96 Max Se auto,
I was thinking of getting a TORQUE CONVERTER from level 10 in NJ to make me shift like a 5 speed i already have the valvebody from don in texas. price is for the TORQUE CONVERTER and install is $1000.00 is it realy worth getting???

 

what does it do?

 

Umm I guess the simplest way to put it is.. Its like the clutch on a manual tranny car.

ZuM

 

You can get a Protorque torque convertor for $395 and it will perfrom just was well or better as the L10 TC. Just email Protorque at http://www.protorque.com and they will tell you what model # the TC is for your car.

 

A higher stall torque converter is a torque multiplication device. The stock torque converter on the Maxima is way too low (1400-1600 rpms). Since the Maxima has it's peak torque at 4000 rpms, the best overall stall speed for the Maxima would be about 2800 rpms (3800 rpms would perfect, but unstreetable). Torque converters are rated by "stall speed". Stall speed is the rpm at which the converter is at optimal efficency. A torque converter works like this. Imagine two fans facing each other. If you turn on one fan, the other will eventually spin. Instead of air to move the blades, fluid moves the blades inside the torque converter. The higher the stall of the converter, the more rpms it takes to move the blades. Simply put, when you mash the gas from a standstill in a stock Maxima, the rpms rise to about 1600-1800 rpms before the car launches. With a higer stall converter you'd be launching at nearly 3000 rpms which would put you deep into the available torque and launch you much harder. Also, when your car goes into 2nd and 3rd, your rpms will be about 300-400 higer which will put you further into the power. A higer stall converter and valve body upgrade will make a automatic Maxima perform extremely well. I don't think a reduction in et by atleast .5 is unreasonable. We added torque converters to our Z28s and reduced our ets by well over .6 of a second. This is by far the best bang for the buck any automagic driver can do to their car.

The side effects of a high stall converter are this. They generate a lot of heat...a tranny cooler is absolutely necessary. The higher stall converter "slip" more under normal cruise so your car will actually feel a little sluggish until you mash the gas. A valve body would reduce this sluggishness. Higher stall converter use a little more gas, until the converter is "locked" in 3rd and 4th gear. Highway mileage will be unaffected. Automatics with highstall converters DON'T drive like 5 speeds..believe me. They feel sluggish until you mash it. You will be the envy of all 5 speed Max owners at the 1/4 mile. Your 1/8th mile ets will be very strong because you can launch so hard compared to a 5 speed.


Dave

 

Good description Dave. I think the installation would cause most people to shy away from this mod. You would have to take the auto tranny off the car to get to the TC. I say around 5 hours pro labor, so it's about $300 to get this install. It's not bad for dropping your ET by .5.

 

I just talked to Protorque. Level 10 use their torque convertor. The unit is $395, so you are paying around $600 for installation. I think that might be a little steep. You probably can find someone to install the TQ for around $300.