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By Jim Rowe - 18 Years Ago
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I would like to know who can raise the stall on my Ford-O-Matic torque convertor. I called Art Carr transmissions and he was off the chart on price and wouldn't guarntee much higher stall.
My cam doesn't like the stock stall speed. I have an S-270 cam from Mummert. it's I believe 272 duration and .440 lift @.50
Frank Rice told me someone on this site does this kind of work. I just don't remember the name.
Thanks for the help!
Jim
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 18 Years Ago
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Jim: Carr probably told you right, but he didn't put on a sales pitch. There is a limited amount the stall can be increased in the stock 12 or 13 inch converters of the old FOMs. To get more stall speed you need to go to a smaller diameter converter, like 11 or even 10 inch. Unfortunately converters for our old cars are not off the shelf items, and must be custom made to order. When you talk to your next converter company, you need to tell them what your car and engine is, and what you expect from a converter. Let them suggest what they can build for you. They may even want your old converter to measure if they don't have drawings. If your present converter is the bolted together type with a flex plate to drive it, you probably would need to use a later flywheel with the starter ring gear on it so the ring gear doesn't have to be put on the converter. Sad to say, it probably can't be done for $200 any more. John
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By Pete 55Tbird - 18 Years Ago
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Hi; It might be easier to change the cam or the rear end gear. Just how much manifold vacume are you getting with the car in gear at idle?
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By PF Arcand - 18 Years Ago
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Jim: It's late now to bring this up, but did you follow the advise in Mummert's ads in YBM? It states that the next Cam down, (the 265 degree advertised) is the one that's O.K. for the Fordomatic. Even that cam is probably up in performance from the 57-"D" code cam. Have you checked your engine for vacuum leaks etc.?
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By Jim Rowe - 18 Years Ago
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Guys,
Thanks for all of the replys. Yes it is the stock bolt together style. When I purchased the cam from Mummert he was out of the 256 and I took a chance on the 270. I know the addage "under cam when in doubt". Didn't take the advise did I.
As to Vacuum .... at an idle out of gear it will pull 14-15 inches. No vacuum leaks that I can find.
It will not idle at 500-600 RPM in gear. I can idle the car with my foot on the gas "just a little".
Not very technical am I. Does this tell us anything? If I increase the fuel mixture a little richer would this help? I'm setting up an "E" code manifold with Edelbrock 500 CFM carbs to run out it.
Talk about richer............!
I did adjust the lifters to .22 rather than the .19 the cams suggests. Hoped to gain some vacuum.
The car runs great when I drive it. Good Response no pinging. Get's second gear rubber on the up shift. Pulls strong. I like the cam, if I could just get it to idle in gear. Transmission swapping is the last thing I want to do now that the body is done. BUT... I do have a stick setup, T-5 mustang that would work. That's the last resort. I would just like to get the FOM to work with this setup. I may be asking for to much.
Jim
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By Glen Henderson - 18 Years Ago
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This would be the perfect time to install a FMX, but if you want to keep the FOM, here is another option. Find a 58 thru 64 flexplate (don't know if they are still available new or not, maybe Hoosier does) and replace the FOM front pump with A FMX unit. ACC Performance Products in Muscle Shoals, AL list three torque converters for the FMX in the following stall speeds (PN 21193 1600-2200 RPM, PN 21194 2200-2800 RPM and PN 21195 2800-3200 RPM) and you can specify the pilot hub diameter, eleminating the need to fab a bushing to adapt the FMX too the Y Block crank. Prices start at a little over $200 for the 1600-2200 RPM model. Finding the flexplate might be the toughest thing to accomplish if they are no longer available.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 18 Years Ago
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Jim: Don't give up yet. The company Glen mentioned may be able to make you an FMX converter with the FOM spline and pump drive. Might be worth giving them a call. To make your existing converter have more stall speed would basically mean making it less efficient so it will slip more. Problem with that is it makes it slip more at all speeds. Kills gas mileage and increases transmission heat. Another thing. I have a similar cam in my '57 Bird with stock converter. It idles at 900-1000 rpm in neutral so that it will stay running in gear. It really bangs into gear when shifting from P or N to Reverse. This has been known to break a web in the case. So what I do is shift to Dr, and let it engage and slow the engine down, then shift quickly to R. Doesn't bang so much that way. I haven't broken the case yet. Ford solved this banging problem with the COM with the vacuum modulator. It softened the shift into gear. I don't think the later flywheel is available new any more. There are still some used ones around though. John
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By Glen Henderson - 18 Years Ago
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Jim, here is the contact info for the company I mentioned above if you are interested. ACC Performance Products BOSS HOG Torque Converters 2817 Avalone Avenue Muscle Shoals, AL 35661 1-888-267-7464
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By Pete 55Tbird - 18 Years Ago
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Jim, Can you explain again just what the problem is that you are trying to solve? I fail to see what the stall speed of your torque converter has to do with the engine idle speed in gear. Also, as has been mentioned a loose converter will generate more heat which is an issue with an air-cooled FOM. Do you have to set the idle so fast that the car creeps in drive or just what is the problem? Have you thought of advancing the cam timing to gain more manifold vacume? Just a few thoughts. Pete
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By Butch Lawson - 18 Years Ago
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I saw a flexplate on ebay for a '59 6cyl. Will this interchange and fit a y-block?
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By Jim Rowe - 18 Years Ago
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Pete,
Sorry for being so confusing. What I wanted was a slower idle in gear. Yes I can get it to idle and stand on the brakes. Really didn't want to do this. At least not very often. So I thought if I could raise the stall speed on the convertor it wouldn't pull the engine down so hard and maybe I could get a slower idle. So much for my idea.
Jim
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By speedpro56 - 18 Years Ago
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Jim would you look at your cam specs @ .050 again. I think you may have read it wrong. My cam is 264 running degree with 220 @ .050 with .452 lift using a 1.54 rocker ratio in the 56 sunliner.
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By speedpro56 - 18 Years Ago
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I meant to finish with the running duration is different from the duration @ .050. And what cubic inch is the engine and what size carb are you running?.
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By Jim Rowe - 18 Years Ago
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Gary,
My enigine is a 312 +.40 or 318 cu. in.
The cam specs are 270 advertised 224 @.50 .440 lift on 108 lobe centers.
I did not degree the cam. I used a stock chain and set it with the key ways.
My 1.54 lifters were worn and the only new I could find at the time were 1.45 so that's what I'm using. So less lift is what I have.
The carb for now is a Holley 390 cfm. I'm setting up a dual quad 57 ford manifold with 500 cfm edelbrock carbs.
Jim
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