Can I Ask the Best and Brightest a Tech/Nerdy Question?
I come before the Best and Brightest in search of technical enlightenment and Zen master like clarity. The problem? My tweaked Lincoln Mark VIII is losing its factory-fragile transmission, leaving a hot mess of smoky-pink fluid everywhere I park. So my car’s looking for a bailout, and spending a couple grand for my (don’t laugh) dream transmission is now a reality. A more efficient torque converter is on the must-have list: but what stall speed do I chooser? I’m looking for a converter that’ll send the Lincoln down the righteous path of lower ETs with effortless highway cruising and no drama when stuck in traffic. I think a 2500 stall unit is good for street/strip duties, but perhaps its too conservative. What about a 3000 stall converter? The fate of my timeslips (and checkbook) is in your hands. Thank you.
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Theodore : already have a T-56 in my foxy Cougar. That's it. I'm done. One bonkers Ford is enough for me. Well, that's a lie...but this one needs an auto, mostly because the platform is a major PITA to convert to a stick. See Bob Elton's comments above. Bob: I told myself if the transmission ever has to be opened up, its getting rebuilt. With any luck it is that converter drain plug and my rebuild will be cheaper from less damaged hard parts. But you know about the bad 1-2 accumulator springs on these cars, and I betcha mine's in several pieces. Part throttle shifting has gone from slow to slipping in the past week. The whole unit is getting to be a mess even with the SCT tune maxing out the WOT shifting speed, and I want a JMOD pretty badly too. I had a feeling the swaybars might pull away from their mounts at some point. Happened to a friend with a 4DSC Maxima. Whatever, its only money! I've seen 9" inch wide wheels in the front, and there might be room for more in the back, but its still a big yacht, etc. But the 60 series tires are good for Houston roads, and if I want to drive a car with real grip I don't drive the Lincoln. Its only for daily commuting and ear to ear grins when the four cams start to sing. About the cheesy construction: I'm rattle free right now thanks to a couple Kenny Brown braces, except for the rubbing noise in my seat belt B-pillar anchor trim. (fixed it on another car with packing foam) Somehow I doubt the SC400 had these problems, but at least the leather and vinyl on these cars is top notch. Even the buckets in the junkyard have great interiors. The carpet is better than anything I've seen today, sans Rolls Phantom. Too bad the Mark droptop never made it, but then again, the MN-12 was doomed from the start (too expensive, too big, overbudget) if the FoMoCo business novels I read are correct. GS650G : thanks for your input. Torque peak is around 4300rpm (dyno tested), 3.27 rear axle, and street/strip use. Judging from my seat time in a Marauder (which I didn't much care for, ironically) the 2500 stall unit makes sense.
All great "car-guy" (and for all I know, also "car gal") comments. Sajeev, I got in here late. But let me remind you that you'll really be wanting a BIG auxiliary transmission fluid cooler to help keep the dollar bills IN your wallet not in the wallet of the transmission shop for yet another rebuild...
Good point, menno. Better hit the forums and see what size cooler will fit in front of my radiator. The fun never ends!
Ewww. Disgusting. Get a clutch of yourself.