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4.10s - love at first drive

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Old Jul 6, 2009 | 07:07 PM
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Default 4.10s - love at first drive

Not yet enough miles on them but initial impression from just really wimpy driving is that I am going to love these things. 6th gear is a real gear now and since it moved the highway RPMs up, I am out of the drone zone - yee haw (the open side of the Z06 mufflers can drone like a SOB with my headers). At a four way stop near my home, I actually had no problem leaving in third gear (I did it by accident).

Why I waited so damned long, I'll never know.

Thanks ECS for doing some clean work - today was the gears, hardened output, rear brace, catch can and routine fluid changes. They did my cat back Z06 with NPP in a box and short throw shifter a while back which compliments the original bolts-on of two years ago - Kooks headers and cats, Callaway CAI, 160 degree thermo and tune.

Honorable mention to Spinmonster. After reading countless threads and posts about his opinions (ok - rants) regarding 4.10s, I took the plunge. Spin unknowingly planted the seed and Chris at ECS watered the ever loving pi$$ out of it. Thanks. This should hold me over into the winter when I will do H/C. Other bolts on have already been installed.

I simply can't wait till I get another 470 miles on these gears......
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Old Jul 6, 2009 | 11:55 PM
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wow..........sounds good. Can't wait to hear more.

Man. This really makes me debate 3.90 vs. 4.10.
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 06:44 AM
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Originally Posted by 07 Z51
Honorable mention to Spinmonster. After reading countless threads and posts about his opinions (ok - rants) regarding 4.10s, I took the plunge. Spin unknowingly planted the seed and Chris at ECS watered the ever loving pi$$ out of it. Thanks...
Actually, I like 3.90's now. j/k

Enjoy the mod.
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by SpinMonster
Actually, I like 3.90's now. j/k

Enjoy the mod.
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by 66yellowstingray
wow..........sounds good. Can't wait to hear more.

Man. This really makes me debate 3.90 vs. 4.10.
I had the 3.90 v. 4.10 debate with myself. I won.........

If you have a Z51 transmission, try this link for the gearing difference:

http://xse.com/leres/bin/gearratio?t...rofile=&wheel=

The same link will lead you to the other transmissions as well. Play around with the calculator and you will see the interplay between tire, rear gear ratio, and transmission ratios.

I chose the 4.10 gears for general driving enjoyment and the occasional trip to E-Town. If I was going to road course track the car, I would have chosen 3.73s.

Whether you choose 3.90s or 4.10s, the difference is so slight that you can't lose either way. Remember 3.90s are 15% shorter than 3.42s and 4.10s are 20% than 3.42s. Where it really matters is at the 1/4 mile - if you intend to trap higher than 128 mph, choose 3.90s. Even though I may eventually trap higher, 1/4 mile times for me are not the end all, be all so I don't care all that much about the extra shift. I am fairly certain that I am going H/C in the winter (slight chance of FI) and if I trap higher, I'll grin (shift) and bear it.
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 07:31 PM
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I chose the 4.10 gears for general driving enjoyment and the occasional trip to E-Town. If I was going to road course track the car, I would have chosen 3.73s.
I read in a race tech magazine a while back that the Cadillacs that race in the world challenge, all road races, used 3.90's or 4.11's depending on the track. I think that they used the base transmission, though.

Last edited by VetteNo2; Jul 8, 2009 at 11:48 AM.
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Old Jul 8, 2009 | 12:52 AM
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4.10s are the best mod I ever did, even now with 485 RWHP. That, and headers too, for the sound.
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Old Jul 8, 2009 | 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by VetteNo2
I read in a race tech magazine a while back that the Cadillacs that races in the world challenge, all road races, used 3.90's or 4.11's depending on the track. I think that they used the base transmission, though.
In the first three gears, a base transmission with 4.10s ends up having substantially similar ratios as a Z51 transmission with 3.90s.
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Old Jul 8, 2009 | 11:52 PM
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I have a Z51 H/C/I. I'm not too worried about mileage but do the 3.90s change it much? I like the idea of raising the cruising rpm a bit to help with the 55-60 mph drone, cause 65 is much better. I hope to get mine to open track next year and would have to check into the gears cost too.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by tim87tr
I have a Z51 H/C/I. I'm not too worried about mileage but do the 3.90s change it much? I like the idea of raising the cruising rpm a bit to help with the 55-60 mph drone, cause 65 is much better. I hope to get mine to open track next year and would have to check into the gears cost too.
Below find the difference between stock and 3.90s

Z51 manual and 3.42 gears
Gear MPH @ 6500 RPM
1 50.9
2 73.1
3 105.8
4 151.2
5 213.0
6 265.3

Z51 Manual and 3.90 gears
Gear MPH @ 6500 RPM
1 44.7
2 64.1
3 92.7
4 132.6
5 186.8
6 232.7
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 07:05 AM
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??? does changing the gears also give u a different reading on a chassie dyno has enyone done before and after???
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by tim87tr
I have a Z51 H/C/I. I'm not too worried about mileage but do the 3.90s change it much? I like the idea of raising the cruising rpm a bit to help with the 55-60 mph drone, cause 65 is much better. I hope to get mine to open track next year and would have to check into the gears cost too.
Cammed cars like being around 2k rpm's for best economy and lack of bucking. 3.90's and 4.190's put you right in that range for whats optimum.

I have 4.10's, H/C, S/C/nitrous, and its a Z51 and I observe an actual 30mpg (DIC says 32mpg). This was from checking gallons burned vs miles driven. As a H/C car it was about the same.

Floored in 4th gear on a dyno it reads 2mpg.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 07:46 AM
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Adding the 4.10 gears was like picking up another 50 Horsepower.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 11:11 AM
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Ohhhh by the way, your wife called and she made an appointment to have the car put back to stock.. sorry..
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 12:48 PM
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enjoy the gears!

just start yourself a tire fund now too!!
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Chris@East Coast Supercharging
Ohhhh by the way, your wife called and she made an appointment to have the car put back to stock.. sorry..
Like she has a clue......

We just have to figure out how to sneak the H/C package in. That is going to be a trick. Thanks again.
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Old Jul 10, 2009 | 12:31 AM
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after reading all this sounds like 4.10s
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