way to determine stall on converter?

where good i go to read up on how to determine what the proper size stall for a torque converter is??

Ask around, drive other cars with aftermarket converters, talk to converter companies.

BTW, Your car is badass!

thanks......


i have a vigilante 3200 stall in it now but i'm not sure if i should upgrade. i was running that with my last combo which was a 383 sbc but it was only 300 rwhp and roughly 320 torque...not very high. the new setup is a 388 with alot more goodies making considerably more power so i'm wondering if i need to jump up or not since they offer to redo it through the company when changes like this are made???

Originally posted by kandied91z
thanks......


i have a vigilante 3200 stall in it now but i'm not sure if i should upgrade. i was running that with my last combo which was a 383 sbc but it was only 300 rwhp and roughly 320 torque...not very high. the new setup is a 388 with alot more goodies making considerably more power so i'm wondering if i need to jump up or not since they offer to redo it through the company when changes like this are made???

It's got more to do with where your engine makes it's power than how much power. The higher up the rpm band that your peak torque is made the higher the stall that is necessary to maximize the powerband. If your torque peak is at 3000rpm a 4000rpm converter would perform poorly. And visaversa if your torque peak is at 4000 a 3000 converter will not be the best. It'll work ok but not to the full potential of the motor.
So look at your dyno graph and see where the peak torque is developed then shoot for something a couple of hundred rpms less at the most. And never higher.

The previous post is on target, just want to elaborate a little. For maximum standing start acceleration, the converter should stall a bit below peak torque. But stall is usually a compromise. For many situations, a converter loose enough to give maximum off the line acceleration would be annoying loose in daily driving. Also, the converters behavior will vary with the weight of a car. The heavier the car, the looser the converter will behave and vice versa.

Also, don't fall into the trap of assuming that the "3,000rpm stall" converter you buy will actually stall at that rpm with your combo. The actual stall will depend on the weight of your car (as above) and the amount of torque your motor develops. More subtle influences include the gear you are running, etc. The TC has no idea what rpm your motor is turning, only how much torque is being transmitted. The more unusual your combo, the less likely that you will get exactly what you expect from an off-the-shelf converter. Having one "custom" configured for you application may be the best way to go. Even with a "custom" it is often necessary to get it re-stalled once or twice before it's right.

Where does your motor make peak hp and how do you use it?

Rich Krause

i need to get the driveline combo dynoed....all things that i appreciate you guys saying. thanks.