Best mod for return on $$ - Dyno overlay - stock, + headers, + cam, + FAST, + Heads
05-22-2016, 04:42 PM
#141
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
So I got my 4.10s in yesterday. PITA to install quite frankly.
I don't have many miles on my 4.10s yet because it's been raining for weeks here in TX but I did get on it once pretty good in second gear and was shocked that it just hooked and pulled hard to redline without spinning the tires at all. It is warm here and that's a factor but this car usually kills the tires easily in second gear on the stock gear ratio. Joe always said they hook better with the lower gears due to tire rotational speed. I'll continue to test.
And of course the car felt a lot lighter on it's feet as the tach spun effortlessly towards redline. In just easy driving I don't see any difference in shift points. I can definitely be nicer to it in 1st gear than before as I can now just release the clutch and then apply throttle. With the OEM gears it required quite a bit of clutch slippage to take off w/o stalling from a stop. If I was stopped on an incline I had to pretty much abuse the clutch to get rolling. I can roll a stop sign in second gear now, and I can coast around slow turns in 3rd gear. Overall I really like it so far.
I look forward to more experimenting however, I'm finding the 500 mile gear break in with no hard acceleration to be rather tedious. I don't really ever drive more than 5-10 miles without getting on it pretty hard at some point unless I have my kid in the car with me.
I don't have many miles on my 4.10s yet because it's been raining for weeks here in TX but I did get on it once pretty good in second gear and was shocked that it just hooked and pulled hard to redline without spinning the tires at all. It is warm here and that's a factor but this car usually kills the tires easily in second gear on the stock gear ratio. Joe always said they hook better with the lower gears due to tire rotational speed. I'll continue to test.
And of course the car felt a lot lighter on it's feet as the tach spun effortlessly towards redline. In just easy driving I don't see any difference in shift points. I can definitely be nicer to it in 1st gear than before as I can now just release the clutch and then apply throttle. With the OEM gears it required quite a bit of clutch slippage to take off w/o stalling from a stop. If I was stopped on an incline I had to pretty much abuse the clutch to get rolling. I can roll a stop sign in second gear now, and I can coast around slow turns in 3rd gear. Overall I really like it so far.
I look forward to more experimenting however, I'm finding the 500 mile gear break in with no hard acceleration to be rather tedious. I don't really ever drive more than 5-10 miles without getting on it pretty hard at some point unless I have my kid in the car with me.
Suns it's hard to accurately describe how the car will spin less with a steeper gear but it absolutely does as you will find out.
Keep us posted how you like the gears as you continue to enjoy them.
That race to redline is a great feeling. Here's one of my favorite videos, just because I felt like watching again.
Watch the tach. If you have headphones it sounds good too.
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05-22-2016, 06:40 PM
#142
Le Mans Master
That video is pretty gnarly.
You are taching every bit of 7k on that run. First on shift flashes and then avoiding a final shift. Do you make power up there? I guess I know the answer as you have logged different shift points to get the best ET. Will these engines live up there?
I'm pretty gentle on mine comparatively.
You are taching every bit of 7k on that run. First on shift flashes and then avoiding a final shift. Do you make power up there? I guess I know the answer as you have logged different shift points to get the best ET. Will these engines live up there?
I'm pretty gentle on mine comparatively.
05-22-2016, 09:25 PM
#143
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Location: Raleigh, NC
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St. Jude Donor '15
Damn. That video is nuts.
05-22-2016, 09:32 PM
#144
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
That video is pretty gnarly.
You are taching every bit of 7k on that run. First on shift flashes and then avoiding a final shift. Do you make power up there? I guess I know the answer as you have logged different shift points to get the best ET. Will these engines live up there?
I'm pretty gentle on mine comparatively.
You are taching every bit of 7k on that run. First on shift flashes and then avoiding a final shift. Do you make power up there? I guess I know the answer as you have logged different shift points to get the best ET. Will these engines live up there?
I'm pretty gentle on mine comparatively.
Thanks Schpenxel.
06-02-2016, 05:30 PM
#145
Le Mans Master
Constant rain combined with constant work has prevented me from getting as much use out of the 4.10s as I would have liked but there is no denying that the traction is DRAMTICALLY improved with the combo of the 4.10, and the fact that RPM tightened up the diff clutch pack.
These 4.10s actually make my power MORE usable, not less. It's crazy.
