1 BLOWN V8

iTrader: (17)

Hey all:
I have a 02 Z-28 and checked the codes and found out I have the 273 gears I was hoping it would have been the 323. I called a few shops and they said for a 323 swap it would run $520.00 If I want to go to a 343 on up I would need a new carrier and it would jump to $880.00. I am a little stuck now. I like to have fun on the freeway also. I was looking into 343'S but the extra money is it worth it compared to the 323 gears. I know most of you will say go for the 373. I really dont know if I want to go with the high of a gear.
Also considering going with a stall and leaving the gears alone.
Input everyone please. I have always had the 6 speed cars so didn't have to worry about stalls and all my 6 speeds had the 343 gears.

Scotty-Z

iTrader: (5)

I had been considering the same things you are now just a few short weeks ago. My 2000 Z28 is my daily driver and I'm a college student working 2 jobs, so I can't afford a ton of stuff or mods that will suck up too much gas.

I had thought first of 3.23s, then 3.42s (which as you know come in all the 6-speeds). 3.73s were not an option for me, since mine is a daily driver. And I was also considering a stall.

I have now come to the conclusion that I'm going to stall mine. It's my daily driver, so I decided to keep my 2.73 gears. A stall will lock up at designated speeds that you can have it tuned for. So say you want it to lock up at 40, that means any time you're above that speed your converter will be locked and you'll get the same gas mileage as before your converter with the 2.73s. That way you can keep your cruising and highway mileage. But when you get on it or hammer the pedal, that converter will unlock and your car will pull like never before. Stalled automatics will beat up on M6s all day long. I had thought about having issues with traction with a stall, but as long as you don't get a huge one you'll be fine. You'll actually have just as much of a traction problem with new gears, seeing as how they'll want to spin the tires much easier now. So either way you're going to need some stickier tires if you want to hook up completely. I've been doing my research lately and I think I'm going to go with a 3200 stall and around a 2.5 STR. It's a high enough stall to get you some great gains and really wake up the car, and the STR is high enough to make the converter feel tight while driving it around all day and will still allow you to hook decently.

So in a nutshell: A stall will give you about 2-3 times the gains that new 3.42s would and it will allow you to still keep your gas mileage while making highway trips or cruising. Yet the performance will obviously be there. A mild stall, even on a stock LS1 with a good driver, should dip it into the high 12s or very close to it. With a few more power mods and some traction, you'll be hitting mid 12s.

Oh yeah, and as far as the price goes: I believe it is Speed Inc (LS1speed.com) that has a package deal on Vigilante converters (a well-known and good converter) plus a transmission cooler that you'll need, and a shift kit to firm up your shifts all for about $835. So you'd be right at where you'd be spending to get 3.42s, yet you'd get MUCH better gains and keep some gas on occasion.

Hope I helped and let me know what you decide.

kickassT/A

iTrader: (3)

the converter will feel really loose with 2.73's. belive me, i drove my car with my vig3600 and 2.73 gears for about 8 months before swapping to 3.42's. there is a very noticeable change when you put in the 3.42's. that is actually the ratio that mti recomends for a street/strip automatic car. now, the shop telling you you need to buy another carrier is bullshit. they make any ratio you want to get in a series 2 carrier, which is what a 2.73 carrier is. these are sometimes refered to as "thick" gears. they are actuallly a little stronger than the series 3 carriers. what you might want to look into doing is just buying a used 10 bolt off here or someone local. i bought mine for $150 from a guy in dallas and drove up to get it. i couldn't even buy the gears for that much, so to me it made more sence. they can usually be had on here for $200-250 from m6 guys swappin in 12 bolts.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I went with 3.42s from the original 2.73s which I hated, and I have been very pleased. Everyone said do a stall first, but I've been happy with the gears. Now I'm ready to install my TCI 3000/2.2 as soon as I have the bucks.

MontereyLS1

iTrader: (4)

First of all, don't take your car to THAT shop no matter what gears you have put in the car, because they don't know what they're talking about!!!

Yes you have a 2.73 car, which means you have a 2-series carrier. Go tell this guy at the shop he's a dumbass because I have personally ordered and installed 4.10 gears in a 2.73 car.

You order gears FOR a 2-series carrier and they are thicker and made to fit! Look around on the prices too....I know here locally, theres a guy (yes he knows what he's doing) that will install gears for $125 if you bring them with your car.

Ring & Pinion = $190 (Richmond)
Install = $125

Total = $315

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

I run 4.11s in my A4 (yes 9" rear ends use 4.11s not 4.10s), because I wanted it to be almost topped out in 3rd gear going thru the traps in the 1/4 mile. I run 113mph @ 6k in the 1/4 & my car shifts into 4th gear around 120. But they are a little bit much for driving on the highway. I run about 2500rpm @ 60mph.

