Converter & Cam Time! - how to choose

**Intrepidman** · 06-17-2009, 06:30 AM

Ok, First things first...I don't know what I'm talking about, I just started to read up on this stuff but I'm new to it. I run a 2002 WS6, all the typical bolt ons. Primarily a street car, but I will be doing some drag and auto x. On the drag front, I will likely be "racing down" and just trying to pull the guy next to me by a car or so at the line...no need to dig hard on the launch so I can save some beating on the 10 bolt. But I need lots of thrust through the mid range...third currently feels very dead.

I can pull a local mustang bullet badly through 1st and 2nd but he hangs right in there once I hit 3rd....though I've never raced him to the end of the gear we usually shut it down around 115 when I'm still in the lower rpm range of third. Also auto-Xing in 2nd leaves me in the mid rpm range primarily as well.

So that's what I want from my cam, strong mid range. I've been looking at something similar to the TR 224-114 which specs out at 224/224 .563/.563 114 LSA I want it to stay driveable and not completely kill my gas mileage. (Gas mileage is a concern for both cam and converter selection) I'm told I could make more power (and make it at lower rpms) with a 112 LSA but it would also idle rougher and harder on gas.

Now for a converter I've been doing some reading on the yank site and it seems that a converter with a lower STR would be more to my liking. (as I'm not going for the big initial launch but want better mid to high range pull) That means the SS3200 would seem to be the way to go....as I understand it.
I've noticed though that most places don't list the STR of thier torque converters, just the stall..even yank doesn't always list it.

I'm open to any suggestions as to cam/stall specs and different brands are welcome, as long as they are good quality. Here are links to some of the places where I've been getting my info.
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23
http://www.converter.cc/tech_talk/
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=51

**mark21742** · 06-17-2009, 12:06 PM

I'll suggest a 224 or even a 228 if you stay off the go go pedal you really won't see a drop in mpg.
I'd also look at a 3600 stall over the 3200. yank makes very good ones, but they are expensive

**Intrepidman** · 06-17-2009, 04:24 PM

yea I've heard a lot of people talking about stalls around the 3500 mark, but I see yanks 3600 has a 2.5 str as opposed to the 3200's 2.1 str ... so its kind of a trade off I guess.
I'm open to other manufacturer's though, as long as they have good stuff....I'd just have to see the specs on thier converters ... yank is damned expensive. Actually so is that thunder racing cam

**mark21742** · 06-17-2009, 07:04 PM

I've seen the term str, but have no idea what it is......guess I need to do some reading

**SOMbitch** · 06-22-2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by mark21742

I've seen the term str, but have no idea what it is......guess I need to do some reading

Stall Torque Ratio. Sometimes referred to as torque multiplication. The bigger the number the harder it hits off the line. A higher STR will generally be less efficient at high rpms though.

To the OP. A stall and auto x is not a good combination......or any a4 for that matter but the stall makes it worse. Much harder to modulate power not to mention all the heat it produces in the tranny.

**shady milkman** · 06-22-2009, 11:28 AM

pick a stall ..hopefully a yank ss3600 or 3500 w/e they have now..then call up comp cams and have them spec one out for you..that is ALL you need to do.dont listen to us..go to the big bosses and they will hook you up with what you need for what you want to do

**manyponies** · 07-01-2009, 03:47 PM

Picking a converter by cam specs is at best a crap shot. What affects the converter the most is the power the engine actually makes. Assuming the same converter the more power the engine makes the higher the flash. The cam is only one componet that determines the power output of the engine, a good cam in a bad combination of other parts can kill power instead of enhance it. Having info on the actual power output will help the converter builder more than anything, besides the only thing some convertes companies asks about cams are the duration at .050. There are infinite other variables to a cam. The reason the some converter companies use the cam info method is to get a guess as to your power or the order taker has a chart to go from. If it was as easy as looking it up on a cam duration chart, our racers would have only one converter and and there would not be any reason to discuss the topic. Do youself a favor and use a reputable converter company that will talk power numbers with you and not cam specs. They build converters....not cams.