magnum in volare

[kkritsilas]

My Imp:

That is one question that I have never heard answered, for either the lockup convertor on the later A904s/A998/A999s or the A500/A518s (42RH/46RH). I have heard it recommended by many people that they are not to be used for racing (not that they would do much good there), but I don't know if it is due to the sudden shock loads that are experienced in racing, or just a torque capacity issue. Would be nice to know; even an educated, or well thought out guess would be a good starting point.

Kostas

 

[slant6billy]

I had asked that question to the seller of these "Built" A518s. He statement to me was the lock up was weak and would fail. The failure could blow apart the trans. I don't run a scatter shield, but my RX7 buddy does and his clutchflite trans blew when he shifted into 3rd. The shifter went into thigh (just a big bruise - thankfully). As a transmission blows apart it is UGLY and possible deadly. NOTE this was a clutchflite and not a lockup torque converter, but to show what happens when stuff goes wrongs

 

[My imp]

I would assume that upon lockup that the TC clutch, if overloaded would be the part to come apart. The vanes of a TC aren't very different from the vanes in a jet engine, & we all know what happens when a bird,strike happens. Birds are flesh & blood, not metal, like TC pieces. So I imagine that's what comes apart. I have no intention of building a strip car, but I don't want to hop up my 360 to the point of trans destruction. It really doesn't make sense to keep putting more power to one until it grenades. It's far to easy, & cheaper to not take chances & get rid of it. I mean who doesn't want an 11 sec. 1/4 mile car that gets 40 mpg? Not gonna happen. But I would like to know how fast I can build this thing & still get reasonable fuel economy.how many mpg does a lock up give you? Plus the higher the stall, the lower the economy. Within reason, certain mods give you more fuel economy, while others, less. I'd love to able to find an A518 core at a reasonable price. Everything I've found thus far, the people think they have a gold mine there. $400 & up for a trans that "needs work". Engine & trans shops have deals with salvage yards to buy cores. We used to pay (1990) no more than $25 for long block 440's! We had rows of 440's, 400's, 383's, 360's. Never paid more than $50 for a carb to pan 440 motor home engine. I know I'll never find anything like that again, but for as many of those tranny's are still on the road, $100 is MORE than reasonable for a trans that "needs work".

 

[76volareman]

2bbl efi throttle bodys use an offset square bolt pattern. No way wil they bolt onor a carb on the manifold.just a fyi.