The Torque Converter Will Make Or Break Your Car! Here's What You Need To Know When Ordering One 

I found out about 2 months ago my wife has lung cancer. She is getting a biopsy April 7 to stage it. Then its out to cancer doctor. Thanks for you videos and Sunday night lives It helps me escape from a dark place everytime i watch your channel thank you so much. You guys rock keep up the good work tony and kat

It's amazing to me how many people don't understand "having fun". When I saw you doing those burnouts I smiled and thought "He's just having WAY too much fun!".

I recall back in the 80s some places sold packages that included a cam and the converter.

A video on wheel aspect of old mopars would be great. About when and why u need to shorten your rear end and the biggest common tire on a stock hot rod style car

A very important part of dyno results is the low RPM information. As a converter builder I need to know the RPM that the begins to make power.

First off paint them headers white lol, I bought a Summit low stall 10" for my 3900 Nova with high torque 454 and 3.31 gears and it brake stalls at 2400 and flashes at 3200+ gave me a 0-60 mph of 4.75 seconds, going to hit Milan drags this summer for 60' times.

My gearhead buddies and I learned long ago that If you have to explain why burnouts are fun, they just won’t get it and it’s best to switch to talking about football or something more mundane.

You're entirely correct! It's about FUN! Life's too short not to have FUN! This is meant to be an escape from reality.

I changed the converter and exhaust on my ‘71 LTD and it went from 16.1 to 12.7 second quarters. Money well spent.

I dont understand why ppl cant get what you were doing. You explained it in the video. I didnt even graduate high school and understood everything that happened. Some ppl just get your head out of your ass. Loved the content that you dont have. Keep up the great work and videos love your channel tony and kat

4:57 That's the converter that is going into the classic '55657 junkyard build for DD'SS. You may as well load the mess on the car trailer and let DD SS finish the job; since UT already had it 95% restored on the floor.

You gotta make sure to update the torque converter in mini Slaghammer as well

This is a very good and interesting explanation of choosing the proper torque converter and more precisely a stall converter. I would have liked for you to touch on how the camshaft that you have is a big factor on where the engine starts making good power and also is a factor on what torque converter to consider but I realize that most of your audience most likely already knows this. I'm looking for a way to show my step son the relationship between an engine that starts making good torque way down low and why you wouldn't want a high stall converter in that case compared to an engine that doesn't start making power until it's higher up in it's rev range and why then a higher stall converter would be a benefit. The reason is is I installed a big bore kit on my step sons 49cc scooter(it's all he can afford at the moment) and he ordered a whole new top end. The kit came with a new cylinder, piston (much bigger), rings, assembled head, overhead camshaft and bigger carburetor and a few main jets. He also ordered a new variator with heavier weights (basically the front part of a torque converter you'd see on some mini bikes and go karts) and a new stiffer main spring and clutch springs (3). Now instead of coming off the line pretty much immediately the engine revs way high before the it takes off which isn't necessary with this setup because the new camshaft, from what I can tell, has a stock profile, it's not high performance at all from what I can tell. We ran it with the stock variator and clutch setup after I installed the big bore kit and it ran good but he wanted to put this new variator and clutch springs setup on it because he thought it'd give him better low end torque and performance but that's not the case in my opinion. I didn't see where it improved his top end at all but made the bottom end very mushy so I'm looking for a video to show and explain this. Still an excellent video and I learned a lot from it and hope to learn more from them. Thanks for the explanation 👍

Kinda glad you brought up DD Speed Shop. Cool how Dan helped her put the glitter on even though he didn't like it. She did, and it was her car. Like low Buck Garage says, "if you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong". Personally, I think roasting tires is a waste of money, but dang it's fun.

Sounded strong to me but like somethin was goin on right at the 1-2 upshift. Still that's only teething trouble. Razor tuning an engine is 1 thing. Dialing in an entire scratch-built 1-off car and combination is quite something else. Takes time, patience, and a few passes and it'll perform. Main thing is it stayed together, launched straight, and stayed straight even down at the big end and any gear-banger can work with that...

