1996 Mr.Pink

[3X00-Modified]

Well I just custom ordered my torque converter from RevMax telling them what cam I have and what HP levels I have. Stated as a 4k stall torque converter, or at least that's what they recommended. Hopefully this works out better than my PDQ mess I've been in.

[Barry]

Damn 4k is pretty aggressive.

[DTMAce]

So is his engine. hahah

[3X00-Modified]

They are telling me that the current one I have is stalling at 5100-5200 already... so they recommended 3600-4200... a little tidbit from my email convo's

From: RevMax Torque Converters [mailto:transconverters@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 12:10 PM

To: Jonathan Chmura
Subject: Re: 4t60e Performance Converter

$249, no core needed... Lead time 2-3 days.As far as stall 4000ish should be best for you. I can almost be positive that we will be dead nuts on the stall speed number!! I can't believe they sold you the converter they did, it is not even close to what is needed for your application!

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Jonathan Chmura wrote:

What am I looking at for price and what do you need from me to make one? Core? Or do you already have that available?

From: RevMax Torque Converters [mailto:transconverters@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2011 12:02 PM

To: Jonathan Chmura
Subject: Re: 4t60e Performance Converter

Your converter is stalling approx. 5100-5200 now as is... That is way too high for your application, I would recommend 3600-4200 stall or so and that will tighten you right up and get some better MPH for sure!

On Fri, Oct 14, 2011 at 11:44 AM, Jonathan Chmura wrote:

That would be why I contacted you, I was hoping for some input on what the best stall speed would be. I’ve been told that the current converter that I have is 3k stall, which I find VERY hard to believe with how it responds. I can brake stall the thing up to 3800 before the car starts to creep, and I can’t get a flash stall reading because it just breaks the tires free as soon as you get on it, so that leads me to believe that the stall whatever it may be, is too high.

Also since I’m told what I have is 3k, I’m very hesitant to get another 3k made somewhere without some sort of benchmark on what RPM’s I should expect to see and such.

With my gear ratio and tire size assuming zero slip and immediate shift times if I were to shift at 6,400 2nd gear would take over at 3,470. I typically complete my shift around 6700 so I would like to see somewhere in the range of 4200-4500 after the shift… if that’s at all possible… I’m honestly not sure. Right now at a 6700 shift I end up at 5100 rpm, and on a second to third at 6600rpm shift I end up at 5200rpm.

With having as much traction issues as I do being FWD, I really think I would benefit from using some of my torque curve more and not being at peak HP all the time.

Let me know what you think
-Jonathan

[99GaGT3X00]

not a bad price on the converter.
should get all my stuff together and see what they recommend for mine.

[3X00-Modified]

Had to phone order the converter, Got a reply from the e-mail I sent saying to call in, and I finally got around to it today... settled on 3600 stall when on the bottle and he said it would be around 3200 off the bottle.

I should have it in about a week.

[3X00-Modified]

Well I did some more work this weekend and to my surprise the 2nd gear clutch pack clearance was CRAZY high (at least compared to what Alto says it should be)... With the stock steels and Raybestos Stage 1's I measured around 0.067" of clearance using 20PSI of air to test it.

I then installed the Alto powerpack I purchased and was presented with very similar numbers 0.067-0.072" for clearance, so I swapped out ONE of the steels for the 0.077" thick one they supply to tighten it up and only got it down to 0.057"... the recommend in the book to be between 0.020" and 0.035" Now in order for me to get to 0.037" I had to swap out three more of the Alto steels for thicker 0.077" ones. So I currently have 7 Alto Fibers at 0.060" thick each, and 3 Alto Kolene steels at 0.067" and 4 stock Kolene steels at 0.077" thick.

Info from their install guide

With an original 2nd design or 3rd design set-up: Install the waved cushion plate. Install seven (7) friction plates and seven (7) steel plates. Technical note: On all 4T60-E drum steps, DO NOT reinstall the bottom tapered apply plate. Install one of the kit steel plates directly on top of the waved cushion plate. Air check the clutch pack several times to seat all components. The clutch pack clearance should
be .020”-.035”.

