LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

3.42 or 3.73 ?

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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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Default 3.42 or 3.73 ?

Well put the headers on the car with the duals and yeah it doesn't stick to the ground what so ever. So now its time for gears and DR's but Im not quite sure what gears to get. What would be better for for the ET's at the track with just a cold air intake and tune will probably get it dyno tuned after all this.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 11:44 AM
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Auto or manual?
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 11:47 AM
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Auto sir probably should have put that on there at first lol
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 11:58 AM
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Assuming it's a '94 and up the popular gear to go with are 3.73's. If it were me I'd get it on a dyno, see what kind of power it made, go to: www.f-body.org/gears, do research regarding others who share the same power band as you and make a decision from there. The last thing you do when on the track is to go too far past your peak before crossing the traps.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 12:04 PM
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Well i was going to take it to the dyno after i did the gears to get it retuned for the headers and true duals i put on it
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 12:42 PM
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Get headers/exhaust, get dynoed/tuned, make gear selection. Gears do not influence power band/peak.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Lawhead
Well put the headers on the car with the duals and yeah it doesn't stick to the ground what so ever. So now its time for gears and DR's but Im not quite sure what gears to get. What would be better for for the ET's at the track with just a cold air intake and tune will probably get it dyno tuned after all this.
being an automatic car i would go at least 3.73's......if not 3.90's.....be careful with that rearend though they dont handle much espically with dragradials
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by quik95lt1
being an automatic car i would go at least 3.73's......if not 3.90's.....be careful with that rearend though they dont handle much espically with dragradials
Yes. Guessing power peak is always the best answer when considering gears.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by SS RRR
Yes. Guessing power peak is always the best answer when considering gears.
of course thats all that matters right?? lol




OP seriously though........I'd consider 3.90's we ran 3.42's in a bolt on A4 ls1 car went 13.0 @ 108 we went to 3.90's in it and ran 12.6 @ 111......car will LOVE gear espically with the stock cube motor and the weight of a stock car.....you really wanna wake it up toss a 32-3600 converter in it

as for peak power I wouldn't worry about crossing revving too high.....5700 in third gear with a 26" tire and 7 percent converter slippage (which is around what a 3600 would do) puts you around 107mph......the stock converter would allow a bit more.....you car will prob make peak with full exhaust and a tune around 5300

Last edited by quik95lt1; Oct 7, 2010 at 01:27 PM.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:38 PM
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wow 3.90's helped that much thats pretty impressive. but I have Long tubes on the car with true dual set up it trapped at 102 last night with 2.3 60 times :/. what do you think it will see if i put a nice 3200 Stall and the 3.90 in there? ik it won't touch them LS1 numbers lol
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Lawhead
wow 3.90's helped that much thats pretty impressive. but I have Long tubes on the car with true dual set up it trapped at 102 last night with 2.3 60 times :/. what do you think it will see if i put a nice 3200 Stall and the 3.90 in there? ik it won't touch them LS1 numbers lol
i think you could go into the 12's if you can get it to hook hard......should trap 106ish tuned up properly

think thats quick? we wacked it with a 160shot and tuned it and went 11.87 @ 121 lol
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:46 PM
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man 12 sec LT1 would suprise a lot of them 5.0's out there lol Im like a lone wolf at my track with the LT1 everyone has LS1's :/ and 106 with that big of a stall figured might be a lil higher lol
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Lawhead
man 12 sec LT1 would suprise a lot of them 5.0's out there lol Im like a lone wolf at my track with the LT1 everyone has LS1's :/ and 106 with that big of a stall figured might be a lil higher lol
im just gueesing at that it may go a bit more......may see 108 or so matters what it winds up making for power


and dont feel alone im the only lt1 up at the track i always go to too..........boy are them ls1 guys pissed when they pull up next to me though.......good ole lt1 gettin it done!!!!
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 02:02 PM
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haha yeah my buddy actually went with me last night for his first time his LT1 ran a 14.8 stock when mine was stock it ran a 14."0"8 so i guess I got a strong running car to start with lol but all them LS1 guys always come up to me asking me about it and telling me all these crazy times they run stock i sit there like -_- but hey within probably the next few weeks ill be running right past them!
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 02:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Lawhead
haha yeah my buddy actually went with me last night for his first time his LT1 ran a 14.8 stock when mine was stock it ran a 14."0"8 so i guess I got a strong running car to start with lol but all them LS1 guys always come up to me asking me about it and telling me all these crazy times they run stock i sit there like -_- but hey within probably the next few weeks ill be running right past them!
yea stock lt1 autos go like 13.9-14.2ish so thats about right
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 02:40 PM
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Yeah idk whats up with his car it is the older Lt1 but still lol and only trapped at 96 so I didn't know what to tell him. my car only runs a 13.9 now :/ quite depressing haha
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 03:08 PM
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It also depends on how much track time you see IMO as well. I chose 3.42's for my automatic because it's mainly a street car. 3.73's or 3.90's will considerably hurt your fuel economy, and if you've got loud exhaust it's gunna get annoying on the highway for sure.

Some people claim to gain 2 or 3 tenths with a gear swap (say 3.23 to a 3.90) the reality is it could happen, but more than likely there is other factors at play that resulted in the better times, not just the gears. Most people don't seem to notice that drastic of an increase.

I've talked to several A4 street car owners with 3.73's and a suprising number of them regret it.
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 04:34 PM
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i have a decently quit exhaust system and I have heard as much as half a second on a gear swap and Drag Radials i have 2.73s in it now and just don't do the job
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by quik95lt1
of course thats all that matters right?? lol




OP seriously though........I'd consider 3.90's we ran 3.42's in a bolt on A4 ls1 car went 13.0 @ 108 we went to 3.90's in it and ran 12.6 @ 111......car will LOVE gear espically with the stock cube motor and the weight of a stock car.....you really wanna wake it up toss a 32-3600 converter in it

as for peak power I wouldn't worry about crossing revving too high.....5700 in third gear with a 26" tire and 7 percent converter slippage (which is around what a 3600 would do) puts you around 107mph......the stock converter would allow a bit more.....you car will prob make peak with full exhaust and a tune around 5300
That's more like it. Great information and thanks for sharing!
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Old Oct 7, 2010 | 09:08 PM
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well i guess we will find out soon i decided on 3.73's and might be getting a 9 inch ford instead of the stock 10 bolt
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