Has anybody bought a TC off ebay that was cheap. Not a TCI or a fancy brand name. I hope to pick up a car that has a burnt up tranny. Already got a tranny that was good when it was took out. Want to go through it and add a little convertor to it before I put it back in.

 

If you're looking for "cheap" ways to get a little stall, use a v6 or 4 cylinder converter for the same year tranny. I used a 78 buick v6 converter with a 78 th350 and a buick 340 v8. It was like a saturday night special style and gave me about 1800. With the 455, I got about 2200. I didn't use it hard often though. I know if you use a chevy 400 with a th350 non lockup you can use a chevy v6 converter from the late 70's or the pontiac 4.3 v8 or even the 2.5l 4 from a monza as long as the tranny is a 250 or 350 non-lockup style.
You could do the same with a 700r4 if you get it for the right year of the tranny. early 700s are 27 spline and later ones are 31 I believe. you can use 200, 2004r and 700r converters in the early style, 700 only in the later style. Chevy and Pontiac engine familys use the same style hookup to the torque converter, so they'll go right in. Buick and olds use a flat face flexplate and use different blocks welded to the torque converter for hookup. They are the same bolt pattern, but sometimes you have to use a spacer on the nose of the converter to make it center on the crank and some spacers between the flexplate and converter.
Its easiest to just harvest Chevy and Pontiac family stuff for chevys or pontiacs and the same for buicks/olds. Its just easier.
You can usually get a reman converter from the parts store for under a hundred bucks if you turn in a wasted core.

 

The convertors im looking at are from 99-125 bucks. They claim to stall 2000 up to 2600 depending in the HP of the engine. I know with my '00 silverado you can get a convertor from a Trailblazer and it will stall decent in the trucks.

 

Check out Brian, at Oregonperformancetransmissions, on E-Bay. I bought just about everything from him for my 700R4, including the converter. He is a great guy to deal with. My trans is behind a 500 hp, 570 ft lb 436. The only thing thats stock in my trans is, the shafts, and planetarys. Holding up great!

 

Sounds like a great trans Brutal.

 

Brutal, that is one of the places that I have been looking at. Thanks for posting about them.

 

[B]

You should know, Floorguy! You give every trans you build, that little somthing special!

 

I'm purchasing a new th350 tranny rated for 500hp and 3000 stall converter from Red neckPerformance. The trans is a th350 with trans brake, full manual with reverse shift pattern, and they will custom build you a converter when you purchse this trans.

I'll let you guys know what I think ince it's here and in the car.

 

Paying more doesn't necessarily mean you get more but paying less usually means you get less! However, there is a fairly inexpensive torque converter that can be used in a 700 r4. ($120 at the Zone) I'm trying a 95 s-10 4.3l 2wd converter code DBLF in my 89 iroc. I believe it stalls around 2000 (up from around 1600 stock) and should be good for my 5.7 TPI with 239 rwhp. I'll let you know how it works.

 

My converter was $560... hrmm..

700R4, The Transmission Center - High Performance Transmission Price List - 700R4

Looks like its went up to $585 in the past month. (raptor 5x)

-- Joe

 

i've used a "B-stall" converter before which is what was used in the late 80's vettes. it was about $120 from the local trans parts store and it worked very well for what it was. my little 305 went 13.75 with it before i called ATI and had them build me a custom one that flashes to 4000rpm. the "B-stall" worked out to be around a 2200rpm stall speed and worked pretty good for how much i paid for it. i'm planning on putting one in my buddies berlinetta.

don't waste your money with a TCI or B&M unit...those are junk. if your gonna go aftermarket, get an ATI or BTE or Yank or some other brands that actualy builds the converter to your cars needs. this is an expensive route to take but it will yeild the best results.

 

- Dans87GTA has been running the "B29X" V6/vette converter - worked pretty good with his cam and TPI. With the HSR and the same cam, it needs more stall, so we're switching him to a 2600 stall Raptor unit. It's his only wheels, so daily driven.- much higher could be issues.

 

Um, data logs are showing that I'm getting between 2200-2300 rpm stall out of the stock converter in my '87 forumla 350...

 

really? every stock converter i've ever had only stalled around 1200rpms...i really think you have a factory freak mark.

Shagwell, my 4000 stall 10" ATI unit is in my daily...i put in an additional external cooler (inline with my stock one in the radiator) and it's working great even after 15K or so miles!

 

- He went with a $300 raptor 2600 stall. I said higher, but for how he uses the car, 2600'll suit him fine. - He does have an auxilary cooler.

 

Yea, like everything else I own…

Footbrake on the line the tires start spinning around 1200rpm, data logging at the track, it usually sees around 2300rpm before the VSS shows 1’ traveled (or spun)

footbrake and actual stall are 2 different things.

 

oh, i know...my converter now footbrakes around 2300rpm, but flashes right to 4000 on the hit.

well, i never did any data logging on the stock ride...