the 5AT has 3.3 gears...everything else the 3.5....for boosted cars would it be better to get the 3.3 gears? or just leave what I have now? What are you guys running?

 

Some of the guys with F/I and a 3.5 FD find their cars accelerate so much harder with F/I that traction is an issue in 1st and 2nd gears. Also, very rapid acceleration causes them to mis-time shifts occasionally, causing them to bounce off of the rev limiter. A change to the 3.3 FD, which is a taller gear, has several benefits for these guys: better traction in 1st and 2nd gears, more time in each gear before reaching red-line, and even better highway-cruising gas mileage. How about that?

 

I think I may just stick with what I have now. Better gas mileage sounds nice but even with the taller gears the way I drive it wont make much of a difference haha. Would be kool if someone had some track times with the difference in gears tho

 

One other forum member has mentioned that going to a 3.3 would be a pretty good upgrade if you're FI'd. I could see the advantages...At least 1st gear would be useful if you ever wanted to get on it off the line.

 

I can see better traction off the line...less likelyhood of hitting rev or need of reving that high?...more top end speed...

Just curious as to the difference of how the car will pull. Even with better traction off the line would the car be slower with the taller gear?

 

I think the 3.3 is only an upgrade if you are turbo. I have a vortech which doesn't hammer out tons of tq at 3500-5000 like a turbo does and I think the 3.9 gears are a great match up - though I haven't been able to drive to redline yet because my 440 injectors aren't big enough for 450whp

 

From friends I've talked to with FI Z's, 3:5 is optimal for a 5AT. Suuposedly the auto tranny has difficulty shifting in time thru 1st & 2nd with the 3:9.

 

it probably would be fine if you upgrade the valvebody though

 

I switched to the 3.3 and this is how the car should have come stock. I still burn through 1st and 2nd and sometimes a lil in 3rd but you can hold a gear longer. 2nd goes to 65ish, 3rd is high 90's, you can cruise at 60 in 4th at about 3krpms i believe, 80 in 6th at 2900. Excelleration seems greater because you are able to go faster and holding the peak boost longer seems faster. Also helps when trying to keep the exhaust sound down because the gear is taller. Sounds weird but trust me the car is a lil quieter.

 

Definately sounds promising. If only I could locate someone local who would like to trade pumpkins with me

 

Does the switch to 3.3 from 3.5 effect the cruise control? I thought I read that here somewhere...

 

Given the same traction, 3.5 FD will be faster than 3.3 down the track...

 

hmmmm if ur still going to spin that much with the 3.3 then why bother? lol im all over the place with this haha

 

barthelb, what is your current tire setup?

 

245/35/19 & 285/35/19 recently with the weather around 80 in Cal its been gripping alot better and my tires are nearly worn out. I have my new PS2's waiting to be installed so they should grip alot better.

 

ah cool, what brand/type of tire have you been using right now before you go to the PS2's?

 

My last "Set" were PS2's, however the rear only lasted 20k miles, so i had to get another rear and I chose the Bridgestone RE050A's. Which are a pretty good tire. However they don't last as long as the PS2's, they are more like the Toyo's but quieter and have a firmer sidewall.