I am running a 86 305 tpi with some intake and exhause mods and my cam is a 194-IN 204-EX .giving 398IN lift .420EX lift at 112 lobe sep. I have 3.73 gears and a shift kit in the 700r4.

I think the 2100 stall converter I have in there is killing the car. It lacks power till the rpms get close to 2500, then its fast. I hate the lag while it revs up, I have to wait for a little bit when I stomp on the gas before the tires chirp. I am thinking that I need a low stall converter since my engine combo starts to make its power from 1000 to 1200 rpm.

How low should I go? A 1200, a 1500, a 1800? The 2100 sucks in my setup!

 

eh, I dunno. 2100 is pretty low, even for a TPI. How long does it take to get to 2500? It kinda sounds like the converter is doing EXACTLY what it's supposed to do.

....for a calm, responsible daily drive I might go lower, but trust me, for "fun", the 2100 is what you want (if not higher).

Is it possible there's another problem?

 

I was thinking a 2400 would work nice with that.

 

wow, I was worried 2100 was to high. I went on a drive and it took less that 1/2 sec to rev up to 2k, so the converter is working fine. I think the lag im feeling is from 2k to 3k, so would a lower stall converter make it worse? I am just worried I am cutting my power band short with a higher stall. It realy wakes up from 3k to 5k. Its not realy slow either, it just seems to lag at 2 to 3k compared to my lt1 TA. But I know thats not comparing apples to oranges. I just expected it to be faster by now, and I used to have headers on it. I guess that may have made difference at that rpm range?

 

So if the motor has no power unitl 2500 RPM, how would lowering the stall below 2100 help? It has no power down there, so you don't want to just force the motor to always be in a range it can't work in.

You've got the ultimate RV cam from hell. I'm surprised actually, that it doesn't QUIT PULLING at 2500 RPM. That's less cam than some 305 TPI motors came with. Yes, you read that right: less than stock.

It's a TPI motor. And a 305, on top of that. Expect it to "lag" compared to a LT1.

 

Yeah, that's a tiny cam. ....and yeah, comparing your 305 to an LT1 is like comparing apples to....uh....a bowl of spaghetti!!! Those two aren't even both FRUIT!!! LOL

....without a dyno run you really can't be sure, but I suspect that you're making power right around the 2500 or maybe a tad higher. As much as your low first gear (700r4/.373) may make you THINK you're making power down low, you really aren't.

.....wow, I can't get over that cam . Send me $15 for shipping and I'll GIVE YOU my old L98 cam!!!!

 

Yeah, yeah, enough cheap shots at my poor little cam. She is good for a daily driver and gets at least 10 mpg more on 87 gas than the 212 218 I had in there before. I did the swap when I had the motor out for that reason, I figured I could add some 1.6 rockers if I was unhappy with it. But I kind of like getting 25+mpg with my wimpy cam.

 

wow that cam is poop!!!!! that is the problem!!!!