Converter's in...

driller

driller

El Presidente
Staff member
... finally!

Picked the car up today after the R&R of the torque converter. I swapped the stock unit for a PI Stallion 3500 rpm stall speed, triple disc lockup torque converter.

OMG... can you say... slingshot? In Pittsburgh rush hour traffic, the lane to the left opened up unexpectedly while I was stuck behind a semi pokin' along 5 to 10 mph. A quick check in the mirror revealed a fast closing Mercedes and a gap behind him. I hit the turn signal and when the Mercedes cleared I tromped it after another quick mirror check.

The Lincoln literally leaped into the left lane and in about 1-1/2 seconds it was time to get on the brakes to keep from rearending the Mercedes. :eek:

The car is literally evil now. It taunts me to launch it into warp speed at every opportunity. I fear for my license! What have I created? }(
 
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haha! sweet! glad to hear its that much of a differance. Mods suck when you cant feel seat of the pants change huh? Glad to hear it worked out for you on this. Hows it backing out on driveways in AM? i went with a 3000-3200 because i thought 3500 and 3800 would be too high. I'll see if i like it, i can always change it out later and sell the 3200. How is it crusing with the 4:10's and the TC on highway when its locked up? RPM/ V.S MPH?
 
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It is sweet indeed. :)

I do not see much difference as far as street manners at all. Yes, you could say it requires slightly more throttle to move along from a stop, more noticeable on a grade, but nothing that I would even begin to complain about. I have a wee bit of a ramp up to the garage at the stoop of the doorway, and if I stop with the wheels at the base of the rise, it takes a bit of throttle more than before but really not that noticeable.

What is noticeable is the tach jumping right up into the power band and the very definite increase in acceleration. }( Cruising down the highway with the 4.10s at 75 mph looks to be about 2600-2700 on the tach. The TC behaves extremely well as far as lockup, very predictable, very nice to click off the OD when needed in traffic. Cruising around the neighborhood last night with the windows down to detect any unknown noises only gave me a better appreciation for the exhaust... especially when I would mash the throttle to 'test' the torque converter. :7
 
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Now get it to the track and come back with a 13s pass !!!
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Yeah baby!!! :D
 
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How much did that torque converter cost?
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I bought it used from Joe(PonyFreak). I was quoted a PI Stallion from Baumann at $785 but I don't remember if it was a triple-disc lockup. I was also quoted one from Edge for $565.
 
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I'll see if i like it, i can always change it out later and sell the 3200.
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May not need to swap it. You might be able to have the converter adjusted for a couple hundred bucks.
 
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I checked out all your mods...

Why did you wait so long to get the converter? It is one of the best 1/4 mile time reducers out there.
 
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That PI tripple disk is a good convertor. I told you would be happy with the 3500. You would have never known what you were missing if you would have not trusted me and gone with a 3200... 4000 is even better... :O)

You should average in the high 13's now.
 
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A converter is one of the best mods you can do to this car, that and gears just make it a whole different animal. Now it's time for headers!
 
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I had more time behind the wheel this evening, and have noticed a couple things.

First off, the shifts seem a little less harsh than they were prior to the converter. I remember someone saying that would be the case. This is without a chip as well as I'm getting it reburned, but I could tell the before and after shift firmness.

Second, I can't figure out how to keep my LOD teddy bear sitting upright in the back window. LOL! :7

Seriously, I've seem to have developed an intermittent surge, like something's up with the TPS? Happens at lo throttle seemingly right after an upshift. Not always, but I can almost predict when or almost make it happen. If I let off all the way or mash the gas it stops surging. I think it's just the car wanting me to run the crap out of it. }(
 
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my car surges like that too sometimes. it feals like the trans is in to high of a gear. when i goose it to make it down shift it stops. that is one thing i dont like about the car is that it does not hold the gear long enuff in traffic at low speeds, like the car will be in 4th gear at like 30mph if im taking it easy in town and i hate that because it makes the car feal laggy
 
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Get to the TRACK, I want times !!! :)


Jon Ike
95 MKVIII[font color="#CC0000"]
MIDWEST CHAPTER [/font]
 
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my car surges like that too sometimes. it feals like the trans is in to high of a gear. when i goose it to make it down shift it stops. that is one thing i dont like about the car is that it does not hold the gear long enuff in traffic at low speeds, like the car will be in 4th gear at like 30mph if im taking it easy in town and i hate that because it makes the car feal laggy
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Are you stock?

I have 4.10s and just installed the 3500 stall converter when I noticed this. And I think I have it figured out. After talking to some gearheads this weekend, it was suggested it was the high-stall converter locking/unlocking.

To test that theory, I figured if I barely touched the brakes, forcing the converter to unlock via the BOO switch - it should stop surging. It works. The rpms kick up almost like a downshift and the surge is gone. It was suggested to get the chip programmed to fix it or learn to drive it. ;)

Yeah, a track date is past due. }(
 
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[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]
[div class="dcquote"][strong]Quote[/strong]my car surges like that too sometimes. it feals like the trans is in to high of a gear. when i goose it to make it down shift it stops. that is one thing i dont like about the car is that it does not hold the gear long enuff in traffic at low speeds, like the car will be in 4th gear at like 30mph if im taking it easy in town and i hate that because it makes the car feal laggy[/div]Are you stock? I have 4.10s and just installed the 3500 stall converter when I noticed this. And I think I have it figured out. After talking to some gearheads this weekend, it was suggested it was the high-stall converter locking/unlocking.To test that theory, I figured if I barely touched the brakes, forcing the converter to unlock via the BOO switch - it should stop surging. It works. The rpms kick up almost like a downshift and the surge is gone. It was suggested to get the chip programmed to fix it or learn to drive it. ;) Yeah, a track date is past due. }(
[/div]

Lonnie at Blue Oval Chips did an excellent job programing mine. I would recommend him.
 
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This is also the case with my newly rebuilt tranny, I will turn a corner and bam...its in 3rd gear and locked up, same thing, tap the brake pedal and it releases. I thought the transmission was built wrong but I think its just the "granny" comming out of the car, it can't make up its mind if it wants to be fast or slow. My 95 is all stock and I was looking at getting a high stall t/c, what do you guys recommend? I'm having the trans. taken back out cuz its slipping in the morning and I want to put a new t/c in it, and also want to put gears in the rear in the near future. Anyone have any good combos?? 4:10's and 3500 stall?
 
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It's all in the tune.

All i can say is, with a converter and gears, find someone who will work with you and get it right. That means someone who will dyno tune it... you don't want to be mailing a chip back 10 times to get it straight. In this area, i can definitely recommend Lidio at Alternative. He took a dozen test drives before he was done, and it was pretty close to just right when i got it back.

I still have more than one tune, though. In normal around town driving, i use a tune where my converter won't lock up until i'm in OD at 55 or so. Other times, if i'm in a 40 or 45 zone at a steady cruise for a while, i switch to a tune that will allow the converter to lock at slower speeds. It may sound like a lot of switching, but i might touch the switch twice a week with normal driving.
 
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...In normal around town driving, i use a tune where my converter won't lock up until i'm in OD at 55 or so. [/div]

Sounds like what's gonna happen here with mine.

I'll eventually get a dynotune, but right now I'm going with a switch chip from Lonnie @ Blue Oval Chips. According to him, the SCT 4-bank chip can later be flashed at a dynotune.
 
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