Okay I am rebuilding my tranny and am going to stick in a higher stall converter. The engine is a 355HP unit that is driven 90% on the street.

What stall speed have you guys tried and why? thanks.

 

What kind of tranny? the 700r4 in your sig?

Otherwise I just took out my TH350 and TCI 9"3500 stall I used before changing over the new drivetrain in my sig. that's good to go. All you need is the torque arm bracket since mine is a TH350 with the 9" tailshaft you can use you factory driveshaft.

If your looking to pay some money, which a good convertor will cost, BTE or ATI are hands down the only real choices for performance convertors period. They put all their winning technology into every convertor no matter what the application and make no mistake, it's either one or the other in almost every winners circle.

 

Do you drive your car on the street much? Thats where I spend 90% of my time.
How was the 3500 on the street? Did you have to drive around town at 3000rpms? Thats what I'm basically afraid of - streetability is more important to me.

Thanks for the info

 

There alot of misconception with stall convertors. Just because they rate them at 3500 does'nt mean you'll have to have the motor revving at 3500 to move. They rate them by true stall rating, which real simply means when you hammer it from a stop it will flash to 3500 putting your motor into it's peak torque right off the go for quicker acceleration.

By doing this though the convertor is slipping inside to keep the motor at 3500rpm until vehicle speed starts catching up with the convertor at which point the convertor will then start to "lock-up" and then the rpms on the tach will rise from that point on.

Only when you get into a true 8" race convertor with a 4000+ stall speed *for example* do they really get loose on the bottom end. I'll give footbraking as an example since we've all do/done it. With my 9"3500 stall I could foot brake the rpms to 24-2600 before the car wants to push through the brakes aka overpower the brakes. With a 8" race convertor that's set up loose for a higher stall speed, you can easily footbrake into the 4000+rpm range without the vehicle wanting to over power the brakes.

A 9-10" convertor is going to be a happy medium when you step up into the higher stall range since it will give you the higher flash point, but when normal driving it acts just like what your used to.

When I had that TH350 w/ 3500 stall-drove on the street anytime the sun shined and I had time-with my 3.42 & 3.73 gears 28" slicks, when at a stop sign the rpms would rasie to maybe 15-1800 when I accelerated away from the intersection under "daily driving" practices. But that same convertor when pushed, would flash to 3600.

Hope this helps. Should also note too, I never intended this car to break mpg records so I was glad to oust the 700r4 for something that is cheaply fixable/rebuildable/and bullet proof for a much lower cost by almost anybody. When I install the TH350 hwy rpms with the 3.42 gears at 60-65mph were in the range of 32-3400rpm and 33-3500 with the 3.73 with a 28" tall tire out back.

 

thanks - that helps alot

Speaking of mpg i just checked and i am getting 20 city/highway, but that's with a stock converter, 3.23s and a lockup converter.

I also checked at Metro Trannies in CR what it would cost for a complete 350HP 700R4 rebuild with a higher stall and a cooler installed. They quoted $1200 total - that doesn't sound too bad - but I always hear TH350s are the cheaper way to go if you like to break ****

 

For a daily driver there is alot to be said for OD trannies especially with the gas prices through the roof.

$1200 for a 700r4 rebuild, higher stall, and cooler is a heck of a deal!! Get it in writing though.

For a bullet proof TH350 or TH400 your in the price range of $400-550, but it's gonna take well over 800hp to start making them sweat, especially the TH400. For all out racing application those 2 along with the glides are the only way to go, much less internal parts and mass quanities of reproduction parts so naturally cheaper.

Again, if you know anybody else in your area with a 3rd gen keep my tranny/convertor in mind and I also took out my 10bolt with a bunch of goodies and replaced it with a Ford 9" so the GM rear is also for sale. Send me a private e-mail if you know anybody interested and I can give them the scoop on parts.

 

how much for the tranny and wich one is it the th 350 or the 700r4

 

Want to get $250 for the TH350 & 9" TCI 3500 stall

And $250 for the rear end 3.73 posi, aluminum diff cover with preload bolts relocation brkts, brand new bearings/seals through the entire rear end, new brakes and brake hardware.

Plus shipping naturally.

 

Will TH350s/TH400s work with lockup converters?? That sounds like the ultimate way to go.

 

After now having broken a B&M and a TCI converter behind my motor I would not recommend either as they are only rebuilt factory units. I'm now putting in a Vigilante. You should try and match your stall speed to your torque peak.