I'm getting the vigilante 9.5 and was wondering what size.
89 Formula 350, TF Heads, 218/224 498/502 112 LSA Edelbrock base ASM Runners, headers Catback, 3.27's

Thanks

 

For your setup I'd say 2600.

Converters don't stall at one speed. Manufactures need to give a stall range that the converter will operate. The 2600 converter may only stall at 2200 behind your engine but may stall at 2800 behind mine.

------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car

87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block (times are for the current engine)

Best ET on a time slip: 11.447 altitude corrected to 10.99
Best MPH on a time slip: 119.42 altitude corrected to 124.86
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 493
Best 60 foot: 1.586

Racing at 3500 feet elevation with a typical race day over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley

 

I still don't get the purpose of higher stall converters. What do these converters do, do they rev your engine higher before your wheels start moving? I have no idea how they work or the purpose to having them, please tell.

 

Go to the Calgary Drag Racing site (above link) Click on tech tips then look for torque converters for a proper explanation.

The higher stall converter just means at lower speeds, it slips more allowing the engine to rev up faster at the lower rpms where it is below the optimum powerband. Once the engines rpm gets higher, the torque converter isn't slipping as much and more power is transmitted through it.

In a street vehicle this just means that at slow speeds, the engine will be reving higher to maintain the slow speeds. When the converter is slipping at these slow speeds it is producing vast amounts of heat. An aftermarket tranny cooler is manditory on any non-stock converter.

My 3800 stall converter allows me to idle in gear at 1200 rpm without the car trying to move. Just a little bit of throttle is all it takes to get moving but the converter is slipping the most just above idle. It's still driveable around the pits at slow speeds but I wouldn't want to take it on the street in traffic.