i was thinking a torque converter will hurt fuel mileage more than a converter swap especially in city driving. am i wrong? does anyone have a experience with switching from 3.73 to 4.10 gears and how that affects performance and fuel mileage?

 

Get the converter it won't hurt your fuel milage.Your right foot will hurt your milage ,because you won't be able to keep your foot out of it after you install the converter.

 

I'm not really familiar with a torque converter, can someone explain what it does, please. Sorry for my lack of knowledge. I'm just turned 16 just got my truck last month. I have a 99' regular cab sierra 4.8 short bed. I just put 285/50/R20 tires on it and it slowed it way down. I don't go to the drag strip at all, just street race. I don't know what gears come stock on this truck, but I was thinking of putting 4.10's to compensate for the bigger tires. Does anyone have advice? I just want to have good fun tire burning TAKE OFF POWER!! but still be able to drive 80mph without the rpm's getting to high. But in this auto truck does it really hurt your high speed driving if you get lower gears because of the overdrive trans. Any advice will help.

Thanks,
Nick

 

Tipsz,

i'd do the converter, it's cheaper than the gears anyhoo.

nick,

since you went to a bigger tire, i'd do the gears. a stall basically gets you in ur powerband quicker and keeps you there.


Chad

 

How a stall works when driving-Instead of punching it from a red light and the rpms jumping up to 1800 and having to wait for the engine to start getting in its powerband where it really feels like its starting to pull hard a stall(a 3000 stall) when you step on it from a red light it automatically jumps up to 3000 rpm and since you are making alot more power at 3000 then 1800 you have alot better acceleration. Once you get off of it the torque converter locks up at say 40mph(usually the speed tuned for tc lock-up) and your rpms drop to what they used to without the stall. Get the stall it will be alot funner. Screw gears they arent going to help you as much off the line and they will hurt you on the highway. BTW you probably have 3.42 gears in that rcsb. If it doesnt say gt4 or gt5 I believe then you have the 3.42s.

 

I would say the converter unless you have the money for gears. It would be much cheaper and better on the gas guzzling.

 

It will hardly spin the tires right now with 20's and stock gears. If I stay with stock gears and get the convertor will it spin the tires from the start easier. If know alot of people want traction, but I just want to burn rubber!! Thanks.

PS. So your saying when I stop at a light and want to take off I have to rev the engine to 3000 rpms before it will take off, dosen't that get anoying? Thanks for the advice.