I had a fully built 289 tunnel ram nitrous oxide and a fully manual c4 transmission and a 10 inch pinto converter in it and it was a absolutely amazing 3500 stall and worked perfectly

Tony. I own a 88 5.0 mustang notch Lx 5 speed because of you. Had it since 92. I was my dream car in 87 when I left high school. Today my daily is a 2011 Caprice PPV cammed with exhaust and a Camaro SS pumpkin in the back. 13 3s @ 106 all day on cop snow tires. You inspired me in the 80s. Thanks!

I've been digging your stuff Tony since your CSK / Harris magazine days. Im with you on the challenges and frustrations of torque converter selection. Without X-ray vision, you can't really tell what you've got until you have installed it and made some runs. I always request that the converter maker use as deep a converter housing as possible. Gotta have plenty of stack-width inside for deep vanes. Many shops that sell thin converters juggle low end stall speed and top end slip. It used to be that the old Ford Cortina automatic converter core offered an ideal blend of small diameter and thick body. But they're all used up now. The Chevy Vega core was an old standby but is pretty skinny. Now certain Japanese-sourced converter cores are preferred among the rebuild houses. Happy hunting!

summit once sold a 600HP no2 kit , now with the tunnel ram--you could run TWO of the 600hp kits! the answer to any hot rod problems is all ways MORE no2!!! more power!!

The title for the short "Warming the Globe Two Tires at a Time" would be great on the next UTG shirt. Love the channel and everything you do. Always look forward to the next video.

Thank you uncle Tony for all the ways to help me understand

So UT, back in the day using PowerGlides, we would install six cylinder converters and even Vega four cylinder converters to get an idea what the motor wanted. Big (er) HP 327's and 348's would punish those, but they were cheap from the wreckers. So how about a 170 Slant converter ?? Hit with a decent 383 it ought to flash to 3K or so ...

The guys at TCI are great. I was running a 408 ci big block Chevy with a TCI transbrake powerglide with a 5000 converter, on gas, I switched to Flying Toilet on alcohol and the stall speed went up 500 rpm. I called TCI told them this and asked if they could bring it back down to 5000. They said send it in and we'll adjust it and you will have it back in 4 days. They came through as promised and it was only about $250-300. I was very satisfied. With the stall being corrected the change to the Flying Toilet dropped the ET by 4 tenths. From 7.0 to 6.60 and deadly consistent. And no more cooling it down between rounds.

What a just a great wealth of knowledge and experience. Love your videos and the way you explain things.

Surely you had to know that with that tunnel ram, the car needed the high stall converter. But I'm also wondering about the cam your running. I would expect a pretty serious lope at idle and I don't hear it. I'm glad I'm just living vicariously through you ;) Didn't B&M usually offer two fairly standard converters. I had the lower stall version and man did that attract a lot of the wrong kind of attention on the street. Ended up putting a TB350 converter in my TB400. Ah yes, the Hole Shoot and the Super Hole Shoot.

I learned some stuff about torque converters, but the best wisdom was at the end. Thanks for another great vid Tony!

Hey man, glitter is a hot button topic

Tony, Thank you! This is the 1st time I have grasp a basic understanding of the torque converter.

That's what building hot rods is all about, dissecting your combination and making it work for you. If you get all frustrated that it isn't perfect right out of the gate take your time and figure it out, it's a learning process.

I made the same mistake by getting the wrong converter. I put my 70 Road Runner together with a mild 383. I used the Mopar 280/280-.474 cam. I used the Mopar catalog it stated to use K factor? I used the conversion chart in the catalog it showed 2k would be correct. I installed a Hughes 24-25. That converter is TOO tight. It would drag the engine down at idle in gear. 2 years later I did a cam swap installed the Mopar 272 cam. Perfect combination. I was even able to regear to 3.23 now it’s a great driver.

Spot On. The reverse is MORE true. Stop putting "3500 stall converters" in street cars. You have to smash the throttle at a red light just to get the damn thing to roll. I always build street cars to perform at LOW rpm.

My 67 chevelle heavy street sled does 9's in the quarter; 1.64 60ft; 6.4 1/8. I run a 383 with 250 shot. When we switched to a 5300 grunt pump it got the cam in the range. I run it on the street all the time with no complaints. You have to let the converter get the cam in its range..... I run a built th350 with transbrake and reverse pattern manual.

