TH400 Torque Converter

[Sheldon S.]

I was wondering if anyone has any recomendations on a torque converter for a 71 454, engine has been rebuilt to original specs including balancing. I am wondering if I should keep to the original stall of 1200-1300 on the TC or go a bit higher.
Thanks
Sheldon

[Clem Z.]

Re: TH400 Torque Converter

I was wondering if anyone has any recomendations on a torque converter for a 71 454, engine has been rebuilt to original specs including balancing. I am wondering if I should keep to the original stall of 1200-1300 on the TC or go a bit higher.
Thanks
Sheldon

how did it come off the line before ?if it jumped out your converter is fine but if it seem slow i would get a higher stall speed. a small block converter will pick it up a lot on take off. we used V-6 converters in the small block V-8 for street use and it made a difference in the corvette when GM went to tall gears in the rear end

[Sheldon S.]

Re: TH400 Torque Converter

I never drove it before other than onto the car trailer to bring it home so I could tear it apart. I am not even sure what the original stall iod. I thought I read it was about 1200 but read a post last night where they mentioned 1500-1800 being the stock stall speed. Does anyone know what is correct.
Sheldon

[Clem Z.]

Re: TH400 Torque Converter

I never drove it before other than onto the car trailer to bring it home so I could tear it apart. I am not even sure what the original stall iod. I thought I read it was about 1200 but read a post last night where they mentioned 1500-1800 being the stock stall speed. Does anyone know what is correct.
Sheldon

if the part number is on the converter some place google it and see what shows up

[Steven B.]

Re: TH400 Torque Converter

I have an 355 CI L-82 small block dynoed at over 400 HP and torque with TH400. The engine is balanced, blueprinted, head work, etc. and the TH400 has a B&M kit installed. I had the B&M kit before the engine work and after the engine work was completed. Point is with my mods I still used the stock converter and it works very well. Since you mods are not radical I would think (guess) the stock converter will work well on the street. You may look into a shift kit or trans mod if you want a little more, assuming you are using the car on the street most of the time.

Whatever you do let us know how it works.

Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: TH400 Torque Converter

I was wondering if anyone has any recomendations on a torque converter for a 71 454, engine has been rebuilt to original specs including balancing. I am wondering if I should keep to the original stall of 1200-1300 on the TC or go a bit higher.
Thanks
Sheldon

Sheldon-----


I highly recommend using the stock torque converter. You will lose more than you gain with a higher stall converter. Generally, GM did not even specify a "stall speed" for converters. "Stall speed" is a very poor and crude way of rating torque converters. Others may have "crudely determined" the "stall speed" of stock converters and that's where any numbers you find probably originate.

If you need a converter, the GM parts are discontinued. However, any of these will be right for your application if you can find them:

GM #8627946
GM #8627945
GM #8658943

All of the above are "officially" GM re-manufactured torque converters, although if you should find one, they will often be new. GM never sold converters which were "officially" described as "new".

Otherwise, I would think there would be aftermarket sources for torque converters equivalent to the above, re-manufactured or new.