Is the torque converter causing this issue? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

tarik1985 · 12-17-2023, 09:44 PM

Hey guys,
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Since I swapped my 2010 camaro ss l99 engine for a crate engine with the GM hot cam ([https://paceperformance.com/LS3-Crat...-19435100.html)) (the stock engine blew up). I've been experiencing some weird symptoms. At stop lights, the RPMs surge, especially with the AC or heat on. Worse, on the highway with the AC cranked, the car stumbles and almost stalls or chokes.

Iwas told the GM hot cam in the new engine, along with my bolt-on upgrades (LT headers, CAI, Borla ATAK cut-back exhaust), is overloading the stock torque converter and I should upgrade it as well.

So, here are my questions:

GM recommends a stall speed between 2400-2800 RPM. Is that enough, or should I go for a 3200-3400 RPM stall converter?

Should I upgrade the gear as well?

The car was tuned after the engine swap, but I don't know the original stall setting. Will I need a retune after upgrading the converter?

Thank you,

morepowerjoe · 12-18-2023, 03:38 AM

You should not need a high stall converter for that engine because it's not that big of a cam as far as I know. Could you remind me of the cam specs? It sounds like to me that you need a better tuner. I know a couple tuners that can tune engines with a stock converter on a lot bigger cam than that and it doesn't do any of that stuff like yours.

But if you want to upgrade your torque converter I will say this, it will compliment that engine very well and knowing what I know now, that would be my first mod on my list. It is the biggest upgrade that you can do for an automatic car and it really is the best performance upgrade you can do. Also after going to a 3600 stall I wouldn't go any lower. Even my son's C5 has had a 3000 stall in it and it didn't compare to a 3600. Not to say that there's anything wrong with a 3000, you just get a little more bang for your buck with 3600 but you have to like rpm. If you don't like a high revving engine then a 3000 might be all you want. If it was me I would get a circle d single disc 3600 stall, but I like the high revving stuff.

tarik1985 · 12-20-2023, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morepowerjoe

You should not need a high stall converter for that engine because it's not that big of a cam as far as I know. Could you remind me of the cam specs? It sounds like to me that you need a better tuner. I know a couple tuners that can tune engines with a stock converter on a lot bigger cam than that and it doesn't do any of that stuff like yours.

But if you want to upgrade your torque converter I will say this, it will compliment that engine very well and knowing what I know now, that would be my first mod on my list. It is the biggest upgrade that you can do for an automatic car and it really is the best performance upgrade you can do. Also after going to a 3600 stall I wouldn't go any lower. Even my son's C5 has had a 3000 stall in it and it didn't compare to a 3600. Not to say that there's anything wrong with a 3000, you just get a little more bang for your buck with 3600 but you have to like rpm. If you don't like a high revving engine then a 3000 might be all you want. If it was me I would get a circle d single disc 3600 stall, but I like the high revving stuff.

Thank you for the response.

The cam is considered to be small (Camshaft: Steel Hydraulic Roller Tappet
Cam Lift: .525” Intake / .525” exhaust
Cam Duration @ .050”: 219 deg. Intake / 228 deg. Exhaust)
Did you have to retune after the converter upgrade?

morepowerjoe · 12-20-2023, 01:50 PM

Yeah there's a few things that need to be changed.

1JEWLDSSRS · 12-20-2023, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morepowerjoe

Yeah there's a few things that need to be changed.

^^ This. When I swapped out my 3200 stall for the 4500 I had to drive it "carefully" down to my tuner 2.5 hours away, no WOT runs until I got down to him to have the trans tune adjusted for it. I drove it for a couple days until I could get it to him. He told me that it would drive alright under normal driving, may feel a little weird he said, just be careful and don't put any extra stress on it until you get it re-tuned.

InFiD3ViL · 12-20-2023, 07:21 PM

There's no way man. my cam is bigger than the hot cam in all specs and I am still running the stock convertor. That said, you would definitely benefit from a convertor. Has it done this since you got the car tuned after the cam? I ask because it seems like a tuning issue.

My cam specs : .647/.638, (224/237, 112 +4)

GroceryMan81 · 12-20-2023, 08:06 PM

I had a similar issue with my car after installing that cam. I’m running a circle d 3000 stall single clutch. All my issues were solved with a good tune.

tarik1985 · 12-20-2023, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroceryMan81

I had a similar issue with my car after installing that cam. I’m running a circle d 3000 stall single clutch. All my issues were solved with a good tune.

Thx for sharing, did you notice any performance changes? Did the car drive differently after the torque converter upgrade and tune?

GroceryMan81 · 12-21-2023, 09:05 PM

Many improvements. I had the same story you did. I blew my stock motor and installed the same crate engine with the hot cam. I put in the stall and 3.91 gears at the same time. The email tune I got was crap and the tuner left me high and dry, a well celebrated tuner on this forum. I took it to a local dyno tuner and he found more power and great driveability. It’s a rocket. I will say this, if I did it over, I would go with 373 gears. Interstate driving runs about 2200 rpm at 75mph. I had all the same issues you had, and a good tune solved them.

tarik1985 · 12-21-2023, 09:54 PM

I'm trying to get an idea about how much the converter and the installation are gonna cost. Do you mind sharing about how much you guys have spent on it?

