How much stall is to much for a mainly street car

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cudajames

cudajames

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I am considering building a new engine for my car - and with that is cam selection. Which of course leads to with or without a stall converter

The car will mainly be a street rod - probably some autocross and drag racing (rarely - sadly no drag strip close by)

So how much stall is to much for a street rod? 2000? or 2500? (which is the cam i like)

thanks for the education from experience
 
cudajames said:
I am considering building a new engine for my car - and with that is cam selection. Which of course leads to with or without a stall converter

The car will mainly be a street rod - probably some autocross and drag racing (rarely - sadly no drag strip close by)

So how much stall is to much for a street rod? 2000? or 2500? (which is the cam i like)

thanks for the education from experience
Click to expand...

2000-2500 is just fine on the street. If you spend the money and buy a quality converter then I would think even 3500-4000 would be fine on the street.

You get what you pay for.
 
There's really no one answer. It all depends on your version of a street car.
 
cudajames said:
I am considering building a new engine for my car - and with that is cam selection. Which of course leads to with or without a stall converter

The car will mainly be a street rod - probably some autocross and drag racing (rarely - sadly no drag strip close by)

So how much stall is to much for a street rod? 2000? or 2500? (which is the cam i like)

thanks for the education from experience
Click to expand...
Which of course leads to with or without a stall converter
If I understand the question, go with a 2400 rpm stall converter. I have barely any experience with performance engines. I'm learning the hard way (so what's new). Anyway, I've got two vehicles with small blocks, both have similar cams. Purpleshafts, street hemi grinds, thereabouts, so I'm told. One has a stock 1500-1700 rpm converter. It has really sucky performance at idle and off the stop light. The other has a 2400 rpm converter and does just fine for it's street only driving.
Sure there are other variables at play here but, I think it's a valid comparison. Hope this helps.
 
Here we go again... Do a search. This has been covered so many times. You need vehicle weight, gear ratio, engine RPM, tire size, and what you are REALLY going to do with the car. Not to sound like an A$$ but there is a lot in play here. Look around first, lots of good stuff here. But then you have to try and error as well. We can only help you get close. Search my friend, search and you will find :)
 
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Like stated. There is no set number.

Years ago rule of thumb was no more then 3000 for the street.

Now in the year 2018 that’s all changed. Converter technology has come a long long way. You can run a high stall and still have it act like a stock converter on the street. They are so efficient these days. The one I had in my yellow dart would flas to 3800 but if you drove it on the street you would think it was stock till you mashed the throttle and the thing took off like a bat out of hell. The on in our present dart flashes to something like 3500 if I remember. Car has a 2.94 gear in it and has awesome street manors with that 9 1/2” converter in it.

Bottom line. Call a good converter company like dynamic or ultimate and see what they will put together for ya. Not gonna be cheap but well worth it. Be 100% honest when you answer the questions they ask about your combo and intenddd use.
 
Cam choice will be a HUGE factor. However, I can tell you this. My 340 is right at 375 HP. Before I converted it to a four speed, it had a 727 Auto. With a Comp XE 268 cam, I put a 2400 stall converter in it, and it worked great.
 
Not to hijack the thread but something to consider is a good aftermarket cooler. Higher stall speeds generate more heat. I would suggest getting the biggest cooler you can run. Heat is a big enemy of trannies.

Just my $.06 (adjusted for inflation):D
 
It all comes down to how much torque YOUR combo is gonna make in that 2000 to about 3500rpm zone, and how hard the engine is gonna have to work at getting YOUR car moving, and how much tirespin you want,lol.
What it's not about is how much Absolute Power the combo is gonna make.
example
A stock Low-C teener, with 3.91s doesn't need much TC. But if you up cam it with a 340 cam and X-heads, well it's gonna want more stall, AND more gear...... because the low-rpm torque kindof went on vacation.
For your streetrod, you can substitute a little higher stall for maybe 1 or 2 cam sizes, cuz by your description of application, you're not gonna need a whole lotta top end power.
Also, a bigger engine will inherently make more low-rpm torque, so again, not a lot of stall is needed,nor a lot of gear.... unless too big a cam was installed for the application.
Also, the more cylinder pressure an engine makes, the stronger will be the low-rpm torque again.And this actually turns out to be a pretty good measuring stick; cylinder pressure and cubes.

So the trick is just to install the biggest engine you can find and max out the cylinder pressure for the available gas and cam it to operate in the zone you need it to, and gear it for the speeds she is gonna be seeing most; Shazzam!

Ok now starts the compromising;
budget,multiple-use biasing,available gas,,, today and years from now,yada,yada,
 
It all works if you let it, nothing is to big for the street.
Let it run. Make sure your combination is right.
 
cudajames said:
I am considering building a new engine for my car - and with that is cam selection. Which of course leads to with or without a stall converter

The car will mainly be a street rod - probably some autocross and drag racing (rarely - sadly no drag strip close by)

So how much stall is to much for a street rod? 2000? or 2500? (which is the cam i like)

thanks for the education from experience
Click to expand...

A converter works with not only the cams duration but also it’s intended purpose with the cars weight, tire size, gear ratio, engine size, etc....

Go to a reputable place.

Lenny at ultimate converter
Frank Lupo at Dynamic converter
Etc....

Tell them everything! Hold back nothing!
 
Your combination is going to be garbage is you have goals of 400 horsepower At the wheels with a 2500 converter.
 
