How Do They Work?

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GO DART

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hey could somebody tell me how a stall converter works? i know its an elementry question but i'd like to know. at the strip i hold the brake til approx 1500 rpm then let her go. if i don't then it takes a bit to get to rpm so i think its quicker even though i'm spinning tires. how do they affect driving on the street? thanks
 
Here it is, in a nutshell, it allows more slippage(in conv.) so you can get the rpms closer to your power band,thus putting your eng at that sweet spot in the power band. so the street tires that you are running would probly really go up in smoke out of the hole. Expamle i have a INDY 415 and i was running a 3800 conv. i could hold it at about 3500 with out the car wanting to push the front wheels, I now have a 5200 conv. now i can hold it at about 4800---thats were my combo starts to make power. Stall conv. make a lot of heat you will need a good trans cooler. Also the stall speed depends on the wieght of car, the engine tq., cam. and gears in the rear. There is a lot of other things to. Do you have a large cam? what else? do you race alot? you can go to the site for TCI conv. a they have a more indepth page on the matter. like i said this is ina nut shell, I have probly opened a can of worms, but this topic verys with every differrent combo of cars. again im not a eninee just have had some different conv. in my car. Any one else????
 
the answer to "how" lies in the blade angles inside the converter. as you may/should know, a TC is just a turbine/impeller assembly. by changing the angles on the blades on the turbine or impeller, you can change the forces on the fluid inside, changing the slippage characteristics.

that is proabably not all there is to it, but i think that is a good way to look at it.

i don't know if the stator is changed to alter the TC characteristics.....
 
so i'm guessing even a stock converter has some "stall" built into it? i did add a cooler to the trans at rebuild. the only thing the mech told me was that bringing up the revs and holding the brake really heats up the converter so i try to keep it short. i know what hes saying by trying to grt closer to the power band. anybody else?
 
yes....all TCs have SOME stall

and the mechanic is right....holding the car on a rev will heat up the fluid....

that's why it's better to put the car in neutral or park at idle, unless it's not feasible....in N or P, you turn some of the energy into rotation inside the tranny...the input turns, but not the output
but in gear at a stop, the energy has to be converted to something....that something is heat....the more energy (gas pedal) you put to it without allowing it to move, the more heat it produces
 
thats great imformation, thanks. i only drag at the strip ocassionly (only once so far) but arn't i still better off to bring up the rpms under brake, just keeping it as short as possible? will short stalls damage the converter in a short amt of time or can i get away with this for a while? trans just rebuilt w/ rebuilt stock converter, shift kit, pretty stout cam, 4:10 sure grip rear end, headers, and a 750 dbl pumper on a high rise intake. oh its a 340 thanks
 
dont know if iam doing right but when racing i always give some trothle while waiting for green light but i dont hold my throtle open much i have a 10"converter stalling ca 2800rpms and i wait at the starting line att ca 13-1400rpms then let of the brake at the same time as i floor the loud pedal but this is with a much looser 10" converter.. wouldnt stand still longer than neaded with both power and brake on it i know its true that it builds lots of heat try and feel your cooler lines after some driving and you will see that they get warm by just driving..
 
GO DART, Get a tci super street fighter conv. After you do this it will be a whole differrent car. Besides, with a big cam the car will be a lot easier to drive around town. As for the holding the brake and hurting tranz, you would have to hold it at shall speed(thats what rpm its at when holding brakes) I wouldn't hold more than 10 seconds.
 
thanks plum thats one very nice duster. wish i'd thought about the converter
before rebuild i'm feeling kinda locked in to what i have. maybe this winter, and if business holds up i can have the tc changed. sounds like another tranny drop and with headers it will probably kill my transmission man. he's only about 70.
 
:) 70 year old tranny mech... thats cool!

and I have the poor old stock 318 converter still behind my 340.... :( Iam looking for the right converter. But by the prices here (double yours!) theres no room for mistakes.

If somebody could help me a bit I'll post my combo and I have one prob less.
 
Buschi340 said:
:) 70 year old tranny mech... thats cool!

and I have the poor old stock 318 converter still behind my 340.... :( Iam looking for the right converter. But by the prices here (double yours!) theres no room for mistakes.

If somebody could help me a bit I'll post my combo and I have one prob less.
Click to expand...

since you live in europe a think you should get in contact with danielsons here in stockholm,sweden he will get it rigth the first time he builds your converter after your needs dont know if he can send it to you in germany but it cant be imposible.. he is not cheap but he makes supernice converters!
 
thanks for Info... but custom made conv. is a bit too expensive for me and my budget yet...:(
Otherwise expensive stuff I can get from Moparshop.de and other shops in GE....

For me is it importend first to know what I need or whats best for my needs and than look for a nice shop (or a used one in pefect shape).
 
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