My vehicle locks the torque converter up firly early at minimal throttle. I can be in overdrive at 40 MPH. With the 3.08 rear end I am looking at about 1200 RPM +/- on the tach. That being said. the vehicle has a tendancy to drop out of overdrive just on the freeway going up and down the overpasses. Not all of them but if there is a head wind she will shift out (with our w/o cruise control) I know the gearing sucks *****. I will most likely end up with the 3.73. I think 4.10s are extreme as I am not a hot rodder, just a weekend home improvement/daily IT commuter. We vacation regularly camping and what not. To make a long story longer are there after market torque converters for the vehicle that would be worth swapping?
I have 158,000 miles btw.

 

Changing the torque converter won't help your complaint at all. Once the torque converter is locked they are all the same. Also, the PCM controls when the converter locks, so an aftermarket converter is going to lock at the same speed as a stock converter.

 

That was my general understanding. Thank you for the confirmation sir!

 

But hey, malex, you could always buy one just to keep on hand for when your other one breaks.

 

AGAIN......U are a funny man.

I am starting to feel like you are stalking me.......lol

 

Unless you start going by femalexander52, you have no worries, my friend.

 

Sounds like you have something else going on in your trans. Maybe a bad accumulator...

 

First, Thank you jward as I am Exit Only and have a smokin hot wife that likes to smoke my pole........yes I am a lucky man.

Other than that crude (but true) remark I just made, I have considered ordering a rebuild kit, Now I am very mechanically inclined however I have not delved into the guts of a tranny before. I have glanced at the transgo kits and I am not looking for anything high performance, just high quality. It seems to me that the rebuild may involve cleaning the valve bodies, replacing the accumulator pins and springs (i believe I used the correct terminology but please correct me if not) and then refilling with the proper fluid. What is in a torque converter that "goes bad" if anything?

Thanks again for all the swell info.

 

Sounds to me like it's just gutless!
I would put some better gears in there before I tor into the tranny.
Just my .02

Phil

 

The things that fail insides the converter are first the clutch, when the shudders happen and nobody takes care of it a scorched clutch will soon follow. Thats the biggest problem in these transmissions. The fins will come loose after a while giving you a chingy/changy noise as you get on and off the throttle. The plastic stator caps will fall apart and contaminate the trans in some cases and the worst failures is when the rivets come out of the turbine hub which splines the input of the transmission to the converter. Clutch issues are by far the most common, followed by stator cap failure which is usually a result of overheating.
Alan

 

Phil, the motor is great above 2500 rpm. I have been a half to full length ahead of 5.4s with 3.55s on the toll road several times. (same body style,and always ahead of the super crew) But you are damn right about being gutless off the line. My sig shows the upcoming change. I did not order the 4.10s though. I ordered 3.73s so I will edit the sig. 3.73 puts me just over 2100 rpms on the freeway and the motor and exhaust sound great there. Quieter than at 1700 if you can believe that! 4.10s put me just over 2300 (I have 265/75/r16 or 30 inch tires)

Ddog, great info there, I really appreciate it. The tranny is smooth as glass depsite the almost 160k and shifting is great. I think that being so low in the rpm range at cruising speeds is what causes the shifting in and out of OD as I am turning 1700 at 70 mph so I am not really into the HP or Tq curve as I would like to be, ergo new gears on the way.

 

I think you'll be very happy with the 3.73s
Going from a 3.08 it will be a world of difference!!!!
I went from 3.55 to 4.10 and love it.

Phil

 

Yea it's definately relative in that I have been driving the 3.08 for almost 5 years now. I was really tempted to get the 4.10s on the haulin ***** and smokin tires factor, but i reality I don't play that much. But I damn sure want to drop the hammer and go if you know what I mean.
I didn't catch the set up you are running powertrain wise....