gears

SVT_BIRDSC

Registered User
Is there any kind of way to tell if there are different gears in my car because it dosent feel like stock 2.73 gears i mean it throws u in the seat and i can peg the speedo in fourth gear
 
With my stock 2.73 I would shift 3-4 at 110 mph, 4th would easily peg out the 120.

With 3.27 I have now, I can still pin it in 4th. So you can't tell by that.

What's your RPM in 5th at 70 mph?

I used to not be able to go into 5th until around 55-60, now with 3.27 I can run I think 1500 rpm at 45 in 5th.

70 was around 2000 stock and now its like 2300-2400 if I remember. Haven't driven my 5-speed since 2005.
 
I would say a 91 5 spd will go over 48 mph in 1st gear at least that is what the cops radar said.
 
If you want a pretty accurate way of findout what gearing you have:

Jack the rear of the car up.

Put it in neutral and release parking brake.

Crawl under differential and put a reference mark on the driveshaft, then one on the inside of 1 rear tire.

Turn the wheel 1 full revolution and count how many revolutions the driveshaft spins and that is your ratio.
 
Gears

Fisrt gear is goofy enough with the 2.73 gears in my car. A 3.27 set would be sweet from second gear on. Just hate to have to have first drop out sooner in daily driving.
 
Fisrt gear is goofy enough with the 2.73 gears in my car. A 3.27 set would be sweet from second gear on. Just hate to have to have first drop out sooner in daily driving.

I have 3.27's and 1st gear is all but useless:eek: You are right though 2nd gear on up is a lot of fun!!!:D I will also say this though, if you want to drag race your car a lot you will be slower in the quarter because of the shift into 4th at the end of the track.
 
Gears

Thanks doug93sc..................that's what I had expected. I would like a little extra push from the car, but not at such a sacrafice. I guess I would be safe with a 3.08 gear set and not suffer so much of a loss in first.
Maybe a nice set of pulleys instead lol.
 
I've been told that the pumkin has a tag on the upper part that has the gear ratio on it. "it had it on mine"
 
The little trick marking the driveshaft and tire works great, i've done that on a number of vehicles. Just remember that BOTH wheels need to make a full revolution. If you start spinning the spider gears and only one tire, it won't get you an accurate ratio.

But that's how I'd figure it out. you can play the RPM game all day, but you have other factors there, like tire/wheel size, tach accuracy, etc. You can get a ball park, but that's about it

Good luck and have fun!

P.S. I'm a bit bummed to hear people not liking 3.27's - I'm putting one together with a set right now, and have never driven it. Just thought that might be a good set.
 
I've been told that the pumkin has a tag on the upper part that has the gear ratio on it. "it had it on mine"

this is all well and good, unless someone switched out the gears. Then the gears in the diff don't match the tag.

Car and driver (or some other magazine) found 4th gear good up to 147 at redline, and then aerodynamically limited in 5th at 147.
 
Sorry to jump in like this..But if the 3.27 is that bad for drag racing...How bad is the 3.55s that some members are running in there 5-speed cars...Better or worse???...
 
Thanks doug93sc..................that's what I had expected. I would like a little extra push from the car, but not at such a sacrafice. I guess I would be safe with a 3.08 gear set and not suffer so much of a loss in first.
Maybe a nice set of pulleys instead lol.

I will be switching to 3.08's at some point, I think that is a great choice.
 
Sorry to jump in like this..But if the 3.27 is that bad for drag racing...How bad is the 3.55s that some members are running in there 5-speed cars...Better or worse???...

I don't have a 5 speed car, but I've always heard that the best gears for racing are either 3.08s or 3.55s. With 3.08s you can clear the traps in 3rd and with 3.55s your at the upper end of 4th. 3.27s require a shift into 4th shortly before clearing the traps and will hurt the ET a little. The 3.27s are the most popular because they are cheap...all you need to do is install a stock pumpkin from an AOD equipped SC and drive on.

David
 
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