I did speak to RPM Trans about it and they said the improved traction is due to, two things:
1) my tires are still spinning small amounts with the 4.10s but I don't notice it because it doesn't just wind up really quickly like it would with the higher OEM gears. With the OEM gears once it begins to spin, well it then REALLY starts to spin fast and just gets all out of control. Sot of like what Joe always describes, the car has time to catch up to the slower wheel speed of the lower gears.
2) the locking diff engages much quicker since rpm preloaded the springs. So stock the diff might allow 1 tire to really start spinning before the other tire engages and by that time it's already too late. Now both tires are engaged right away when spinning occurs.
I couldn't wrap my little brain around how the lower gears could improve traction but they certainly did.
These 4.10s actually make my power MORE usable, not less. It's crazy.
I did speak to RPM Trans about it and they said the improved traction is due to, two things:
1) my tires are still spinning small amounts with the 4.10s but I don't notice it because it doesn't just wind up really quickly like it would with the higher OEM gears. With the OEM gears once it begins to spin, well it then REALLY starts to spin fast and just gets all out of control. Sot of like what Joe always describes, the car has time to catch up to the slower wheel speed of the lower gears.
2) the locking diff engages much quicker since rpm preloaded the springs. So stock the diff might allow 1 tire to really start spinning before the other tire engages and by that time it's already too late. Now both tires are engaged right away when spinning occurs.
I couldn't wrap my little brain around how the lower gears could improve traction but they certainly did.
04-17-2019, 11:04 PM
#149
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Just drove the car today, still going strong on the OE clutch and still feels plenty fast.
10-04-2019, 02:34 PM
#150
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Bumping this up, I referred it to someone today who is modding their Vette... this can provide a primer of the path I chose which has worked pretty well for me.
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04-17-2021, 10:00 AM
#151
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Linked this thread to a friend getting into drag racing his Vette. Still have my Vette, still stock OE clutch! What a great car these Vette’s are.
Last edited by Joe_G; 04-17-2021 at 10:00 AM.
04-17-2021, 10:29 AM
#152
Instructor
My stock clutch gave up after the cam (tsp bald eagle cam) but it also had like 150k miles on it. It didnt look as bad as I thought it would but happy with my monster lt1-s twin disc. Only thing left for me is to ditch crappy stock ls2 intake for a fast 102, then start saving for a procharger, fuel system, and bottom end rebuild. If I had to do it over again, i would skip heads and put that $ toward supercharger. The only reason I did heads was to fix an issue that turned out not to be top end anyway... still cant figure it out
04-17-2021, 03:05 PM
#153
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St. Jude Donor '15
Skip the fast 102 if you're going FI, waste of money. Stock bottom ends are good to 750rwhp+ so wouldn't mess with that either unless you're going beyond that.
Last edited by schpenxel; 04-17-2021 at 03:05 PM.
04-17-2021, 03:56 PM
#154
Instructor
The reason I was looking at bottom end is same reason I did the heads. I have a weird tapping sound that I thought was top end, but everything up
top has been replaced except the rockers, did the trunion upgrade but rockers are still stock.
I overrevved at track a few years ago and it started tapping but then went away. I would hear it occasionally but not enough to worry. After I did cam it was loud (lifters, pushrods, springs, all done at same time).
Tuner thought bad lifter, guy who did the heads thought it was lifter too. I thought bent valve. Added TSP PRC225s and it still makes the sound.
startup is quiet, then about 5-10min into driving it starts tapping, then 5-10min later it gets quieter. Can still hear it, just subtle.
Oil pressure is ok (30ish warm idle, 40 cruise). Compression check was good. It drinks oil though (qt every 1000 miles). So dont wanna spend a ton on SC and then have bottom end pop. Plus 160k miles and counting.
top has been replaced except the rockers, did the trunion upgrade but rockers are still stock.
I overrevved at track a few years ago and it started tapping but then went away. I would hear it occasionally but not enough to worry. After I did cam it was loud (lifters, pushrods, springs, all done at same time).
Tuner thought bad lifter, guy who did the heads thought it was lifter too. I thought bent valve. Added TSP PRC225s and it still makes the sound.
startup is quiet, then about 5-10min into driving it starts tapping, then 5-10min later it gets quieter. Can still hear it, just subtle.
Oil pressure is ok (30ish warm idle, 40 cruise). Compression check was good. It drinks oil though (qt every 1000 miles). So dont wanna spend a ton on SC and then have bottom end pop. Plus 160k miles and counting.
04-17-2021, 07:10 PM
#156
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
