Hello all,

I recently purchased a 1998 12 valve and am wondering how the stock torque converter set up acts.

When accelerating is it supposed to act more like a CVT where it goes right up to about 2000 rpm and then drop about 150 rpms each shift then going back up to 2000 or is it supposed to act more like a manual where rpms are about proportional to speed?

My truck has too little power in my opinion but never having driven another cummins I don't really have anything to compare it to.

Any help would be appreciated a lot!

Thanks in advance.

 

It all depends on pedal position, but floating around 2k and dropping after a shift sounds about right for a stock converter

 

Indeed. It's got more power than you realize, but that's because the stock TC sucks for the very reasons you describe.

 

Yeah .. after replacing my Stock TC .. I can to realize just how fun mine was to drive .. I got a 1700 stall ( factory is about 1900-2100 rpm ) ..

helps spool the turbo and more mpg right off the bat

 

Ok cool

So it looks like once I get some funds I'm gunna get a new converter.

What would be a good stall speed? Obviously lower than the stock one. Feel free to point me towards a different topic.

Thanks again

 

Mine is at 1700 as well, and it's way better than stock. Next time I have the trans out I'm probably going to have it stalled down to 1500 though, I want to see if I can get it to come off the line like a common rail without beating the **** out of it.

 

Diesel Performance Converters Dodge Super Single Torque Converter

this is what I have and its great .. pulls 10 K like its not there and trans dosent get too hot even with only a 12K auminum cooler ...

 

I ran that convertor before I went with my triple. It's awesome!

 

yup .. I'm running somewhere in the 290-325 hp range .. I pull 6-9K and have no issues gettin up on turbo ... in fact it lights real nice @ 1500-1700 and were rolling by 2300 rpm

 

I don't know about you, but my turbo lights off way better when I have a few tons behind me. Granted, my whole combo was designed not for racing, but knowing that I had to be able to tow, tow heavy and tow heavy for hours on end more days than not. But still, these Cummins really seem to like having weight behind them.

I just got my truck back from the paint shop where it had a complete makeover, before that it was down having the IP benched. So I've been driving one of our other fleet trucks for work for the last few months, a stock '06 Dmax dually. It was just such a turd I couldn't stand it (never mind that if I towed all day I couldn't get through a single day on one tank). So I went out and got the cheapest programmer I could for it, a Superchips Flashpaq. That woke it up a lot, and really had me thinking that for a few hundred bucks that big Sierra could be made almost as fast as my ol' 12V with the stupid money I've poured in it. And running empty, it could. But once you put 5 ton behind it, my Dodge will still blow that thing's doors in. We have an '08 Dmax with more money in it than I have in my 12V, and it's a whole other animal. That thing is seriously badass... but it still doesn't pull heavy like my 12V. God damn I fookin' love this old truck!