Thank you for all the great information

I will be contacting Lenny at ultimate converter and Frank Lupo at Dynamic converter for starters
 
Hang on Doogie,
I'm not sure if that is said tongue-in-cheek, cuz I missed the lol.
But if it's not;
My car went 93 in the 1/8th@3467#, which translates to about 430 crank hp. I have a 367HO/stick so that might be 365 rwhp. I have run almost every rear gear from 2.73 to 4.88, and if any of em were garbage, I didn't notice. For the street, my favorite was/is the 3.55. With my combo, it's a dump it and go deal, then dial in the tirespin with throttle. So there are times I floor it from 1500rpm or 1800 or 2000 but rarely more.
But here's the trick; I put the power in the cylinder pressure instead of the cam.

So I get what you are saying ; if you are limited to 160ish psi with iron heads, it's gonna take a lotta rpm to make that 365rwhp, and that means a big cam, which translates to a soggy low-rpm, which will need a bigger TC to NOT be garbage; I get that.
But with 185 to 200psi, it's a different story. I hit that 93 mph with a [email protected] cam, and 185psi.
So; OP; I highly recommend lots of cylinder pressure/aluminum heads,the right TM, and probably any old TC,lol. Put your money into the heads and run the cylinder pressure up.
With a 360 this is cheap and easy, cuz it practically falls together between 10.7 and 11.3, and still maintaining a tight-Q. This allows for dialing in almost any street cam even the mighty 292/108

As to the 3.55s, they are the default gear,cuz
with the GVOD, the cruize rpm is 62=2130 rpm, and the 230 cam vacuum peaks at just a tad under that. The engine was just as happy with 3.23s and the 3.09 low gear. But the fuel mileage was no better, at 62=1940.And
Using the GVOD as a gear splitter, she hits 60mph at 6380 in first-over, for a two-ratio run to the speed limit, badaboom. 3.23s would make it 5800 which the sound of 5800 pales in comparison to 7200 with howling tires and screaming twin 3" cannons.. And
She will bust the 295s loose to 50/55mph with just a foot stomp, in second gear with a 750DP carb.
So those are the reasons for the 3.55s
OP are you paying attention?
 
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My car is driven almost daily in the summer and has a 3500 stall. My last car had a 4,000 stall. I can tell you if you get a quality convertor those stall speeds are fine.

General rule of thumb you want a stall speed 500rpm above peak tq RPM. Modern convertor technology has changed everything.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Hang on Doogie,
I'm not sure if that is said tongue-in-cheek, cuz I missed the lol.
But if it's not;
My car went 93 in the 1/8th@3467#, which translates to about 430 crank hp. I have a 367HO/stick so that might be 365 rwhp. I have run almost every rear gear from 2.73 to 4.88, and if any of em were garbage, I didn't notice. For the street, my favorite was/is the 3.55. With my combo, it's a dump it and go deal, then dial in the tirespin with throttle. So there are times I floor it from 1500rpm or 1800 or 2000 but rarely more.
Click to expand...

Sorry AJ, I thought your car was a stick.
Is it a manual or auto?



But here's the trick; I put the power in the cylinder pressure instead of the cam.

So I get what you are saying ; if you are limited to 160ish psi with iron heads, it's gonna take a lotta rpm to make that 365rwhp, and that means a big cam, which translates to a soggy low-rpm, which will need a bigger TC to NOT be garbage;
Click to expand...
No way! As stated a hundred times here by the been there and done that, a good quality converter will not have this effect and a larger cam is subjective but probably not needed.

What is a big cam to you is not to others.
Speaking of which, what is a big cam to you?


I get that.
But with 185 to 200psi, it's a different story. I hit that 93 mph with a [email protected] cam, and 185psi.
So; OP; I highly recommend lots of cylinder pressure/aluminum heads,the right TM, and probably any old TC,lol. Put your money into the heads and run the cylinder pressure up.
With a 360 this is cheap and easy, cuz it practically falls together between 10.7 and 11.3, and still maintaining a tight-Q. This allows for dialing in almost any street cam even the mighty 292/108
Click to expand...
The mighty 292/.509? LMAO!!!
What is “the right tm?”

As to the 3.55s, they are the default gear,cuz
with the GVOD, the cruize rpm is 62=2130 rpm, and the 230 cam vacuum peaks at just a tad under that. The engine was just as happy with 3.23s and the 3.09 low gear. But the fuel mileage was no better, at 62=1940.And
Using the GVOD as a gear splitter, she hits 60mph at 6380 in first-over, for a two-ratio run to the speed limit, badaboom. 3.23s would make it 5800 which the sound of 5800 pales in comparison to 7200 with howling tires and screaming twin 3" cannons.. And
She will bust the 295s loose to 50/55mph with just a foot stomp, in second gear with a 750DP carb.
So those are the reasons for the 3.55s
OP are you paying attention?
Click to expand...
Why did you ramble on about a gear vendors overdrive?
AJ, are YOU paying attention?!?!?!?!
 
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roccodart440 said:
My car is driven almost daily in the summer and has a 3500 stall. My last car had a 4,000 stall. I can tell you if you get a quality convertor those stall speeds are fine.

General rule of thumb you want a stall speed 500rpm above peak tq RPM. Modern convertor technology has changed everything.
Click to expand...

Thank you!!!!!
Thank you!!!!!
Thank you!!!!!
 
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