2200 Stall Torque Converter

[MASTERBrian]

I'm looking for a 2200 (approx) stall converter for my 350 with isky cam 270/280 advanced 4*. I'm told it operates in the 2200-6200 RPM range and was told the 2200 Stall is about what I will want.

The tranny will be a turbo 350 with shift kit.

I've looked online and I see them with great reviews in the $105 price range on up to over a grand. This is a street use '60 suburban and not planning on much if any towing. At most I might add a hitch and tow an 18' bass boat and if I can't that's fine too....

What do I need to look for? Is there a size difference? I think I've seen 10", 12", etc. The tranny shop told me they'd knock $50 off rebuild if I supply the converter and he doesn't have to do anything to mine.

[crazy longhorn]

Some of the other guys may get you a better idea on the stall....but hear goes. If you tell us about rear gear ratio/tire height, & duration @ .050 on the camshaft, everybody has a better idea on the combo Longhorn

[MASTERBrian]

Still trying to figure out the rear end ratio, but best guess is 3.90(possibly 4.11). Undecided on tires, but probably something close to 275-60 R15's though. Duration @ 0.050 is Intake 221* Exhaust 232*.

[crazy longhorn]

If you have the gears to match(3.73-4.10).... I would go 24-2500 on the stall? I am out, let the rest of the guys play. Just one thought, dont purchase a 'cheap " converter Longhorn

[MASTERBrian]

Question, I called Jegs...Are they good to use?, they have their brand converter for $105. He said for what I describe it would work great. He said if I wanted to go motor bullet proof go with a b&m? for $250. He said the more expensive wasn't necessary....

Thoughts on that?

[crazy longhorn]

Cline barger, step in your info is well respected here Longhorn

[Marv D]

Jeggs brand is the old Boss-Hog (reads Art Carr shelf stock converters made with semi-stock internals) I've put one of the 3600 stall 10" in a friends 74 Nova behind 700HP small blocks in 3200 pound chassis and it stayed alive SURPRISINGLY well running in the 10.20ET range. Jeggs puts their name on some fairly decent stuff. (I would buy Jeggs house brand any day over the summit import junk)

Not to speak for sir Clinebarger, but if you do use a higher than stock stall, OR if your towing much at all, PUT A GOOD COOLER in-line with the stock in-radiator cooler. A good practice in choosing a cooler is to add up the weight of the tow vehicle AND the towed, then multiply it by 1.5 and pick a cooler listing that GVW or higher. i.e. http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...60383/10002/-1

Also the 'tube and fin' coolers are not NEARLY as efficient as the 'plate and fin' type.

[crazy longhorn]

You are also respected here Marv! But I will ask....do you think that $ 105 verter, will cover furnace brazed fins? Longhorn

[PGSigns]

For the last 10 years or so we raced I ran converters from Hughes. Really had great success with them. They make some nice street converters and have good tech people. I would give them a call and see what they say.
Jimmy

[Marv D]

I agree Jimmy. For my own race stuff nothing but Hughes trans and converters. It's been rock solid at 800HP and deep into the 9's with a door car. Not just because they are 45 minutes from me, but because Dave and Tony always fix me up RIGHT.

CL a $100 converter is a $100 converter. I'm sure there is no 'whistles' in there that wasn't in the core when they opened it up. We used their 10" Jeggs converter with luck and I had one of their XHD 4000 converters in the truck for a while before it went to the track-only deal. Just from the description of the package, I don't see him ripping through converters

[clinebarger]

At least a 2500 stall, Id rather over-stall a car a little than under-stall it, You would be surprised how streetable a tight (2900-3100) 10" converter can be.

As Marv stated.......Keep it COOL!!

[MASTERBrian]

I plan on doing a cooler, might add a guage as well.

The one I was looking at has a stall of 2000-2300. They say with heavier vehicle it'll stall to the 2300, is that right? I'll look at one to 2500....honestly still trying to figure that all out. The goal is a nice street motor with some torque.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by MASTERBrian

I plan on doing a cooler, might add a guage as well.

The one I was looking at has a stall of 2000-2300. They say with heavier vehicle it'll stall to the 2300, is that right? I'll look at one to 2500....honestly still trying to figure that all out. The goal is a nice street motor with some torque.

Your putting to much faith in the "advertised" power band of your camshaft in real world use......They're assuming you have at least 10:1 CR with efficient aluminum cylinder heads, I'm guessing you don't have either?

The idea is to have the converter "Flash" to the RPM your engine makes maximum torque, It's a wild guess on my end that your set-up will not make max torque 'til at least 2500 rpm even with that cam installed at 110 degrees (+4)

[MASTERBrian]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

Your putting to much faith in the "advertised" power band of your camshaft in real world use......They're assuming you have at least 10:1 CR with efficient aluminum cylinder heads, I'm guessing you don't have either?

The idea is to have the converter "Flash" to the RPM your engine makes maximum torque, It's a wild guess on my end that your set-up will not make max torque 'til at least 2500 rpm even with that cam installed at 110 degrees (+4)

From the original build I could swear I had 10:1, but going back over everything with machinist he is sure I only have 9:1, so I'm guessing he's correct. He explained the figures and makes sense, but we didn't measure dome volume. No the heads aren't aluminum, just reworked stock heads. Maybe some day I'll upgrade, but for now....

Machinist also said stock converter would be fine, but 2000-2200 would be good. Original notes from 20 yrs ago I this build say 2200-2500 stall with 4° advance at chain.

