4.10s on the A4 LT1...
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo, N.Y.
The oldest model A4-equipped Trans Am I have experience with, is a '95. If I recall correctly, the selector was numbered 1, 2, 3, D.
Also, unless your tranny is equipped with a manual valve body, it shouldn't be manually shifted. Again, I may be wrong, but if you were in OD at 50 mph, 1000 rpm sounds about right to me.
I'm confused, too. You don't mention how your friends' LS1's are optioned, so I can't really make an intelligent comparison to offer you.
In my opinion, and note the word "opinion", if you're running anything below 3:42's, then yes, I'd get some gears. All I can tell you for sure, is that when I deep-sixed the 2:73's, and went with 3:73's in my '95 A4, it was like getting a new car. The performance difference was astonishing. With the 2:73's, the car couldn't get out of its own way from a standing start, although once up to highway speeds, it pulled like a sumbich and kept right on going. I guess that's why they call 2:73's "highway" gears. Withnthe 2:73's, she'd cruise at 110 all day long. It took a little while to get there, but once she was up on top, with the revs up, I'd run anybody. From a stop, the car would have a hard time against an old lady pushing a shopping cart.
Also, unless your tranny is equipped with a manual valve body, it shouldn't be manually shifted. Again, I may be wrong, but if you were in OD at 50 mph, 1000 rpm sounds about right to me.
I'm confused, too. You don't mention how your friends' LS1's are optioned, so I can't really make an intelligent comparison to offer you.
In my opinion, and note the word "opinion", if you're running anything below 3:42's, then yes, I'd get some gears. All I can tell you for sure, is that when I deep-sixed the 2:73's, and went with 3:73's in my '95 A4, it was like getting a new car. The performance difference was astonishing. With the 2:73's, the car couldn't get out of its own way from a standing start, although once up to highway speeds, it pulled like a sumbich and kept right on going. I guess that's why they call 2:73's "highway" gears. Withnthe 2:73's, she'd cruise at 110 all day long. It took a little while to get there, but once she was up on top, with the revs up, I'd run anybody. From a stop, the car would have a hard time against an old lady pushing a shopping cart.
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
From: Edgerton WI
the reason the cars with 273 gears didn't have a selection on the shifter to go into 1st gear was because of noise emissions. they do some test that you have to be in the lowest gear posible and drive by the meter at 40MPH or soemthing similar to that. and with 273 gears it was possible to do it in 1st gear which failed the test. so GM decided to jsut lockout 1st gear on the cars so equipt. instead of making them quieter!!
sounds like some are confusing rear end gears with which speedo they got.....2 different options. the cars came with an option of which rear end...273 or 323....another option was which tires cam on the car.....if you got Z rated tires you got the 150MPH speedo if you got the slower speed rated tires(don't remember the rating) you got the 110MPH speedo and a speed limiter cuz it wans't safe taking those tires any faster than that speed.
in clarification the rear end gears had nothing to do with which speedo you got. the rear end determined the A4 shifter selection and the tires determined which speedo.
sounds like some are confusing rear end gears with which speedo they got.....2 different options. the cars came with an option of which rear end...273 or 323....another option was which tires cam on the car.....if you got Z rated tires you got the 150MPH speedo if you got the slower speed rated tires(don't remember the rating) you got the 110MPH speedo and a speed limiter cuz it wans't safe taking those tires any faster than that speed.
in clarification the rear end gears had nothing to do with which speedo you got. the rear end determined the A4 shifter selection and the tires determined which speedo.
