Thinking about changing my gears from a 2:56 to a 3:43. Has anybody done this with the paddle shift? What did it do for acceleration? How about fuel mileage? Would you do it again?
Signed,
N06

 

Love it. I'd do it again!

 

i went with the 3.42s and i really like them, i also have a high stall converter now though but before the converter they were fun too. with just the gears (no high stall converter) the car was very responsive around town and alot more fun to drive. its accelerates quicker but at the track i only picked up about .2 in the 1/8 mile but feels like it gained more than that. i lost about 2.5mpg at about 77mph, so now at 77 i get about 25mpg. if i was to do it again i would like to ride in a car with the 3.15s just because of the mpg on the interstate and see how they compare to the 3.42s around town. overall im happy with the 3.42s since i really dont hit the interstate that much.

dicky

 

What would going from a 2:56 to a 3:42 do to cruising RPM. Right now my RPM at 75 mph is about 1400 rpm. I realize it will go up but how much?

 

3.42/2.56 or about a 33% increase in rpm for any given speed or gear selection.

 

Do a search on my username and you'll find a thread I posted a while back showing the different RPMs at various highway speeds.

 

Here are the numbers from that thread:

60mph - 1725
65mph - 1850
70mph - 1975
75mph - 2125
80mph - 2250
85mph - 2400

 

Thanks

 

with those numbers it would be awsome on the track but I think Id go with the 3:15's

 

Hi Al,

Do you have any current pictures? I hope you are enjoying N06.

Patrick

 

Just picked up my first A6, been a manual 6-speed C5 person for nine years. My 2006 A6 Z51 vert has the 2.56 gears. I'm guessing it wouldn't be worth the investment to just upgrade to 2.73. Would you feel any noticeable change going to 2.73? I'm thinking 3.15 would be the better upgrade? 3.42s would be good but don't want to give up 2-3 mpgs.

 

what does a gearset cost ? how much for installation?

 

They're a lot, about $1500-$2k just for parts. It's not like Mustang where you can do it for $150.

 

You picked up .2 in the 1/8th. What about the 1/4? Does your car have to shift into 4th now? Some have claimed the same 1/4 mile times due to the 4th gear shift. My car now with 2.56 gears just hits 4th as a cross the line.

Thanks,

Mike

 

I thought this over and researched the subject plenty before i made the decision. I ended up with 3.15. i believe the paddle shift A6 is more complicated so it has more cost to do the install. DTE is in your area and specializes in diff's Phil is a perfectionist. I went with stage three, hardened shafts etc.

 

yea i picked up .2 in the 1/8 with the install of gears and my ported FAST 92, at the time i made this gain i didn't have my stall converter.
i never had my tune fixed before i got the converter so i never got a good full 1/4 run with just the gears and FAST.

yea since i put the gears in the car it shift's into 4th about the 1000' mark, well that was with the stock sized tires now that i got shorter tires (MT 275/40/17 drag radials) for drag racing it shifts sooner but cant remember how soon. now with my shorter tires, some cool weather, stall converter, and my new tune im hitting 5th right at the traps at 122.5 mph or so, which taller tires would fix this easily.

i dont think you wouldn't gain anything with just the gear swap, maybe most of those guys are comparing those times with there best which was probably in alot better weather also. but i would have to say they are good for atleast .15 to .25 in the 1/4 and to me the gears on the A6 aren't really worth it unless you get a stall converter.

wow you still have stock gears and your hitting 4th at the traps, you must have a pretty high mph. like i said in my other post if i was to do it all over again and especially with you already hitting 4th at the traps i think i would go with the 3.15s

hope this helps
dicky

 

That helps a lot, thank you. I'm hitting 120mph @ 12.18. I am shooting for high 11's. Gonna add a tune here shortly to see if that will get me there. Really considering 3.15 gears. I want to make the right choice the first time. How is your stall? Any stop and go issues?

Mike

 

nice times and mph, thats the same time i was getting with good weather and before the gears, stall, and FAST92. i have a Yank 3600 stall and love it, the best way i can describe it is how the throttle feels stock. what i mean by that is when i added the gears and no stall the throttle was really sensitive then i added the stall and it seemed to make the throttle just sluggish enough to feel stock again. i dont really notice any stop and go issues, my trans temps stay about normal since i have a trans cooler and i dont notice it reving up alot under normal throttle maybe it because i still have the stock mufflers.

if you get the right stall, gears and of course the tune it will shine at the drag strip. with the addition of the gears, stall, ported FAST 92, retune and my short drag radials i went from a best of 12.18 at 116.x to a best of 11.19 at 121.x with a 1.51 60' on this run i had really good weather.

there is a guy (thesubfloor, he posted on this thread) in CA (not sure how close to you) who has done all different kinds of set ups with gears and a couple of converters and seems to know alot about tuning these cars so that would be a good person to help with the tune.

dicky

 

I have it and makes it way more responsive.
Stock car can barely do a burnout. But with these Smokin if you got them. Plus it is less stress on drivetrain is less.
70MPH = around 2000 RPM

 

I have the gears and a 3600 stall and I love it, I only get 25/26 mpg, but I have more mods