The rear end is likely original atlas and I'm told that's probably a 3.90, maybe 4.11. I tried to measure it but not sure I did it right. Something seemed off. Seller told me he thought had posi, but I don't think it does. I jacked up the rear and got right at two revolutions of driveshaft for one on the tire. I could also hold other side still, rotate forward or back while I rotated the other side.

I also just looked something up and it says that year is either GM 55T or 55P. It seems to say 3.73 our 4.11.

Understood about it being a guess, but I'm getting answers all over the board on this. Like I said Isky says 2000-2500, I explained my setup. Machinist said stock is fine, but could go with 2200. So if I go 2500, what happens if I'm over stalled? ....Just higher rpm launches and a bit worse fuel economy due to having to run higher rpm starts to 'take off'?

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by MASTERBrian

So if I go 2500, what happens if I'm over stalled? ....Just higher rpm launches and a bit worse fuel economy due to having to run higher rpm starts to 'take off'?

It depends on the efficiency of the converter, A cheap 12" converter that has been "rigged" to obtain a 2500 flash is the crap that gives stall converters a bad name.

A 11" is the max diameter for a 2500 stall and still achieve good efficiency & street manners.

A real tight 10" would be best, But this is not a off the shelf converter & would need to be custom built because people don't spend money on quality lower stall converters in smaller diameters.......

[MASTERBrian]

To come back to this a bit, I called a local tranny shop to get a price on my turbo 350 rebuild and the owner called me back and we talked for about 30min regarding my setup. He said for $565 he'd rebuild my tranny and the torque converter in it. He said these generally stall out at 2000 and said don't spend money on an aftermarket until I run what he builds me. He said IF i'm not happy, it's a 3hr job to slide the tranny back and swap them out. When I look online I seem to find that stock stalls are well under 2000....what gives?

He said his Nova has a $900 converter with about a 3000 stall speed. He also said he has someone he goes to if he needs to go with a stall converter and they plug all the motor, tranny and rear end specs in and come up with a stall speed. My machinist also seems to say if I go too much the streetabilty of the truck will be somewhat lost.

Since I'm still not at the point of needing to buy one yet, I'm still open to feedback. I've talked with about 5 different shops about the rebuild and so far this was one of my favorite and more recommended by a friend who does hot-rods/muscle cars.

[Bigdav160]

When I look online I seem to find that stock stalls are well under 2000....what gives?

Depends on the engine. An engine with 400hp can spin the same converter higher than an engine with 200hp

[James the III]

The cam power starts at 2200 rpm. you don't want the converter stalling there..
If a sunday driver that you want some pep 2500 if you want to have some fun a 3000stall . really hot dogging a 3500 stall.. You have to remember the stall is where it stall the engine as WOT.. not where it start to move the truck. You will not know you have a 3000 stall converter until you step on it. day to day you'll never know.. as long as you get a tight converter and not a loose el cheapo..
Add a cooler... 2200 stall is to low.. unless this is a stock type build .

[James the III]

Originally Posted by MASTERBrian

When I look online I seem to find that stock stalls are well under 2000....what gives?

G.m. was building a truck not a sport truck..
Most drive at low rpm and don't need it to leave like a rocket..
smooth and good mpg is what most new vehicle truck buyers wanted..
They (g.m.) don't know how you will load the truck either in the bed or towing, high stall and towing or carrying a loaded truck isn't the best idea..

[crazy longhorn]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

Depends on the engine. An engine with 400hp can spin the same converter higher than an engine with 200hp

Yes! A stated 22-2300 stall converter, ripped to 3200 behind a mild street BB Olds in my Longhorn....dam I miss the 90's Longhorn

[MASTERBrian]

Originally Posted by James the III

G.m. was building a truck not a sport truck..
Most drive at low rpm and don't need it to leave like a rocket..
smooth and good mpg is what most new vehicle truck buyers wanted..
They (g.m.) don't know how you will load the truck either in the bed or towing, high stall and towing or carrying a loaded truck isn't the best idea..

Don't have a clue what this turbo 350 came out of. Did different ones have different stalls?

It sounds like I'll want 2500-3000.

[James the III]

Originally Posted by MASTERBrian

Don't have a clue what this turbo 350 came out of. Did different ones have different stalls?

It sounds like I'll want 2500-3000.

Somewhat, the vette got a higher one than grandmas car.. but still
iirc the ole school way was a vega converter to add a little stall over stock..
but that was 30 years ago..

If you are going to use it as a toy and show off and never tow or load the bed up with a 1000 lb's of crap then a 2800-3000 would be nice
if it's more of a cruiser and might tow at times 2500-2600 would be good.

You can use a 2200 stall but it is at the bottom of where the cam starts making power.. for a cruiser that never really will be using the engine power to go fast.. it fine but it'll take some time for the truck to get going until the engine gets on the cam..
only YOU know how you'll use/drive it.. but a cruiser wouldn't have a cam that starts making oats at 2200 rpm.. it be off idle or 1500

Like said above, the listed stall is a guess.. behind the most likely engine combo a 300 hp small block..
a big block with tons of low rpm torque will make a 2300 stall stall over 3000 rpm
with a basic 350 it's safe to say the listed stall will be about where it lands

[MASTERBrian]

It will be more of a toy. I won't be loading with tons of stuff. I am considering installing a receiver hitch but the most I will ever tow is my 18' ranger bass boat and I seriously doubt I tow it much if I do. Just think it'd be sweet to pull up to ramp with it! I will add the lake is fifteen/twenty miles on 55mph road. No clue how that would behave with higher stall. The boat is under 2m, so I'm guessing 200 lbs of tongue weight, 300 lbs if I missed it with camping gear.

Machinist said it won't be 1hp per cubic inch, but probably 320hp range