[bigmikelrg]

Hey guys where and what kind of torque converter should I get to increase the most amount of torque? And is this an essential part for t.q. ? And what else should and can I get to increase torque and h.p. besides a new ring and pinion..... P.s. I came up on 3000$ recently and want to spend up to 1000$ on parts for my truck help me out guys thanks for your time. Oh and I currently have hypertec programmer cai and throttle body spacer and the kegger+ the carb.mod so no advice to getting those plz thx.:smiley_thumbs_up:

 

[ramvan2500]

Hey guys where and what kind of torque converter should I get to increase the most amount of torque? And is this an essential part for t.q. ? And what else should and can I get to increase torque and h.p. besides a new ring and pinion..... P.s. I came up on 3000$ recently and want to spend up to 1000$ on parts for my truck help me out guys thanks for your time. Oh and I currently have hypertec programmer cai and throttle body spacer and the kegger+ the carb.mod so no advice to getting those plz thx.:smiley_thumbs_up:

If you want to be sure you get all your ponies out of the engine rebuild the transmission for performance. Next thing you should do is get a better balanced driveshaft then the stock. STAY AWAY from aluminum. Your torque converter will lockup around 35 MPH so yea... Read up on a torque converter, what it is really a coupling device between the engine and transmission however at low RPM's it multiplies engine torque to help get the vehicle and whatever is attached to it moving. But once the vehicle is up to speed the transmission locks the TC thus you get a 1:1 physical connection between the engine and transmission. Typically a low to medium stall is fine for your truck because it produces the most torque at around 2200 RPM you would want to subtract 700 as per rule for picking a converter and then subtract about 300 for variables. So look for a low stall converter. Another thing you should do is put an external cooler for the transmission. If you want to you can upgrade the engine radiator to an all aluminum my advice stay away from the 3 row, I made the mistake of buying a 3 row all aluminum and it over cools the engine, engine doesn't reach temp and well it runs to rich suck suck suck gas, for you, your truck may not run because of the tighter emission program on the ecm. If you want better gas mileage lower the axle ratio but must say the typical 3.55 is perfect. their is little that can be done to magnum engines or any engines with computers because the timing is set by the ecm and that's why they make programmers and performance chips but still not quite like old carb'd vehicles. Maybe an open exhaust with some hooker or gibson headers would be a nice touch. Change the fuel injectors to the Bosch ones, they atomize the fuel better then the stream spray stock ones... Change the ignition coil, the accel one I have heard is decent. Personally I would change over to the MSD ignition but that's expensive to do and no matter what kind of ignition system you have and engine will still miss. All engine miss! If you want more power you can put that 3 row radiator in because it makes the engine run rich so more HP and Torque BUT BUT, you the truck will suck gas like you suck air.

 

[Gen1dak]

Having a high efficiency radiator isn't the problem. If the truck is running too cool, you should look to a faulty thermostat. If you live in really cold climates and never tow, yeah, I could see where the radiator would freeze up. Even big diesel rigs will block their grille from airflow in blizzards, but that's not the case here, is it? The lower mileage is due to the truck not getting out of the warm-up stage because it doesn't ever reach operating temp. Again, look at the thermostat. As for torque converters, doing the math is good, but on paper and real world are two different things. 2,000 rpm stall is a good minimum for these rigs. Even 2200-2400, especially if you're doing other mods. The higher stall will help the truck at around town speeds, actually improving mileage modestly since the engine is able to spool up into the powerband more easily. Agreed on aluminum driveshafts. Those things are really more for racing, not typical street (especially truck) use.

 

[bigmikelrg]

Ok great so go with 2200-2400 stall? And I live in Arizona where it reaches 110 degrees during summer and the coldest it gets is like 30 degrees ON RARE condition...so now is the 3 row aluminum wat I need?

 

[ramvan2500]

Having a high efficiency radiator isn't the problem. If the truck is running too cool, you should look to a faulty thermostat. If you live in really cold climates and never tow, yeah, I could see where the radiator would freeze up. Even big diesel rigs will block their grille from airflow in blizzards, but that's not the case here, is it? The lower mileage is due to the truck not getting out of the warm-up stage because it doesn't ever reach operating temp. Again, look at the thermostat. As for torque converters, doing the math is good, but on paper and real world are two different things. 2,000 rpm stall is a good minimum for these rigs. Even 2200-2400, especially if you're doing other mods. The higher stall will help the truck at around town speeds, actually improving mileage modestly since the engine is able to spool up into the powerband more easily. Agreed on aluminum driveshafts. Those things are really more for racing, not typical street (especially truck) use.

