Torque Converter?
03-21-2007, 12:18 AM
#11
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 718
RE: Torque Converter?
ORIGINAL: MexGT
I'm still waiting in someone to answer this too ! lol
ORIGINAL: tonkpils555666sas
does upgrading the torque converter on an automatic add horsepower?
No, the engine makes HP not the tranny. If you had asked does the tranny put down the HP better then the answer would have been yes.
how does it change the launch?
The car will rev higher on launch and lock quicker. Like reving a manual and popping the clutch
will the car start to pick up more hp at a lower RPM...?
Your car will NOT make more HP. However it will react to the power you are making quicker. Once the converter locks up it doesn't matter what the stall rating is, it will act the same. This is controlled through the computer. I have changed my lock-up schedules on my stock converter and it performs simillar to a higher stall (looser) converter without having to change it out.
how does it work with an auto compared to a manual seeing that you can rev up then launch in a manual... where as in an automatic you have to drop the gear... which im not about to do .. haha
You will be able to stage at a higher RPM for launch. Understand that a T-converter is nothing more than a viscous coupling. The more load or power you put to it the less it slips and the quicker and harder your launch is. As you add power to your car the theoretical stall changes. An advertised very loose converter will not seem as loose behind a higher horsepower car like one that is S/C or pushing NOS. A converter, by design allows slipage. The higher stall rate helps to eliminate this slipage by increasing the lockup RPM so the motor doesn't bog, but you better have the power to make it effective. This is the real beauty of the auto. It allows slipage so that if you know what you are doing you can easily dial in a launch that puts max power to the ground. Standard guys have to feather the clutch.
does upgrading the torque converter on an automatic add horsepower?
No, the engine makes HP not the tranny. If you had asked does the tranny put down the HP better then the answer would have been yes.
how does it change the launch?
The car will rev higher on launch and lock quicker. Like reving a manual and popping the clutch
will the car start to pick up more hp at a lower RPM...?
Your car will NOT make more HP. However it will react to the power you are making quicker. Once the converter locks up it doesn't matter what the stall rating is, it will act the same. This is controlled through the computer. I have changed my lock-up schedules on my stock converter and it performs simillar to a higher stall (looser) converter without having to change it out.
how does it work with an auto compared to a manual seeing that you can rev up then launch in a manual... where as in an automatic you have to drop the gear... which im not about to do .. haha
You will be able to stage at a higher RPM for launch. Understand that a T-converter is nothing more than a viscous coupling. The more load or power you put to it the less it slips and the quicker and harder your launch is. As you add power to your car the theoretical stall changes. An advertised very loose converter will not seem as loose behind a higher horsepower car like one that is S/C or pushing NOS. A converter, by design allows slipage. The higher stall rate helps to eliminate this slipage by increasing the lockup RPM so the motor doesn't bog, but you better have the power to make it effective. This is the real beauty of the auto. It allows slipage so that if you know what you are doing you can easily dial in a launch that puts max power to the ground. Standard guys have to feather the clutch.
03-21-2007, 12:47 AM
#12
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,726
RE: Torque Converter?
Torque converter is a fluid driven coupling used to connect the engine to the transmission.
If you put in an aftermarket TC, you can purchase one that:
a) Has a highter RPM which it stalls to. This is the point where the car begins to move.
b) Is stronger than the stock piece which does not hold up well to forced induction.
You have to remove the transmission to install a converter. It bolts to the flexplate (flyweheel) on your engine. So you pull the tranny, fill the TC with fluid, insert in tranny and then re-install the tranny. Not a job for an amateur.
There are three makers for the S197I know of:
TCI
PI
Level 10
While Iheard ofa few people have hadfailures with TCI converters, the Precision Industries one is very well made and so is the Level 10 billet converter.
If you put in an aftermarket TC, you can purchase one that:
a) Has a highter RPM which it stalls to. This is the point where the car begins to move.
b) Is stronger than the stock piece which does not hold up well to forced induction.
You have to remove the transmission to install a converter. It bolts to the flexplate (flyweheel) on your engine. So you pull the tranny, fill the TC with fluid, insert in tranny and then re-install the tranny. Not a job for an amateur.
There are three makers for the S197I know of:
TCI
PI
Level 10
While Iheard ofa few people have hadfailures with TCI converters, the Precision Industries one is very well made and so is the Level 10 billet converter.
03-21-2007, 01:07 AM
#13
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,189
RE: Torque Converter?
with an aftermarket converter you may actuall see a decrease in hp on the dyno. it doesn't really take away power but with the increased stall there is more slippage at certain rpms so it doesn't turn the rollers on a chassis dyno the same as before.
most companies can custom tailor a converter to suit whatever need you have or whatever power & rpmrange your engine will operate in. also with the aftermarket converters they use special fin angles to increase the torque multiplication effect from the converter.
for an auto car the key to performance is in the converter. i've been racing since i was 14 and have run many different cars and classes from top dragster to super comp and super gas and all have had auto trans in them with custom converters. some as high as 7400rpm stall speed for certain engine combos and gearing. i've swapped converters from one brand to another and gained almost 1/2 second just because the converter was built properly for my combo.
it's reall important to talk to the techs at PI or TCI an tell them what you plan on doing and what mods you have so they can get you the correct unit. i've dealt with both companies many times and they are equally helpful. i just wish ATI would build one for our cars. they are "the" best drag race torque converters made.
if you have never installed one then don't try it on this car. mistakes can get costly.
daily driving is not really affected since they retain the lock-up functionso no worries there.
i would also recommend when doing a converter swap to change the trans pan to the new Performance Automatic aluminum deep pan with a dipstick. it will allow you to do regular service and check fluid levels without all the crazy crap you normally have to do with these cars. it also holds 4 extra qts' of fluid which stabilizes the trans fluid temps ensuring consistancy and longevity. i have one and my trans temps never vary more than 20degrees up or down even while racing.
hope all this helps.
most companies can custom tailor a converter to suit whatever need you have or whatever power & rpmrange your engine will operate in. also with the aftermarket converters they use special fin angles to increase the torque multiplication effect from the converter.
for an auto car the key to performance is in the converter. i've been racing since i was 14 and have run many different cars and classes from top dragster to super comp and super gas and all have had auto trans in them with custom converters. some as high as 7400rpm stall speed for certain engine combos and gearing. i've swapped converters from one brand to another and gained almost 1/2 second just because the converter was built properly for my combo.
it's reall important to talk to the techs at PI or TCI an tell them what you plan on doing and what mods you have so they can get you the correct unit. i've dealt with both companies many times and they are equally helpful. i just wish ATI would build one for our cars. they are "the" best drag race torque converters made.
if you have never installed one then don't try it on this car. mistakes can get costly.
daily driving is not really affected since they retain the lock-up functionso no worries there.
i would also recommend when doing a converter swap to change the trans pan to the new Performance Automatic aluminum deep pan with a dipstick. it will allow you to do regular service and check fluid levels without all the crazy crap you normally have to do with these cars. it also holds 4 extra qts' of fluid which stabilizes the trans fluid temps ensuring consistancy and longevity. i have one and my trans temps never vary more than 20degrees up or down even while racing.
hope all this helps.
03-21-2007, 12:14 PM
#14
4th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Frederick, MD
Posts: 1,005
RE: Torque Converter?
thanks a lot guys... good advice and information. i was recently introduced to the idea of the aftermarket torque converter when i looked more heavily into supercharging my mustang. helped me alot!
-Thanks
-Thanks
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