Streetable Torque Converter?

[V6Maniac]

Before I purchase a torque converter this january I will have the following things installed:

Trans-Go Shift Kit
B&M Transmission Cooler
Corvette Servo
Zexel Torsen LSD
*Probably will switch to 3.42's first

With these mods what would be a good streetable torque converter for my 96 camaro?

Also, does a torque converter work all the time or just when I go WOT?

[ November 09, 2002: Message edited by: V6Maniac ]</p>

[Only4U]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Maniac:
With these mods what would be a good streetable torque converter for my 96 camaro?
<hr></blockquote>

what do you want? high stall? high str? high efficiency? you need to do some research in the torque converter area before you ask "what's streetable." just about every torque converter is going to be streetable, but it's all about what YOU want.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Maniac:
Also, does a torque converter work all the time or just when I go WOT?
<hr></blockquote>

haha, does a torque converter work all the time? most definetely so, if it didn't work all the time, i don't think your car would move very much. are you asking if it only hits a stall/str when you go WOT? if so, then no, a torque converter completely plays with all of your shifts. depending on the converter, your shift extensions will always be much higher, regardless of how much throttle you are giving the car. under "normal" driving, my shift extensions are almost always between 3000 and 3500 rpms, and that's with 10% or less of throttle (just a guess on the throttle percentage). of course, the more gas you give it, the more the converter "works" as you put it.

if you are going to get a converter, know what you want first, and know what all the specs of the converter you plan on getting mean. if you just get something because billy joe ray told you it was a good converter, then you probably aren't doing yourself much good. sure, being faster is rewarding, but knowing all the shiznit about a new product is just as rewarding. :D

[V6Maniac]

Then please point me in the direction of a good place to learn about torque converters. I checked the Modifications Encyclepedia and it doesn't say anything about it other than the names of two different brands. As for my definition of streetable, say a cop pulls up next to me and I need to limp off the line when the light goes green, I want a torque converter that will let me do that without spinning tires. Another concern is winter weather. Will the torque converter make it next to impossible to drive my car with light snow on the ground?

[V6Maniac]

For anyone else interested in learning more about torque converters this is an excelent website. http://www.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm

[ November 09, 2002: Message edited by: V6Maniac ]</p>

[Only4U]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Maniac:
Then please point me in the direction of a good place to learn about torque converters. I checked the Modifications Encyclepedia and it doesn't say anything about it other than the names of two different brands. <hr></blockquote>

heh, do a bunch of searches, i know that if no one else, I have said quite a bit about converters and have done my best to define how they work. you can also try emailing andre at www.edgeracingconverters.com as well, that guy knows an insane amount about converters. you can also email companies such as PI and Yank, but it takes them a while to respond to emails--andre will get back to you within the day.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Maniac:
As for my definition of streetable, say a cop pulls up next to me and I need to limp off the line when the light goes green, I want a torque converter that will let me do that without spinning tires. <hr></blockquote>

you will never have to worry about that unless you get a converter with an str of 2.85+, and if you go that high, the converter will most likely be so un-efficient that it will be not worth having--a beast off the line, and a piece of crap on the top end. and also, it depends on the tires. i had just your average un-directional goodyears on my car for a while and i would spin FOREVER which is fun on the street, but sucks when you actually pull up next to a car you would like to race. i got some directional z-rated performance tires on there now, and the spin is minimal, and that's great when i pull up next to an ls1 that i want to pounce on between stop lights :D if the stop light is over a 1/8 mile away, forget it, haha.

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by V6Maniac:
Another concern is winter weather. Will the torque converter make it next to impossible to drive my car with light snow on the ground?
<hr></blockquote>

no, it won't. unless you WOT everywhere, a torque converter is going to be streetable. you'll learn how to drive your car with the converter after a little while. all of my friends just tell me "3600 is too high!!" and "you can't even drive it in the rain!!" but they are stupid :D don't listen to what other people tell you, just do what you want. i guarantee you if you tell the people who are making the converter for it to be streetable, it will be streetable. people make a big deal about converter's driveabilities, but i assure you, that won't be an issue except for MAYBE the first day or two of driving the car.

hope this helps. i don't mind answering your questions, but i know i've covered a lot of shiz about converters in the past, so if nothing else, search by member number 2027 (me) and type in "converter" and that'll get you some info.

[ November 09, 2002: Message edited by: Only4U ]</p>