can someone explain how the torque converter works and what the "stall" means? this part of the transmission is somewhat a "mystery" to me. I understand what its basic function is but I cant quite picture how it works. I guess I could probably find one of those really oldschool and really cool GM videos that explain these things in great detail so that everyone can understand... like the differential one.
Al
Changing the stall speed can help with acceleration. A "loose" converter changes the angles of the blades and allows a higher engine speed before it will start to move the car. This will help your engine reach max torque faster. An engine with a "big" cam will make max torque at higher RPM, requiring a higher stall to get the RPM's up faster. The bigger the cam, the higher stall required.
You can check your stall speed by power braking. Hold the brake and apply the gas. The RPM you reach without moving is your stall speed. You have to have strong brakes though, if not, you will just spin the tires. If you apply gas slowly you should be able to get relatively accurate number.
A converter will not have the same stall speed behind all engines. The more torque you make, the higher it will stall. That's why the change to a 4.3 converter works well with a V8. And why the V6 converter stalls at 2700 RPM behind my 454. And a stock converter is a lot less expensive than an aftermarket one.