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3.15 to 3.42 diff swap

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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 02:48 PM
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Default 3.15 to 3.42 diff swap

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much of a performance difference there is between a 3.15 and a 3.42 rear diff in an A4. Surely some of you have made the swap and can offer up some opinions.
Oh, and please don't tell me the difference is ".27". haha!
Thanks - Wayne
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 02:57 PM
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From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
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See posts from MikeMercury, or better yet read his web page

http://mikemercury.home.att.net/342.htm
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 05:21 PM
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OK I checked out the web page and he gives a lot of good info about the swap and what is involved in doing it but what I'm really interested in is the results of 3.15 to 3.42 change (performance wise). Does anybody have any "SOTP dyno results" or before and after track times?

Last edited by wb8169; Aug 17, 2007 at 05:21 PM. Reason: typo
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 06:32 PM
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it will be faster, but it won't be a day/night difference.

The 3.15 to 3.42 swap is the smallest jump one can make on a C5... it's only 8.6%. I personally wasn't looking for an "amount of change"... but had a specific goal to reach.

Your wants/needs/goals may be different than mine.

it made about a .15 difference in the quarter mile. But you should read this as well - a converter upgrade that is inexpansive and doesn't require an added external cooler:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1715694


if you do the 3.15 to 3.42 and add this converter as well... it will be a day/night difference in WOT; but be hardly noticeable in normal driving.
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 06:39 PM
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The BIG DIFFERENCE will be if you add a TC and you will get what you pay for....Have funnn
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by wb8169
I was wondering if anyone could tell me how much of a performance difference there is between a 3.15 and a 3.42 rear diff in an A4. Surely some of you have made the swap and can offer up some opinions.
Oh, and please don't tell me the difference is ".27". haha!
Thanks - Wayne
PM sent
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Old Aug 17, 2007 | 11:45 PM
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Not a vette, but I had a GMC pickup truck that had a 3.08 gear in it. I changed it to a 3.42 positrac. I was really surprised at how little difference it made. There was more "seat of the pants" difference when I removed the cats and changed the exhaust out to a Flowmaster system than there was doing the gear swap.
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Old Aug 18, 2007 | 04:31 AM
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Default Gear Change

I made that swap. It was OK but not much of a jump. I now have 390's which is a good gear for me. I also do a lot of driving in my C-5 and my mileage is not too bad. I think 390 is the way to go personally.

Earl
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 12:02 PM
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General thought seems to be that it's not worth the effort. Anybody else have input they would like to share?
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 01:02 PM
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From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
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There's not much difference and, IMHO, not worth doing. However, going to 3.73's and High Stall would be. All depends on you final goals and what YOU want.
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 01:56 PM
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I'd leave the 315 and get a TC
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Old Aug 20, 2007 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by wb8169
General thought seems to be that it's not worth the effort. Anybody else have input they would like to share?
I went from 3:15's to 3:42's with a 3500 stall and there is a definite difference. Andy at A&A suggested I do it and am very pleased with it. I would not go lower unless you intend to do a lot drag racing and don't do freeway driving. At 85 I'm turning 2600 with fairly large tires on the rear and mileage went from 30-31 down to 25-26. One other advantage is you can sell your 3:15's for about half what a new Getrag 3:42 will run. Labor to install a hi-stall with the diff swap is only about $100. Good luck with what ever you choose to do.
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