rear gears ??
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Instructor
Joined: May 2008
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rear gears ??
Hey Guys and Gals. Have an 02 vert, M6, long-tube headers, no cats, Borla exhaust. Love the sound and the added HP's. However since doing these mods, if the RPM's fall below about 1700 the "drone" is pretty loud. Not a big deal, obviously, but for one thing. Can't hardly use 6th gear even on the interstates. Even at 75 MPH I'm still below 1700 RPM. 5th is fine, but there is certainly a gas mileage penalty. So I'm considering changing out the rear gear to 3:90 or 4:10. Which would be best to solve the problem? Has anyone been there, down this? And I don't care about loosing some top end. Figure what it would gain out of the hole would just be a bonus. Thanks for any input.
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
You don't want to use 5th gear with 3:42's because of the gas mileage, but you will go with 4:10 so you can use 6th gear. Unless you do nothing by highway driving, you will suffer mileage with the gears you want and not sure that even on the highway with 4:10's you still wont have an issue.
Race Director
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From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
Here you go Tom.
If you do a lot of highway driving I wouldn't go lower gears, I would look for another exhaust system that would get rid of the drone.
Here is an rpm chart that will give you an idea of rpm and gears at different speeds.
Mr.Bill
Hope this helps.
If you do a lot of highway driving I wouldn't go lower gears, I would look for another exhaust system that would get rid of the drone.
Here is an rpm chart that will give you an idea of rpm and gears at different speeds.
Mr.Bill
Hope this helps.
Last edited by Mr.Bill; Jan 20, 2012 at 03:21 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
From: Williamstown NJ
Since I do a lot of highway driving...I went through 3 Catbacks due to this problem. The original being Borla Stingers and after adding LT's the drone was ridiculous. Then went to GHL Bullets which also drone in the same 1500-1600 RPM range. Not as bad as the Borla's, but still bad. I've found that the Corsa's are the only catback that does not drone. I cannot speak of the TI's.
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
Last edited by JM20; Jan 20, 2012 at 03:43 PM. Reason: Spelling Error
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Since I do a lot of highway driving...I went through 3 Catbacks due to this problem. The original being Borla Stingers and after adding LT's the drone was ridiculous. Then went to GHL Bullets which also drone in the same 1500-1600 RPM range. Not as bad as the Borla's, but still bad. I've found that the Corsa's are the only catback that does not drone. I cannot speak of the TI's.
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Since I do a lot of highway driving...I went through 3 Catbacks due to this problem. The original being Borla Stingers and after adding LT's the drone was ridiculous. Then went to GHL Bullets which also drone in the same 1500-1600 RPM range. Not as bad as the Borla's, but still bad. I've found that the Corsa's are the only catback that does not drone. I cannot speak of the TI's.
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
But your concept is interesting to me...get 4.10's to eliminate exhaust drone. I think it would work, but you'll loose 2mpg in gas mileage. (Not bad).
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I had a terrible problem with drone when I had my '00 and B&B Route 66 catback on the car. I solved the problem by installing a Bassani X-pipe - got rid of the drone as well as the popping when letting off the gas.
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 285
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From: Williamstown NJ
Yes nice ride! Black verts do look great, but trying to keep it clean is a real challenge in itself.
If you don't do a lot of highway driving then I would definitely go for the gears.
I'm actually in the process of investigating a gear swap myself, and have read prob 50 different posts on the topic. And from what I gather if you’re not going to super high horsepower in the future (forced induction, etc) then the 4:10's are the best (and most fun) for a 6spd.
Some posts have claimed they have not suffered any gas mileage loss due to the 4:10's...but I don't know how that's possible when the engine is turning 300 more RPM's at 70MPH.
Good luck!
Racer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
From: Williamstown NJ
Matt -
Not trying to hijack...but is there a noticeable difference going from the stock 3.42's to 3.73's? Or would it just be better going for 3.90's?
Last edited by JM20; Jan 21, 2012 at 08:54 AM.
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
You don't want to use 5th gear with 3:42's because of the gas mileage, but you will go with 4:10 so you can use 6th gear. Unless you do nothing by highway driving, you will suffer mileage with the gears you want and not sure that even on the highway with 4:10's you still wont have an issue.
It does seem odd that you're okay with losing ~2-3mpg permanently with a gear change but not temporarily with a downshift.
Ultimately this is an economics question for you. Cost of a gear change (if that does help the drone), versus cost of an exhaust change (if that does help the drone).
you will gain some performance with the gears, but have you considered that you may find yourself below 1700rpm at another speed (such as 55-60) that you drive more often????? You would fix your drone for your occasional 500mi trips and sentence yourself to drone for 70% of your regular driving.
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