Torque converter for 04 automatic on STREET

jas142

Founding Member
Feb 11, 2002
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Does anyone use a higher stall speed torque converter on their every day driver? Is it ok to use on a daily driver? Using stock tires, how much will it improve my 1/4 mile time? Is it worth it? Is it only helpful from a dead stop, or will it give me better acceleration if I decide to punch it on an empty stretch of highway?

How safe is it on the rear end/tranny/engine?
 
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jas142 said:
Does anyone use a higher stall speed torque converter on their every day driver? Is it ok to use on a daily driver? Using stock tires, how much will it improve my 1/4 mile time? Is it worth it? Is it only helpful from a dead stop, or will it give me better acceleration if I decide to punch it on an empty stretch of highway?

How safe is it on the rear end/tranny/engine?

I'll put it this way and yes I've told this story before so bare with me guys. Before I put my torque converter in my car I could floor it from a dead stop and my car just hooked and went. Never even chirped most of the time. Keep in mind I had basically all my mods in my sig. at that time but the torque converter. After the torque converter, when I floored it from a dead stop, I spun to the rev-limiter, car shifted in second, and I was still spinning.

Yes, its worth it. You can use it on a daily driver. As for 1/4 mile times, I'm not sure. I haven't had the chance to break out to the track yet but I'm hoping to do so this fall. Most shed between .35-.50 in the 1/4 mile. Some do better. Depends on the application. It is namely helpful from a dead stop but will help somewhat from a roll as well. At least mine does for me. You'll also notice a drop in gas mileage around town as you have to give it more rpms than you did before. Don't let this worry you though. The rpm increase is minimal.
 
jas142 said:
Is there any benifit if I'm using stock tires? Will I just spin?
and will it fry my rear end or tranny?
And do you still launch the same way?

With stock tires and high stall speed, you'll just end up spinning from a dead stop at a WOT launch.

As long as you have a transmission cooler that is decent and you keep the right fluid in your transmission(Mercon V or better) and you keep it changed, you should have no problems with "frying" your transmission.

Yes, you still launch the same way, on idle. The only way I wouldn't launch on idle is if I had a transbrake, but I don't recommend that on your daily driver. I say this because when you use a transbrake, it puts a great deal of stress on some of the drivetrain components and will probably shorten the life of the tranny. It's more designed for a serious track car. I know Jimfitzgerald is running one, but his car isn't exactly your "average car". He's supercharged, putting down over 500rwhp, and he's had his transmission custom built, so keep that in mind.