PEAK PUTTERS

So I have narrowed my engine selection down for my Willys, here are the specs of the one I am leaning towards.

CAM:.480 Int / .486 Exh & 229 Int / 230 Exh duration @ .050

HORSEPOWER: 375 @ 5400 rpm

TORQUE: 400 @ 4100 rpm

So now my concern is trying to figure out my torque converter for a TH350. Manufacture suggests between 2000-2400 stall which seems a but higher than I want for playing in the mountains. Was thinking I could get by with a 1800 stall. Anyone have any recommendations/thoughts?

Did I miss something? What motor do you plan to run?

Are we to assume this would be an SBC?

I'd stick with a higher stall unless it has a really flat torque curve. Doesn't sound like an offroad motor.

Why do you need so much HP, that Highhood is going to do wheelies.
The problem I see is the engine is going to very sluggish if you try to run a lower stall TQ. The TQ also has to be match to rig weight, HP, and what kind of mood the wife is in.
On the other hand you can put it together and see what happens, if not pull it apart again and change it.

Its a 355 SBC, aluminum heads, etc. Thinking this is very close to what was in it before from a HP/Torque standpoint. The converter I have is a low stall, and was always fighting with cam in its previous life.

Really James? Why do you need so much hp? You should be ashamed of yourself!


2k full sized converter with a BIG stacked plate cooler with its own fan and you'll be happy.

100% with trashy. Including the sarcasm. No such thing as too much Power. 2000 stall to get you in the curve and cool the heck out if it.

I agree with WT - 2k stall with a big, BIG, cooler and you should be OK. I don't know anything about your driving style or desires for vehicle performance, but this should give you a decent setup for general trail service even with a motor that isn't really setup for it.

I would recommend also running a temp gauge so you know if you have enough cooling.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll post up when I get to putting everything together.

So,
355 SBC, al heads (what size ports?), and what intake/fueling setup? Is it already assembled?

With the al heads, you should be able to safely run a true 10:1 CR. Deck the block and run 0.030" piston-to-head clearance with flat-topped pistons. If you keep the CR high and the squish clearance tight and large squish area, it will pull real nice off the bottom and even better on top.

I would also wager that you could have a guy who knows porting well to narrow/reprofile the ports in your heads and find a ton more bottom end without sacrificing top end.

And a final note, if you want to leave all those alone, just get a roller cam that has a very aggressive ramp profile with the same specs you listed. The speed at which the valves open and close makes a very noticeable difference in power and throttle response to help the low-end. Be sure to go with the recommended valve springs, also.

The heads are 2.02 x 1.60. Agree on the roller setup, but I need to draw the line somewhere in the budget! Get's me thinking I should just bite the bullet though.