lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Haha I know man..

That is a joke.. if you do a lot of driving over 50mph, then 373s would effect driveability more than a 3600 with 323s.
Put the 3600 in.. if it is too loose for you then consider moving to 373, I guarantee it isn't going to bother you with 323 and 3600.. like I said I did a 4400 with 323s and an ms4 cam.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

Im gonna try it out with the 3.23s and see how it does. Hey man thanks for the info

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

Exactly what I've always thought. Everyone is so fast to say 3.73's for an auto but they suck on the highway if you ask me. That's why I'm doing Yank's minimum reccomendation of 3.42's. Not sacrificing mileage and high reving on the highway, yet still enough to make the stall a little more streetable than the stock gears at low speeds.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

I looked at yanks website again and a 3600 is actualy recomended for a bolton/suspension car with 3.23s. AChotrod and you are the only ones telling me to get a different gear. Im just gonna try out the 3.23s and see if its tight enough. I would like to keep the better milage on the highway. So ill see how it does

EZZZE

iTrader: (14)

I got 3.23's and an FTI 4K stall. I was personally too worried to change the gears due to all the horror stories of gear whine, etc. It won't really matter whether u have 3.23's or 3.73's at the track (like others said: maybe one tenth). However, in around town driving at about half throttle, the car will bog a little between shifts because of the lack of rpm. It does not do it at full throttle. I do have a .612 / .615 lift cam, though. Regardless, I would recommend the 3600 and try the stock gears. You can always change the rear gear later if you're unhappy.

oddwraith

iTrader: (1)

This. Lemons knows stalls and gears, just take it from him

That would be my vote if it were my ride.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

This is exactly right, if the bogging down doesn't bother you around town I geuss stick with the 3.23's. The "horror" stories of gears whine ect. are why I went with a GM gear out of another fbody (3.42's). Creates more drivability with the 3600, yet keeps my gas tank a little fuller.

But in my mind, if you're spending over $700 to install a nice converter, why not spend a little more to get the gears as well to compliment and maximize it?

EZZZE is right though, you can always add them later if you're unhappy. Also, It's also a great excuse to get a mail order/dyno tune if you switch out the gears as well, which is another performance gain

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

It would be worth it to go from 273 to 342.. No way in Hell would I go from 323 to 342, waste of time and money. If i had the rear and everything sitting there, sure. I wouldn't spend any money on that swap though, not worth it by any means.


Also.. i would highly!!! Recommend looking into ptc converters. Not only do they make an amazing converter but hey are only 500 shipped which is a nice plus. I am in the high 1.4x short times.. ptc 4000 full weight 380rwhp 2000+ DA. Buddy has exhaust and lid no tune, ls1 intake, 273s, etc is more than full weight and cuts bottom 1.6x short times with his ptc 4000. Just a thought..

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

Youll end up changing the gears, im just telling you now. All around it will be better except if you drive across the country.

FiredUpZ28

It should go without saying, but it hasn't been mentioned, make SURE you have an external trans cooler - as a looser converter builds a lot more heat than a stock one...

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

3.42's are 3.42's no matter where you start, so whats the difference?

This is what I've never understood. Everyone is always so quick to say
"3.23's to 3.42's...thats worthless, waste of money, ect."

and then they also say to the six speed guys
"3.42's to 3.73's...that's worthless, waste of money, ect."

Seems there's not a ton of "worth" there in the first place then, huh? More expensive higher gears, along with the extra gas they suck on a car that sees the strip only a few times a year, and for what? Less than a tenth in the 1/4? THAT seems like a waste of money to me.

ABSOLUTELY...however, I believe most places (like Yank, Vig, Circle D) offer a tranny cooler with their stalls. This mod is easy to do, inexpensive, cheap, and an absolute must for a stalled car, I'm running a massive B&M cooler with my stock stall in the Formula. You can't go "too big" with a cooler. Here's a write up I did in earlier 2010 on tranny coolers:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic...0e-f-body.html

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

A couple tenths is worth its weight in gold IMO! However stepping up from a 3.23 to a 3.42 is only gonna make you upset you didnt go to a 3.73 in the first place.

MasterTomos

iTrader: (15)

I respect your guy's opinion, but I've driven plenty of A4 cars with 3.73's and it's not what I want for my car. I doubt it will make a couple tenths off between 3.42's and 3.73's. When it comes to gearing a manual car, everyone is quick to point out the small difference between 3.42's and 3.73's, but not here for some reason.

My car sees a lot of highway miles and when the car is finished, I don't want to hesitate for any reason to drive it across the country if I want, including because it gets shitty gas mileage just so it could be a xx.60 car instead of a xx.70 car in the 1/4.

I see 3.42's as a compromise between the lack of performance in 3.23's (and less streetability with a stall) and the worse gas mileage of 3.73's, and with the price difference, to me it's a no brainer for the setup I want.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

I personaly think I will be fine with the 3.23s. Iv never had a stall in any of my cars so how am I gonna know whats to loose is anyway? I probly WILL think its to loose because im not used to the stall. Theres no way to explain to me over an internet forum exactly how bad the driveability issues are driving around town with 3.23s. Im just gonna have to try it out.

senicalj4579

iTrader: (41)

Your car bogged between shifts. Well, lemme see if I can pick this apart.
First you have a 4000 stall which isnt a 3600. Second, yanks converters are usualy tighter than anyone elses. 3rd, you have a cam. So wouldnt you think I would be MUCH better off considering those things? Im not tryin to be smart, it just seems to be logical no? What do you think?

sweetbmxrider

iTrader: (13)

Could always play with your tire size for better gas mileage/cruising rpm and optimize your gearing for your track tires.

skimms98

iTrader: (7)

I will be DDing a 3.23 geared Formula with a SS4000 Yank and G5X3 once all the parts come in. What everyone is failing to mention is STR. Most higher stalls have at least a 2.5 or better and that effectively makes the car feel like it has a deeper gear at throttle tip in. Personally I'd go SS4000 with your 3.23s and build on that.

chaman

iTrader: (5)

Who sells these PTC converters?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

I had quoted two other posts but it seems as you are going to make the right decision anyway.
I doubt you will think it is too loose... Why? Because most are telling you, and you have it in your head, that it will be like driving a 5200 converter.
You hit the nail on the head. You won't "bog" between shifts at all. Your converter should sit at a given RPM on pickup (say 2100 rpms) and have a steady raise in MPH until you hit lockup.
Good point, I should have mentioned that earlier. Yank has a higher STR than most which makes theirs a little more street friendly while driving around town.

I as well think you should consider a 4000 over a 3600, I think you would thank us later. And depending on your financial situation I would *seriously look into PTC converters. 500$ shipped to your door and they make one hell of a converter (IMO and from the research I have done (a lot), PTC makes a harder hitting converter than Yank on average).

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

http://www.ptcrace.com/

I don't look at price when comparing converters because it is often the piece that makes or breaks a combo. It being 500$ is just a NICE plus when most competitors are in the 700$+ range.

I am almost always using my phone to reply but if anyone has any wants my OPINION you are more than welcome to PM me and I will respond with a much more detailed reply/links/etc when I get to the comp. I don't hit on a lot of points/posts because I am too lazy to type a ton on my phone. HAHA