Hi i have a 93 cummins with stock auto. I want to replace the torque converter with one from Hughs performance. My Q is how much power can a stock a518 tranny take with the TQ replaced. I am not looking for competition power at all but want some more power to rear weals. Thanx for the response.

 

i'm not sure of an exact number. stock clutches new could probably hold quite a bit. problem comes with lots of miles with the stock converter, valve body, and band adjustments. that can add up to alot of heat and slipping which is what kills the clutches. the new converter will help ALOT, that stock one is worthless, i would also check the sticky on adjusting the band in the transmission that's supposed to help quite a bit when it comes to getting power to the rear wheels.

 

Thanx and what do you think or have heard about the hueghs performance brand?

 

haven't heard about hughs performance. Suncoast and Specrite are the two top ones I've heard of people running. I was going to go with the Suncoast personally since I got the rebuild kit from them.

 

IMO the clutches on a 518...given the power a VE truck can make are not the weak link. My pile makes around 300-350 and when I did my trans the clutches (with 200k on them) all measured within a few thousandths of the brand new ones, tells me they prob would have gone another 200k. What I DID find though is the front planetary gear set in a 518 is a 4 pinion ALUMINUM assembly. The splines where that gearset splined onto the inermediate shaft were toast...it was only a matter of time (or one good boosted launch) until the center of that gearset would have torn out. On a 518, a good stock rebuild with a shift kit, a 5 pinion steel front planet set (and matching intermediate shaft), the ususal billet servo stuff for low/rev and 2nd gear is all you really need unless your pushing some serious hp or pounding the daylights out of your truck....oh and a good converter, I recomend Goerend but I think all the big names already listed are fine as well.

 

i talked to goerend, they suggested the 15b. i dont know what i have in the truck but it sucks. and could the back seal on the converter be shot if the converter drains in a matter of 3 hours? what stall should a good new converter have?