Tony…. Can you please do a video on lobe separation on a camshaft and break it down?

"There's lots of things to get serious about. Hot rods ain't one of them!" Truer words have rarely if ever been spoken.

I thought that you did ok for a test and tune, what part didn't they hear, you said you were letting the other car go, so you could hear yours 😂 burnout was good to, their always fun, aspecialy if it's yours, 😅 thanks for sharing, all the best to yous and your loved ones 😊

Yep, a loose TC that stalls at the necessary RPM will make a fun car. But a stick makes it much better.

6 speed manual transmission works great too. Got rid of my automatic transmission and I'm much happier. On and off track. 3 73 posi. rear .

Don't the converters for nitrous have anti balloon plate

Lack of knowledge never slowed an opinion. U had ur "serious" drag days and now its about fun , some of arse unnastan that . Luv ya work mate , go at it.Cheers

Hot Rodding is supposed to be fun! 💜

What I appreciate with Unc is that he knows darn well how to build a record setting screamer but chooses not to for the benefit of teaching the masses all the aspects of this. You’ve resparked the car bug fun in many of us ❤️

Wish that l had known you years ago. I was just a kid and my heros were the Swing brothers I miss Fred And his Hobo

Ooze is my new favorite drag racing term

Nitrous converters have an anti ballooning plate. That is the physical difference over a standard one to take that hard hit on launch.

I would have thought that leaving easy would prevent the converter from being able to work to it's potential. It's interesting. I'm glad you're having fun.

I learn alot from you I am not a racer just like cars of all kinds.

That made sense and I learned a lot, but to me it will always be more fun to shift a manual...

And I thought fin angle internally and converter diameter determined how loose or tight feeling the converter is

I have a turbo coyote and it picked up 3 tens going from 3000 to 4500 stall. Relativly heavy car with no boost off the line. Next year going trans break to try to load the motor harder off the line while still in the power band. Converts make a huge difference.

Great positive video, haters gonna hate, never lower yourself to their level. On uncle. Kathy's chicken pen, let me give you some advice, I have raised chickens all my life,I live in eastern NC, last year between coyotes and hawks I lost three sets of Biddies. If you have a pen make sure it has a wire fence roof. I líke Rhode Island red chickens (hens, brown eggs) and Arikanas (some call them Americanas, Easter egg chickens, eggs are green or blue) in the Bantam variety I like black tailed Japanese, if you get lucky they are white all over. I love game hens/roosters too. Good luck from G-Force. Gary Lilley.

Yeah,,,,,"Uncle Tony Van Winkles Garage".nuff said.

I saw Black Oak Arkansas live at Uncle Crystal's Chicken Shack back in 1973....

Dyno sheets don’t usually cover lower rpm as the dyno servo cant load the engine at all rpm

It’s crazy how hotheaded people get at a track or a show. It’s supposed to be fun

Cool that you figured it out and shared this lesson. Thank you kindly.

Amen brother, because it’s fun!

If you request, Test and Tune sessions will sometimes (depending on car count) permit solo passes. Thanks for video.

Everything you say is how i was taught . COMMON SENSE ! good old basic common sense . You're the best !

i am a retired professional transmission rebuilder and shop owner. T/C companies are definitely not all the same! in my world of every day street cars/trucks, when i retired 3 years ago, CVC and precision converters were the best of the rebuilt ones,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You mind controlled me into clicking the thumbsup button at the end. Good job, good on you 👍

You can tell the difference on alot of converters that run nitrous or power adder by looking for an anti baloon plate if you dont have one theres a good chance the converter will swell and take out the stator pump in the trans

Thank You Uncle Tony, Nice Hat !!!

Great info.I think a video on rear end gears would be great if you haven’t done one already

UTC is an old school pro. I just listen to the dude and am with him in the build.

I once test drove a car with a hyper-active 225 and an early lockup converter. No way would it pull away without wheel-spin. Otherwise it would stall out. Most distressing, and we did not buy that otherwise beautiful Dart.

"pointing at the convertor" LMAO thought it was UTGsplaining...😊

10:00 you missed "And roll a cigarette" Great work as usual Tony

Uncle Tony put a standard in it !

As usual Tony you're right, It's about Fun! Your burnouts were Awesome and Fun! I loved them. Thanks.

