I've recently discovered that it's just easier to start my car in 2nd gear than it is in 1st gear with my vortech+3.9 final drive setup. 1st gear is completely worthless other than doing burnouts - which might be useful for getting the tires warm I suppose. But all I gotta do to get it going in 2nd gear is rev to 2500 (or higher for a burn out) and release the clutch and floor the gas. Pretty simple really, though it might be a little harder on my clutch. I am making boost with the vortech down that low

I'm making about
1.5 psi at 2000 rpms
2.2 psi at 2500 rpms
3 psi at 3000 rpms

according to my dynocharts, compared to stock, I'm making about
90 ft/lb more tq at 2000 rpms
100 ft lbs more tq at 2500 rpms
105 ft lbs more tq at 3000 rpms

so starting in 2nd gear even on paper makes sense unless I were to run slicks and attempt 1st gear and pray I don't break axels



2nd gear multiplied with the 3.9 final drive is pretty much exactly the same gear ratio/muliplier that the new Z06 uses in its 1st gear. And at 7000 rpms, it does hit 60mph on 295/35/18 tires without having to shift

Z06 = 2.66 x 3.42 final drive = 9.0972
My Z's 2nd gear = 2.324 x 3.917 = 9.103108

It got me wondering if 1st gear could actually be removed to free up some rotational mass since it's the biggest gear in the gearbox. I'm thinking if it could, it'd make the car a little more rev happy and make launching in 2nd gear even easier. Of course a stroker kit might help with that sorta thing too.

 

Could it be done. Yes.
Worth the effort in gains? No.
If you were in a spec class looking for the last little bit of performance, sure go for it. But given that it's a street car and you never know when you might need 1st gear. Just start in 2nd, realize that your clutch isn't going to last as long.

Side note I start my truck in 2nd w/ a trailer or 3rd unloaded. 2005.5 Dodge 3500 CTD.

 

yeah, it's not like i was going to rush out and di it or anything, but thinking next time my transmission is pulled, if it was a simple process of unbolting a gear and being done with it. That gear has to weigh like what? 5-10 lbs? I think it'd be noticable

 

not worth the effort to take out the entire transmission shafting and try to remove the gear without causing other issues.

hell, that might cause some sort of balance/harmonics issue!

 

Wow I never even heard of that, I think thats a new idea for sure.

 

Two reasons why this is pointless. 1) For something to have rotational mass, it must be heavy and have a significant diameter. 1st gear has neither.
2). When you're not it first gear, its not spinning. No rotation = no rotational mass.

 

i thought all the gears were connected on the layshaft and when you choose a gear only that chosen gear connects to another gear that connects to the engine and also another to the driveshaft? It'd actually be two physcal gears being removed though right?

I thought often times gears are paired up, like 1st and 2nd being mounted to the same section of the layshaft, and 3rd and 4th, 5th and 6th etc?

from what I understand all the gears are always turning with each other, but the shifter selects which one to connect to and that the only gear that does stay still until selected is reverse. Is that wrong?

unless I'm not understanding something I'd like to know what I'm messing up on:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm

also if you scroll a little past halfway down to the animated animation where you can select gears, you can clearly see the two gears that 1st gear actually are. That's about 1/4-1/5 of the total mass that's turning. I thought this was one reason why drag cars often times use just 2 gears - for less drivetrain loss, lighter weight, and also because they have so much power that 2 tall gears is the fastest method for their car


removing 1st gear might not really be feasible for all I know. I don't really know how the Z's transmission is designed, but thought I'd at least post the question

 

Why not just go on a diet or kick your girlfreind out of the car? Easier and less noise that way!

 

Wow, alot of bad information here.

-Everything in the transmission is spinning as long as the input shaft is spinning. All gears spin.

-Weight of first gear set. Maybe 10-20oz. An that's pushing it.

-There would be no issues w/ balance of the gears on the input or output shaft.

 

oh ok then yeah that'd be pointless then if the gears each weighed less than a lb. I had no idea how big/heavy the actual gears for 1st gear are on this transmission

 

Yeah gears don't way to much at all. Gearboxes have come a long ways over the years. Through different gear designs and better material selection along with manufacturing methods gears are not as bulky as they may have been at one point.