AOD converter stall speed

[BobCarter]

I have been told to choose a torque converter with a 3000 to 3500 stall speed on the AOD I am using in my MKIV. (The engine is a 351W) This is recommended by FFR tech. due to their experience with previous installs. Seems others who have used 2000-2500 stall speeds have had trouble bringing the roadster to a stop at stop signs and intersections. A lot of guys thought is was a brake issue but FFR seems to think a higher stall is the answer.
Does anyone have experience with this. I'm hoping a 2000 to 2500 stall is acceptable for street use since I have the complete power train already mounted in the car and all plumbing completed. Ugh...

[Plebeian]

I run a 2800 stall converter in my AOD and I know several people who run between 2500 and 3000 stall and they work great. If you were running a big cam with a high idle speed I could see needing a higher stall converter. A 2500 stall should be fine with a mild cam, 2000 could be too low, depending upon your engine characteristics (such as the aforementioned wild cam). IMO, run what you have. No point in changing something that may work great. Cheers.

[silver_pilate]

Back in the day I ran a 3500 rpm PI converter in a warmed up 347 in my Mustang. It did have a big cam and idled around 1000 rpm. It was probably too much rpm for general street use, though it was good for performance. With the higher stall rpm, you'll have lots of slippage at lower rpms around town and on the highway. Mileage will suffer (not that it matters too much in these cars).

I can say that with crappy stock rear drum brakes and bald drag radials one winter day in a sudden snow storm, I DID have issues at stop lights with the back tires slowly turning over even with a 3500 rpm stall. I think ultimately if you run decent brakes/pads, you won't have a ton of trouble with a 2500 rpm stall converter.

--Nathan