Stall Convertor recommendations

[85streetss]

Just finished my new 355ci SBC build. Specs are:
Compression ratio: 9.6:1

Cam specs: comp cams part # 12-240-4
Rpm range 1600-5800
Valve timing: 0.006
Lobe-center angle: 112
Intake centerline: 110
Duration: int 270 exh 286
Duration @ .050” lift: int 226 exh 236
Valve lift: int 0.48 exh 0.489
Lobe lift: int 0.32 exh 0.326

Pro comp aluminum heads:
Angle plug
215cc intake runner
75cc exh. runner
2.02 int. valve 1.60 exh. valve
64cc combustion chamber
Flow numbers are:
Intake Exhaust
.100 76.0 60.9
.200 138.6 118.1
.300 190.9 159.2
.400 229.4 185.7
.500 259.8 200.8
.600 279.4 208.1
.700 288.0 210.3

Edelbrock performer intake

Q-jet 750 cfm carb

Stock convertor
1985 2004-R trans. currently shifts at 3500-4500 normal driving 5500 at WOT
3300 lbs without driver
3.73 rear gear
215/75/15 tires
1985 Monte SS

The problem is, the engine has NO low end power and will not idle in gear. the engine pulls hard above 3500 rpm. If i try to let the engine idle in gear the engine just stalls. when at a traffic light is either have to put the car into N or leave it in gear and constantly feather the gas and keep the engine at 1000 rpm. when in park or N the engine idle fine at 800-900 rpm. The other issue i have is, that the new engine runs a little warm. I have a 190 degree stat in it and for the first couple of miles it does great, but after a couple of stops or slow speed driving the engine will start to creep up to 210-220. I did not any of these issues with the old engine. i was told that it may be due to the lack of a proper stall conv. Any input? What kind of power do you think the engine makes?

 

[Supe]

I'm not surprised. Those heads are waaaaay too big for that motor and a cam that small. By the time you start getting into the range where those heads make power on that motor, you run out of steam because the cam is so small. Putting a looser converter in it will be like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound.

My opinion, you either need to bump up your compression, get a bigger cam, swap intakes, and then get a looser converter, or make the smarter choice and find a set of 180cc heads to put on there. I'd be surprised if that engine made 400 hp with the current combo.

 

[85streetss]

Uhmm. I trusted a local machine shop/engine builder for this. I just checked the head flow numbers again, and those numbers are for the cnc ported heads, I do not have the cnc ported heads. But they are the 215cc runners. What if a switched to a single plane mid- or high rise intake, swaped the 2004-r for a th400 with a 2600-3000 stall, and 410's?

 

[383S10]

Had the same problem with a 2500 stall convertor......turned out my advanced timing was out of whack which had total timing out whack we made adjustments at the vacuum advance on the Taylor distributor I purchased mine liked 20-22 initial plus 14 advanced........when he put the digital timing gun it was at a total of 44........oh yeah with the timing out of whack my headers got extremely hot and so did my heads.....when I got it tuned those temps came down to a comfortable level......step up to a higher cam mine is at .488/.510 but there are guys on here who are good at telling you what exactly what cam size will help you better........good luck.