I'm in the process of selecting a stall converter for my 700-r4 transmission.ANyone here have a 700-r4 and not running the lock up? I'm thinking of getting a non lock up converter and using the Transgo Converter Conversion Valve........ Thought/Opinions greatly appreciated!!
Lock Up Vs. Non Lock Up- Pros/Cons
- Thread starter JBreu
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========================================================================================================JBreu said:
Joe,
Art Carr is a huge proponent for using non-lock-up if that's any help. This is a quote that I found in an article mentioning him.
"We chose the nonlockup version--the lockup clutch is kinder to the trans fluid at highway speeds, but Carr advocates removing the lockup function for best performance".
In fact, my good friend who has a '77 Cutlass with a 403 and backed by a BRF 200-4R has been running non-lockup for many years.
If your just Drag Racing I think that non lock up would be the way to go.
For back road touring having the lock up sure is nice.
For back road touring having the lock up sure is nice.
If you are holding a steady speed the lock up feature DOES help keep cruising rpms down. Usually between 2 and 3 hundred rpms. It also keeps a lot of heat from slippage (on the highway) out of the transmission. Its normally worth a solid 1 mpg on the highway in either a 3 speed or a 4 speed overdrive transmission.
Behind a higher rpm drag engine where it spends most of its time in the upper rpm range and makes HP that exceeds its torque a non lock up is often worth a tenth or more in the quarter. Conversely I used a manual lock up switch to lock my converter up in third gear and as with other GN racer forum posters it knocked a tenth off and added 1 mph to my time slips.
And there it is the good the bad and the ugly.
Edit its a relative thing, higher stall 3,000+ non lock ups suck a lot more on the highway than say a 2,500 stall non lock up. And optimum stall choice is usually mostly dictated by cam choice.
Behind a higher rpm drag engine where it spends most of its time in the upper rpm range and makes HP that exceeds its torque a non lock up is often worth a tenth or more in the quarter. Conversely I used a manual lock up switch to lock my converter up in third gear and as with other GN racer forum posters it knocked a tenth off and added 1 mph to my time slips.
And there it is the good the bad and the ugly.
Edit its a relative thing, higher stall 3,000+ non lock ups suck a lot more on the highway than say a 2,500 stall non lock up. And optimum stall choice is usually mostly dictated by cam choice.
I have a 700r4 with a non lock up stall currently getting installed. As soon as the weather is nice again I will let you know how it runs.
I bought an Art Carr TH-2004R trans and it's been a great trans. It was modified for non-lockup converters and really the only thing the lockup gains you is about a 200rpm drop in 4th gear and *maybe* 1-2mpg better in fuel mileage.
That being said, Art Carr makes some of the crappiest converter's out there. My brother and I both had one of their 2200 stall units in our cars at one time. Mine was a non-lockup and his was a lock up. They both ended up with the same problems and we luckily caught it before the totally came apart inside and took out our transmissions.
That being said, Art Carr makes some of the crappiest converter's out there. My brother and I both had one of their 2200 stall units in our cars at one time. Mine was a non-lockup and his was a lock up. They both ended up with the same problems and we luckily caught it before the totally came apart inside and took out our transmissions.
Update: I wnet with a 3200-3400 Non Lock Up from PTC Converteres..........I can't wait til I get it !!!!
yeah, kinda like everyone else said, better heat dissipation and a RPM drop at cruising speeds. a good trans cooler may help you gain somwhat better cooling characteristics and maybe add a longer life span to it as well. in your case i cant see lock up vs non lock up being a big deal with your converter choice. good luck and let us know how your trans/converter turn out
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