Getting ready to put the new transmission in in a couple of months and I'm gonna toss in a new converter while It's out. I was just wondering what brands and numbers to look for when choosing a GOOD high stall converter for a daily driven street car. I got a flyer from some company called ACC performance, not sure if they're any good though.

I've been waiting for the TPI guys to comment, but it seems they're not going to. For a high-stall converter, I'd say start with a B&M Holeshot 3000Your stock converter is supposed to be a 2200 stall.

Wouldn't 2800 - 3200 be a bit high for a 305?

depends on a couple factors, like rear end gear and camshaft. But the best company to buy a converter from is vigilante. They are a little more expensive but worth it. If you have 3.73 gears a good 2800-3000 stall would be in the ballpark. Just make sure you get it locked up

If it's mostly stock...I would stick with no more than 2500..I might have missed it, but it's a TPI??? if so they make good torque down low.....There is a little trick that some people have done, including myself, that can save you a lot of money.....Instead of buying an expensive stall convertor (nothing wrong with that at all but..) you can go and get a GM convertor out of a vehicle...like a chevy s10 blazer (w/vortec V6)....they make a heavy duty and a regular. I have a heavy duty in mine and it was very inexpensive compared to like B&M let say....it should stall up around 2500rpm or so. It works great believe me. Now if you have like 2.xx gears...IMO I wouldn't put a stall in it until I changed gears out...might burn up transmission. Well there is my two cents.

Correct. The engine is a TPI. And to the best of my knowledge, the rear is a 3.23 peg leg, but sometime in the future I would like to swap it out for a 3.73 or a 4.11.

What concerns me with the 2800 - 3200 stall is that this car is a daily driver. When cruising in 4th in the highway the thing would probably never lockup. At light throttle, just enough to maintain speed in 4th it cruises at anywhere from 2000 - 2500. If I stomp it it will jump to 3000+.


I'm thinking the 2300 - 2500 converter might be a better option in my case. What do you guys think?

You're the one who specified high stall. If it was my car, I'd be ordering a B&M TorkMaster 2000.

Problem is, I don't know what would be classified as "high stall". This is my first venture into the world of converters. That's why I'm making this post I don't know where to start.

Whatever converter I go with, will be paired with a BTO level 2.

I have a BTO level 2, I bought it used, I've put 170,000 miles on it since I got it. Good trans. The LS1 guys are putting 3600+ stall converters in their cars, but they pull 7000 rpm with just cam, pushrods, valvesprings and retainers. To them, all our converters are low stall. To me, 2200 is high stall, so a 2400 would've felt stock to you. You didn't say stock stall, so I assumed you wanted better acceleration. That is the sole purpose of going to a high stall, whatever you define it to be. a B&M Holeshot 3000 is fairly tight, about as tight as your stock one, but it'll launch you at like 2800 rpm, which, if you have traction, will feel great. Around town and on the interstate it will feel stock. Your engine is all done making power by 4800 rpm, no point in revving it any higher until you replace the TPI with something like a HSR, and then find a bigger cam. Then it's on to heads or a 350 and that's way off. Right now, the TM2000 is cheap, and drives really great! The HS3000 sounds wild, but is also fine.

I bought an acc performance bosshog nightstalker level 2. Its stallspeed is 2200-2800 rpm. I can´t say anything about this one at the moment, because I´ll take it to the car on saturday. I´ve an 88´ta 305 TBI with some mods. Heads, LT1-cam, EBL... I hope, the car will drive well with this torque converter....

I have a 3500 stall and is very street friendly

Well, where I stand right now I'm all for the 2800 - 3200 stall, but the two things that have me concerned is that when launching I must rely on compression braking and since this is a daily driven street vehicle I'm not sure how well that high a stall would fare when going on those 2 hour highway cruises. I'm inclined to think the 2300 - 2500 stall would be more friendly for my application.

Decision time!

As long as you choose one with a lockup torque converter, a 9999 rpm stall would work on your 2-hour cruises. The Holeshot 3000 does come with the lockup, and I would use a B&M cooler instead of the one built into the radiator. If you do go with a 2500 stall, don't use B&M, they haven't mastered that yet. But their 3000 is excellent.

i would give FTI a call. i have one and would put it against any converter company on the market. picked up 3 tenths over my tci. i have a 10 inch all billet converter that i run consistent mid to high tens with cutting 1.40 60s and you can drive it to and from the track. 4000 stall and very streetable. 1-866-726-8358 ask for greg he is the owner and also a racer. lots of guys are using them in the topsportsman class and i believe 7 cars in the top10 qualifiers were running fti at the last event. they build anything from stock replacements to converters for monster trucks. customer service is second to none. give him your specs and he will not steer you wrong.

got a website for them?

found it...

http://www.fticonverters.com/

FYI, I went with the boss hog Street Bandit 2800 - 3200 stall. This thing weighs a TON! If it performs half as good as it weighs, then I'm in for some fun!

Where do you buy this heavy duty s10 v6 torque converter? I looked at advance auto but the only converter they have is the exact same one they recommend for my firebird.

I have a B&M Holeshot 2400 in my 700r4 and it is really tight. Like stock tightness. I am going to be going to a 3500 this spring. On a launch with no tire spin, it will flash at maybe 1800 till the tire speed allows the R's to start climbing. I can't hold the rear tires from spinning with the brakes on past 1700. I would not be too conservative with stall speed, although TPI's are lower revving torquey motors, you would still probably want at least an "advertised" 2400+ to feel a difference over stock.

I hope you guys with the B&M torque converters don't have any problems with them, as they have the highest comeback rate in the industry. PI's Vigilante, Edge, Pro Torque, FTI, Yank to name a few have the best record as far as the least amout of comebacks. I will not warranty a transmission with B&M, Art Carr, or a TCI in front of them.

Interesting. I've just packaged up a TCI 11" (Breakaway) converter to send back for a TCC repair. I also have another TCI converter, this one a 10" (Street Fighter) that is also going back for TCC repair.
Kinds of makes you wonder.

Anyone have any experience with Hughes? I'm thinking about getting one.

stock stall speed is like 1300 rpm,2200 is a performance speed.

You're a little late to the party. That converter has been bought, ran, trashed and junked.

I'm running a TSI 2400 - 2800 now.

Continental, is the brand I would go with, have had nothing but good experience w/ them....