I have a 305 TPI 3.73 gears, and full exhaust. I would like to install a torque converter with a higher stall,however, this is a daily driver and I need it to be able to be ok for my use. Someone help me out?

 

I daily a 3200 stall LS1 car with 3.73's and had 2.73's in it at first for a year. Dont mind it at all and could have gone bigger. it all depends on what you can tolerate.

For a mostly stock 305 TPI car, they wake up at 2400 stall. Anything less isnt worth the effort to replace it, and anything more is best for a track car. For your DD, I think 2400-2600 is about all I'd go.

I did 2800 in my 350 TPI L98 car with 2.77, then 3.27 and then 3.42 gears, and daily drove that for about 2 yrs. Fun car and felt that was a perfect match regardless of gear ratio. 305 being down on power, and you already have 3.73's, you likely can do 2400-2600 and be very happy with it.

It will take some getting used to if you never drove a converter car before

Brands, it depends on how much you want to pay but dont go cheap like Revmax and such...they arent well made stuff. I'd atleast go mid grade like Edge Racing and others

 

ive never driven a stall car what should i expect?

 

Its just different in how you take off from a stop. It requires abit less throttle input at first to start going, as it slips allowing rpms to be higher. So if you are not careful and hit the gas fairly hard, the rpms will flash up to stall point and it could be instant tire spin. I know I did this a few times when adjusting to the car's new feel.

Its just a different feel but I think you'll learn to love it after you feel the difference over stock

 

good suggestions Orr. dont forget to add a tranny cooler as the converter will generate a little more heat.

 

Tranny cooler already in, so from a stop, just ease into it and it won't feel any different? Will the Rpms go up high before I take off?

 

It will always feel different from stock. Just the nature of the converter. I cant really describe it, its something you'll have to experience. You can ease into it and car will move. It will move faster with more throttle input tho and rpms will climb higher closer to the stall point.

Like in my 99 TA with 3200 stall. Just moving from a dead stop accelerating slowly to 40mph or so, my rpms are 2000-2200 while its slowly picking up speed. More throttle i can accelerate quicker and hit 2800-3000 rpm. When it was stock it would run 1500 max or so and shift gears...you'd feel the shift on the gear. With the big converter, it feels like a continously variable setup...meaning gears will shift but rpms will stay at 2000-2300 or so, while I'm moving from 0 to 40 mph or whatever speed.

Going up hills is the same way. More incline hilll, the higher the rpms will be on the converter as it remains open. Lockup feature is nice, it will make the car feel like stock again once a certain mph is hit. The converter will no longer slip and lock together. This is nice to have and also keeps the tranny safe from heat buildup.

Going small like a 2400 stall wont be as bad to drive compared to something higher like 3200-3600 I've had before, or the 4000+ I have in the turbo car. Your rpms on a 2400 will be only marginally higher than before when pulling out from a stop. you'll notice a difference but it wont be as drastic as higher stalls


The big advantage is from a dead stop and you go WOT. Instead of starting at 1500 rpm like stock converter, you will start at 2400 rpm.. Theres a big difference in power at 2400 vs 1500 rpm. Imagine 3000 rpm start vs 1500? Thats where converters make a car feel more powerful. Multiplies torque and puts motor into its powerband so you can take off at max torque for max acceleration. Sticky tires required.

 

This would increase torque numbers? And quicker starts

 

It is a torque multiplication device, and would allow more leverage on the drive system and thus get you accelerating quicker. The advantage is with good drag tires like a drag radial or bias ply dot slick type tire, if the tires hold pavement, the converter will allow motor to start off in its torque power band and thus more power gets to the ground. The highest acceleration force in any one gear is at max torque rpm....this is why most drag cars that want best launches size the converter at or around peak torque rpm. Daily drivers and street cars compromise and go lower on the stall but still gain since torque is higher at 2000-3000 rpm than at 1000-1500 rpm in a stock converter So when you leave with more power, car will acceleration quicker. Its why my bolt on only LS1 trans am with stock converter will cover 60 feet in 2.0 seconds but my 3200 rpm stall torque converter mod will allow it to cover 60 ft in 1.66 seconds on drag radials. Thats a HUGE difference.

On the street tho you will likely never hook up 100%. Need a sticky track surface with the good drag tires to do that but you still feel the gains on the street when you pedal the car to maintain traction....once it hooks and you can go wide open throttle, your rpms are higher in the power band and you will have more acceleration. Its MUCH more noticeable on a higher stall setup but you can notice the difference with a low stall speed.