Can I use a v6 rear end in my z28?
10-02-2012, 03:36 PM
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Can I use a v6 rear end in my z28? I need a new rear end in my 2000 z28 and my friend told me to go to the junk yard and get a 5spd v6 98-02 Camaro rear end and use one of those because that's what he did and it's working for him so far but I was just wondering if it has the same 3.42 gear ratios as my z28 and if the v6 rear is as strong as my z28.
10-02-2012, 05:15 PM
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I'm going to say that would be a big no no...I'm not the most techie person on here, but I have owned f-bodies for 10 plus years and never have i heard of someone doing that, not saying it isn't possible but I sure wouldn't do it. Besides I could be wrong but I think most v6's have drum brakes in the back... I would just search online for a good used one or just rebuild the one you got, chances are you just spun a ring gear bolt.
10-02-2012, 05:29 PM
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Ok well here's my problem...I let the fluid get too low in my diff and fried the bearings and it's making a really loud whining and everyone down here wants like $400-$500 labor and then parts and I'm kinda on a budget so I'm trying to find a nice used rear end. Anybody reading this have one laying around lmk a price
10-02-2012, 06:22 PM
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10-02-2012, 08:40 PM
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I have one 3.08 gearing, one tire fire lol, used it for about 500 miles till the S60 came in, worked good, speedo will be off of course, it's a 3 channel, my abs has been deleted so........$100, no whine no leaks, pm if interested
04-02-2018, 06:35 PM
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04-02-2018, 09:16 PM
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All the 99-02 v6 Firebirds and Camaros had torsen diffs from the factory. I've worked on quite a few and I've never seen any with open carriers. Even the cheapest optioned cars had them.
04-03-2018, 12:39 PM
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04-03-2018, 01:56 PM
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2.00:73 would be a very unfavorable ratio for the street. 
Not sure why some folks have a hard time expressing gear ratios properly. It's no different than compression ratios. For example, if you had an 8.5:1 engine, nobody would ever express that as 8:5 compression.
Not sure why some folks have a hard time expressing gear ratios properly. It's no different than compression ratios. For example, if you had an 8.5:1 engine, nobody would ever express that as 8:5 compression.
05-22-2018, 07:15 PM
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You can use a rear end from a V6 Camaro, but it will probably be an "open" rear end. Very few V6 Camaros came from the factory
with a Torsen Posi. Final gear ratio will depend on the tranny that came with the car. On a V6 5-speed, it will probably come with
an open 3.23 rear gear. Auto V6s will probably have a numerically lower rear gear. As far as strength goes, it will be just as strong
as a rear end from a Z28, they used the same ring gear diameter, axles, bearings, etc.
I had a noisy outer rear wheel bearing on my V6 Camaro once. I bought the new rear wheel bearings and seals cheap at RockAuto.com,
found a nice set of used axles at my local junkyard for $30 (they were already loose). Brought it into my local repair shop with 3 qts. of
Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil, a rear end cover gasket, and all the parts, and they only charged me $200 for the labor. Rear end is now quiet
and not leaking anything.
V8 Camaros with a 6-speed manual come with a 3.42 rear gear and POSI. I have some Torsen Posi diffs available, if you still want or need
one, both 2-series and 3-series.
with a Torsen Posi. Final gear ratio will depend on the tranny that came with the car. On a V6 5-speed, it will probably come with
an open 3.23 rear gear. Auto V6s will probably have a numerically lower rear gear. As far as strength goes, it will be just as strong
as a rear end from a Z28, they used the same ring gear diameter, axles, bearings, etc.
I had a noisy outer rear wheel bearing on my V6 Camaro once. I bought the new rear wheel bearings and seals cheap at RockAuto.com,
found a nice set of used axles at my local junkyard for $30 (they were already loose). Brought it into my local repair shop with 3 qts. of
Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil, a rear end cover gasket, and all the parts, and they only charged me $200 for the labor. Rear end is now quiet
and not leaking anything.
V8 Camaros with a 6-speed manual come with a 3.42 rear gear and POSI. I have some Torsen Posi diffs available, if you still want or need
one, both 2-series and 3-series.
05-22-2018, 07:19 PM
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Ah, NO they didn't. I own two V6 Camaros, and both are 5-speeds and have OPEN differentials. Both have a
3.23 rear gear. Very FEW, if ANY, V6 Camaros left the factory with a Torsen Posi. Not enough HP or torque
from the V6 to easily spin even a single tire, unless the pavement is wet or snow covered.
