yes it does.. I learn something everyday!! I can't understand where a high stall would help, but neither can I grasp a silly low either..

 

Just depends on what you wanna do, and where your engine develops its power.

 

For some reason, the Torque Converter discussions get really complicated on here, I have read through a lot, and I honestly don't know where the idea that the TC "multiplies torque below stall" comes from. If anything, its just like slipping a clutch, until the stall rpm is met, then you let your leg all the way out of the clutch pedal, to get full 1:1 engagement.

Just like a clutch that is slipping, it is not multiplying torque, if anything it is reducing the actual torque that is getting to the wheels until the stall rpm has been met.

In my truck, you have to give the truck about half throttle to get it moving with any decent speed. Of course it starts moving as soon as you let off the brake, but to get it to get up and go, I have to get past the 2500 rpms until I feel the power really connect.

I tested my stall, by holding my foot on the break, and revving the motor (power-braking), and at 2300 rpm, it started to want to spin the tires, which is exactly how it should for a 2500rpm stall. You will get direct torque at 100 to 200 rpm under your stall speed.

In race applications, guys run high stalls for a number of reasons... lighterweight vehicles, a lot more horsepower, and balanced race engines that can hit 8K to 10K rpms. If you have a 4000rpm stall converter in a race car that red-lines at 8000 rpm, you have a lot of usable power between the two. If you have a 2500 rpm stall converter in a truck that is super heavy, has much larger than stock tires, and only red lines around 5500 rpm, you have just drastically reduced the usable power of the truck, especially a truck you want low-end power from.

 

ok running 3.55 and and 31 10.50s whats the best gears to get the power and not burn out clutchs and what not. also im running bogger TSL. so you have an idea about weight im just under 6g with the bumper and role bar and skid pan and chains and winch and whats not.

 

I would tend to agree with you on the toque multiplication thing. What you are saying agrees with what I am reading, and makes perfect sense.

I still advocate the slightly higher stall speed though, simply because at low RPM, the 360 just doesn't develop that much torque, peak is between 2400 and about 4500 RPM. At the lower stall speed, you are going to be really working the engine, in a range that it just doesn't have the grunt you are looking for. Getting the engine closer to its torque peak before it actually starts to seriously consider moving the truck seems like a better plan to me, especially for towing.

The race guys have the high stall converters simply because at lower RPM, their engines are dogs. They are specifically designed to operate at higher RPM levels. Down low, they got nothin'.

 

I spoke with Precision of New Hampshire (one of the biggest torque converter manufacturers in the US), TCI, and Hughes today, and all of them stated that for towing, they recommend a stall of 1100 to 1600 depending on what you plan to run for a camshaft, etc. The camshaft choice plays into it, as the more radical cams reduce the amount of vacuum at idle, and can cause reduction in break booster effectiveness at idle, drop in idle when dropped into gear, etc.

For heavy RV's, they actually recommend super low stall converters, around 1100rpms, etc.

They also stated that with 35" tires, even geared appropriately, for towing and normal in town driving, mileage would be horrible (and mine is like 8mpg right now).

I picked up a precision low stall billet converter today for a great deal, and will be installing it on Thursday afternoon, so I'll post back the results afterwards.

 

Good enough if your engine makes power at those low revs. You should focus on convincing your engine to make power at those low revs if it doesn't already. If it's not making power there, fix that first.

Essentially, your engine makes X energy per pop (spark plug firing). You want to maximize that energy per pop in the RPM range where you need it -- if you're towing, that means you need it down low, from 1000 RPM to a peak at around 2400RPM. If you're racing, you want it from 2400RPM up to whatever your programmed shift point (red line) might be. Build your engine for what it's going to do, not what's going to impress; I've been building for low RPM grunt for years and have always impressed in towing/off-road circles. When I hit The Ridge or Donner Pass in California, the truckers always make noise on the CB about how my RV (tow vehicle and towed vehicle) blows their doors off. When I point my rig at 45+ degree inclines, the other off-roaders make noise about how I make it look easy. That's where grunt will getcha.

The problem is that the aftermarket targets high-end power junkies even though most of us aren't them. If you're going to be towing, you want power from idle to 2400 RPM and the top end will take care of itself -- so build for that. As long as the dyno curve doesn't totally collapse short of 4800RPM, you're golden.

The good news: It's cheaper and easier to make low RPM power. The trick in a 2nd gen Ram is to make the trans keep up. A stocker won't, end of story. You're going to put your money there whether you like it or not.

FWIW, your stock stall is 1800-1900 RPM and those big tires ain't helping. For 35's you'll want 4:56's or lower. Otherwise your PCM is going to want to do converter lock-up way too low in the RPM range and it'll kick the stuffing out of your transmission. Decide how you want your truck to work best and go with that.

 

Ok, so I kicked some butt tonight, started at 3:30pm, and at 9:00pm sharp, my buddy and I had finished pulling the trans and transfer case, swapping out the torque converter, installing a new transmission mount, and swapped the trans filter and pan gasket.

In short, the truck feels 100% better. More direct power, and no more giving the truck 40% gas pedal just to get up to speed, or to take a hill while cruising the highway. It still feels a bit low on power, but I am pretty sure that is because I am running the 35" tires with the 4.10 gears. The shift kit that has been in the trans, wasn't as noticeable with the higher stall. With the new converter, I can feel the shifts more positively, I think that is because the main shift points are after the trans has fully locked up.

I'll be taking the truck in to have 4.56 gears installed, as I think that is the last piece of the puzzle that will make the truck feel like it should.

So, I will be putting up a 2500 rpm stall Torque Converter for sale for cheap ($100), for anyone with a truck with more power than mine, or that is interested in better street performance, etc. Let me know.

 

What T/C did you end up going with? (stall speed)

 

I ended up with a Precision Low Stall Billet TC, which has a stall of 1600rpm. Truck feels excellent!