Nothing about torque converters is more misunderstood than stall speed. Stall speed is directly related
to the amount of torque your engine produces--the more torque, the higher the stall speed. For example,
a converter with a 2,800 to 3,200 rpm rating might provide approximately 2,800 rpm of stall speed behind
a mild small block V8, but about 5,000 rpm behind a big block making 800-plus ft.-lbs. of torque. If you
don't know your engine's torque rating, you cannot establish the converter's stall speed.

That leads to perhaps the biggest problem people have when buying a converter: stall speed ratings.
While most converter manufacturers list stall speed ranges, those numbers are very, very general
guidelines; true stall speed is impossible to measure due to vehicle variables. The time-honored method
of testing a converter's stall speed--holding the brake and revving the engine while in gear--doesn't
work, primarily because the tires will spin before you reach the converter's stall rpm.

The biggest complaint about converters centers on a stall speed that is too low. The problem is usually a
lack of low-end torque, but there are other variables that can contribute to lower stall speeds, including
the following:

Low vehicle weight
Small displacement engine
Very low compression ratio
Long duration camshafts
Retarded cam timing