l have a 90 IROC Z 305 basically stock with the exception of a 150 shot of nitrous, siamesed runners and a dynomax muffler, the original ring and pinion is a 2.73, what would make more of a difference a new converter or a 3.73 ring and pinion, and what stall would be ideal for my basically stock 305?

 

These are two seperate issues. It is like asking, should I put a big cam in my engine or headers. Each has it's place and can compliment the other. The proper stall speed is one that will put you right at the beginning of your power band. If it is stock, leave it alone!
On to the axle ratio. You can gain a lot from this and since you have an O/D you won't get hurt on the other end. You will really feel a big difference in acceleration with new gears.

[This message has been edited by transfixleo (edited May 16, 2001).]

 

Do the convertor.

 

Wait a minute duuuuuuuuuudes.

I have a phat 3500 stall in my car with a massive cam to back it up. A while ago I shattered my rearend so I bolted in a reaend from a wrecked camaro. The rearend has 2.93 gears, I had 3.73's. I swear off the line a tow truck could beat me!!! Watch what you do is what I am trying to say. If you get one, you will need the other very soon to make everything work together. You may notice small gains from either one, but TOGETHER they are a combo for tire frying, heart stopping fun. Remeber, it's not the biggest and most expensive items that make you fast, it's which parts you match together.

 

I learned the high stall lesson a long time ago. I had a Poncho 400 (think low end torque but not that much HP) and since just like now, everyone thought you needed a high stall converter, I put a 3K in. This means that until I get close to that, the converter is essentially slipping and the car felt like it. My gas mileage was @4 MPG too. Now if I got on it, it was a different story BUT it ran out quick so I had a real, usable power band with my foot in it of @2800 to absolute max of maybe 5000. What I should have done was realized that that engine was pulling from around 1500 RPM and I was wasting that power.

Now you have a TPI 305 that, guess what, makes good torque at low R's but being basically stock (your words) runs out around 5000. Now if you get a 3500 stall there is around 2000 rpm you are wasting (the power is lost in the slip). If you change to lower gears you haven't lost that power but you have made it MUCH easier to accelerate through the power band.

If on the other hand you get a radical cam and the car can barely idle but starts to absolutely scream at 4000 and up (we'll forget that the stock TPI will start to choke it off in 1000 rpm!) then you NEED a @3500 stall to skip over the lower R's where it can't get out of it's own way. You also would NEED low gears (maybe 4.11's or more)so that the engine spends it's time in that RPM range.

 

I have a 2000 RPM stall in mine and it made all the difference in the world. My car was fighting the brakes at stop signs and it would never spin from a dead stop. I can cook the tires now but I do have a 3.42 single track in it. My motor is pretty well stock and it has 120,000 tough miles. I would just do a light stall if I were you. If your rear end is good, leave it alone for awhile. Mine blew up so I had to fix it.

------------------
91 Z28 Camaro
305 TPI
Flowmaster 3" exhaust
700R4 with 2000 Stall and shift kit 3.42 rearend
One sweet sounding system

 

I would go with 3.42 gears first. It will make a huge difference. After you change your cam, then put in the convertor. Yes the convertor will make a huge differce also, but will be much better after a cam swap.

------------------
1992 Camaro Z28; Engine:383 w/Ported Edelbrock RPM heads. Lunati Solid Roller Cam 224/232 .502/.502, Fluidampr, Comp Cams 1.5 Roller rockers and lifters, Comp Cams Triple Valvesprings, SVO 30 lb injectors. Holley/Walbro 255 lph in-tank pump, Haltech E6GM DFI, SLP 1 3/4" headers, 4" Mufflex, T56, SLP Clutch, Pro-5.0 Shifter, 4.10 Gear, Auburn Offroad Pro Posi. Super Ram. 17" X 9.5" Ronal FireHawk Rims w/ 275 40ZR17 Bridgestone RE 730's up front and Nitto Drag NT 555R's out back.

Double-Pump This! EFI Rules!

 

Do the gears, 2.73's are really bad, no matter how much stall you have. With 3.73's you won't need a higher stall.

------------------
82 camaro--original steering wheel, brake/gas pedals, seats--everything else modified
82camaro

 

nice, thanks a lot for the opinions guys l appreciate it