Basically, yes.

It's very difficult for a naturally aspirated engine to make good power over a range broader than about 3000 rpm. Camshaft selection is mostly a matter of choosing which 3000 you prefer.

Horsepower = (torque x rpm)/5252 (in English units). So, for the same torque, if we can make it at a higher rpm, we make more power and can go faster.

4.10 gears mean that the engine is spinning faster at any given speed, and also mean that the engine has more leverage (gear multiplication) to move the car at low rpms. Both these things mean we can afford to "give up" some low rpm power and efficiency, trading it for greater high rpm power, and hence more overall power.

Or, to get to the point, running deep gears means you can run a more radical cam, all else being equal, and still have it be livable/practical.

On the flip side, there are definite limits as to how much torque can be put down with any given set of tires. The tires don't know or care whether that torque is being delivered by a weaker engine with deep gears or a stronger engine with taller gears. If you plan on making really big power later you may well find you have to take the deep gears back out or else just sit there and smoke. What I've gathered from talking to other guys is that the upper practical limit for 4.10s on street tires is probably 350-450 rwhp. Guys running big FI setups take gear out of their cars in order to keep the total torque at the tires to a somewhat manageable level.

I'm seriously looking at doing 4.10s myself, but due to the above considerations if I do I will get a complete new rear end and keep my 3.42 rear for possible future use. On the other hand, I might find that 4.10s and maybe a cam will be all I will ever need.

 

Do the Cam 1st..

 

I did all the bolt ons and a TR 224 and the car performed nice.
I added AFR heads and changed cams to the 228R. The car still performed better, but the power moved up the power band.

Then 2 months later, I did 3:90 gear, and Found that the gears were really what I was looking for in performance. It gave me power everywhere.

You'll notice more with the gears, but it's nice to have both

 

If you had identical cars with only the gearing being different, then the one with the lowest gearing (higher numerically) should win everytime. You commented that he would start one gear earlier, so that leads me to believe that you were racing from a roll, ...from a dead start, there's no way for him to win unless all the drag racers are wrong and instead of putting low gears in, they should put in real high gears and then they wouldn't even have to shift....I'm teasing you a little, but my point is the mechanical advantage of gears is there for us all to use and I'm going to use it! A 'big' cam and 273's are useless, whereas any cam with gears are great!!! .Gohard, or don't go at all!

 

i can speak from experiance...

I have the 228R cam i believe it's on a 112lsa. i'm very happy with it.. I put down 383 with an LS6 intake, PRC double spings, TSP LT's, no cats, ebay CAI, and corsa pace car...

on street tires i've ran a best time of 12.81 with a 2.1 60' @ 115.19mph

with the cam, i average about 12mpg in town (but i can't keep my foot out of it) and 30 on the highway. i need to get retuned but otherwise drivability is almost exactly the same as it was stock... it's alot louder under the hood... has the sewing machine thing going on.. that would not occure with gears.. it's your call... i personally rather enjoy the kick of the extra power...

I picked up about 30hp from the cam... I did the whole thing myself... LS6 ported oil pump, gaskets, cam, rods, springs etc for about $800

 

1st off, I'm not knocking what anybody does to their car. I want ideas but I will make the final decision on mine. Having said that, I will get back to the cam vs gears. Yankeevette let me drive his car during the holidays, he has headers, ti exhaust, 373 gears and a 3600 stall converter. He ran a best of 12.13, in the post above, it was 12.80's. Which is better than me right now so I'm not knocking it. I'm just saying gears are the way to go 1st. Thanks again Dick, that was one heck of a ride and I can't wait to do my torque converter and gears.............bob.

 

I appreciate your input very much. But it's kind of contradictory to what i thought.

Sounds like you raced from a roll, and started at a speed that better planted him in his power band. It doesn't make sense to me that your engine made more hp and had a better mechanical advantage than your buddies yet you lost. Even if he starts at a better RPM, while he's wrapping out his tall gears, you should be blasting through yours quickly. It seems to me that your 0-100 and your 60-150 would be way quicker than his, and it doesn't make sense that you couldn't keep up... can anyone explain and justify his situation? Maybe you need to work on your shifting?



Dan

 

Alrighty - 4.10s ordered from TByrne! DTE Stage 1 Street Performer 4.10 Differential.

All Stages of DTE Built IRS Differentials Include The Following Standard HP Upgrade Package:

* Complete disassembly and component inspection
* Extensive internal and external main case deburring
* Carrier deburring
* Pinion shaft support deburring
* Internal & external side cover deburring
* Clutch pack housing deburring
* Ring & pinion set deburring
* Cryogenically treated gear set - No other builder offers this as standard!
* Thorough case and internal component cleaning
* Improved bearing oiling system
* Timken bearings, races, seals and O-rings
* Motive Gear ring and pinion set
* Your choice of 3.15, 3.42, 3.73, 3.90 and 4.10 ratio
* Replacement clutch pack components when required
* Redline 75w/140 synthetic gear lubricant - No other builder offers this as standard!
* Blueprinted to our own engineered HP specifications and tolerances we've developed in-house
* Professional assembly and hard-kote finish for O.E. appearance
* Quiet, smooth operation
* Written 2 yr./24,000 mile warranty*

DTE Stage 1 Street Performer

* Standard HP upgrade package
* 2006 C6Z left output shaft
* O.E. right output shaft
* O.E. clutch pack
* DTE engineered pinion drive to accept the LG Motorsports Differential Cooler Kit as a bolt-on later, if chosen

Exchange or build your supplied core & includes lubricants: $1299


I'm stoked - will take a little while to get here, but it should be awesome!!!



Dan

 

NICE!!! I am totally Jealous.

What is the wait time like before they deliver to you?

be sure to post your results and "WAAAAHoooooooo's" after you get it installed.

cheers
chad

 

Thank you Dan! You'll have miles 'o smiles now...!


Phil
DTE

 

So my Paypal transaction will take a couple days unfortunately, but then DTE should get the order (From TByrne) and then maybe have a day or two turnaround, so these probably won't get shipped until around the end of next week, i'm guessing.

Then once they're shipped probably another week to arrive... Then my install should be almost immediate. The kicker is the 300-400 mile break in period i'll have when they're installed, and i'll have to take it easy for a while (which is gonna kill me!!!)

But once i hit 300+ miles and change the fluid, i'll be sure to romp on it and post my impressions (as soon as it's dry...)


Dan

 

So I bought the 4.10s and they're getting installed Tomorrow!!

DTE Stage 1 Differential Pkg w/ 4.10 Gear Ratio

I also bought a new LS6 clutch... didn't wanna spend a ton, and it's still technically an upgrade over the stock LS1 clutch.

Clutch Thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1607871

Diff Thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1605557

I'm so stoked i can hardly contain myself... heh. I plan on breaking it in as soon as possible and updating with more feedback.



Dan

 

I am really excited for you, i was in the same boat as you three months ago. So I decided to do both. it is still in the works and should be all back together in about a couple weeks. please let me know the difference. i have to wait untill spring untill i drive mine.

 

Your going to love them, but you should have went with stage two. You're going to do a cam later and then heads.