3.23 rear gear. Very FEW, if ANY, V6 Camaros left the factory with a Torsen Posi. Not enough HP or torque
from the V6 to easily spin even a single tire, unless the pavement is wet or snow covered.
05-22-2018, 07:27 PM
#19
Airborne is right, old man had a 96 3800 V6 Firebird Auto, one wheel peal.
Anyways, finding a stock Z28 rear/replacement rear shouldn't be too taxing, even a junkyard will give your a 30 day warranty, buddy of mine did it for his 02 GT, got a 97K mile one for cheap, made out good, rear still works great.
Anyways, finding a stock Z28 rear/replacement rear shouldn't be too taxing, even a junkyard will give your a 30 day warranty, buddy of mine did it for his 02 GT, got a 97K mile one for cheap, made out good, rear still works great.
05-22-2018, 07:41 PM
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I have a 2002 Camaro V6/5-speed. Bought it from the original owner in 2014 from an old lady
in Tucson, AZ, with only 15,000 original miles. Drove it home over 1500 miles with no problems
after it had a little servicing. Have owned it for 4 years, the only problem I have had was a leaky
clutch master cylinder. It runs great, it is fully loaded, except for leather and posi, and I am still
working on it. Here is what I have done to it so far:
1. SLP Cold Air Intake, SLP "SS" muffler and tailpipes
2. Whisper Air Lid, K&N air filter, straight pipe from the air lid to the throttle body
3. Brembo rotors and premium ceramic brake pads all around
4. Chrome Moly strut tower brace and 2-point frame connectors
5. Hurst Competition shifter
6. Z28 sway bars with poly bushings and end links
7. Tubular panhard bar with poly end links
8. SLP "SS" 16X8 ZR1 wheels with BF Goodrich 255/50Z/16 HP tires
9. SLP "SS" rear spoiler
10. Rear diffuser
11. Replaced front torque bar mount with a polyurethane mount.
12. Replaced engine oil, tranny, and rear diff with Mobil 1 fluids
Still to do:
Replace open rear diff with a 3.42 Torsen Posi (stock is a 3.23 open diff)
Replace steel drive shaft with a factory aluminum driveshaft
Replace shocks and springs with Koni units and stiffer springs
Maybe replace injectors with bigger ones
Right now, the engine puts out 20-30 HP more than stock. Replacing the rear gear and driveshaft should
make it "feel" like it has at least another 20 HP. Stock HP from the engine from the factory was at
200-205. Right now, I can hit 90 in third gear fairly quickly at the redline, and I still get 30 MPG on the
highway at 65 mph (non-ethanol fuel). It doesn't leak, smoke, or hesitate. Everything still works, no
"check engine" lights.
The car currently has less than 34,000 miles on it with zero problems. I get compliments on this car often.
in Tucson, AZ, with only 15,000 original miles. Drove it home over 1500 miles with no problems
after it had a little servicing. Have owned it for 4 years, the only problem I have had was a leaky
clutch master cylinder. It runs great, it is fully loaded, except for leather and posi, and I am still
working on it. Here is what I have done to it so far:
1. SLP Cold Air Intake, SLP "SS" muffler and tailpipes
2. Whisper Air Lid, K&N air filter, straight pipe from the air lid to the throttle body
3. Brembo rotors and premium ceramic brake pads all around
4. Chrome Moly strut tower brace and 2-point frame connectors
5. Hurst Competition shifter
6. Z28 sway bars with poly bushings and end links
7. Tubular panhard bar with poly end links
8. SLP "SS" 16X8 ZR1 wheels with BF Goodrich 255/50Z/16 HP tires
9. SLP "SS" rear spoiler
10. Rear diffuser
11. Replaced front torque bar mount with a polyurethane mount.
12. Replaced engine oil, tranny, and rear diff with Mobil 1 fluids
Still to do:
Replace open rear diff with a 3.42 Torsen Posi (stock is a 3.23 open diff)
Replace steel drive shaft with a factory aluminum driveshaft
Replace shocks and springs with Koni units and stiffer springs
Maybe replace injectors with bigger ones
Right now, the engine puts out 20-30 HP more than stock. Replacing the rear gear and driveshaft should
make it "feel" like it has at least another 20 HP. Stock HP from the engine from the factory was at
200-205. Right now, I can hit 90 in third gear fairly quickly at the redline, and I still get 30 MPG on the
highway at 65 mph (non-ethanol fuel). It doesn't leak, smoke, or hesitate. Everything still works, no
"check engine" lights.
The car currently has less than 34,000 miles on it with zero problems. I get compliments on this car often.