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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 09:57 PM
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I have an a4 with the 2.73 right now. They basically suck, the tires barely chirp from a stand still.

I want a noticeable difference but this is still my daily driver so I don't want to be taching out at 3500 rpm at 75mph but I still want more punch off the line.

3.42 or 3.73 is what I was thinking, what do you guys think??

Anyone with the 3.15 performance axel from the factory?? Can you spin your wheels on take off pretty good without too much power brake???
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 10:32 PM
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I have a A4 with the factory 3.15 and can light them up anytime I want from a standing stop. They will even give a chirp going into second.

This may sound like a stupid question but are you are turning off the traction contol??????
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 10:40 PM
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And the aswer is??
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 11:10 PM
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Yep, t/c off and the car won't really spin the tires, with a little power brake I can get about 5 feet of rubber on the ground but that's it. When the car gets up on the highway it is an animal from 80-120. I would like to bring that power down a little.


So the 3.15's sound pretty good to me.


Edited to add: Should I be in d or o/d?? I have been in o/d.

Last edited by lvvette777; Sep 17, 2004 at 11:18 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 11:31 PM
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When our car with 3.15's was stock, we could not spin the tires off the line. If I were you I would not only get 3.42's or 3.73's, I would also get the appropriate high-stall torque converter.
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Sully C5
When our car with 3.15's was stock, we could not spin the tires off the line. If I were you I would not only get 3.42's or 3.73's, I would also get the appropriate high-stall torque converter.

What gear ratio are you running now and what kind of RPM's are you seeing at 75mph???
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Old Sep 17, 2004 | 11:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Sully C5
When our car with 3.15's was stock, we could not spin the tires off the line. If I were you I would not only get 3.42's or 3.73's, I would also get the appropriate high-stall torque converter.
That is interesting. If I put mine in first and punch it they do light up and when I shift to second at a little over 6000 I will catch a little second. I am starting to wonder if maybe the previous owner did some mods. I will check the stall speed tommorow.
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by lvvette777
What gear ratio are you running now and what kind of RPM's are you seeing at 75mph???
With 3.15s you'll see about 2100 at 75mph provided you have the 275/45 18's on the car. With 3.42's you'll see about 2300 at 75 mph.
If you want to know how I found out check this site out

www.f-body.org/gears/ BTW the A4 gear ratio's are 1st 3.06
2nd 1.63
3rd 1.00
4th .70
Pretty useful with all this talk about gears lately
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 12:25 AM
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I have the 3.73 gears and I turn about 2600 RPM at 80 MPH. I am getting 23 miles per gallon when the cruse control is used on long freeway trips. Around town I get 16 to 18 miles per gallon. I also have a Yank 2800 stall converter.

If you plan to put an aftermarket cam in your car DO NOT change out your gears without changing your torque converter. An aftermarket cam usually needs to idle at 850 RPM or more because of the loss of vacuume. You can't safely go that high with a stock converter.

Because the labor cost is so high for changing a converter and because most of the same parts get removed when you change the gears its more cost effective to do both at the same time.

If you can't afford to do both now then wait until you can.
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by LeMansBlue04
I have the 3.73 gears and I turn about 2600 RPM at 80 MPH. I am getting 23 miles per gallon when the cruse control is used on long freeway trips. Around town I get 16 to 18 miles per gallon. I also have a Yank 2800 stall converter.

If you plan to put an aftermarket cam in your car DO NOT change out your gears without changing your torque converter. An aftermarket cam usually needs to idle at 850 RPM or more because of the loss of vacuume. You can't safely go that high with a stock converter.

Because the labor cost is so high for changing a converter and because most of the same parts get removed when you change the gears its more cost effective to do both at the same time.

If you can't afford to do both now then wait until you can.
All excellent advice and the rpm listed above is right on the money. I just this past week had 3.73 gears installed (I already had a Yank 3000 converter that I installed myself over a year ago) and my motor turns at exactly 2600 rpm @ 80 mph. There's absolutely no problem with traveling for extended periods of time at normal highway speeds with the 3.73s.
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by XTrooper
All excellent advice and the rpm listed above is right on the money. I just this past week had 3.73 gears installed (I already had a Yank 3000 converter that I installed myself over a year ago) and my motor turns at exactly 2600 rpm @ 80 mph. There's absolutely no problem with traveling for extended periods of time at normal highway speeds with the 3.73s.

Did you notice a sotp difference????
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 11:31 PM
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in overdrive @ 70mph, you will run 2200rpm with the 3.42 ratio in an A4 C5.
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Old Sep 18, 2004 | 11:55 PM
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lvvette777 ; here is a video of my 2002 A4 with a 3.42 rear axle upgrade, with the stock PCM program (TM still enabled), using the stock TC, stock GY EMT tires, and driven by a GIRL !!!

http://hometheater.home.att.net/ohiogirl1year.mpg

is this the type of tire spin you are aiming for ???

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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 02:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Mike Mercury
lvvette777 ; here is a video of my 2002 A4 with a 3.42 rear axle upgrade, with the stock PCM program (TM still enabled), using the stock TC, stock GY EMT tires, and driven by a GIRL !!!

http://hometheater.home.att.net/ohiogirl1year.mpg

is this the type of tire spin you are aiming for ???



Was there a car in that video?? Where??? LOL!!!


Very nice indeed, that car took off nice!!!! How much may I ask was the total upgrade with parts/labor???
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 10:52 AM
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lvvette777

I bought a brand new 3.42 carrier for $980 shipped; and installed it myself: details here -
http://mikemercury.home.att.net/342.htm


.
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Mercury
lvvette777

I bought a brand new 3.42 carrier for $980 shipped; and installed it myself: details here -
http://mikemercury.home.att.net/342.htm


.

Wow!!! Nice job on that install. There is no way I would tackle something like that though. I would need to have it done, what should I expect to spend for a job like that?? $1000???
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 04:09 PM
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my local Chevrolet dealer quoted me $400 for the labor, me providing the part (3.42 complete carrier)
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Old Sep 19, 2004 | 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike Mercury
in overdrive @ 70mph, you will run 2200rpm with the 3.42 ratio in an A4 C5.
The 3.42 is the perfect axle ratio for the A4 IMHO
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