Stall converter

[TreeFrog]

as Stall converters are new to me.....

the Challenger stalls when put into gear.  I was told I may need a small or low end stall converter....

how do I know what to get, where to get, and how much it will cost.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

This is kind of a gray area that took me a while to understand. Can we have some idea of your set-up? Engine size, big cam? What gears in the rear? Any other modifications? Headers? What size carb? If you have beefed up the engine, but still have a stock converter, Then you are putting too much load on it(the tranny)too soon ,and that could explain the stalling out. A larger torque converter will "slip" longer to solve that problem, but you don't want to go too big either. Torque converters are rated at the RPM that they will lock at. I'm sure this is a poor explanation, but I believe stock converters are rated around 1800 RPM.


  Mike

[Chryco Psycho]

the converter needs to be matched to the cam / powerband to work properly , the stall converter allows slippage between the engine & tranny until a certain RPM is reached somewhat like a clutch 

[tactransman]

This is kind of a gray area that took me a while to understand. Can we have some idea of your set-up? Engine size, big cam? What gears in the rear? Any other modifications? Headers? What size carb? If you have beefed up the engine, but still have a stock converter, Then you are putting too much load on it(the tranny)too soon ,and that could explain the stalling out. A larger torque converter will "slip" longer to solve that problem, but you don't want to go too big either. Torque converters are rated at the RPM that they will lock at. I'm sure this is a poor explanation, but I believe stock converters are rated around 1800 RPM.


  Mike

the converter needs to be matched to the cam / powerband to work properly , the stall converter allows slippage between the engine & tranny until a certain RPM is reached somewhat like a clutch 

   Make sure the engine is correctly tuned also.

[TreeFrog]

OK, as weather sucks big time... I have not had much time to get into the car... but...

I know it is a built 360, and it obliously does have a larger cam.... the other specifics I can not speak for...

I hope the snow(ice) will melt so I can get out this weekend...

[nivvy]

I dont know if the helps but my buddies 360/360HP crate motor has a stock stall and as soon as you put the car in drive in shuts off....and thats only 360HP...

But from what I understand that if you buy a stall rated 2000-2400 it will only "stall" at a selected rpm due to the motors torque...

[TreeFrog]

the numbers are a good place to start....

Summit only seems to carry a 2000, 2500, 3500, 4000, and a 4500

I would think that a 2000 should do it, but maybe a 2500...I will see if I can get a better feel for it this weekend.

[tactransman]

If you have a pretty lopey idle you will want at least a 3000 stall. A 2000 stall will feel stock.

A 3000 is till very streetable.
Try :http://www.ptcrace.com/

[GoodysGotaCuda]

If you have a pretty lopey idle you will want at least a 3000 stall. A 2000 stall will feel stock.

A 3000 is till very streetable.
Try :http://www.ptcrace.com/

3500rpm footbrake and 3900rpm flash with my Dynamic converter with a 318. Daily drove it for about 6months that way with no ill effects. Drove great! PTC seems to have a good reputation, I went with Dynamic from more than a few trusted opinions. 

[TreeFrog]

3500rpm footbrake and 3900rpm flash with my Dynamic converter with a 318. Daily drove it for about 6months that way with no ill effects. Drove great! PTC seems to have a good reputation, I went with Dynamic from more than a few trusted opinions. 

Ok Mike you lost me with the flash comment...

if I knew what was put in I would have a better idea... I need to check the plugs and such, see how the corosion factor is and then go from there...

If you have a pretty lopey idle you will want at least a 3000 stall. A 2000 stall will feel stock.

A 3000 is till very streetable.
Try :http://www.ptcrace.com/

sounds nice, but not sure its too lopey, but this end is rather new to me as well...

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Flash - If i nail it from a dead stop, the converter takes the hit from me hitting the throttle and lets the motor 'flash' to 3900rpm before moving a car.


You can think of a higher stall like driving a nail. If you are trying to pound a nail through wood by tapping on it a couple inches from the nail...it will take forever right? You can think of the increase of stall rpm like winding up. 3k you can wind up and smack a good portion of it in/ get off the line  How high you want depends on your cam/motor/gear ratio.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

TreeFrog,

  At what RPM do you generally drive at? For instance, if at around 2500, or so, and you have a torque converter rated at 3000, it will always be slipping and causing heat to build up in the tranny. NOT good.


  Mike

[tactransman]

One thing about stall converters that I have seen like in Summit and Jeg's,(TCI-B&M) they never stall as high as they advertise in the book. If you have any performance gearing at all in the rear (3.55,3.91 etc.) I would run a 3000 stall at least.

Need the specs on your engine to really be able to recommend.

[cowboy]

-
You only need the stall if you wanna smoke tires.
You got to know at wich RPM your performance is..

If you got it from, lets say, 2800 - 5400, you need a converter that can bring your engine up to around 2800 before you take off.

If then your back axel ratio is to low (2.73or something) so that your RPM at cruising speed is about 1900 RPM, you got a problem..!

Most smallblocks made for street-performance / Daily use, need no more than a stall of 2000, or max. 2500..

[MEK-Dangerfield]

-
You only need the stall if you wanna smoke tires.
You got to know at wich RPM your performance is..

If you got it from, lets say, 2800 - 5400, you need a converter that can bring your engine up to around 2800 before you take off.

If then your back axel ratio is to low (2.73or something) so that your RPM at cruising speed is about 1900 RPM, you got a problem..!

Most smallblocks made for street-performance / Daily use, need no more than a stall of 2000, or max. 2500..

I'm with you here.  If he has a 3:23 in the rear, or lower, then I doubt he needs more than a 2500 converter, if that. If someone went crazy with 4:10's, then he needs MUCH bigger.

  Mike