Info on clearance checking

CLUTCH PACK CLEARANCE CONCERNS
With variances in the drum snap ring groove proximity and spring retainer heights, you may have a clutch pack where the .020”-.035” cannot be obtained. If the clearance exceeds .035” (too loose) remove one of the .060” steel plates and install the furnished .077” steel plate. If the clearance is below .020” (too tight), first ensure that the drum is properly assembled and all parts are fully seated. Air check the drum again and recheck the clearance. Listen carefully. During a 1-2 shift, the input sprag overruns while the second clutch applies. A clutch pack or band DOES NOT release. With this in mind, you can have a second clutch pack clearance of .010” without causing any side effects. Here’s the rule…when the second clutch pack is properly assembled and has been air checked several times to fully seat all the components, the friction plates must wiggle or rotate freely with an .005” feeler gauge
installed.

I've checked this setup with a set of digital calipers, measuring from the top of the drum to the top steel plate and then adding air and taking the difference of the measurement. Granted I did not do it with a dial indicator but thats why I decided to leave it at 0.037" just in case my measuring is off... After soaking the fibers I was still able to spin the drum when installed on the input housing shaft so I know the pack is free, but it just obviously feels much tighter than before and that somewhat worries me. I don't want to cook this setup on startup from being too tight.

I did a .006 feeler gauge and was able to move the clutches around still but since they were soaked in fluid already the were sticky, I didn't do that check with them dry and probably should have.

I sent an email to Dave at Triple edge and I hope to get a reply soon since I need this car together before this weekend, and he has also been very hit or miss from being busy lately I guess.

I'm half tempted to just pull out one of the 0.077" steels I opted in and put in the 0.067" ones that come with it and just leave the clearance a bit high since I know back when I put down my 12.6 I did not have the shifting issues I did last year... and the clutch pack didn't change last year, only the converter did and quite possibly the fluid level in the trans. Dave told me that running it at regular level could starve the pump at the RPM's I'm running and I should hit it with 1-2quarts over full to fix a 2nd gear shift flare. I'm also definately installing my trans pressure gauge this year so I can watch to see if I have a pressure drop from starving the trans.

[3X00-Modified]

Steering Bellows replaced last night... Damn that's almost as bad as having to do a rack... I aparently melted them last year with the headers not being properly coated on the rear... hopefully I will get a better coating on them and it will fix this because this is the first time I ever had this issue and all I ever had on the headers before was the 1500* Duplicolor exhaust paint.

Also pulled my second drum back out again and rebuilt it using only the Alto parts and keeping the clearnace at 0.063" Since I've been getting responces of 0.008 to 0.010 per friction will be good clearance. I was also told to remove the waved cushion plate but I opted to leave that in this time around.

I also FINALLY drilled a hole in the pan for a drain plug... I hope this will work out so I can drain the fluid out of the trans before having to do anything again. That seems to be the biggest pain when I have to take it out or do any work on it like if I want to change the accumulator shims.

[3X00-Modified]

Finally put a drain plug on my transmission,


It's also running, it moved forward and backward and cooked on the header paint, ill take it for an official ride tomorrow morning. Too late tonight.

[Quad4Z26]

Forget that drain plug......that's a really shiny pan you got there.

It all looks too clean....

[DTMAce]

Hell, you could eat off his engine, its that clean.

[Barry]

Did you weld some threads inside that pan I hope?

[3X00-Modified]

Barry come on.. I just tapped the 1/16 thick pan lol.

There is a nut inside brazed to the pan, it will leave a 1/2" of fluid but at least it won't be pouring out the seams when I'm loosening the pan bolts.
Oh and Ace, it was very clean its actually showing some signs of leaks now I think it's the valley silicone leaking some oil since it's following down the corners of the heads and coating the front and rear of the block, no Signs of the value covers leaking though, so maybe I'll fix it but I'm not that worried.

[99GaGT3X00]

that's what i've been planning to do to my pan. just haven't felt the need to deal with the fluid yet.

so when can i drop my car/trans off

[3X00-Modified]

Well it runs, feels pretty good, I'm much happier with this converter even though I didn't get on it that hard yet... I had put the pads in backwards on the front, not realizing that there is a specific inside and outside pad when it comes to hawk's so I didn't have much clamping force so needless to say I did not get on it... lol

Just got it back and pulled the front brakes off and swapped out for the 12" f-body's for the car show tomorrow as well as pulled the front header for the Cilgen Seal clear coating on it. Interesting stuff to say the least, Very thin and will supposidly take the heat. I got a MUCH better coating with the header paint this time too.. looks to have taken well. I hope they last this time, and then if I do switch to the TOG headers I can repeat this coating again.

Well since that header is drying now, its off to do some housework... fun fun.