Torque Converter Suggestions? Turbo 350

67ss&99ss · Jan 2, 2014

Hello everyone. I'm a new member here and was referred to this site by another member, animal. He told me there were some really knowledgeable people on the site that could help me with my transmission questions. I currently don't have a square body truck, but my first vehicle was an 81 Custom Deluxe 10 that I wish I had never gotten rid of.

I am wanting to put a new torque converter in my 69 C/10 but am not sure what to purchase. The truck has a stock crate 350 with the exception of a comp thumpr cam(107 LSA, 279 intake duration, 297 exhaust duration), edelbrock performer, 600 holley, headers and exhaust. It has a turbo 350 non lock up trans with a 3.08 gear and 275/60/15 tires. I want to correct the "creeping" problem the truck has when stopped at traffic lights or stop signs, and I want to make it more responsive out of the hole. The camshaft starts coming on pretty good at 2,000 rpm so I was thinking something along the lines of a 2500 converter? I called two manufacturers today, and was recommended two different things. The first company told me a 10" 3,000 converter, the other told me a 2,200 converter, but didn't give me a diameter. I want to make the right decision and put the best one in there the first time, I just need some input. Any help is greatly appreciated.

gpmorgan · Jan 3, 2014

According to Comp Cams site that cam will work well with a 2000 plus converter. I have a comp magnum cam with 525 lift and I use a 12 in. 2500 stall. It could stand to have a little bigger stall but it works pretty well. I think if I were you I would use the 2500. I have a 700r4 trans with a 410 gear. I had a 308 gear in it at one time and it still worked ok with it. I want to put a 10 im. 3000 in it at some point but for now it will have to do. My cam supposedly comes in at 2500 to 6500 rpms.

thatcanuckguy · Jan 3, 2014

i have a 468 thats really well built. i run a th 350 with 3:08 gears as well. i had a b&m 2800-3200 stall in it and it was just too much for street use. with those gears (unless you wanna cruise around at 3000 rpm) i would stay around the 1800-2200 range. otherwise you,ll just overheat (and burn out) your converter because its gonna be slipping most of the time. to run a converter around the 3000 rpm range, you should be using at least a 3:73 rear gear, preferably a 3:91 or 4:11, otherwise you,ll be slipping in cruising mode.

animal · Jan 3, 2014

Wassup

you'll get good advise here!

gpmorgan · Jan 3, 2014

Since stall is determined by torque. It's hard to compare stall speeds on a big block and a small block. The same converter will stall more on a big block than a small block.

HotRodPC · Jan 3, 2014

Stall RPM need is determined by many many things, not just lift and duration of the cam. Gear Ratio, Weight of the vehicle, LSA of the cam meaning is it a low end cam, high end cam. I'd go with no less than 2500, and agree more with the guy that said 3000 if you're drag racing. Even though your cam turns on a 2000rpm, with a 107 LSA, that's more of a top end cam. 110-114 would be more low end grunt. I personally, never cared for Thumper cams grinds. They're more just to SOUND good, than to perform good. They're good for a show car with no go but good sound IMO. Other factors to consider, with 3.08 rear gear, you're going to bog off the line anyway, so a higher stall can compensate that. Weight of a truck unless you've lightened it, you might get a little more out of stall. Storebought in the shelf box converters that advertise 2500 or whatever they are, usually aren't accurate because they aren't taking all things into consideration, so you have to compensate and guess and what stall you'll actually get out of it. Heavier weight will stall more with the same converter than say in a Vega or a G Body. So you might get a little more out of a box shelf converter than 2500 due to weight. If you're not drag racing and looking for a hard launch which you're not going to get anyway with 3.08's, just go with the 2500 and if you get a little more out of it, you're not hurt. You get the 3000 and get more out of it, then you're going to run out of motor between shifts and not fall back into rpm power band when you do shift. Also keep in mind, high stall means high heat and that kills automatics longevity. The 2500 should also cure your lunge problem at idle setting at a light and keep you from having to go into N and wait for the light to turn.

67ss&99ss · Jan 3, 2014

Thanks for the input everyone. I've got a few rears laying around for these trucks but I'll have to decode them next week. I may have one that has 3.73s or 4.10s in it. Hopefully I'll have something. I guess I can put a converter in it and if I don't like it with the 3.08s I can swap axles in a day. I'm still torn between the 2,500 and the 3,000. I'll think on it for a while. Pay day is a little ways off yet. I think the truck will be more fun with the 3,000 converter but I don't want to kill my trans either.

animal · Jan 3, 2014

Hey man

you need to throw up pics at LEAST of the 67, the Cuda, and the Challenger. Keep watch though....89S may hump your leg over the cuda.

Please watch these guy's. 89s or O77 may try to tell you bad things about me but I am every bit as warm and friendly here as I am at work :waytogo:

HotRodPC · Jan 3, 2014

Cuda's are one of the few Dodge's I like too.

67ss&99ss · Jan 3, 2014

animal said:
Hey man you need to throw up pics at LEAST of the 67, the Cuda, and the Challenger. Keep watch though....89S may hump your leg over the cuda.

Please watch these guy's. 89s or O77 may try to tell you bad things about me but I am every bit as warm and friendly here as I am at work

I'll post up some pics in a little while. You, warm and friendly? Lol. :lol:

HotRodPC · Jan 3, 2014

67ss&99ss said:
You, warm and friendly? Lol.

Quit it !!! Now you're teasing him. :gayfight:

67ss&99ss · Jan 3, 2014

Here is one of the 'Cuda. It's been a work in progress for several years now. The drivetrain is solid but I need to do some body and interior work.