converter slip

[Tim Hensley]

we have been in AZ now for about a year and a half, house is about 2/3 done and I have been driving the GN to town some. Going down the hill about a 1000 foot drop  in 20 miles car stayed around 165* up the hill 185 -190* out side temp 100* windows down AC Off not working
RPMs seem high 2000 @ 60mph, converter slip is 21% using Hughes calculator
28 in tire 3.42 ger .67 OD 60mph. And yes I have the correct speedo gears.
This seems like a lot and the reason for my water times to be so high.
Got the biggest air to air BM cooler.
Any thoughts? don't have a trans temp. Never had this in Hawaii, but temps and driving condition totally different

[Steve Wood]

Have not calculated anything but it sounds like the converter is not locked to me.

[Tim Hensley]

yes your correct I converted to N/L  6  or 7 years ago Zero problems with over heating. Arizona driving conditions much different.
Is it possible to have a N/L To be steerable?
Its a billet converter from extreme automatics,Ill give them a call tomorrow Just wondering do most N/L slip that much at highway speed?
I have a 2 row BeCool radiator from a parts car and I can get a bigger trans cooler Im sure.
Going from Lock to N/L is easy going back is more difficult. I believe the trans must be disassembled to change the input shaft.

[reality]

A couple of thoughts,
190 is not hot, that's ''normal'' operating temperature. I wouldn't be concerned with that.
Do you know the fan turn on speed?
A converter operating under it's rated stall is not going to be efficient at all, I'm not sure the calc's have any bearing on anything in your example.
How efficient is the converter at 60 in third. probably better but it still won't be ''coupled''.
What is the rated stall.
just the nature of the beast probably.

[Steve Wood]

That is the problem with high stall converters that are not lock up.  The good ones are pretty good above the rated stall but can be pretty bad below it.  Not that great for transmission life on the street due to the high oil temps and they certainly need a big cooler to have much life at all.  Change the fluid frequently is my advice.

[Tim Hensley]

Talked to Steve at extreme automatic where the converter came from. The shop  down the street that dose their converters  is doing good stuff with Pump and stator and is made big moves forward in 2800- 3200  stall converters to couple up at cruse speed.He wants to give it a try first before I box up the trans and convert it back to Lockup. He is confident enough that if it doesn't work out he will triad me out for a lockup if I go that way.
Reality Yes the fan is working at low and high speed it only takes a little time to cool it down to 160. I was watching it close last winter I made a 40 mile trip and temp was not so concerning but speed limit was 65 and I drove 70-75. the tip I took Sunday  was mostly 55 and some 45 so your correct a little more speed  or 3ed gear may have helped.
I have the OE BR and D5, I may put back in.  Might be a good place to restart and get some good base line numbers.
Its always good to come to this site for a good vent and help.I was not about to bring a post like this at the Turbo Buick to be humiliated and bulled.
Thanks  Ill be working on roof and Stucco for the next 2 or 3 weeks time think this out.