Ok guys im fixing to lay down some cash. I have a 2000 SS M6 with mac headers, QTP electric cutout, 160 stat, MTI lid, a powercrap programmer and a few other lil things. so what do you all think i should do and why? Im not planning on putting any stickies on the rearend so i dont THINK i will have much of a chance to break anything in the rear. Also anything i do to the car i will be installing myself so labor wise it wont cost me anything. Im probably going to get the package deal from THunder if i get the gears that consists of...

MOTIVE Gears, in your choice of ratio...3.42, 3.73 or 4.10
Or, STRANGE Gears (2 or 3 series carrier) for $35 additional
RATECH Complete Gear Installation Kit
2 Quarts RED LINE Synthetic Gear Oil
1 Bottle GM Limited Slip Differential Additive
TA Performance Rear End Cover Girdle
TA Performance Stud Kit
$399.99

if i get the ls6 intake it will end up costing around the same. so what do you guys think?

 

I would go with the LS6 intake, unless you like to spin tires. The intake will really compliment other mods, and you can always add later. That intake knocked off .16 in the 1/4 on some of my family's Ls1s. I highly recommend it.
Is it tough to install though? I need to throw one on my 99 ss as well. Anyone?

 

From what i have seen and read it looks to be extremely easy, especially when compared to dealing with the LT1 intake manifolds. I had the manifold off of my LT1 so many times b/c of the problem the lt1's had with the manifold leaking. Anyways it is a hard choice for me to make. I put 3.73s in the LT1 and it made a noticeable diff. but i decided then that when i do gears again i was going to go with 4.10s.

 

vote for the ls6 intake

 

Gears would definitly do more then the intake. But as far as installing them yourself...hope you know what you're doing.

 

Lol no way should you try installing gears yourself. If you've never done it before I would give it 20 miles before they were toast, and thats being generous. And as for your comment about not running slicks, I have blown more than my fair share of 10 bolts on street tires. Forget the 12 bolt too, almost all aftermarket ones I have seen whine after you put a decent amount of power to them. Go for the 9", its cheaper, you have a better range of gear ratios to choose from, it will hold more power, and will stay quieter over time.

 

as for the installing the gears its no big deal, im a technician and have experience. I have friends that are putting down over 400rwhp and have had good luck so far on the rear ends. Im also in the Northwest Arkansas f-bdoy association...we have members that have 4.10s along with cams and many other bolt ons and we havent had a member break anything as far as i can remember. Maybe we are just having really good luck so far (knocking on wood).

 

Im not planning on taking my car to the strip that often, maybe once or twice a year. It is my weekend baby, and the most i usually drive it is 9-10 times a month...just depending on the weather of the weekend. Whenever i put heads and a cam in my car, and possibly FI it then i will consider putting a stouter rear end in the car but for now i dont feel its money well spent with my driving habits.

 

why not get a set at the junk yard? most times i pay $50.00 for gears and carrier. then sell the carrier on ebay for about $75.00 end result i pay myself $25.00 for 4.10s or 3.73s. that way you could still get the ls6 intake. its a thought.
matt

 

If I had your car with some money to throw down, I'd throw it in the drivetrain

Either buy a 12 bolt/9 inch, or save up for one. You WILL break it with a 6 speed, it's just a matter of time. Not if or where, but when. My friend has a 94 Z28 car, he's broken his twice on the street with just street tires

If you don't feel like doing that now, maybe work on your clutch setup. The stock ones suck, that's the biggest reason I went from M6 to A3. Get a nice strong clutch, an adjustable master, a 2001+ or aftermarket slave, a STRONG throwout bearing, and do the drill mod. That'll make a great improvment over stock, shifting will feel much better, and it'll be one less thing to worry about down the road, especially when you start launching on slicks

 

I have both mods that you are thinking about, and I say the 4.10's made a bigger difference then the intake.

 

what trans do you have?? i assume since you mentioned 3.42s and 2 or 3 series carriers...that you are running an A4.

3.42s would be a waste of money, unless you were able to find a rear out of an M6 in a junkyard for near nothing $$.

if it's just a weekend warrior than you may be able to get away with the 4.10s on an auto, but i've always heard 3.73s are better "all around" gears for the auto.

but with the lid and exhaust work, the LS6 intake should gain you a solid 10hp...find one used for about $300 and then $35 for the coolant pipes.

you'll be gaining hp, cleaning up the engine bay (no EGR) and if you buy used, spending less.
just my $.02

 

Its cake. I did it in my parking lot in no time. Make sure you have everything you need though.
Also, be carefule becasue the top of your heads will be open to outside debri's and it wouldnt take much to damage the engine if any objects fall inside the top of the heads.

 

I just added the intake a few weeks ago,and it made a HUGE diff on my car. Of course I have things that require more air flow" Cam,headers" so im not sure how much of a gain you'll get stock cam/heads/intake manifolds, but I can tell you mine was substantial.

 

For a street driven M6, definitely go with the 4.10s. The car will feel so much quicker compared to just an intake swap. You need a lot of supporting mods to really feel a lot of difference with the intake. I ran 4.10s in a 10 bolt for 3 years and everyone said that it would blow. I hit it with the nitrous on 315 series Nitto drag radials and it never gave up. I swapped my 10 bolt and some cash with a buddy for a 12 bolt just because it was a killer deal. He is still pounding the crap out of that rear today and it's still holding fine. As for a brand, I'd recommend the GM Superior 4.10s. I had Richmonds once and they were ridiculously loud. I would guess the GM gears now have about 40K miles on them and still going strong.