Best Bang for the Buck? 3.73's or Underdrive Pulley
05-03-2005 | 09:06 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 271
Likes: 35
From: Charleston, SC
Best Bang for the Buck? 3.73's or Underdrive Pulley Trying to figure out which gives the best bang for the buck, either 3.73 gears or an Underdrive Pulley. I already have 3.23 gears that will soon be driven by a SY3500 converter. Right now I'm thinking the 3.73's are the winner.......
Thanks!
Adam
Thanks!
Adam
05-04-2005 | 04:25 AM
#7
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Papillion, NE
Not unamimous my vote would sway on future mods, if you eventually plan on going cam I would vote pulley. Otherwise you will end up ditching the rear end anyway and just wasted money on the gears. my .02
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05-04-2005 | 08:46 AM
#9
all depends on what your plans are for...if you are almost done...get gears...if you plan on making 375+rwhp get a pulley...and then save for the 12-bolt like dmnspd said
05-04-2005 | 09:06 AM
#10
Pulley can lead to charging system flakiness and
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
05-04-2005 | 10:19 AM
#11
Originally Posted by jimmyblue
Pulley can lead to charging system flakiness and
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
05-04-2005 | 10:38 AM
#12
Originally Posted by jimmyblue
Pulley can lead to charging system flakiness and
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
I think they're not such a good idea for a street
car. Drag, sure, why not, as long as it charges at
idle. But you'll likely see drop-out at higher
accessory loads (hell, my stock alt sags in the
summer with the A/C and stero on).
SY3500 and 3.73s is supposed to be a sweet
combo. The low STR means you might actually
not break stuff. Kooky, huh?
Personally I'm happy with the 3.42s though that
step up is not really worth the cost from 3.23s.
Slightly used 3.42s are available real cheap. The
3.73s and up are not, so much.
The only reason I did it it was that I was putting
the T-2R chunk in, so the labor was already on
the plate, pretty much. T-2R has been a worthy
upgrade, you might want to think about what all
else you would want to be doing while you have
the guts out. How's your traction? One stripe or two?
05-04-2005 | 01:22 PM
#14
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,524
Likes: 1
From: The South
Originally Posted by Redneck Z
QUOTE: you can always get an overdrive alt pulley with the underdrive crank...
Why add horsepower with the crank pulley, just to subtract it with the alternator pulley?
Why add horsepower with the crank pulley, just to subtract it with the alternator pulley?
05-04-2005 | 03:59 PM
#18
The HP loss at the alt will be minimal. Perhaps even a
net win, as you don't force the regulator to stuff more
current down the field winding (which it has to make,
itself). You trade rotor speed for field current and the
alt only takes what it needs. The power off the belt
is pretty much the same. Unlike the water pump
which has to stir fluid whether needed or not, and which
you might like to slow down (if you have a cooling
surplus).
I worked on tuning a truck with an underdrive pulley
recently and every time the e-fans kicked on the
line voltage at idle was dropping to 10.7V. Not healthy.
net win, as you don't force the regulator to stuff more
current down the field winding (which it has to make,
itself). You trade rotor speed for field current and the
alt only takes what it needs. The power off the belt
is pretty much the same. Unlike the water pump
which has to stir fluid whether needed or not, and which
you might like to slow down (if you have a cooling
surplus).
I worked on tuning a truck with an underdrive pulley
recently and every time the e-fans kicked on the
line voltage at idle was dropping to 10.7V. Not healthy.
05-04-2005 | 05:05 PM
#19
Originally Posted by jimmyblue
The HP loss at the alt will be minimal. Perhaps even a
net win, as you don't force the regulator to stuff more
current down the field winding (which it has to make,
itself). You trade rotor speed for field current and the
alt only takes what it needs. The power off the belt
is pretty much the same. Unlike the water pump
which has to stir fluid whether needed or not, and which
you might like to slow down (if you have a cooling
surplus).
I worked on tuning a truck with an underdrive pulley
recently and every time the e-fans kicked on the
line voltage at idle was dropping to 10.7V. Not healthy.
net win, as you don't force the regulator to stuff more
current down the field winding (which it has to make,
itself). You trade rotor speed for field current and the
alt only takes what it needs. The power off the belt
is pretty much the same. Unlike the water pump
which has to stir fluid whether needed or not, and which
you might like to slow down (if you have a cooling
surplus).
I worked on tuning a truck with an underdrive pulley
recently and every time the e-fans kicked on the
line voltage at idle was dropping to 10.7V. Not healthy.