I have a 1999 Z28, what benefit would a torque converter be?
Or more so what does it actually do. I have seen a lot of posts about a 2800 stall speed.

Also, I have an A4, has anyone ever put on a shift kit?
And if so is it worth it, what will that do?

Thanks

 

I have a trans-go shift kit on my car, and it kicks into gear really hard at wot, I love it. You will definately benefit from a 2800 stall torque converter.

Basically, a torque converter lets your engine rev up higher without being locked in gear completely, so you are at higher rpms, giving you more hp and to a certain point torque when you normally would not have as much.
if you still do not understand let me know what you dont get and I can go into further detail.

I am not sure if it would be worth it for you to put in a shift kit, as I hear they are a PITA, I just had mine put in when I had the tranny rebuilt.

Hope this helps

Cameron

 

You want your trans to transfer power through when your engine starts making power.. ie... your Cam and your Convertor should match.. there is some chart for this.. I believe it's duration that determines the stall speed. My cam starts making real power at 2400rpm give or take.. my stall grabs around 2400-2600rpm.. Great launches.. Why not a shift kit.. you would rather your trans slips more before it grabs? Shift kits make the trans grab quicker rather than let it slip longer.. Firmer shifts.... Less wear on the clutches and steels...

 

I was not saying he should stay away from shift kits, I was just saying it is a pain, so he knows what he's getting himself into.

I am very happy with my shift kit and, after reading what some people have posted after installing them, glad I had it done as I do not know as much about transmissions as I do basically everything else pertaining to cars.

Cameron

 

most don't even realize that most shift kits are adjustable.. On my th400 there is a little vacuum regualator or something that is on the passenger side of the trans. and you can screw that screw in and out to adjust the shift..

 

First off. A tranny cooler is a must whenever getting a converter. Also keep in mind the quality high dollar units, although expensive, are well worth the cash. A shift kit is usually installed parallel with a converter because the converters are known to soften up shifts, most people don't like that much so they want a shift kit to get the firmness back up. It also as someone else said eliminates the tranny slipping which in turn causes heat, which in turn is the biggest killer of our tranny's. The main reason a cooler is a must.
Picture a converter this way in comparison to a 6speed car. If it's a 3000rpm stall for example. Although the car will still move forward if in gear and you let off the brake, it's really not fully engaging the drivetrain til around 3000rpms. In comparison to stock it's much like launching a stick at idle vs launching at 3000rpms. Obviously you would get a much better launch and much better acceleration because of this, traction permitted of course. Most converters will drive just like stock when say...cruising around town. They will move and drive much much sooner than the stall speed they are rated for. It's not til you stomp the gas from a stop that they "flash" to the rated rpm. In this example 3000rpms. After 2 days I never even noticed a difference from stock to my vigilante 3000rpm. Until I get on it of course. Also aside from helping with the launch they also keep the rpms up when shifting. Which keeps the car in it's powerband and of course making it faster. Before I did the swap each time my car shifted the rpms would drop way down out of the powerband to around 2500rpms or so, slowly climb back up til 4000rpms and then start to really move, shift, go back down, etc. It really slowed the car down a lot. Now it goes to redline, shifts, drops to about 4000rpms, goes to redline, shifts, drops to about 4000rpms. Always staying in the powerband and always pulling, especially up top. For your LS1 the stall rpms are usually recommended higher. 2800-3200 is kinda the norm for an LT1 while 3200-3600 is kinda the norm for an LS1. Since they make their hp and tq at higher rpms it only seems logical. What stall rpm you actually goes with all depends on what you plan to use the car for: track duty,street/strip,street only,etc. I hope this helped.