What tq converter would you guys recommend for a new SS and still be able to have good street drivability and be better for racing.

 

What do you have done to this truck and what do you plan on doing?

I'd go with something like a 10.5-11.5" diameter to keep looseness down and driveability up, 2800-3200rpm stall, and a 2.15-2.30 STR. That would get you out of your own way pretty quickly. While the trans is down I'd recommend installing a TransGo shift kit and some Superior Prod Billet Intermediate and Overdrive servos also. That will make it shift far cleaner and faster yet still be great for the everyday drive. I have the TransGo + Servos in my truck.

If you stick with bolt ons like mid/full length headers, intake, MAF, ported TB, maybe some roller rockers, underdrive pulley, and a full tune consider going to a slightly higher STR around 2.5-2.75 for more starting light power.

I hope that sheds some light on that for ya,
Eric

 

thank you for the help i was also thinking about a 2600-3000rpm stall.

 

I'd go 3000 or 3200, once you get some stall with that AWD you will want more.

 

so a 3000 stall will not hurt my drivability

 

Driveability decreases as stall increases usually due to the smaller diameter converters...if you stay with a larger diameter you will notice a very slight difference. I drove a vehicle for 1.5 years with a 9.5" converter and a good 2800rpms or so stall and that thing was pretty loose...but I was used to it and then hopping into a vehicle with a tight low stall converter it was totally different, it sucked.

Read this (I wrote this up a while ago about converters):

Converters are the "black holes" and "voodoo" of cars and trucks. They are strange, complicated, and misunderstood.

First, stall is based on input torque. I.e. an anemic, low compression 350 may be able to stall a converter to about 2000 rpm. A hot, higher compression with good heads 350 may be able to get that stall up to 2600 rpm due to making more torque. That is with the same converter. It really depends on your motor.

Stall also is in different forms. There is flash stall, brake stall, and actual stall.

Flash stall is, with no traction problems, the peak RPM or the quick jump of the engine RPM's on with the converter. This isn't the best way to measure stall. Insane amounts of torque can make a 3000rpm stall to 4200rpm+
Brake stall is, holding down your brake and gassing the ride with the other foot. That doesn't work too well either b/c you will generally begin to light up the rear tires.
Actual stall is if you had a line lock on your trans (holds R+D together) so you don't move and your RPM's rise to your stall speed. If you have a 3000rpm stall, that is what your engine should rev to with the line lock on. You would launch off of that.

Softness depends on the stall and size you go with. High stall, small converters are "loose" converters if you will. Larger diameter usually help keep the looseness away and keep the factory towing up. These act more stock with higher stall. The softness is more likely to be with the part-throttle shift than the WOT ones.

Looseness is hard to explain. Like you'd have to give the vehicle a bit more gas to get moving and depending on diameter. Generally your part throttle putting around rpms are about 2000-2200rpm.

Precision Industries recommends a TransGo shift kit (at least they used to, prolly still do) to be installed with the converter. Check out all the car mags like: 5.0 Mustang, CarCraft, Hot Rod, GM HighTech, etc they all install shift kits with the converter install.

A high quality TransGo kit addresses trans problems and corrects them. 3-4 burn up, 2-4 band loss, etc. They boost line pressure but also keep more fluid on the clutch packs, and get rid of the slop shifts.

I recommend at least the Corvette servo but prefer the Superior billet servos. On the passenger side of the trans is the 2-4 band apply servo and the overdrive servo. I think it is silly to not install both of the bigger servos at the same time you install a shift kit as you have to clearance the band. The servos increase holding capacity (the OD billet is 10% greater over stock. Intermidiate billet is 35% more apply over 'Vette servo, so I'd figure about 50% greater than the non-'Vette servo)

Finally, with a high stall converter, install a large transmission cooler. Even if the instructions say it is okay to use the factory cooler/heat exchanger get one. They are cheap insurance. $50 cooler or $2000 transmission?

 

So if I am towing a 23ft boat is a 3000 stall not good for pulling and a 2800 stall better.

Some time I want to get a radix put in my SS.

Will I notice a difference by just putting a 2800 stall in over stock?

I talked to a Guy from Mallet and he said that I will not need more than 2600 to a 2800 stall for an S/C.

I don't know much about stall converters so I am sorry about all the questions.

 

Im very happy with the 3000 Stall in my truck and am glad that i didnt get a lower stall one.

The TT3000 that yank sells says that you still have full towing capacity, that is one of the reasons that i bought it and not an even higher one. Ive got a 21' boat that i have to pull and occasionally a 27' boat, but that wont be any long distance pulling. Id get the 3000. Also i didnt put a bigger cooler in it and its fine. You already have an auxilary cooler anyways. You will be happy with the 3000. When you first put it in, you will think its a little slippery, but when you get on it, you will be over it

its not that bad, i dont even notice it anymore.

also with a radix, you dont really need that high of a stall because they make good low end boost.

No matter which one you go with, youll be glad you got one

 

the TCI 2800 stall i have is flat out awesome for driveability. i drive the truck everday from town to town for college and once you hit OD you won't fell the converter. get a 2800 stall or higher. dropped me down .5 tenths of a second

 

I had a TT3000 in my Z71. I was great for racing, but just a little large for a heavy truck driving around in traffic. I have a TT2600 for my SS. With the larger motor, it should stall about 2800. The thing I really didn't like about the 3000 was when the converter would unlock, the rpms would move to 3000 rpms. So if you gave it more throttle to pass some one and you were in OD, rpms would jump from 1800 to 3000. It sounded like it were downshifting, yet it stayerd in OD. The 2600 should cut that down.

I hope to have mine installed this week. I'll let you know how I like it.