Drag Racing Online - Project 4-Link pg.2 Vol. IV Issue 9 September 2002

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Hughes Performance converter:

This is one of his "Soft Hit" transition converters. I have about 70 runs on it since getting it loosened up. It is the fastest converter in 60' as it will go 1.12 all day long. We may have gone too far on this one as it flashes to 6100 RPM, which is about right, but I can't keep it locked up in high gear and it lets the engine run to 7200 at the finish line even though the quarter-mile ETs are almost duplicates of the Mike's converter. It seems to leave harder, due to freeing the engine up a few hundred RPM, but loses some ET at the finish line. When I run this converter on the throttle stop I do not get the extra RPM at the finish but I only run 161 in 8.90 trim. The one problem I had with the Hughes was transmission temperature. If I get hot-lapped in later rounds I have to really work on getting the trans cooled off. Spraying water on converter and ice cold towels on the Shogun Kool-Kan help but I had 240-degree trans fluid at a race with three rounds in 25 minutes. The car still ran pretty consistent, but the concern over the temperature was distracting to my concentration on driving. This converter on the Pro-Tree was better as I could go .405 with no delay but, because I didn't change the chassis, I don't think I was hitting the tires hard enough with this looser converter. More testing will be done this Spring.

BTE converter:

This is the "new kid on the block" for me. I just installed it three weeks ago. It did one thing immediately that impressed me. I went .381, .384, .393 red on my first three Pro-Tree time runs. On the playback it flashes about 6100 which is similar to the Hughes, but I am running 164 mph at the finish line with less RPM. Less slippage in high gear means a lot less heat in the transmission too. I just raced last weekend and won a gambler race where we went the last three rounds in about 30 minutes. Transmission temperature never went over 160 and was of no concern. Not enough runs to talk about durability yet, but it accomplished one thing I was looking for, redlight capability on the Pro-Tree.

Overview

All the torque converters were pretty similar. Thanks to the Tach Playback feature of the Digital Delay Mega 450 I could sort things out pretty accurately in a hurry. I don't think it is the major changes that make a converter the "right one;" I think it is getting the stall just right for your combination and making sure it is a top quality piece. I also feel strongly that you will likely have to send it back at least once to get it just right (especially if you race a Mopar like I do).

One thing that has been SUPERB since I first started racing "Project 4-Link", the transmission. I have had it out several times to change converters but NEVER have I worked on the transmission. Now, at just over 350 runs on the Mike's Ultimate Powerglide, it is performing perfectly. It is not full of exotic parts as you might think. It has the dual ring servo, Mike's Pro-Brake valve body, Mike's front pump, 6 clutches in high gear pack and a 1.76 billet planetary. It has a stock case and J-W Ultra-Bell adapter. A deep cast aluminum pan adds some strength to the case and I always have filled it with Mike's Synthetic Transmission Fluid. I will take it apart this Fall and check it out for wear, but I fully expect it will go back in next Spring for a couple more years of trouble-free service. Thanks Mike, great tranny!

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