I am considering buying a used B&M torque converter from my friend. He had it on his chevy th350 and he says it works for th400's also. Is this true? I have a 69 Riviera TH400 I need it for when I do my new cam. thanks, will
Yes, it will probably bolt up just fine. It may stall higher behind a Buick motor than a chevy. Don't assume you know what the stall speed of this converter will be. Stall speed is affected by engine torque, vehicle weight, and gearing. It is best to buy a converter matched to your cam and motor. When it comes to converters, you usually get what you pay for.
what would you recommend? I was planning on puting a TA413 cam in my car I have the original 3.42 posi rear end along with garage-ported 455 small valve heads. I was thinking something in the 2400 range? thanks, will
2500-3000 is what TA recommends. What makes you believe your friend's B&M converter will work for you? My advice is to save your money and buy the right converter from a manufacturer that knows Buicks.
IT is a 10" 2400-2600 Stall. I was thinking that would be right in the reccomended range fo this cam. The other major factor is that I thought B&M products were good products and he offered it to me for $75 It has a little over 3000 miles on it now. thanks, will
Yes it might work really well for you. B&M is a good manufacturer. A converter will probably stall towards the high end of the range behind a Buick motor. More torque means higher stall speed all else being equal. Just make sure the transmission it is coming out of has not had a failure. If so, there could be metal in the converter, which will ruin your trans in short order.
Use caution here. You say that it is a 10 inch unit, and that is not necessarily a problem. However, if it is a dual bolt pattern, you could run into trouble. I just removed a dual pattern 10 incher of unknown manufacture because it overlaps the weight welded onto the flywheel. The last owner of the car just tossed it in there, and bolted it over the corner of the weight. A real no no, as the flywheel is clearly warped and disfigured by the uneven mounting surface. I don't want to think of the stress put on the crank, front pump, etc. by this install. If it is a single pattern, you will more than likely not have trouble. If it is a dual pattern, check it for clearance around the flywheel weight before throwing down the dollars. Thanks, Rudy E.
Rudy, Good point about the potential weight interference, but isn't it the flexplate that would be dual pattern? I don't think I've ever seen a dual pattern converter. Correct me if I'm wrong. I know the TA catalog mentions the big Chevy type mounting pads that can contact the counterweight on the flexplate.
Well, both my original and new replacement flywheels are dual pattern. The new one is a Pioneer unit from O'reilly's, and is identical to the old one. The convertor is also dual pattern, but for a Chevy or non-weighted application. Its holes are correctly drilled to fit either of the patterns on my flywheels, but the actual feet on the convertor are just large enough to overlap the flywheel weight whether trying either the small or large set of holes. Nothing wrong with the convertor, but seems to be Brand X in its origin. I suppose that the interferring leg could be trimmed with a Dremel, but I am not confident with such a mod. Balance and potential for failure loom large in my mind. I got an 11 incher from Poston's as a replacement. It is the larger pattern and, of course, fits like a glove. One more reason to support our Buick vendors rather than the uninformed mass merchandiser guys in Chevy land. I am sure that there are 10 inch dual pattern convertors that will clear the weight on the flywheel, but I would need to check the fit before parting with funds if it were me. I guess my car's last owner got a deal he couldn't pass up, and he just put it in the car, improper fit be damned. Thanks, Rudy E.
Sounds like the same thing that happened to me early this year. I installed a small cam (not as large as your 413) into my 71 Riv. Then, a guy I knew told me he had a B&M 2400 converter still in the box for $75. I bought it and installed it. The model number on B&M's website stated indeed it was roughly a 2200-2600 stall. It is not a big difference from my stock one, but the car runs great with it. Well worth the money.
