torque converter which one? how it works?

[gerzen]

hi i have a 91 5.0 AOD stang i have the H/I swap 65 mm TB 70 mm MAF, and a 3.73 gears, so the next step is to install a good torque converter for get a better launch, so here is where i need your help, how the torque converter works? i mean i know is like a have to fan in front each other and if one is powered the other fan is going to move whit the air moved by the power fan, is the same but using a fluid, but mi rally question is, what means a 2000 rpm stall 3000 stall? what that means also which one do you recomender to use whit my combo?, its my daily driver so, i whant to get the most performance but using my car whit no problems at the street? so what to pick? by the way i use the stock cam.

any help i really be apreciated, i use the car to race at the weekends in the 1/4 and 1/8 of mille thats why i need more launch

 

[71swing]

Your description of how it works is the basics.

Now for stall speed?

Stall speed is described as the amount of rpms your tack would flash to before the car puts power to the wheels. (When you mash to the pedal to launch.)

The torque converter builder can change the stall in a converter by either the size of the converter or the way they position the angle of the turbine blades inside.

Now a good, but somewhat accurate way to test stall is to push on the brakes than apply a little gas until the car over powers the brakes. The rpm you achieve before the brakes are over powered is a close calculation of you stall.

A stock converter is around 1800rpms. Not very good for acceleration, because a mustang will not be in a good torque band until around 2600 rpms.

A good torque converter can be the best single part you put on the car, besides a power adder. It also can be the worse thing to add if not properly built for the right combo.

WARNING! When it comes to buying a converter you get what you pay for.
A good average price for a converter is around 500-600 dollars. If you cheep out and get a off the self-unit like a 250$ B&M you will be sorry.

Now, for a stock motor a 2600 stall is about right. Stall speed is also has a little guessing factor to it too. If you order a stall of 2600, this doesn’t mean it will stall to 2600. This is only a ballpark number. The converter may only stall to 2500 or maybe 2750. But they can get it pretty close to what you want.

2600 stall means that if you are at a dead stop and you slam the gas the rpms will flash to around 2600rpms before it starts to apply power to the wheel.
This will put you in a better part of the torque band. Giving your can better acceleration, but will also increase the lost of traction.

A good converter with a 2600rpms stall will launch around that but when cruising around on the street at normal speeds it will grab long before that. Maybe 2000 rpms would be your new cruising speed.

Now lets say you are cruising down the road at 35mph and you’re at 2000rpms. Than you decide to get on it. When you slam the gas the converter will slip to the 2600rpms than take off.

WARNING to not be a cheap @#! On the converter!

One of the best companies is Lentech Automotive. They specialize in the AOD.
But other are Dynamic converters, and Dynamic transmissions. They originally where the same company, but split to form two different ones. (Not to sure if they offer a converter for the AOD)

I personally own a converter from dynamic converters for my 71 dart and it is by far the best converter I have owned. It is a 3800 stall, and cruising around at cruise speed my rpms are around 2500rpms. But like I said before it is built for my combo.

This is a good example of the difference. Before it had a B&M that the previous owner installed. It was supposed to be a 3000 stall. But since it was a off the self-unit it would only stall to 2400 rpms with my engine. It also had no real slippage in it at all at the stop light it would be trying to pull me threw, I would have to hold the brakes real hard or slip it into neutral. Before the car would burn them for about 30ft. Now I can lay about 60ft. of rubber before I have to let off because the rearend is starting to get sideways on me, and have dropped about .8 on my 1/8 mile times. Would even make a bigger impact on my 1/4 time. What a difference.

I have never used these but some people have had good luck with Art Carr, and maybe even TCI.

I would stay away from B&M, if somebody tells you that they are good, than they have never felt the difference what a good converter would do for them.

Also talk to the company you choose, Buy direct, don't buy a off the self converter
From summit, jegs or something along those lines. The converter needs to be sized and stalled for your particular combo.

Also a good thing to install at the same time would be a valvebody. They will run you anywhere from 200-500$

Now if you by a converter for the combo you have now. And than make changes like a power adder or heads, cam, so on. You may need to get a new converter to get the best performance out of your car.

 

[gerzen]

Wow that was an amazing explain about how the converter works, actually ive been thinking in buy a B&M converter thansk for your advice, now im stay away from that brand and get a better converter, im goign to make a call at Lentech Automotive for get a good converter, i think a 2600 stall is a good choice to go, besides that dont going to hurt my daily driver rigth? i mean i dont have any problems whit that rpm stall? in a street some guy said that the car doesn´t move until the engine raise the 3000 rpm of course it have a 3000 stall TC, but about you said i understand that for example if i stop de car, and then i try to star the car at normal driving condition (and use a 2600 rpm stall), i depress the gas pedal normally and the car is going to move rigth?, i mean if the engine raise at 1200 or 1500 te car still have a move rigth?, or i need to get the engine raise at 2600 for get the car star to move?

