I recently heard the idea of swapping in a corvette torque converter to give a little better low end out of a firebird. Is this correct or out of context? Basically, does that option need to be applied with something else in conjunction or will just slapping a vette converter into a stock T/A application help any? Thanks.

 

The vette converter is still 1600-1800 rpm as far as I'm aware. Not worth the hassle, at all. Aftermarket converters are not that expensive.

 

The only GM torque converter I've heard of that's considered somewhat of an upgrade is the S10 converter. It has a higher stall speed than the f-body or vette ones. Do a search on here for "S10 converter", and you should find some more info about them from some of the members that are using them.

 

Would a higher stall improve the low end though? Is that what the corvette torque converter was supposed to do? I only ask because I am leaving this car relatively stock for the most part. A few small improvements here and there, but it is a daily driver. I was just curious if it made an improvement or not, and I don't know much about the torque converter/transmission aspect of these cars. Thanks again.

 

1986 vettes had a converter that stalled at 2025 rpm behind 240 horsepower.
That converters stalls (behind my 400 hp) motor at approx 2500 rpm.

 

Floor guy, is that a flash stall, or footbrake stall (can you get 2500 rpms on the gas and brake without the car moving forward?)

Thanks

Steve

 

On my car, it will flash to 2500 or sometimes 2600. I can foot brake it to 2100-2200

 

Actually, a higher stall converter is needed when you upgrade to a larger camshaft with more degrees of duration. What you probably need to improve your situation is lower rearend gears. If you have the dreaded 2.73 rearend gears right now, you ought to upgrade to 3.23, 3.42, or 3.73 gears. Any of these ratios will be a vast improvement over 2.73's for low end and takeoff power. I went from 2.73 to 3.42 in my car, and the difference was night and day. If you're running a 700r4, you'd have no problem at all driving on the freeway with 3.42's, and the difference in gas mileage was almost unnoticeable on mine after the ratio change. I just noticed in your sig that you have 3.27's at the moment, so you ought to go at least 3.42, or 3.73 for even more low end grunt.

 

Here's the thing. I had my peanut 305 roller cam ground to the 350 cam stock numbers. So technically the numbers of lift and duration are stock 350 numbers. However, this motor has been bored to a 355, has the HO 305 heads and this ground cam in it which actually in grinding has increased the duration I believe... so I think it is a slightly wilder cam. I didn't do anything crazy, but it is enough that I was curious if a simple converter swap would be worth while or just the corvette servo and shift kit when the time comes. I appreciate all the responses so far as they greatly help in my lacking wisdom of the drivetrain aspect of my car.

 

Why on earth did you waste the time and money to grind a 305 cam to the equally awful stock 350 cam? You can buy something nice like a ZZ4 cam brand new for $80

 

The TPI Corvette converters are 2000 rpms. The late 80's S10 converters are also 2000 rpms. I dont know specifically about any other years, but I'm sure a search of this forum would help.
Higher stall converters do not give you more horsepower or more torque. What they do is allow the engine to get up to higher rpms faster, where you make more horsepower and torque. Its similar to launching a manual trans at 1500 rpms vs a launch at 2500 rpms.
A car with a higher stall than stock converter will still move forward if you take your foot off the gas at idle, in drive. They do not need to be revved higher than the stall speed before it moves. But they will allow you to rev the engine higher with the brakes on, depending on the condition of your brakes. Also keep in mind a higher stall converter will generate more heat in the transmission. Anything higher than 2000 rpms is recommended to have an auxilliary trans fluid cooler.

 

In the case of flash stall, this is not true.