I am using an aluminum 2 speed PowerGlide in my '26 Model T Coupester build. I am ***uming the torque converter on it is not good, and I will have the trans checked over before I use it... It will be used with a sbc 283 with a mild cam. My question is what is the best suggestion for a new torque converter...and should I consider a stall converter ? This will be another one of my budget drivers, nothing more, but as long as I am replacing it I thought I would ask... Thanks much for any info. Cheers, Bob
Why would you ***ume the torque convertor is bad? If you are running that 283 with a 2 barrel carb, you're better off with the stock torque convertor...my .02 cents
Appreciate the comment... I am not sure the torque converter is bad, but don't know how to check it, and if there was to be any benefit to changing to a mild stall converter thought I would ask now, instead of maybe changing it later.... As far as the engine, it will have a four barrel, or two two barrels (it I can find one) on it...
Aluminum Powerglides are notorious for "varnishing up", and then the valving gets sticky. Just look at the fluid; if it's at all leaning towards a brown color, it's burned/varnished. Easy and cheap to rebuild one, so you should at least do that. As far as a converter goes, if this is a budget build, then I'd use a Vega Powerglide converter; it'll have a little more stall than what you probably have now, and can be bought for $100.00/exchange. 283 with a two barrel carb, then the trans is a 1.82 first gear unit. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I have in my car the 63 vintage Power Glide with the 327/300 hp 4 barrel & its Great it came out of my 63 Impala SS that was totalled many Moons ago just my 3 cents
If in question, there is a guy I use in Walton Hills Ohio called Perfect converter co. He can open yours up, clean it up and even adj stall. It may be cheaper then going new. There may be a guy near you as well. I am not a TCI fan or B&M either. I am not a big fan of Vega converters. They tend to break under tq. at least that is my experience. Alot of us pushin big number use 10 inch converters. They are very reliable. My .02
2000 ish convertors work really nice in a light hot rod with mild cam...that being said....i loved my old vega glide convertor in my 6 cyl chevy II.....
you won't break the stock converter with a 283...they either work or they don't...I say to put it in and see what it does...you might be pleasantly surprised that it's just fine...they were pretty durable behind a stock engine....save a few $$$ and just use it as is....it's a gamble but it's not hard to fix either.
I like a looser converter in a light car, it makes them a little less hurky jerky when you are driving in town. But I would not go crazy with it. Someone suggested the vega cinverter and it is probably a good choice, it will only raise your stall by a couple of hundred RPMs but will give you a little cushion in the light coupster. I would not drop a lot of coin on an after market converter unless I was going racing.
If you don't want the Vega converter, look for one from a 6 cyl. car. I ran one in my first 55 between a warmed up 327 and 65 vintage PG. The V8s ran a 12 inch converter and the 6s ran an 11 inch. I worked for TCI many moons ago and one of the guys gave me that tip. I was also allowed to search through the "stacks" and get a good 11 incher. When I rebuilt the PG I got a rebuilt kit w/HD clutches and a shift kit at employee price too. About the only checks on a torque converter is: Set the converter flat on a bench with the hub up. Looking down inside, you'll see two sets of splined hubs. The smaller, bottom one is the turbine The larger one about midways is the stator The stator has an ***embly inside that allows rotation of the spline one way and a positive lock rotating the other way. If I remember right, it should "slip" turning the splined hub clockwise and "hold" turning it counter clockwise. Reach down in with a long set of snap ring pliers (what we used anyway) and grab the stator spline. Give it a flip of the wrist in the counter clockwise direction (it should spin the whole stator) stop and hold it. You should feel the stator spin a little on the hub. It won't spin, probably more than a half turn, if that. If not, if it either slips both ways or is locked both ways, it's rebuild or replace time. If that checks good, reach down inside the turbine hub and grab. Make sure it turns easily. Try to pull it up and down to check clearance. There should be maybe 1/8 inch for a good one, a little more for a high mile one. If it clunks around and feels really sloppy, replace or rebuild. Hope this helps.
The Jalopy Journal
