[Formulajones]

If you're one of those guys lucky enough to have one of Kris' converters very early on in Continentals existence, then I think you'll be fine with those gear changes without too much worry. I have one of his early converters and it's one of the best I've used.

Later on however towards the last year or two, after discussing with Kris his issues finding good cores and the specific parts he liked to use in his converters, it became apparent he couldn't build them as efficient as they once were. He was open about this and expressed to me how critical a rear gear change can be.

I experienced this first hand when messing with dad's car. He had 4 of Kris' continental converters in the car, and those are the ones I remember off the top of my head. They were too loose and he kept trying to tighten them up. The last one was as tight as it could be according to Kris and he warned to not drop the rear gear any further. At that time we were running 3.73's and I felt the converter was still a bit mushy. When I installed 3.42's (not that much of a change) it made a big difference on the street and became really not that pleasant to drive, just as Kris had said. Shortly after that Kris closed his doors.

That started the whole converter debacle on this car trying to find one that would couple well on the street but still work acceptable at the track. 2 converter companies later and 4 more tries finally got it.

Converters are a complex piece and not many out there can do one correctly, and the ones that can usually takes 2-3 tries to nail it down. Changing any variable around the converter can and will affect how it acts. That's why they have a page worth of questions when building a converter. What's the car weigh, how much HP, do you have a dyno sheet that shows the curve, what rear gear, what's the tire size, etc. etc....

[Stan Weiss]

Yes convertors are a very complex deal. Even changes in trans fluid viscosity can change how they react.

Stan

[PAUL K]

One of the Pontiac NSS guys switched from a manual to an automatic trans years ago. He worked with the best converter guy I know of. If I recall correctly they spent two years and nine different converter combinations and never came close the the performance of the manual. When he switched back to the clutch trans he found all the missing ET.

Most of the guys I know that chase ET's find their favorite converter to be one borrowed from a buddy who had it laying around because it didn't work for his application.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Stan Weiss

Yes convertors are a very complex deal. Even changes in trans fluid viscosity can change how they react.

Stan

Yup

[lust4speed]

I must be missing something. Engine produces exactly the same amount of torque and the load on the converter remains the same, and therefore the stall speed will remain the same as long as the tires stay hooked.

I click the button on for the transbrake and slam the pedal to the floor and see 5,600 RPM. Nothing is moving and the stress is constant. I release the transbrake and the 14.5x33's don't slip at my power level and the tach remains at 5,600 RPM until wheel speed catches up. My way of thinking is this applied load happens exactly the same whether I have 4.56's or 4.11's or any other gear. Outside the car changes in acceleration and speed do happen between gearsets, but not with what the converter is seeing. I'm saying that converter slippage and stall remain constant regardless of the rearend ratio as long as there is no tire slip.

Am I wrong?

[ta man]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

I must be missing something. Engine produces exactly the same amount of torque and the load on the converter remains the same, and therefore the stall speed will remain the same as long as the tires stay hooked.

I click the button on for the transbrake and slam the pedal to the floor and see 5,600 RPM. Nothing is moving and the stress is constant. I release the transbrake and the 14.5x33's don't slip at my power level and the tach remains at 5,600 RPM until wheel speed catches up. My way of thinking is this applied load happens exactly the same whether I have 4.56's or 4.11's or any other gear. Outside the car changes in acceleration and speed do happen between gearsets, but not with what the converter is seeing. I'm saying that converter slippage and stall remain constant regardless of the rearend ratio as long as there is no tire slip.

Am I wrong?

Yes..the convertor will flash to how much load it feels...more gear less load..less gear more load..more weight more load less weight less load...and the slippage in drive will also react

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

I must be missing something. Engine produces exactly the same amount of torque and the load on the converter remains the same, and therefore the stall speed will remain the same as long as the tires stay hooked.

I click the button on for the transbrake and slam the pedal to the floor and see 5,600 RPM. Nothing is moving and the stress is constant. I release the transbrake and the 14.5x33's don't slip at my power level and the tach remains at 5,600 RPM until wheel speed catches up. My way of thinking is this applied load happens exactly the same whether I have 4.56's or 4.11's or any other gear. Outside the car changes in acceleration and speed do happen between gearsets, but not with what the converter is seeing. I'm saying that converter slippage and stall remain constant regardless of the rearend ratio as long as there is no tire slip.

Am I wrong?

In this case things change because the trans brake closes off the rear gear or tire change. Once you release the trans brake if you have data logging you will see some differences in driveshaft RPM for the same engine RPM.

Stan

[johnta1]

I (and most others I know) always used the RPM from when you mash the throttle (from idle) to when the car moves. This is the flash rpm. (I think)

If you launch with a trans brake, it would be what the RPM is after released and the car moves. Data recorder would help on this.

2¢

[chuckies76ta]

Originally Posted by johnta1

I (and most others I know) always used the RPM from when you mash the throttle (from idle) to when the car moves. This is the flash rpm. (I think)

I'm in agreement with you on you foot brake to flash rpm. Alot of words seem to get thrown around when talking Converters.

Like you say, if you mash the throttle the converter Flashes to where it starts to move the vehicle.

Converter Stall is a different process. Hold the vehicle from moving, (ex: apply rear brakes), and slowly push the throttle till the back wheels start to turn. I've been told this is a no,no.

That's is my understanding. thoughts?

[Cliff R]

The best way to find out what your converter is capable or how high it actually stalls to with your set up is to do some testing.

The true stall speed of the converter is how high the converter allows the engine to rev when hit with full power, and good traction. That's about as coupled on the low side of the engine RPM range as it's going to get.

One test I do here is to simply disable the transmissions downshift or kick-down features. Drive the vehicle at light load until it reaches high gear. At about 25-30 mph let off the throttle and coast. Then hit the throttle as hard and quick as you can and watch the tach at the same time. Being in 3rd gear you'll get to see what the converter is capable of which will be the same as if you did a test at the track in low gear with good traction. Of course both tests assume the tires hold, if they spin the results will not be accurate.......