Hey guys, I'm working on leveling my car up for future upgrades to the motor. One of these upgrades I'm looking at is a 2k stalled converter. I'm not taking my car down the track yet and I use to terrorize ricers and others from stop light to stop light and am wondering how effective the stall would be on the street! Or if it would be a bigger pain than a gain. Correctly my motor specs are below, and I'm running a stock stall (1350) stall. Ideas? Pros and cons? I'm looking into exhaust currently and soon a bigger cam upgrade, closer to .510 lift which is what my valve springs limit me too currently.

Go 2400-2600. Go with a reputable company, not just one you find on Summit like B&M.

Vigilante, ATI, Circle-D are what you want.

Stay away from B&M, TCI, Hughes or any of those you find in Summit or Jegs.

Yes, you will spend more, $700-$800 for a good converter vs $300-$500 for a TCI or B&M, but it will last. I'm going with Vigilante when I rebuild my transmission this winter.

If you are only looking to go that high , some use a S10 convertor

But opinions vary ,read
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...ally-good.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tbi/...njspeeder.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/sout...ar-s10-tq.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...converter.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...converter.html

I just installed a 9.5", 3,500 stall Edge converter that I got from Pro Built Automatics. At $560, it's just a bit less than the Vigilante that Dana also sells. I had a 12"(stock size) 2,600 stall converter in the car before(sorry I wasted the money on it). The lighter 9.5" converter is alot easier on the gear train and it really has no down side.

Street driving with the Edge converter is pretty much normal. At light throttle, the converter transfers plenty of torque as the engine comes off idle to pull the car from a stop and move it along. Only when I step on the throttle does the converter let the engine rev into it's torque curve for full on acceleration. My motor is built for more top end power and peak torque comes at 3,900rpm. The 3,500 stall really improves my low speed acceleration.

Look up the 80's corvette 700R4 converter - stall is around 2100 from GM as I remember. That's about the best bang for the buck converter out there but it's really not that high of a stall speed so if you're looking for more spend a proportional amount on the converter as you're making horsepower - if you're planning on a mild 300-325hp engine then most anyone's converter will be fine - if you're looking for something that will hold up to lots of horsepower, turbo or nitrous spend the money on a good converter.

I run a 3800 stall 9.5" FTI on a daily driver.

The S10 converter is the same thing.
Five years back it was available new from GM ( only in the listings as S10 , not Vette ) but have read recent posts that it is only available as a reman these days.

Is the S10 converter you're referring to a 12" (298mm) or 9.5"(245mm)? I ran a vette converter, early type, C48 I think was the designation. It was a 12" 2,300 stall converter with brazed fins and handled my built small block okay. I only replaced it in last year's build because it was full of trash from the clutch meltdown and I wanted to go to a higher stall. I honestly think that the 2,600 stall converter I put in it's place gave less grunt off the line, but maybe that's just me.

I really do like the new 3,500 stall converter better than either the 2,300 or 2,600 stall. I was always worried about street manners with a higher stall speed. I had heard that newer units were tighter at light throttle and didn't have the "driving in neutral" feeling that the old TCIs and such used to have. I am pleased to say that this is true. The 3,500 stall feels almost like a stock unit at 1/4 throttle. You hardly feel it slipping. Only when you step into it does it cut loose and give the 3,500 rpm flash.

I understand that the 245mm(9.5") converter was used in the Monte Carlo SS with the HO 305. That was the 200R4 trans but I guess the converter interchanges between the 200 and 700? The Monte SS unit was also a higher stall converter with brazed fins. Something like 2,300 I think. You may be able to find one of these though a local converter shop for less than a national name brand. Just a thought.

are there any high stall converters that will still lock up?

Yes...

Vigilante Lockup Converter

Most do.
Some manufacturers offer upgraded lockup clutches
The better manufacturers also offer a lock up delete option on their converters.

Much debate on lockup use with HiPo setups
Some recommend lockup removal to prevent what happened to the above poster , others say only use lockup in O/d when no load and it will be fine.
Some say they trap better times locking the convertor from 2nd gear

I bought a 3500 stall with no lockup because fuel economy wasn't a factor with my 383 and the last brand name converter I killed cost me 1K to clean out the trash through the trans

what im thinking is no crawl at idle,higher rpm floored,and no added heat plus still good gas mileage while driving for gas mileage.