 

[Synned]

Wow that was an amazing explain about how the converter works, actually ive been thinking in buy a B&M converter thansk for your advice, now im stay away from that brand and get a better converter, im goign to make a call at Lentech Automotive for get a good converter, i think a 2600 stall is a good choice to go, besides that dont going to hurt my daily driver rigth? i mean i dont have any problems whit that rpm stall? in a street some guy said that the car doesn´t move until the engine raise the 3000 rpm of course it have a 3000 stall TC, but about you said i understand that for example if i stop de car, and then i try to star the car at normal driving condition (and use a 2600 rpm stall), i depress the gas pedal normally and the car is going to move rigth?, i mean if the engine raise at 1200 or 1500 te car still have a move rigth?, or i need to get the engine raise at 2600 for get the car star to move?

From what I've heard you barely notice the difference during normal driving conditions, it will and should behave almost stock.

 

[ronburgundy]

try tcsproducts dot com, i believe they build for lentech. very high quality.

 

[85ragtop]

I fixed the title for you.

 

[gerzen]

ok thanks a lot all of you so i definitive the best choice is a 2600rpm stall TC, rigth?

 

[monte87]

EDGE converters....... I got a 9.5 inch 3000 converter

 

[86bluecobra]

whatever you do do not buy an off the shelf TC get one custom built for your car. They take factors like wieght and cam into the build of a custom one. You will not be disappointed by spending a little extra on a custom built TC.

 

[gerzen]

Ok thats a god tip, is better have an specific converter for an specific combo rigth? but abou the RPM range is a good choice 2600 rpm? or maybe 2200?

 

[5spd GT]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm

 

[71swing]

2200 is not better than stock. I would at least get 2600 stall. But only a good converter builder can tell you what you need.

in a street some guy said that the car doesn’t move until the engine raises the 3000 rpm of course it have a 3000 stall TC

This is a good example of a cheap converter. Just because the car has a stall of 3000 it should move long before 3000stall.

Normal driving conditions should not change at all. Only when you mash the gas it should flash the rpms to the desired stall.

I have owned many converters for several different cars and brands. I first installed a Lentech in a 93 stang. Damn I loved that car but sold it later in life. I ran a best of 13.9 in the 1/4 with only a lentech AOD and converter in the car no other mods at all.

Next time around with a different mustang I went with a company that is no longer in business named GER, Man did they steal some money from me. The only reason I went with them in because they had adds posted all of mustang magazines. They were also a lot cheaper than Lentech prices that I paid for before. I learned my lesson with them.
Their converter acted like the one you mentioned above. It was a 3000 stall but would not move the car at all till I got the rpms to 3000 even when cruising around.

After that crap I made the switch to 5-speed and haven't looked back.

3-years ago I purchased a 71 dodge dart which put me back into the automatic world. Dodge makes a pretty stout 727 trans. It came with a B&M 3000 stall. Now it was a lot better acting than the GER, but B&M only sells standard stuff, nothing is custom to your car. Ten different people may have that same converter in each car with a different combo. Does that make sense at all? How would the same converter work on ten different cars that make all different power?

So with my history of this problem I did major research on what to get this time around. The path led me to a man called Frank Lupo and his company Dynamic conv. They are pricey to I paid about 700$ for a 9" 3800 stall converter. Now this thing rocks. Best converter by far I will ever own. This thing doesn't act any different taking off slow than you stock converter in you stang. But man slam the gas and BOOM 3800 tire spinning power rpms is on tap. The 727 is only a 3-speed like the C4, On the highway I can do about 55-60 at 3000rpms with 4:30 gears in the rear with the converter. That is Better than the B&M was on the highway it was around 3500 at 60 with the same gears.

Now I would tell you to go nowhere but to see frank or Shawn at dynamic but I don’t thing they offer a converter for the AOD. So my next advise would be Lentech. Nobody knows the AOD like Lentech does.

try tcsproducts dot com, I believe they build for lentech. very high quality.

I thought Lentech built all their own stuff in house, but I could be wrong.

Now even a popular name for AOD is precision Industries, but I have never dealt with them.

Here are some links to all above mentioned:

Lentech http://www.lentechautomatics.com/aodproducts.html


Frank Lupo's Dynamic Converters www.dynamicconverters.com


Dynamic Transmissions http://www.dynamicracingtrans.com/tctconverters.htm


Precision Industries http://www.converter.com/stallion.htm

 

[ronburgundy]

that's a tcs convertor pictured on lentech's site. i've sold hundreds of their convertors and had maybe five faulty ones. they don't build crap.

 

[dans89lx]

i have a 2800 Precision TC in my 89 lx with a C4. i love it. they custom build as well like some of these others that people are talking about. i saw a few TC's at my transmission guys shop that had come out of an AOD stang that he works on that were tore up, then he showed me a precision tc that he had just taken out of the same car. said that the first two were in the car for about 5-10 passes on the strip and they were TORE UP! The precision had been in the car for over 2 seasons and looked brand new, that was proof enough for me.

 

[5spd GT]

2200 is not better than stock.

It isn't?