Well considering that the engine radiator is a 3 row all aluminum 1/2" tube and the thermostat is new and the engine never displayed the engine too cold for to long error until the new rad... I also live in florida however it is winter. The stock rad is copper brass 2 row 3/8 tube and of course clogged lol... I also know it's the rad because if I touch the bottom tank it's well at ambient temperature were if I touch the top tank I can burn my self easily. I am probably going to drop to a 1 row 1" aluminum. The reason I got a 3 row was because I will be doing some towing but I would be doing regular driving majority of the time so it would waste gas to run rich all the time. I am going to have to do some more math to get an idea of BTU dissipation between the 1 and 2 row. Though they're the same because 1 row is 1" tube and 2 row is 1/2" tube but the way the fin's are setup will effect it. But yea my rad is too efficient. It will reach temp but not with the heat on and once it reaches temp if you put the heat on that needle drops out of the sky.


As for the stall speed I shaved off some of the rpm's to account for the vehicle weight. Of course the K factor is practically useless in the real world it still gives you an ideal number to play with. Of course you can use math to predict the proper stall speed with real life variables but yea each variable is different. But anyway's many people like to get converters with a 2200 stall around their, I think that is just a little to high, especially since the magnum motor is producing majority of torque and hp at a mid rpm and with the weight of the vehicles the magnum motor is in this would certain decrease. The stock speed is actually on the button in terms of average use. Finding the perfect stall speed is like finding the perfect person, not going to happen. You can only settle. The converter will typically lockup around 35 MPH which is somewhat street town speed of course if you live in NYC the speed is 0MPH! LOL. But stall speed it's really to a person's liking and of course the situation it's used in.

 

[Gen1dak]

Yeah, stall speed is an iffy prop. And with gear changes and tires, stall of the same converter will change. My Shelby Dakota has a factory high stall. At 3600 lbs and with 3.90 gears it should've at least been able to lay a patch, but it could barely chirp 'em. Granted, the 5.2LA was pale, but still, 270 lbs torque in a light rear? Under brake, it'd stall at 2000. Without brake, it'd flash to about 1850. Keep in mind factory transmissions are built to the last penny and clutch material in them tend to be little better than paper unless there's some sort of HD option. A low stall speed keeps the engine from ever really getting up and going, thus making life easier on the transmission. My Dak had peak torque around 2000 and it still could've used more stall. You want the engine to be able to get into the meaty torque curve. Stall too low and it's struggling until it finally overcomes the inertia enough to really pull.
As for too efficient radiators, I cannot speak to that. I'm on the MS Gulf Coast andhave never had the pleasure of that particular problem. No doubt aluminum
transfers heat much more readily than brass, but the thermostat controls the bulk of the coolant flow. Hard to imagine have an overcooled truck down south. Maybe a 3 row has too much capacity, hard to say from where I am, unable to actually see it in person. Thermostat still could be an issue. Before you go pulling the radiator out just slide a piece of sheet metal or plastic in and block off some airflow. If it's the radiator you'll see an improvement and still have max towing cooling in summer.

 

[ramvan2500]

Yeah, stall speed is an iffy prop. And with gear changes and tires, stall of the same converter will change. My Shelby Dakota has a factory high stall. At 3600 lbs and with 3.90 gears it should've at leastbeen able to lay a patch, but it could barely chirp 'em. Granted, the 5.2LA was pale, but still, 270 lbs torque in a light rear? Under brake, it'd stall at 2000. Without brake, it'd flash to about 1850. Keep in mind factory transmissions are built to the last penny and clutch material in them tend to be little better than paper unless there's some sort of HD option. A low stall speed keeps the engine from ever really getting up and going, thus making life easier on the transmission. My Dak had peak torque around 2000 and it still could've used more stall. You want the engine to be able to get into the meaty torque curve. Stall too low and it's struggling until it finally overcomes the inertia enough to really pull.
As for too efficient radiators, I cannot speak to that. I'm on the MS Gulf Coast and have never had the pleasure of that particular problem.

Yea trying to get a converter stall that is in the curve is well what a person would be after but you typically choose one that is about 400-700 RPM less of power curve RPM. I have a 1690 Stall and I can get them tires to chirp no problem. Towing isn't an issue either, 5000-6000 Lbs 32" Travel Trailer, van has no problem moving it.

As for my cooling well I should saying warming up issue, as long as I don't have the temperature selector on warm and the heat is off the engine is able to warm up, then I would have to turn the heat on but then the engine temperature drops dramatically. Of course once it's in closed loop it stays their however when that temperature drops I am loosing power and the engine is unmerciful on gas. I was thinking maybe if I up the break open temp of the thermostat but then again once that heat is turned on then it will close and the engine won't be able to heat up the coolant to proper temp. Honestly 3 row with 1/2" tube is a HUGH radiator. This thing is big. But if I do swap radiators I will probably sell my 3 row or maybe save it for another application IDK. I don't mind the engine running cold but when it effects gas mileage then I mind. Also don't want to get hot spots in the engine.