I cant decide if i should put a set of 3.73s in my car. Or if i should just leave the 3.23s in there. I plan on running a 3200 converter so i am not sure which gear would be better. What do you guys think? Thanks

 

You'll see a much better gain with the converter than the gears. I can get you into a TCI for a good price. Just remember the general rule is to go one stall higher than what you think you can handle.

Brian

 

I'd just do the converter. I went with 3.42's because I got a deal on a complete rear and originally had 2.73's. After the rear swap there was some improvement - but nothing compared to the gain after the TC.

 

keep the 3.23s and get like a 2.0 str converter. I went with the 2.5 str with my 2.73 gears and its about perfect. Midwest is a great converter IMO.

 

6 months ago I would have said GEARS, but now I'm going to put a vote in the CONVERTER column. I installed Richmond 3.73's in my car back in May thinking they were going to be a huge improvement, and realistically, if I would have put good tires on the car, they would have helped its 1/4 mile times substantially (probably ~1/2 second gain) but aside from better acceleration off the line, I didn't like the gears. For normal, everyday driving around, I felt like the car would always be driving in the next gear up too soon (into 2nd too early, into 3rd too early) and from a roll, it would never downshift as far as I would have liked (I had my a$$ handed to me by a Cobra 'cause it wouldn't downshift out of over-drive on the highway!).

IMO, 3.23 gears are probably a nice, "middle-of-the-road" ratio, and with a stall converter, I think it would probably pull like crazy off the line, and I've also heard that converters will eliminate (or reduce) those "dead spots" at certain speeds.

I think a stall converter might be my next BIG purchase. Just my $.02.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, the Richmonds whined SO Fuggin' BAD that I finally had the original 2.73's put back in my car (a gear shop determined that they were a bad set). As well as the fact that I didn't like the "feel" of the car as much as I thought I was going to, I'm now happy with my 2.73's again believe it or not!

 

id say go with a 3500+stall converter and keep your gears. Gears will run you through your powerband quicker but a stall would put you at your powerband right from the start.

lata
Bill

 

Keep your 3.23's. Get a TCI SSF 3500 with a tranny cooler and you will be gtg. Great converter that can handle a 200 shot if you wanted it to down the road. The gears you got are fine, it's a converter and tranny cooler that you need.

Oh and some drag radals or slicks if you don't have them all ready.

 

Well i guess ya'll answered my question. Thanks alot. Converter here i come. Hey BigZ28 how much can you get me into a verter for? E-mail me redlt1z28@yahoo.com.

 

I have 3.73 gears in my 2001 Z28 A4, and love them, as said, it is not a dramatic change, however it does make the car more responsive through out the RPM range.

I do plan to change my torque converter early next year to a Yank 3000, with a 2.0 STR, if you stay with your 3.23's, you could get away with a 3200 to 3500 stall, with a 2.5 STR.


SteveC