Torque Converter

**Z28Thunder** · 12-16-2010, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Cutlass

No, you're not gonna like it....You're gonna wish you went bigger

3500....

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-16-2010, 08:43 PM

Thanks for all the help. If there's anyone in the Atlanta area that wants to take me for a ride and you have a higher than stock stall .... let me know!

**JoshuaGrooms83** · 12-17-2010, 03:37 AM

whats a good range for road racing?

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-18-2010, 04:03 PM

.... I'm about to pull the trigger ... got the credit card in hand (biting my nails) .... do I go with the B&M 2400 .... the TCI-3000, 3200 .....

**Z28Thunder** · 12-18-2010, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

.... I'm about to pull the trigger ... got the credit card in hand (biting my nails) .... do I go with the B&M 2400 .... the TCI-3000, 3200 .....

TCI 3200...... You will wish you went bigger.....

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-18-2010, 04:52 PM

LOL!!

Maybe I'm just under-estimating the LS1......sigh.

**Z28Thunder** · 12-18-2010, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

LOL!!

Maybe I'm just under-estimating the LS1......sigh.

This is just me I had a 3500 TCI in mine for 3 years and loved it. It wakes the car up and makes it a blast.... I would not go beyond 3800 if your stock or close to it...

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-18-2010, 05:11 PM

I'm hearing good things about Circle D converters as RyanJM stated earlier. Yeah it's bone stock - which is still quick as hell. I just don't want to not like it and have to yank (no pun intended) it out; since I'll be doing the install.

**Z28Thunder** · 12-18-2010, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

I'm hearing good things about Circle D converters as RyanJM stated earlier. Yeah it's bone stock - which is still quick as hell. I just don't want to not like it and have to yank (no pun intended) it out; since I'll be doing the install.

Circle D is good also.. The thing to not worry about. When you first drive it your going to think maybe it was a bad idea. Drive it for a few weeks get use to how to drive with it. It really does not take that much to get use to it. But you will notice a difference.. For the good IMO....

**Cutlass** · 12-18-2010, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

I'm hearing good things about Circle D converters as RyanJM stated earlier. Yeah it's bone stock - which is still quick as hell. I just don't want to not like it and have to yank (no pun intended) it out; since I'll be doing the install.

thousands of LS1 owners can't be wrong. mid 3000rpm stall converters are the only way to go

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-18-2010, 08:06 PM

Yeah ... no doubt... and I appreciate this invaluable resource here. My thing is that I've never had this much power in an automatic. My `79 Firebird is a 4 speed and I've got a xe-268 cam in the 400 so if it were an auto I would have been down this road sooner - needing a higher stall.

**Z28Thunder** · 12-18-2010, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

Yeah ... no doubt... and I appreciate this invaluable resource here. My thing is that I've never had this much power in an automatic. My `79 Firebird is a 4 speed and I've got a xe-268 cam in the 400 so if it were an auto I would have been down this road sooner - needing a higher stall.

Again don't let the first several days change your mind. I know when I did my first higher stall I was not happy at first. I was ready to take it right back out. But once you get use to it...

**nhraformula** · 12-18-2010, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

About to order it .... the TCI-3200 , am I really going to like this? ... street driving and highways? .... maybe I need to give someone the money and let them order it.

I have the 3000 streetfighter and totally love it. I should of went with a 3500 but oh well. TCI make tight converters which make them feel stockish when accelerating from a stop during "normal" driving. My car knocked off a little more than .5 of e.t thanks to the stall.
Your car will no longer have the dead spot at about 37mph when you punch it.
Actually all the dead spots that a stock tranny have are no more.
Long story short, your gonna lov it.

**nhraformula** · 12-18-2010, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by 79firebird_99ta

.... I'm about to pull the trigger ... Got the credit card in hand (biting my nails) .... Do i go with the b&m 2400 .... The tci-3000, 3200 .....

do not go with anything smaller than 3000!!!!!

you will regret it if you do

**Z28Thunder** · 12-18-2010, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by nhraformula

I have the 3000 streetfighter and totally love it. I should of went with a 3500 but oh well. TCI make tight converters which make them feel stockish when accelerating from a stop during "normal" driving. My car knocked off a little more than .5 of e.t thanks to the stall.
Your car will no longer have the dead spot at about 37mph when you punch it.
Actually all the dead spots that a stock tranny have are no more.
Long story short, your gonna lov it.

3500 is all I will say...

**79Firebird_99TA** · 12-19-2010, 04:14 PM

Got an email back from Chris at Circle D. He advised going with this:
http://www.circledspecialties.com/p-...converter.aspx
with the 3000-3200 stall.

**JoshuaGrooms83** · 12-20-2010, 12:32 PM

can some one elabrate on lock up on torque converters? do all come with them or is it a race application?

**Sarge** · 12-20-2010, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by 79Firebird_99TA

Got an email back from Chris at Circle D. He advised going with this:
http://www.circledspecialties.com/p-...converter.aspx
with the 3000-3200 stall.

Good advice.

**Sarge** · 12-20-2010, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by JoshuaGrooms83

can some one elabrate on lock up on torque converters? do all come with them or is it a race application?

Good question...let this old man take a shot at it.
I guess in the early 80's some rocket scientist at GM decided the "bang" between shifts in an auto transmission was putting too much stress on the driveline and the tree huggers were screaming about MPG and whatnot. First one with a stall "lock up" I remember was the old T700R4's....Think of a TC ( I aint gonna spell out torque converter everytime

) as a coupler that is full of fluid.....replacing a clutch if you will.....this coupler provides the cushion to the trannie/driveline from the engine....a TC always had a certain amount of slip in it....this cost about 5 MPG loss with all this slipping....and heat of course....So they put a clutch plate in there and you could program the fluid pressure to "lock up" the stall to the plate....thus locking up the TC and eliminating all that slipping at a certain RPM.
Now we love that shit now because we can have a stall lock up at a certain RPM and tune our trannies/stall to our power band or sweet spot.Back in the day you would not find an auto in any muscle car because of the slipping TC.....shit has changed aint it

Make sense to you?

**JoshuaGrooms83** · 12-20-2010, 01:12 PM

yeppers! so do most of these aftermarket converter come with lock up clutches? Ive seen one where they recommend carbon fiber woven clutches for street driven cars over the one that comes with it.