Rochester

iTrader: (9)

You're absolutely welcome. Here it is over a year since this mod, and I still can't say enough good things about it.

If I had a back-2-back driving experience of the new cat-back vs. these gears, the gearing would be next-mod. Guaranteed.


Well, that didn't happen at all in 2018. Just a whole bunch of maintenance and repair items. Plus, life got in the way, and family financials got shifted around. And truth be told, I'm thinking of poly motor mounts as the 2019 mod, over the dyno-tune.

SupraOfDoom

Another to-do list mod. TY for the info.

Julian O.

This thread was one of the deciding factors for me pulling the trigger on gears earlier this year. They're hands-down my favorite upgrade so far. My 4.363 gears provide just as much forward motivation as all my previous bolt-ons combined. While the aggressiveness of the gearing initially made me anxious, the math spoke for itself, and my anxiety was proven to be unnecessary.

Aside from significantly more punch, the car drives no differently than before. Due to the increased torque multiplier, response feels much improved, especially when starting off from a stop or on hills. Engine speed is up, but by only a few hundred rpm over my stock 3.9 gears. The benefit though, is that I can stay in gear at lower wheel speeds, which is great in stop-and-go traffic. While highway mpgs are down slightly, I actually get better mileage around town. Skip shifting is more convenient, and I can now comfortably cruise around in 6th (2000 rpm) at 40-45mph.

Great mod, highly recommended. If I did it all over again, I'd be perfectly content with just gears, a tune, and sway bars.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

4.363 final drive? Wow. Then again, you're in a vert that had the 3.9 gears. I'd probably have made the same decision you did.

Good for you, Julian. Glad it worked out well.

Julian O.

Yeah, 3.91 to 4.08 didn't seem like a big enough jump to justify the job. If I'd have had a 3.3 or 3.6 rear end in the coupe or sedan, I probably would have gone with the 4.08.

Thank you, and thanks for the write-up! Lots of valuable info and feedback.

4DRZ

iTrader: (7)

I agree with Rochester about the gears being a worthy upgrade. A bit spendy and time consuming, but it definitely wakes the car up. It's similarly priced to a good set of wheels and makes a much bigger difference in the driving experience.

Rochester, I would do the tune over the motor mounts. Don't get me wrong, the motor mounts are nice, but a good tune should be a much more noticeable difference for you. Unless, you are to the point where driving feel is more important than more power.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Well, both should happen eventually. After doing nothing to the car except repairs and maintenance this year, I'm going to go nuts if I don't have some kind of mod project to look forward to for next year.

Power is fun, no doubt. But the car isn't lacking for power, by any measure. And the subtitles of the driving experience are something that's always occurring. Also, the mounts would be less expensive than an in-shop dyno-tune, and an expense I can split up by buying the parts in January, and then the install in the Spring.

Don't think I don't appreciate the insight, though. Your experience with remote tuning has contributed to my resolve for an in-shop dyno-tune. And after years of talking about getting poly motor mounts, your install this year was the clincher for those plans.

4DRZ

iTrader: (7)

That makes sense. I think you will like those motor mounts. It's sad how quickly you get used to great mods and they become "the norm." I bet if I drove a stock G I would be blown away by how much different my car is. Glad to see you are doing an in house dyno tune. Hopefully, my experience will scare anyone away from trying to do a remote tune with Z1. Yikes, that was awful!

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

There's another Rochester member here on the forum with a 6MT Sedan. He let me drive it last year; great guy, well-cared-for car. And yeah, the differences between the two cars is pretty shocking. While it feels like the identical car in the cabin, the overall experience with his was very soft.

On the flip side of that opinion, I get tired of how harsh my car can be at times. Meh, it's all relative.

4DRZ

iTrader: (7)

My car can ride a little harsh on long trips, especially compared to my wife's Maxima which feels like riding on a cushion of air in comparison. But if it is a fun road with lots of twists and turns, my car does not seem to ride rough at all.

Rochester

iTrader: (9)

Took this pic today as the car ticked over 40k, and then I realized it's a reasonable snapshot of the RPMs held at 61 mph in 6th gear on a G fitted with 4.083 rear gears.

Jonesmeister11

iTrader: (1)

That's not bad at all. Makes me reconsider a new final drive.

4DRZ

iTrader: (7)

At 75mph I am just a touch over 3,000 rpms

conkus805

iTrader: (1)

and for anyone looking to do this mod on a 7at, go with 3.9 gears. my car at 75mph is just under 3k rpm and has enough grunt in 7th gear that I don't need to downshift going up steep grades. just a little fyi

rotarymike

iTrader: (4)

So the 3.9 gearset comes from which model? Convertible with 6MT? Is that one LSD as well (ie, can I find the pig in a salvage yard and just swap the entire differential housing and all?)