Kain

Whats the difference between a loose and tight converter?
Will a torque converter stall higher if you produce more power?

I'm asking because my car has been nothing but slower than expected with the mods I've thrown at it since the torque converter.

I've got a Vig 3200 in my car, and I knew it was going to stall higher than I expected. A friend of mine's stalls around 3600, mine stalled around 3800 without the cam.

When I hit the bottle at the track, I felt the car hook then sprayed on ET Streets w/ 2.73's and cut a 1.81 60'. I'm not sure what the converter flashed too, but it didn't want to shift until 6800 rpm (set to at 6000). Thank god I had the rev limiter at 7000. I crossed the traps at 12.00@114.

I threw in 3.73's because I thought that would help. Still on ET Streets, I cut a 1.77 60' all motor. A little gain, but no 2 tenths people talk about. Then I ran 12.9@104.

Now I think it stalls around 4000-4200. I can't be sure with this valve float issue I've got, but I just ordered new valve springs and it should be taken care of.

Could there be something up with the converter? I like that it stalls around 4000, because it kicks right into the power of the CC306. I ran it once, but it started missing at the top of 2nd, so I had to let out totally to get it to force shift, then keep going. Plus I had my cutouts capped. I still ran a 12.92@104.9, and I spun to a 1.84 60'. I think my ET Streets are going south on me.

I was wondering if I should take out the converter, send it to PI to get it tightened up or something?

Thanks guys!

OldSStroker

"loose" means more slippage and usually higher stall speed.
"tight' means less converter slippage and lower stall.

Yes, if the engine inputs more torque (at stall speed) the TC will stall higher.

I did a computer simulation and with your 60 ft time and 4700-4800 stall, there was 600 rpm difference between engine (6800) and transmission (6200) at shift. To get 800 rpm difference, the converter stall jumped to about 5500. For 4300 stall I got 500 rpm difference.

With 60' around 1.8, I don't think your tires are helping lot. With that much converter and those tires, 2.73 or 3.73 doesn't make much difference. Are you getting a 1-2 shift just about the 60' light?

It sounds like you might have engine problems too. The TC doesn't effect the engine other than leting it run higher if you have programmed trans shift point: if it's breaking up at high r's fix that first. You might have too loose a converter, but fix the engine and traction first before you exchange it.

My $.02

LT1 1980 malibu

Have you checked the tranny fluid to see if its good..How cant you be sure where it stalls, just look at your tach and feel your backside and listen with your ears..Its easyer than i make it sound..

Sims aside thats way too much converter as it seems..1st off get your engine and car running right..3800 stall speed sounds way high for a CC306..Remember now the internet can give bad advice too..My cam is close a cc 306, 263/266 @ .050 and works fine with a 3k unit..If i were you id send the converter back to be checked but keep in mind if your stalling way high like that and your redline is 7k then your power better all be in that 2K rpm range that your working with...To me it sounds like you loosing a lot of your powerband with such a high stall..I would drop it down another 800-1000 rpm but cant truly say without knowing the cars total combo;weight, tranny, gear ratio, tire type, and size rear suspension mods, engine mod such as compression, cam specs, stroke to give a better answer..If you want to post the info we can all get a better idea and give better advide..This way your combo can be better matched than your current setup..