A big cam changes where your LS makes power — and that changes what your torque converter needs to do. Get the converter right and the car feels crisp and responsive; get it wrong and it feels lazy off idle or busy on the highway.
Why a cam changes the converter
Aggressive cams move the torque curve up the RPM band and pull vacuum down at idle. A stock converter with a low stall speed will be "below the power" — the engine bogs off the line because it can't get into its powerband. Raising the stall speed lets the engine flash up to where the cam is actually making torque.
Matching stall to your cam
As a rough starting point:
- Mild cam (truck or stock-ish grind): a modest bump, often 2,200–2,600 rpm stall.
- Street/strip cam: commonly 2,800–3,400 rpm.
- Big single or long-duration cam: 3,400 rpm and up, matched to gearing and converter diameter.
These are just starting points — the right number depends on your exact cam specs, gear ratio, tire size, weight and how the car is used. That's why it's worth talking specs before you buy.
Lockup vs non-lockup
If the car sees highway miles, a lockup converter keeps trans temps down and mileage reasonable while still giving you the stall you need off the line. For a dedicated strip car, non-lockup keeps things simple. See our guide on lockup vs non-lockup for the full breakdown.
Don't forget gearing and diameter
Converter diameter and stall work together — a smaller-diameter converter generally raises stall, and your rear gear ratio changes how the whole package feels. A good converter shop looks at all of it together rather than just quoting a stall number.
The bottom line
For a cammed LS, the "best" converter is the one matched to your combination — not the highest stall you can buy. Tell us your cam, gear, tire and weight and we'll spec it right.