Okay...im gonna be honest here...i know the basics of how a torque converter works...but what is this when you say 2000 RPM stall, or 3000 RPM?? Please describe to me how it is when your driving it, does it not start engaging until you get to that RPM? Because if thats the case than how the hell do you guys run 3000 RPM stalls or w/e..that would be horrible having to get your car to roughly 3000 RPM before you start moving? Sorry for sounding so stupid, but its a question i've been wondering about, and cant come up with a logical answer, and i figured this is the place to ask. Thanks for any help you can give me. If i need to be more specific please let me know and i'll try to explain what i'm asking in more detail. Thanks again!

 

I have a 3200 Yank in my Z28 and it starts moving as soon as you touch the gas, I dont have to get to 3000 rpm before I start moving. The higher the stall rating the looser the converter will feel, kinda like slipping the clutch in a manual car.

Basically when I hammer it the converter will flash to around 3500 to 4k and when the tranny shifts the rpm will drop to no less that 4k which keeps me in my power band.

If you do alot of stop and go driving mileage will suffer greatly, but if you do mostly highway driving it doesn't make any diff since the converter is loked up just like a stock one would be.

Hope this helps.

-Tony

 

NoSlowCamaro, you said that mileage will suffer greatly in stop and go driving. I'm wondering just how bad it will be. I'll be buying my car soon, and I can't decide between a stalled auto or a stick with the upgraded clutch. I drive 9 miles to work, all stop and go. I'd probably get a t/c similar to yours or maybe a little smaller. I'm surprised that yours, being a 3200, flashes to 3500 or 4000 and never goes below 4000 when you shift. I'm not doubting you. I have absolutely no experience with higher a stall t/c. I'm just hoping that means I could use a lower stall and save some gas. My idea is to keep the car basically stock with a turbo from STS and the t/c.
So back to my question, how bad is the hit on mileage in town? Thanks.

 

A loose converter will kill your mileage for stop & go driving. Which is the main reason that I'm not rebuilding my A4 and switching to a M6.

If give it hell alot I get ~150 miles to a tank with the mods in my sig and if I light foot it I get ~190 - 200. I dont drive many highway miles and the last time I did, it was about 75% highway miles and I got 225 miles out of that tank.

-Tony

 

Like I said, I don't have my car yet. So I'll feel free to ask this. How many gallons do these cars hold?

 

~15

 

Keep in mind, the factory t.c. stalls at around ~1800 RPM, and yet the car will start moving immediately when you take your foot of the brake..........you don't have to rev upto 1800 RPM . While I haven't actually driven a stalled auto car, I know it's going to be roughly the same, however when you mash the pedal to the floor, the motor is going to get upto ~3500 RPM (for example) before the converter "locks" (I don't mean like over-drive lock-up), vs with the factory converter, it will grab by ~2000 RPM and start pulling from there (which is obviously lower in the engine's power band).

IMO, a 6-speed car would suck for daily stop-and-go traffic............trust me, I know from experience that driving standard in traffic gets old after awhile. Obviously it depends on what you want, what you're comfortable driving, and what the majority of your driving is going to be. For me, I'm ~90% happy with that auto. Also, I don't think you'll see much mileage difference between a stalled auto and a 6-speed car for stop-and-go traffic either...............I mean, that's a lot of on the clutch, off the clutch, on the gas, off the gas with that standard too. SO, with the stalled auto, you'll be just as quick, still get decent highway mileage due to the lock-up feature, and you'll be WAY MORE consistent than any 6-speed car!

 

Ummm... A 6spd WILL get better mileage than a stock stalled A4 let alone one with a looser converter in the same car. You put a looser converter in a car and you turn more RPM's on each takeoff and therefore use more gas. I speak from experience and after I put the Yank TC in my mileage dropped considerable, but was much more fun to drive.

-Tony

 

I didn't say there would be NO difference, just not much difference IMO. Also, I'm not talking about overall, or highway mileage either................I was talking strictly about stop-and-go city traffic. Even the factory mileage ratings for F-bodies are only 1 mpg difference in the city, M6 - A4. I guess it might be a little worse with the stall though, but if you can afford the converter in the first place, then likely you can afford the extra gas too.

 

Unfortunately..as much as i wanted a TC. I crashed my dirtbike, bent/cracked a brand new radiator, and bent the bars ....So there goes the money i was gonna try to spend on the TC. Oh well..i guess thats part of the sport, and it just happened at a bad time!

 

Yeah the converter wasn't cheap, even on a GP. Back when I put it in gas wasn't nearly as expensive as it is now, and with the increased compression after the heads were milled and the thinner gasket and a disabled knock sensor I HAVE to run 93 allways, so its getting really expensive to drive now.

-Tony

 

200 miles, driving it easy, with a 15 gallon tank equals about 13 mpg. It sounds like it's a lot of fun to drive one, but I don't think I can stomach mileage like that. Thanks for all the answers and advice. As much as I'd like the stalled auto, I think I'll probably get the stick. I already drive a stick to work sometimes and it's not bad. Thanks again, Don.

 

Go with a 25 or 2800 stall.