Im getting ready to put a SBC in my Malibu wagon and I was wondering if I need a stall for the transmission and what size .Im running a th350. Cam Specs: Intake Lift @ Valve .465 Adv. Duration 290 Exhaust Lift @ Valve .488 Adv Duration 300 RPM band is 1800-6500 .050 Duration is 224/.234 Thanks Dane
the camshaft manufacturer would be the one to answer that on the paperwork, however just a ruff guess, on the rpm range,I'd say yeah.
All converters have a stall speed. That's the speed where the engine is braked down and cannot raise RPM even at full throttle with the trans in gear and the brakes locked. To increase the stall speed, converter rebuilders either machine the vanes back a little or install a smaller-diameter converter housing. That allows the engine to accelerate to its best torque band for a good launch before it's stalled down by the converter. With the cam you've listed, I'd reccomend a converter with a "flash stall" speed of 2,000 to 2,200 RPM. That's the speed the engine will achieve when the brakes are locked down and the throttle is nailed to the floor quickly. When I hear someone refer to a converter as a "stall" with no RPM number attached, It's obvious he doesn't know his **** from third base about converters! Jerry
Thanks ,Jerry. You saved me alot of typing. I started a thread awhile back, highlighting this kind of dis-information. It was shut down after 20 posts. None of the moderators could tell me why. I thought we were ALL hear to learn. Anyway, to further confuse the issue of converters, the stator design also contributes to the stall speed and torque multiplication characteristics of the unit. When a 12 -13 inch converter has the stator cut, it does raise the stall speed, but it also takes away the multiplication. This is exactly what you don't want. You are better off with a tight 9 or 10 inch converter with a factory engineered stator design, than a hacked up Saturday night special "heater". Of course it costs more to do it right the first time. This is especially true with torque converters, but well worth it in the end. ...And hey y'all. Don't feel bad about not understanding converters. There are plenty of 30 year veteran racers that don't understand them either. All they ask me is how much ?, and when can I have it?
Hey One thing to consider in your converter pick is what are you going to use the car for? Go with a higher stall for drag racing, and less for street / strip. Also, if you are not just racing, you might want to consider one step less stall then what most people recommend. That way the car is not always stalling up, and you will get better gas mileage. You might have to put the car in neutral so it does not pulse forward at stoplights, but it is all a tradeoff. Just depends on what you want. Also, the heavier a car is, the higher it will flash ( rev up ) under acceleration with the same converter in a lighter car. Also, a big block ( high torque ) with the same horsepower as a small block ( less torque ) will flash higher then the small block. Have Fun Hope that was helpful Wil www.sakowskimotors.com
Stalls vary also by a tight and loose stall. You can have a loose 3,000 stall or a tight 3,000 stall. Continental make great tight 3,000 stalls. They dont feel any different that a regualr stall until you nail it. But get ready to pay big bucks. If you want to utilize the power of this cam, a 3,000 is a good one. I run a basic Pontiac 400 with non ported heads and stock valves and am doing mid 12s in the 1/4 on pump gas but also keep in mind that your 350 wont stall like my 400, it will be less. Also gearing will play a factor. 3:73s are good with this cam. Compression is also another factor. If you dont have at least close to 10-1 its probably too big. Lots of things to consider as everything works together. I also hit my engine with nitrous and with a very poor mix, I did a 11.7 @ 114 bouncing off the rev limiter from the 1000 ft mark. This is also in a 3800 lb car. You need to give us weight, gears, compression, carb and intake specs. Also I am running a Hughes 3,000 stall.
2000 to 2500 stall rating would be good. I like the TCI Saturday Night Special. Any higher and you give up streetability. That cam is a bit small to be getting so aggressive with.
Maybe this is why it got closed down! Im just asked a simple questions that I know nothing about! and I figured the people on here would know. Thats what makes this place stand out over others is the knowledge and the way people help each other but you get some FNG in here thats not been any part of this and thinks he is Einstein and has to be a ****!
Its got 10.5 to 1 compression, Eldelbrock 650 carb on top of a Edelbrock XPS intake. 1.85 intale 2.02 exhaust Manley valves. Its bored .030 over. Not sure on the gears Im guessing 2.41s. I have another rear end with out of a v8 El Camino I might swap. I drove with this engine in a 58 GMC short bed with 4.10s all throw high school With what ever converter was in it. I just dont know if it needs a stall or not I have never been in a car with a stall so I dont know how to tell if it needs on or not.
