They want torque converter specs!?

I just invested 2K on an Art Carr Exrteme AOD for my '91 SC (after shipping) and that company has to tailor make a torque converter to fit my needs. I have to tell them what I want and I hope to get the right combination.
My plan is simple. My goal is to build a 400plus HP engine and I need the tranny to help me run low 12's or high 11's. Everything that I buy will have to meet these requirements.
Are they going to ask me what stall I want the converter to pick up at (RPM's)?:confused: This car will not be used on the street much at all. It will basicly be a quarter mile car.

Any information on what to demand for my stall converter specs will be appreciated!:)

Dirtybird91
 
why not get rid of the aod

Since your grounding the bird from street use why not use a c4 if it will fit. Try running 3200 stall on a built c4 with 3.55 rear gears. Your sc will not rev so no sense in getting more gear. C4s are dirt cheap! you can 800+hp c4 and stall for about 1.5k.

In the end you'll pay over 2k to keep your overdrive. Do you really need it for your application?
 
The biggest problem you will have is getting them to listen to the specs you tell them. Just about everybody I know that has ordered an aftermarket convertor ended up with one that stalls higher than they wanted/needed. The never seem to listen to the fact that the car weighs 4000 lbs and peak torque happens a lot earlier in the rpms than the run-of-the-mill mustang.

I know this isn't the specifics you're looking for, but I wanted to share.
 
Last edited:
hmmmm........

Well
I have already purchased the Art Carr, so I will have to get some specs for that torque converter flynbrd.:D

Also Kurt, what stall would you recommend. You stated that they like to give higher stalls than we want/need. What is the idea stall for a 4000lb 3.8 SC Thunderbird with a 400HP upgrade???:confused: :confused: :confused:

Any advise on what to tell the Art Carr people will be appreciated.:cool:

Dirtybird91
 
Last edited:
What is the idea stall for a 4000lb 3.8 SC

Frank,

I would suggest telling them, you want a converter that will stall at 2500-2700 rpm with a 4100 # car that makes peak torque of about 500 ft lb at 3200 rpms. Any higher stall will make overreving too easy when the tranny downshifts under heavy throttle like when your rolling at 85-90 mph and nail the throttle. When it hits third it will zing to 6500-7000 rpm very easily.

With that converter and 4.10 gears, it will still be streetable and will still launch hard on the track. Depending on how much torque the engine makes actuall stall may be lower or higher, the more torque the higher the stall will go. For quicker revving get a smaller diameter converter, 10" would be the most popular.

If your getting a non-locking converter (a must for serious racers), you want the stall setting to be lower than your average highway cruising rpms. The non locker will also slip a couple hundred rpms.

With 3.73 gears cruising at 75 mph will turn about 2800 rpms, with 4.10s about 3000 rpms. With a non locking converter, you will need more tranny cooling, with a smaller diameter non locker you will need even more cooling.

I have a 9.5 2700 stall non locking converter with 3.73s and use dual 24K GVW coolers with a fan running continously to maintain 180 degree pan temps.


Hope this helps.

David
 
A convertors stall speed depends on how much torque the engine makes, and the weight of the car. That is why I believe SC owners usually don't get the convertor they ask for. They are used to building convertors for 5.0's, and assume SC's are the same.

These cars don't need high stall convertors at all. I would ask for the tightest convertor they can possibly make. For a 9.5 or 10 inch convertor, that will be around 2300-2500 rpm. In a healthy SC, that will stall to around 2500 rpm and flash to about 2800-3000 rpm.

700 rpm before peak torque is the right number. For most SC's, that is around 2000-2300. There are exceptions, especially if you have a big cam and the engine makes power to 6000 rpm.

Don't let the stall speed fool you. You will get hp gains from the smaller mass of the convertor, the engine will rev faster because of that, and you will get more torque multiplication.

I am currently running a lentech 9.5 inch 2300 stall in mine. I wish I could go tighter, but they only way I can do that is by going back to a 12 inch convertor. They can build a heavy duty 12 inch to 1800 stall, but it will never be a strong or efficient as the 9.5.
 
Thanks Guys!

I really, really appreciate this! Dave, Turbo351, Mike! This is gobs of information, and exactly what I was looking for.

This is the basic information on the Tranny that I have ordered from the SCP site. I will be getting a "10 converter and I will adhere to the advise that you guys have provided.


Art Carr EXTREME AOD Transmission

A COMPLETE brand new drop-in transmission for the '89 to '93 Thunderbirds and Cougars.
This bad boy will handle anything you can throw at it. Built to handle way over 600 HP, it is the perfect trouble free transmission for your modified supercharged motor. This transmission deletes the lockup feature of the stock AOD, allowing the converter to achieve torque multiplication in all four gears, not just in first and second gear. This extra torque multiplication translates in to much improved quarter mile times.
Includes a robust one-piece billet input shaft, the mechanical diode sprag, their valve body shift improver, and all the other high performance goodies Art Carr is known and respected for.

Dirtybird91
 
I'm just curious if you've looked at Lentech as an option. They build great transmissions, too. Does Art Carr come with an OD delete function and revised shifter pattern? I think they might, but you should at least check your options before dropping the $$$$.
 
Too late for me Kurt.....

Kurt K said:
I'm just curious if you've looked at Lentech as an option. They build great transmissions, too. Does Art Carr come with an OD delete function and revised shifter pattern? I think they might, but you should at least check your options before dropping the $$$$.


I have already dropped the greenbacks. The OD delete function and the revised shifter pattern don't ring a bell with what Art Carr offered.:(

Dirtybird91
 
The OD delete and revised shifter pattern turn the stock P-R-N-OD-3-2 to what it should have been P-R-N-3-2-1 and OD is controlled with a toggle switch. The one downfall that some people say is that you no longer have the ability for full-throttle upshifts into OD (although that is what typically causes premature failure).
 
Kurt K said:
The OD delete and revised shifter pattern turn the stock P-R-N-OD-3-2 to what it should have been P-R-N-3-2-1 and OD is controlled with a toggle switch. The one downfall that some people say is that you no longer have the ability for full-throttle upshifts into OD (although that is what typically causes premature failure).

Kurt,
I really like the sounds of that revised shifter pattern!:eek:
Dirtybird91
 
Back
Top