what does a torque converter do

[00camaro16]

i have a 3,500 stall torque converter which was suggested for me to use because of my cam and engine specs from texas speed. i now i worried if that is too high of a stall. what exactly does a torque converter do? what will be different when i drive my car now? thank you for your help.

chris

[jknelms]

a lot of members don't suggest anything under 3-3,200. But i don't know how it technically works. i think your car is somewhat "stalled" until it hits a certain RPM. Never driven a stalled car, but it's suggested that it's a whole lotta fun!

[Too Fast]

I am not an auto expert, but I think everyone else who answers will say no, that is not too high. A higher speed stall convertor (like you have) will slip more under high torque input, like when you are at a stop and are brake torquing the engine. The high stall convertor basically allows the engine to get into its' power band quicker. It should still lock up like a clutch after you get into third or fourth gear, to help your trans run cooler and get better gas mileage.

When you drive your car under normal slow conditions, you won't notice too much difference, but when you floor it from a stop you will notice the engine revs climb really fast and probably get the car sideways, much fun!

[jknelms]

I am not an auto expert, but I think everyone else who answers will say no, that is not too high. A higher speed stall convertor (like you have) will slip more under high torque input, like when you are at a stop and are brake torquing the engine. The high stall convertor basically allows the engine to get into its' power band quicker. It should still lock up like a clutch after you get into third or fourth gear, to help your trans run cooler and get better gas mileage.

When you drive your car under normal slow conditions, you won't notice too much difference, but when you floor it from a stop you will notice the engine revs climb really fast and probably get the car sideways, much fun!

....my car gets sideways from flooring it with bald tires.....that's how i always know i need new tires. haha.

[00camaro16]

so does this mean under normal acceleration my car wont move until 3500 rpms?

chris

[Wesman]

so does this mean under normal acceleration my car wont move until 3500 rpms?

chris

Nope.

Stall speed is basically the engine speed at which the converter will apply full power through the transmission. So below that speed, the car will still move, but if you mash the throttle the RPM's will jump somewhere right around your stall speed and begin pulling from there, instead of grabbing at the current RPM and pulling. With a 3500RPM stall, you will notice the RPM's climb more before the car starts to move from a stop, but its nowhere near 3500RPM, more like a few hundred RPM higher than stock.

The stall converter also allows the engine to stay in the powerband between shifts by allowing for a controlled amount of slippage to keep the engine in its peak operating range. So if you went from 6,000RPM to 4,000RPM on the 1st-2nd shift with the stock stall, you might only go from 6,000RPM to 4800RPM with the stall.

[00camaro16]

ok so basically i wont lose to much drive ability by putting this converter in. so i have another ? why did texas speed suggest the torquer 3 cam shaft and a 3500 stall when the powerband of that camshaft starts low. sorry i really dont know anything about transes.

chris

[LT1 > LS1]

becuase....things will be very interseting around 3500+ rpm


ls1 stock torque peak is what???? like 3600 rpm?

you want the converter to jump up into the power band and be usable.


do some lookin around and stuff in the automatic sub-forum. that'll clear things up