I always reccomend Dacco Converters to our customers. It sounds to me that you should probably go with 2-2500 stall. If you call Dacco they can take your information on cam, differential, weight, etc. then tell you what would be the ideal stall speed for your application. Whatever brand you decide to go make sure that your converter is furnace brazed and all torrington bearings. Good Luck!
my 355 is similar to that and a 2500 was recomended along with at least 3.55 gears. thats what i had untill i swapped my trans last time, then i installed a 3000 in place of the 2500, just cuz i got it cheep. no big diff between the two, the 3000 just feel a llil sloppier when you g*** it a bit. just a bit of insight
Stock converters these days are like <2000 rpm stall speeds. If you go 2500, that would be for a street car that also hopefully gets decent gas mileage. I would not go lower than an 1800 stall. For racing I'd go 3500 or more. I've run as high as a 5500 stall though that one was unstreetable IMO.
i got ahold of hughes down in phoenix to build me a stall for my DD 99 ford lightning. They took all my specs and built it solely for my truck, i ended up witha 2800 lockup, i couldnt be happier, and i also no nothing about the stalls and evil transmissions. But give em a call they are super helpful and their product definantly works.
you should go with a 2-2500 stall - your cam is allowing your engine to make power from 1800 so this should be more than up to the job especially given its a daily driver. if you go up to a 3000/3500 stall all you are going to have to do is rev the engine to get the car driving and for a daily driver there is no point - been there done it got the T shirt.
Skimming through the thread, I don't see anyone mention vehicle weight yet. You need to have a torque converter sized to it's specific application. A converter made to stall at 2200 rpm in a 3000 lb car will act differently in a 4500 lb car. Restalling a converter is a pretty cheap thing ($160 in my case) and it's cheap insurance if you're using a used part. If the last ****** let go, there's a good chance **** got blown in to the TC and it'll take out a new transmission if not opened up and cleaned out. (and it HAS to be opened up, it can't really be flushed) My solution for a daily driven car is to get a 9-11 hybrid converter. You can make a 10-12 inch converter stall by making it _inefficient_ that builds heat in the fluid and makes it handle like **** around town. Likewise, you can make a 9" converter work efficiently, but the lockup clutch doesn't have adequate clamping force to hold against a high torque application. Solution: Mount a 9" housing to an 11" Lockup. You get low slip for good around town behavior, and you get a big enough lock-up to have it live. I'm VERY happy with my TCS unit: http://www.tcsperformance.com/
Hughes and Continental are both grand names in convertors. You most likely don't need either of them unless you're racing. You really want a bit more gear based on what you posted about the combination. Something in the mid to low "3s" will do you good. You could also try a stock V6 convertor that fits your trans. Might give ya just what's needed, a bit more "flash" for the fun stuff but still tight enuff to do no harm. Back in the day Vega convertors were the cheap way to high stall in Saturday Nite Specials but when they blew they took most of the trans and a few main bearings as a "let that be a lesson to ya". I ran a Continental 5500 with front and rear anti ballooning plates in a bracket racer with a trans break. Big fun. Big $$$$ too but never hurt it.
High stall speed converters generate more heat because they're always slipping a little. Something to consider for anything getting lots of street and highway miles.
Oh, and heed the advice I didn't. Get a ****** cooler and temp gauge in there. Pronto. If you have 'em, you'll know when to avoid transmission damage. If you don't...whelp, how many spare transmissions ya got?
PP, You are talking about a completely different thread that was shut down. One of the posts explained the fact that there's no such thing as a "stall converter". It basically spelled out what Hotrod Lincoln said in this thread, but in a more polite way. It seems to me that you didn't read it all the way through. You are still referring to "stall converters". Seeing we're all here to learn,...one more time ,for the sake of this discussion: ALL CONVERTERS HAVE A RATED STALL SPEED, whether they are factory originals , or modified hi-po units. What you want is a HIGH stall , or high performance converter, or even a 2500 stall.......converter. Factory stall speeds vary from about 13-1400 in big V8 applications to 27-2800 in some FWD 4 cyl. cars. This would be the maximum rpm that can be attained with the drivetrain completely locked down and the engine at max throttle, in it's current state of tune. This rpm is not to be confused with the engine speed where the brakes can no longer keep the wheels from turning. Now, with that established, in your situation: I would get rid of that cam if you plan on running a 2.41 gear. On the other hand, if you're looking to have a cool sounding and snappy driver, you would want a rear end ratio in the 3.42 -3.73 range and a converter with atleast a 2400 stall .....speed, as stated by several in this thread. But remember, you're better off to spend the money for a quality product the first time. Oh and never put a used converter onto a new transmission, unless it is something you ,personally have used and know the history of. ...Auxillary trans coolers?: ...Don't leave home without one.
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