Anyone else remember the guys who had a clutch and an automatic? Wonder what happened with that?

What if BOTH cars are test tuning,,and waiting for each other To go first 😂 kidding! Great vid going through this converter stuff on my 68 Sport Fury thank you from Ohio!

Great information, brother.

Some people take everything so damn seriously. It sucks. They can't enjoy life.

Was going to say car needs a 4 speed with them carbs

So how much of a mistake, dollar sign-wise, was it to need another custom built converter?

Hope Uncle Crystall gets a frigging awesome chicken coop.

You should get a Trans break and a two step

Think of it as a propeller submerged in a drum in the driveline..

8:00 Idiots never listen. ~( ,m,)~ You'll always get that. I get it literally every single day of my life.

glad you are out having fun in an affordable way! A torque converter will work magic with that setup, what do you have planned for the carb tuning?

great video UT.

HOWdy U-T-G, ... YUP - YOU think that an 1/8 mile or 1/4 Mile torque converter is hard to SPECIFY ... Try a 2800 pound CJ-5 FunnyCar with Front & Rear Differentials (with different Gear-Ratios = 4.88:1 Rear & 4.27:1 Front ) because of the 21" W I D E Scooper Tires in the Rear & the 12" Paddle Tires in the front Running on: / DIRT / Sand / Gravel / depending on the TRACK which shakes up the Tranny-Fluid then add a TRANSFER CASE that more than DOUBLES the Differential Gear Ratios by 2.03:1 AMC V-8 ... Shifting at 9,250 RPM using an AMC version TF-8 / 727 with HEMI Planetary & Guts where they are Beefier it took me THREE "loosenings" before the Torque Converter got "RIGHT" NOTE: FLASHING / NO Trans-Brake THANKS COOP the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA ...

Excellent Tony!!!

Good morning to you and thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the test and tune part of designing and running your car to get what you want and need to do and accomplish.

You have a 11# converter on the floor. Blind person can tell that if it's efficient, it will never give 4000 rpm stall speed with a 383. You need a 10" or even a smaller one to get there with that power and torque. Judging by the trap speed you are not making a lot of power with that engine.

How about doing a video on this new laser rust remover. Some are cheap others are not.

Seems like you would have known it was a bad/incompatible converter before hitting the strip.

I thought Tony trashed all his Direct Connection plates and signage?

Dam man 3400 lbs.? I thought it would be lower....I ran a out of box 3500 stahl t.c.i. in a 3700 pound chevelle..cowl hood..full interior with big block/pioneer sound system and ran 7.79/86mph and 12.25 quarter with a 3;90 gear pontiac rear man...seems like that valiant/mopar..no frame/guts would be so much lower.Had about 1700 bucks in the engine/500 in 350 turbo trans man in a cheap bought 70 malibu body.oval heads.

I had a dodge truck with a 11” converter ran a 8.80 then put a 10” converter and went an 8.56

Well now I have to see the chicken coop 😂😂😂

I made a goofy post on one of Dan's videos, and apparently they didn't read the whole thing and hid me from the channel. Oh well, it was fun watching him for a while. I like making goofy comments, poking fun, and being silly. Back to the subject of this one.. I am trying to figure out what stall I will need for my latest engine when I throw some boost at it. I think I'll go smallish, like 2400 or so, take it to a car show that has a chassis dyno and see what it puts down. Then go from there when it gets the boost.

I need to find ur knowledge near me ❤

I was under the assumption that more torque will give you more stall

Good stuff Tony. I could be wrong but I think I hear some valve float or something caused a miss about have way down the track. I don't know what caused it just wondering if you heard it? Keep on smiling.

Obviously having your own strip would be ideal but if someone owned the property there shop was on then build a 100" strip and keep it an a prepped surface as possible just to do 60' testing. I loved the huge smokers at the strup! I knew exactly what was up, UT was having some fun.

"Would Automatically have had a 4 Speed"....😆

Why did the door open on the 1st run Tony?

When 8n doubt go with a bigger stall number

OK, I see I got my Video, but wouldn't a "DYNO" work, also to "TEST", besides the track? Also I though starting in the late 80's Torque Converters, were, made with a "Magnetic clutch/lock-up ??"