I fried the lock up. Then i put a 5 disc lock up in it and had them up it to a 4000. The car then ran 11.40. Now I built a new 385 and I've been going 10.70's. I'm actually sending it back soon to have it upped to a 5000 becuase my new motor doesn't make much grunt untill 6500 so I'm out of the powerband with the 4000. I'd say vigilante, I've had very good luck with them and they work fantastic, of course I've never heard anything bad about Yank as well.

Final say I go PI.

 

For those who are not going to go to the link, it is possible this was an incorrect install, but no one ever finished off the thread, the guy who posted is a regular.
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/show...75#post6246775

Recent post on cz28

 

loved the vigilante I had behind my LT1s (all of them)

liking the yank I have behind my LS1

was quick enough to be in the gmhtp LT1 bolt-on shootout back in the day (lol)

 

I've run both. I give equally high marks for quality to both Yank and Vigilante. Yank wins in efficiency with their SS series. There's not another streetable converter out there that beats an equally stalled Yank SS converter for ET/mph and driveability.

 

well thanks guys. man, its crazy how many replies this has in just one day.

Ok so I order that cooler, and a Yank SS 3600 and am putting 400 down at the wheels...how long is a tranny that was rebult about 6000 miles going to last? (I dont mean like an exact number...but I am just wondering how strong that tranny will be)

btw, it was a rebuilt 4l60E with a transgo shiftkit.

I only go to the track maybe 5 times a year, but I do intend on some dig racing on weekends...

 

No way to tell, every transmission is different, like the other guy's have pointed out, a good cooler will keep it alive.

400rwhp through and auto GM847 cam only car? Details?

 

well the 400 is what it was built for...i am not trying to bench dyno by any means, I just bought the motor off a guy on here and thats what he was shooting for, so I figure thats what I should ask about.

Another question tho, I really don't want to deal with the spark plug wire issues that most LT1's have and consider the motor is out I figure I could get some new ones and route them correctly. My question is, what wire would you guys suggest? 45's? or should I stick with 90's and get some heat shield for them?

 

I use Edge but would not hesitate to use Yank ATI or Vigilante, all are good converters.

The importance of additional cooling is IMO overstated, a LONG time ago high stalls ran very hot but not so much these days, efficiencies have improved greatly. In cool weather I actually block my external cooler with cardboard or the tranny does not get warm enough.

Far as the tranny completely dependent on the builder and there are relatively few good builders for this tranny.

Mine is over 6 years old and built with an end goal of like 320rwhp, plans change and for the last 4 years it has been more like 390+rwhp, these days probably a good bit over based on the current performance.
Was done by Dana at ProBuilt Automatics, no fancy parts, just careful assembly. Stock 4 pinion planetary, stock servos, input drum NOT sleeved, stock sunshell.
He does use Transgo and had me redrill one hole in the separator plate after I did the heads and cam, that was the only change made when I went from 290rwhp to 390rwhp all at once shot 4 years ago.


It is my interntion to put in a built to the hilt tranny one of these days, but with this one serving me well I have not been motivated to mess with it. My plan is to put in a super duty tranny and shelve this one as a working spare.

 

I would go with a Circle D converter. Chris is very knowledgeable and will custom build a converter exactly for what your car needs. I picked up a 3600 4C for my bolton setup, and it was awesome. I could cut 1.6's all day with it. Im swapping to a TH350 this year, again I went with Chris and a 5C option (4000-4200). These converters hit very hard on the track and drive comfortable with cruising.

 

Edge Yank and Vigilante are also custom built AFTER talking to the customer.


IMO it is also important to get input from people using the SAME TRANSMISSION. I might trust TCI for a TH400 converter but no way in hell would I use one of their 4L60E units.

FWIW my pig does 1.53 short times with a 3800 Edge after being driven 150miles to the track 4.10s 28" ET Drags, suspension is mostly GM parts and handling shocks. I call that working well.

 

I have had my vigilantee behind LT1s for about 10 years now, it was a 2800 when i bought it , i shipped it back to them to have them up it to 3200. , when i first bought my 93 T/A I put a B&M (break and mangle) 3000 stall converter in , it was very very loose and even with a cooler the tranny which at the time had about 15,000 miles on it went south, burnt up the 3-4 clutch. Had it rebuilt by a guy that has 30 plus years of auto tranny exp and put in a TCI 3000 stall. Same thing tranny lasted about a year and less than 8000 miles (with a cooler too). I then bought my present vigilantee, a few years later I sold the 93 (removed the converter) and put it in my present car (97 WS6) has been running great with it, my motor traps 119 to 121 consitantly.

 

Just curious but does the ECM need retuned when adding a higher stall?

 

yes it needs to be tuned

 

Not immediately critical. might get some surging at idle or coast and might have it go into a limp mode after a burnout or at the dragstrip. The car will drive safely and other than the possible surging just fine.

 

so whats the verdict here? Do I need one of those coolers or is that more for the older stalls?

 

You should be running an aftermarket cooler regardless if you have a stall or not. Get a cooler, bigger the better.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HDA-405/

will that work?

 

Yank ftw

 

I have always been told that tube coolers do not work as well as stacked plate coolers so I would not recommend that unit. This is what I would recommend:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BMM-70264/

 

perfect, I would have never known that. Ill order that right meow.

Would it be better for me not to run a stall on the build in my sig until i get a different tranny? (maybe a t-56 swap or just a built 4L60E)