Ideal Gear for 5spd

1QuikV6

Registered User
I have an 89 SC 5 speed and Id like to get a set of gears to wake this car up. I know a larger gear will yield much better performance over what i have now. All I know is I have the optional locking dif and someone said I have a gear in the neighborhood of 2.73. What would be best for my car since it is a M5R2 and has a 5% pulley? 3.27? 3.55? 3.73?

Can I expect drastic differences? Anyone with a set for sale?
 
If you want to still have some drivability on the highway then I say go with 3:27's. I have an auto with 3:73 and it did wake it up quite a bit. I know someone who went with 3:73's in a 5 speed and a little while later he came and bought my 3:27's and put those in because he lost to much highway driving.
 
I am running 3.27's in my 95 5-speed and it is a must. It performs very well on the highway and off the line...I would recomend this mod but on your particular car I would not go higher than 3.27 because of your lower first gear in your tranny.
 
IMO, i think 3.08's are the best if you are running nearly a stock setup or mildly modded (these cars are setup for big torque on the low end with the stock cam/boost). you may be thinking of 3.27's- not much difference from 3.08's, but with a stockish setup 3.08's will give you more of a top speed advantage by not putting your engine but so much out of it's torque band. BUT only if you have a cam, and built up engine, or intend to do some stoplight racing, 3.31's to 3.55's would REALLY wake that car up- will rev out like a race car all the time, and you would need slicks to maximize traction (i don't know if you would like it winding up like that all the time just to keep up with normal traffic- i wouldn't). don't get me wrong, in a stockish setup you will be pretty much the fastest car off the line up to 30mph or so with viper-like acceleration, but, 1st gear will be VERY short to almost useless, and at highway cruising speeds the rpms will be high (like over 3200 in 5th gear for 3.55's) all the time unless you like driving under the speed limit :rolleyes: . with a stockish setup when you get near 110-120mph with those big gears your engine is going to fall off it's torque band.
if you can deal with that, go ahead with the 3.27's & up. i don't mean to try and sway your decision one way or another, just giving you my take on it ;)
 
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I have the 3.27's and at 70 mph I turn 2300-2400 rpms...and in a 89 model you might be a tad higher. I love the acceleration and my 1/4 time dropped by a little over 1/2 second.
 
All this gear talk is making me nervous! I am honestly thinking about putting the 3.08s in my 90 5 speed and not the 3.27s. I am modding the car and want that most out of it and also keep it streetable.
 
3.27

Listen I got 3.27s in my car, and I have a 92 5 Speed, sure I agree that anymore would be to much to do highway driving, but I am telling you that they are great, like the last post said, 70 mph like 2400 rpms, and at 80 its closer to 3000, but gas mileage is still good, and it dont sound like the engine is stressing at all. So if I was you I would go with the 3.27s no higher no lower, its perfect. My 2 cents Mike
 
Time to drop a set in my car... Hell, when I get my Evo Ill just throw a set of 373's in it and go hunting :) This tall gear in this car def feels like its holding it back. But i will agree that 1st is almost useless now even with the stock gears. Some days Ill just leave lights in 2nd and it will still break em loose. Time for something wider than 235's I think.


Oh and RAIN? RAIN IS NOT fun in an SC with a locking dif. :D I took up 2 lanes from a red light yesterday in second. I love it sideways :rolleyes:
 
I've got a brand new set of 3.27s at home that In am going to stuff in a Mark VIII diff and team it up with an Auburn limited slip. What should I expect from this combo? How much faster does 3.27s make the car? Does it really rev to 2400 RPMs at 70mph?

Shane
 
quick35th said:
I've got a brand new set of 3.27s at home that In am going to stuff in a Mark VIII diff and team it up with an Auburn limited slip. What should I expect from this combo? How much faster does 3.27s make the car? Does it really rev to 2400 RPMs at 70mph?

Shane
Umm! you need to factor tire size into this also, A taller tire will also effect your #'s
So you have to ask yourself, Am I gonna stay with 16" wheels :eek:
 
PurpleHaze said:
Umm! you need to factor tire size into this also, A taller tire will also effect your #'s
So you have to ask yourself, Am I gonna stay with 16" wheels :eek:

Well right now I have stock wheels and stock sized tires(almost bald) for now but will likely switch to 17s sometime down the road.

Shane
 
1QuikV6 said:
All I know is I have the optional locking dif


All of the SCs have an 8.8 IRS Limited Slip pumpkin. The limited slip is not really a true locker. it will "lock" both axles as long as the clutches and such are not toast.

Chris
 
Oh trust me... I get both... even after 160k miles. Now we'll see after the 3.27's... he he he

I just dont want a set of 3.27s from an LX cuz the ones I had in my 94 LX were NOT limited slip at all... one wheel sucks
 
NR94mtSC said:
All of the SCs have an 8.8 IRS Limited Slip pumpkin. The limited slip is not really a true locker. it will "lock" both axles as long as the clutches and such are not toast.

Chris

94/95 SCs with autos didn't have limited slips. They had traction control instead.

Shane
 
P71 Crown Vics have limited slips and traction control. Stomp it and it'll cut the throttle until it regains traction. Its annoying so I jus switch it off and let her eat. :D
 
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