12-17-2023, 09:44 PM	#1
tarik1985 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: USA Posts: 268	Is the torque converter causing this issue? Hey guys, Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. Since I swapped my 2010 camaro ss l99 engine for a crate engine with the GM hot cam ([https://paceperformance.com/LS3-Crat...-19435100.html)) (the stock engine blew up). I've been experiencing some weird symptoms. At stop lights, the RPMs surge, especially with the AC or heat on. Worse, on the highway with the AC cranked, the car stumbles and almost stalls or chokes. Iwas told the GM hot cam in the new engine, along with my bolt-on upgrades (LT headers, CAI, Borla ATAK cut-back exhaust), is overloading the stock torque converter and I should upgrade it as well. So, here are my questions: GM recommends a stall speed between 2400-2800 RPM. Is that enough, or should I go for a 3200-3400 RPM stall converter? Should I upgrade the gear as well? The car was tuned after the engine swap, but I don't know the original stall setting. Will I need a retune after upgrading the converter? Thank you, __________________ 2010 Camaro SS/RS L99.

12-18-2023, 03:38 AM	#2
morepowerjoe Drives: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro l99 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,105	You should not need a high stall converter for that engine because it's not that big of a cam as far as I know. Could you remind me of the cam specs? It sounds like to me that you need a better tuner. I know a couple tuners that can tune engines with a stock converter on a lot bigger cam than that and it doesn't do any of that stuff like yours. But if you want to upgrade your torque converter I will say this, it will compliment that engine very well and knowing what I know now, that would be my first mod on my list. It is the biggest upgrade that you can do for an automatic car and it really is the best performance upgrade you can do. Also after going to a 3600 stall I wouldn't go any lower. Even my son's C5 has had a 3000 stall in it and it didn't compare to a 3600. Not to say that there's anything wrong with a 3000, you just get a little more bang for your buck with 3600 but you have to like rpm. If you don't like a high revving engine then a 3000 might be all you want. If it was me I would get a circle d single disc 3600 stall, but I like the high revving stuff. __________________ DSS FX Forged Pistons, Eagle ESP L19 Forged Rods, ARP Head and Main Studs, TSP PRC 260 CNC Ported Heads milled .030, Cometic .040 Head Gaskets, GPI SS3 VVT Camshaft, GM Performance Racing Lifters, CHE Trunnions , Molly Pushrods, Melling 10355HV Oil Pump, Cold Air Inductions CAI, Fast LSXR Intake Manifold, Nick Williams 103 TB, TSP 1 7/8" Longtubes with 3" TSP Exhaust, ZL1 Fuel Pump, Mishimoto Radiator, Mishimoto Oil Cooler, Tru Cool 40k Tranny Cooler, 3600 Circle D Converter, Fluid Dynamics Balancer Build Thread https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609817

12-20-2023, 01:50 PM	#4
morepowerjoe Drives: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro l99 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 2,105	Yeah there's a few things that need to be changed. __________________ DSS FX Forged Pistons, Eagle ESP L19 Forged Rods, ARP Head and Main Studs, TSP PRC 260 CNC Ported Heads milled .030, Cometic .040 Head Gaskets, GPI SS3 VVT Camshaft, GM Performance Racing Lifters, CHE Trunnions , Molly Pushrods, Melling 10355HV Oil Pump, Cold Air Inductions CAI, Fast LSXR Intake Manifold, Nick Williams 103 TB, TSP 1 7/8" Longtubes with 3" TSP Exhaust, ZL1 Fuel Pump, Mishimoto Radiator, Mishimoto Oil Cooler, Tru Cool 40k Tranny Cooler, 3600 Circle D Converter, Fluid Dynamics Balancer Build Thread https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609817

12-20-2023, 07:21 PM	#6
InFiD3ViL Drives: 2010 CGM 2SS/RS LS3 Swapped A6 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Spring Hill, FL Posts: 4,575	There's no way man. my cam is bigger than the hot cam in all specs and I am still running the stock convertor. That said, you would definitely benefit from a convertor. Has it done this since you got the car tuned after the cam? I ask because it seems like a tuning issue. My cam specs : .647/.638, (224/237, 112 +4) __________________ 2010 CGM Camaro 2SS LS3 Swapped A6 - GPI LS3 SS1 .647/.638, (224/237, 112 +4, 7º overlap) on CamMotion 8620 core, BTR Platinum .660" Dual Spring kit w/titanium retainers, CHE bronze trunnion upgrade, stock heads milled @ .015, Melling HV 10296 oil pump, TSP 1-7/8" long tube headers (W/Catless Off-road Pipes), Corsa Xtreme 3" Catback, GPI Ported/Rod Mod Intake, Stage 2 Ported Throttle Body, Vararam OTR CAI, Mike Norris Gen 2 catch can + GM 1LE clean side separator, 160º thermostat - Megan Racing adjustable coilovers (lowered 1.75"), MRR M017 10/11" wheels-Tuned by Ryan @ GPI

12-21-2023, 09:54 PM	#10
tarik1985 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: USA Posts: 268	I'm trying to get an idea about how much the converter and the installation are gonna cost. Do you mind sharing about how much you guys have spent on it? __________________ 2010 Camaro SS/RS L99.

12-20-2023, 08:06 PM	#7
GroceryMan81 Drives: Chevy Camaro Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Il Posts: 3	I had a similar issue with my car after installing that cam. I’m running a circle d 3000 stall single clutch. All my issues were solved with a good tune.

12-21-2023, 09:05 PM	#9
GroceryMan81 Drives: Chevy Camaro Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Il Posts: 3	Many improvements. I had the same story you did. I blew my stock motor and installed the same crate engine with the hot cam. I put in the stall and 3.91 gears at the same time. The email tune I got was crap and the tuner left me high and dry, a well celebrated tuner on this forum. I took it to a local dyno tuner and he found more power and great driveability. It’s a rocket. I will say this, if I did it over, I would go with 373 gears. Interstate driving runs about 2200 rpm at 75mph. I had all the same issues you had, and a good tune solved them.