Torque convertor question

[Mark Barnes]

Created a tech card with Hughes Engine while looking for a TC for my 383/727 build. They suggested their 3000 stall convertor, $450.
I have the opportunity to buy a name brand aftermarket TC, unused in the box, 2800 stall, for $185.
Is the 200 RPM difference significant enough to justify spending nearly 2.5 times as much for the Hughes unit? Asking because I really don't know torque convertors...

 

[Kern Dog]

The rating of a converter seems as much of a moving target as a retail price. Ten people can be selling a widget and every one of them has a slightly different price.
I'm sure that you know that several factors determine what a converter stall speed will be. Because of that, I think that pinning a 100% accurate stall speed number on a combination can be difficult. Weight of the car, the displacement, the compression, the camshaft operating range, the axle gearing and tire size all factor in. Do the secondaries come in slow or fast? What is the ignition timing settings?
In many cases, the name of the product is a good indicator of the quality.
I had a local company build a 10" converter for me that was great at WOT but a slippy pig at part throttle.
I've heard of some referring to TCI as Total Crap Inside.
The last converter I bought was from Lenny at Ultimate Converter Concepts. It was perfect for my combination. I don't drag race but it felt capable at all types of driving.

 

[69 GTX]

If you could get a part # call the manufacturer and ask them about it.

 

[66Satellite47]

The stall speed rating is not much value to me. As others said, ratings vary all over the place. What matters is the design of the converter, stator, cover, fins and the quality of the components and assembly. A cheap converter is just that. In general you get what you pay for.

 

[Curiousyellow71]

More then likely a hughes is going to be pretty loose and the car won't be moving much at less then 3000rpm as the hughes performance convertors are "likely" inefficient loose stall converters like those from the old days. Depending on the application that may be fine. I dont mind the 2400-2600 hughes for driving but any looser then for street driving I would much rather have a tight convertor and a better brand. "Name brand" convertor depends if it was designed for a small block and your putting torquey big block in front of it ...it can go badly! There are name brand convertors that use parts that just don't handle torque....stinks when you get one, try to find a torque rating for your other brand x.

 

[Kern Dog]

Factory converter ratings as per the service manual:

 

[Mark Barnes]

So the manufacturer also specified a 20,000GVW trans cooler for use with their TC. Everybody else install something like that with their TC?

 

[Master Gunner]

The thing to remember is that as cubic inches go up, so does the stall speed for the same converter. A small block may have a stall speed of 3200, and a big block may be 100-200 RPM more for the same converter.
I went with Turbo Action, which has been sold thru Direct Connection for years. Great converter, the ST version is great for street/strip use.

Mark