I wouldn't think 3.73s would be too bad tho. As for 3.23s, don't bother. You won't get enough of a performace gain to make it worth doing. Do at least the 3.42s. You'll still get 20+mpg. With 3.23s my car shifted into 4th gear around 145mph, and trapped at 110. Note I dropped 3/10ths off my et by changing from 3.23s to 4.11s.

A couple other considerations: if your car is boosted (looking at your name) then stay with the taller gear (i.e. 3.23 or 3.42). However if your car is NA, then you can go deeper (3.73s or 4.10s). If you are going to get a stall, unless your main goal is drag racing, you can get away with a taller gear. And a converter will make a bigger difference than gears will. Not sure how one works with 2.73s tho. I'd call Yank or Tbyrne & ask them.

Good luck!

Brett H

iTrader: (2)

Like someone else already said, buy a complete rear end that already has a 3.42 gear and swap out the whole thing. Its cheaper than doing a gear swap plus you have a spare rear if you happen to break yours. I did this rather than swap gears and am happy I did.
You should be able to get a complete rear in the $200 range, just be sure to get a 4 channel if you have traction control or a 3 channel if you don't.

redbandit98

iTrader: (13)

i made the swap myself from 2.73 to 3.73 i love it man..the old gears made the car bog like hell...i went to the 3.73 with the 4k stall...wooo woooo and by the way i also used the richmnd 3.73 gears that fit your existing carrier...they work fine..that shop just wanted to make a little extra $...its probably not they dont know what theyre doing..they just wanted to make some extra chedder..hey man its buisiness..there is prob a high percentage of people that dont know chit about anything they just want "this" or that..they dont know any better so they buy what the guy behind the counter tells him he has to have..not defending them just laying it out there..

foff667

iTrader: (2)

though 4.10's might be too much even for a relativly stock car because of your rev limiter being where it is...i would recommend just getting 3.73's this would still give you very good acceleration but easier to get to work right and less chance of going to 4th in the 1/4 like ive seen with 4.10's.

lata
Bill

boomcase

3.42s to me is the best gear all the way around IMO . you wont gain much 1/4 wise but the car will feel better .. If i were you I would just install a TCI 3500 stall withe the 2,73s and call it a day, after a week of driving it will feel stock to you..

Kennedy98z28

iTrader: (3)

I went from 273 to 342 for couple months. Then I put a 410 in and I like it the best.

koolrayz

iTrader: (26)

I went with the stall first. I had 2.73 originaly. I highly recomend doing the stall first. The gear change will not take .7 off your et but the converter did for me. you also will retain mileage.

GM Muscle

iTrader: (9)

If the converter is matched to the gears it should not be all that loose. I run a 3500 with a 2.5 STR and the converter is really tight. Drives close to stock. If the car lives on drag radials I would even consider a 2.7str with the 2.73s.

kickassT/A

iTrader: (3)

vig 3600's stall about 4100. there are going to be loose with a 2.73

z98

Plenty of M6 guys who ditched their 3.42 rear before it screwed the pooch.

Pick one up cheap, at your local LS1tech for sale section

Also post in the wanted section, you never know who's looking to get rid of stuff from their garage.

kickassT/A

iTrader: (3)

you are going to want to try to find one local. shipping almost doubles the price

luvmeZ28

iTrader: (3)

i was thinking the same thing, the only difference install around here is $150

LiquidFire350

iTrader: (8)

like everyone else said, richmond makes thicker gears for the 2-series, i have a 2-series now, and if you cant get thick gear, there is also a spacer for fitting a 3-series gear on a 2-series carrier, ls1speed.com has them, ive asked them about it, but i found a good deal on ebay for a 3.23 and torsen diff 3-series for $111, some people told me that the spacer is less durable and save myself the headaches of it breaking and to buy the 3-series, most new 3-series diff's are about $500 and so i turned to ebay, im glad i did

MontereyLS1

iTrader: (4)

I also had a TCI SSF 3500 stall in my previous car. I LOVED it....with the 2.73's its just a little loose maybe for a daily driver. Normal driving the rpm's would go to about 2500 or so and just kinda hang there until you were up to speed if that makes sense.

When I installed the 4.10 gears, the convertor felt almost completely stock again but would still TORTURE the 275/40zr18's at WOT anything less than 60mph. Stall's are MAJOR FUN!!

I definitely reccomend the TCI SSF 3500 convertor! best bang for the buck!

I don't think I would put 4.10's in my car again for a daily driver......I would go with 3.73's this time.

4.10 gear + A4 trans. = 2600-2800 RPM's @ 70mph

From experience, the DRONE from 2800 rpms runnin 70 gets old after a while

2MuchRiceMakesMeSick

Wait until you get the stall in, youll change your mind