Converters..........

J

junkman306

Registered
What converters does everyone run? I've noticed that 3200 is a popular stall, but what's your brand preference? How much does it affect gas mileage?
 
www.blueovalchips.com (Lonnie) has various converters for every level of driver. From solid stock rebuilds, to any stall any power rating you want. And they last forever because he uses cutting edge materials. Lonnie can further advise you depending on what you are looking for. ~3000 stall is a good compromise between everyday driving and great performance. And they don't affect mileage significantly. Reason being that while you lose mileage accelerating around town, you actually gain mileage (efficiency) when at red lights. The engine doesn't have to work as hard to maintain idle.

You'll want a limited slip if you get a converter.
 
logres said:
www.blueovalchips.com (Lonnie) has various converters for every level of driver. From solid stock rebuilds, to any stall any power rating you want. And they last forever because he uses cutting edge materials. Lonnie can further advise you depending on what you are looking for. ~3000 stall is a good compromise between everyday driving and great performance. And they don't affect mileage significantly. Reason being that while you lose mileage accelerating around town, you actually gain mileage (efficiency) when at red lights. The engine doesn't have to work as hard to maintain idle.

You'll want a limited slip if you get a converter.
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Thanks!. That's good info. My car is definitely a daily driver so somewhere around 3,000 would probably be good.
 
Lol, convertors aren't cheap, and not only that you still have labor to take into consideration. Check out my cardomain for videos on the vehicle characteristics of a convertor.
 
97blklsc said:
Wayne,

Could you remind me what you're running in your car, and how you like it?
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Converter-wise, I've got Lonnie's (then) prototype carbon fiber converter. He now sells them for ~900$ I think. It requires a huge tranny cooler. It's about half the size of the radiator and barely fits.

Lonnie and I are trying to get JP to put one in his car so he can get into the 12's. That's how good it is.

When I had it on the dyno, the guys could have sworn it shifted gears when in fact the tc locked up.

I like it because of the extra 10hp to the wheels and the fact that it will never wear out.
 
I have a Precision Industries single disc 3600 stall converter. It is holding up very well for the past year with 400 rwhp, and 7150 rpm WOT shifts. In the next few weeks, there will be even more power going through it when the new motor is installed. Hope it holds together... :)

http://www.converter.com/stallion.htm
 
mlschultz said:
I have a Precision Industries single disc 3600 stall converter. It is holding up very well for the past year with 400 rwhp, and 7150 rpm WOT shifts. In the next few weeks, there will be even more power going through it when the new motor is installed. Hope it holds together... :)

http://www.converter.com/stallion.htm
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I know Lonnie won't openly brag about it, but his converter is better than the PI's. Lonnie is the only one using carbon fiber lock-up discs right now.
 
I'm probably in the minority, but I have a stock Maruader TC that sees full lock up at about 1850 RPM, but I am still happy with it. 535RWHP 478RWTQ. 3:73 Gears Currently getting 20 MPG highway on 94 Octane.
 
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That is good to know, Wayne. Is that your opinion, or are there some actual studies, or back to back lab comparison's for everyone to look at that makes one converter superior to another? Thanks. :)
 
Roadboss said:
I'm probably in the minority, but I have a stock Maruader TC that sees full lock up at about 1850 RPM, but I am still happy with it. 535RWHP 478RWTQ. 3:73 Gears Currently getting 20 MPG highway on 94 Octane.
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I'm putting down about 100 less hp than you but I also have the ford TQ and 3.73's. Seems to be doing just fine. I have averaged as high as 23 on a highway trip. I average 16-18 on a regular basis. With all the torque my car has down low I don't see the need for a high stall...
 
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Roadboss said:
I'm probably in the minority, but I have a stock Maruader TC that sees full lock up at about 1850 RPM, but I am still happy with it. 535RWHP 478RWTQ. 3:73 Gears Currently getting 20 MPG highway on 94 Octane.
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Loniie had told me that there is no TC out there that locks up fully besides his. Lock up TCs only lock up to a certain extent via the computer. Apparently, someone programmed their PI TC to lock up fully and burnt it up after less than a year.
 
mlschultz said:
That is good to know, Wayne. Is that your opinion, or are there some actual studies, or back to back lab comparison's for everyone to look at that makes one converter superior to another? Thanks. :)
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I've got 240 rwhp on a stock engine (dyno run). Just Lonnie's tranny and TC in there.

The reason that Lonnie's TC is fully capable of locking up without burning up is because of the different materials he is using. Hopefully he'll chime in and give better details.

http://www.blueovalchips.com/index.php?action=item&id=82&prevaction=category&previd=14&prevstart=0

"...This torque converter has the strongest lockup piston available on the market. WOT lockup can now be had without failure. Lower 60 foot times and improve overall quarter mile ETs. Fully Tested, these converters have been tested in race conditions with 600 ft/lb rwtq vehicles and withstood wide open throttle lockups..."

I've had 4 different brands of TCs in my car. The stock TC was burned up when I bought the car at 75K miles. It was getting +/- 5hp on consecutive dyno runs. Even the dyno guy thought that TC wasn't doing well.

I've personally burnt up Art Carr's top tier converter; it literally seized up. It stalled the engine when I was getting off the freeway. Not fun. When that TC was "locked up", mild changes in throttle at speed caused tach movement - a sure sign that the TC isn't truly locking up. Art Carr told me that the TC was a special "continuously variable" unit. Yeah...right.

I've also had a PI converter; better than stock and Art Carr, but doesn't hold a candle to Lonnie's. Mild throttle changes saw the tach move on that one also; which again, means the TC is not completely locking up.

The tach doesn't move around with Lonnie's. Feels like a manual clutch in there.
 
junkman306 said:
What converters does everyone run? I've noticed that 3200 is a popular stall, but what's your brand preference? How much does it affect gas mileage?
Click to expand...

I would go with 3500 stall for stock mark VIII. With some good quality converter the driveability should be good for everyday driving.

I have 3200 Art Carr in my car and it doesn't lock up anymore. I will go with different converter this summer but I don't know what brand to use(lonnie,dirty dog,PI triple disc)
 
Umm....about 2 years ago, or maybe 3. Man, that thing is old and its still holding strong. Its a 4" thick disk too....I believe the "kit" everyone is using is a Sonix or Sonics.
 
J said:
...I believe the "kit" everyone is using is a Sonix or Sonics.
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Sonnax.

I bought my 3800 stall converter last year from Lonnie before he went with a different vendor. Mine was built and installed by DirtyDog Performance, same as the new tranny. Since we found the issue with the tranny not letting the lockup work, the converter is doing fine. Hopefully soon we will get some track time on the new combo.

I still have plans on putting the triple-disc PI 3500 stall converter in the '96. The PI survived many track runs and I expect it to do well in the future.
 
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