Gears and Driveshaft

[raleighstang65]

I am looking in to getting some 3.55 gears for the rear. Sorry if this is a dumb question but bear with me I'm learning... If I get something like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD...62QQcategoryZ33731QQihZ010QQitemZ200226841327
is there a chance I would need a different length driveshaft over my stock setup?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[D.Hearne]

If you have an 8" rear now........no change in the driveshaft.

 

[Pbum5]

Should be a direct swap.
If there is an issue just use your original yolk.

 

[raleighstang65]

It is an 8" rear.
Second question...
I am having an issue with it stalling in gear at idle unless I keep one foot on the brake and one on the gas keeping the RPM's up. I have been told that I need a new torque converter. Cam is very mild, no vac leaks found, timing is set at 10* initial advance, and RPM's in park are near 1000 now (was hoping this would help with the stalling). Runs great above idle. I'd rather not mess with a new converter right now if I don't have to... Will 3.55 gears make my stalling problem worse or not affect that at all?

 

[D.Hearne]

Gear change won't change your problem. The timing's set at 10* BTDC right? you can go up to 12-14 and back off the idle too, might also richen up the idle with the adjustment screws too.

 

[raleighstang65]

It is BTDC. I'll try to bump it up some and see how that does. I do have it running a little lean, there is definately room to back the screws out a bit. What are your thought's on a new torque converter? Maybe a 2,400 stall. Seems to be much debate/grey area from what I've read when it comes to converters. It is set up and driven on the street. No track time at all.

Appreciate it once again D!

 

[D.Hearne]

I'm running a mild stall much like that behind the 331 I have in my 77 Comet. Cam is a Ford Racing Z303. Works great. I don't know the exact make & model conveter but was told this was what it was by my transmission guy. Transmission and converter came with the car.

 

[raleighstang65]

Does a converter change or affect the streetability of a car? Is it more aimed towards a drag or track set up?

 

[D.Hearne]

A mild stall won't change much. It's when you get into the 3000+ range, that the streetability and mileage suffers.

 

[blown65]

A mild stall won't change much. It's when you get into the 3000+ range, that the streetability and mileage suffers.

This will kinda depend on your gearing though. My 10.5" 3500 stall with the 3.89s drove on the street just fine. You will make more heat in the trans, so a trans cooler would be a good idea. Even my tiny cooler was more than enough. Kinda depends on lots of factors, one of which the person that built the converter and the understanding of what you were doing with the car.

 

[Decurion]

Unless your cam is big enough that it has a distinct lope at idle, a stock convertor may be less than ideal, but it wont make the engine stall when you put it in gear. It sounds like you just have a minor carb tuning issue, possibly combined with timing. My 302 has a cam with about 280* adv duration (220@050) and it worked just fine with a stock convertor, no stalling. My advice would be to drive the car around to get it fully warmed up, then set the timing to 12* with any vacuum advance disconnected. Then turn the idle mixture screws in and out until you get the highest rpm. You can use a low rpm tach to help you get the highest idle speed, or the highest reading on a vacuum gauge will achieve the same result. Then use the idle speed screw to set final idle speed to around 850 or so in park/neutral. Ideally, both mixture screws should be roughly the same number of turns out when youre done. It may just be common sense, but of course make sure that the choke is fully open and not flopping around, and that the carb doesnt have any leaks wether internal or external.

 

[raleighstang65]

Thanks for all the advice. Looks like I have some tuning to do this weekend! The cam is a very mild upgrade from stock so it doesn't make since to me that I would need a new converter and I also hate the idea of dropping more money!