Thats rite!! The thing that is gonna kill your gas mileage is cruising around at 3000rpm and higher.And with 410's you "will" be reving that high!! The old rule of thumb is 410's in an aode is the same thing as 373's in a 5spd.
WHAT!?! I get 20MPG highway in my car with my current combo, heavy ass car, my heavy rotating assembly in the TKO (its 16lbs more rotating mass than a T5!), 315 series tires, AND 4.10's!!! I originally had 3.73's in my car and ultimately switched to 4.10's. The ONLY and I mean ONLY time I would not opt for the 4.10's is in a DD out in the great planes states (ie flat as a board) or in a car with definite forced induction in its future. In ANY other case, I'd concider 4.10's a minimum. I take it by your location you are up in the northeast where we have mountains and such not pure flat roads... go 4.10's. They do NOT make you bite the steering wheel when you leave off the gas, they do not zap like 10mpg out of your car, and the revs are not that bad at all on the highway.
Couldn't have said it better myself...especially when a potential driver only has that car to drive around...
94GTLaserRC - Good point about the higher heat...which again goes back to more engine wear...
If I had another car to drive and wanted to spend the money on 410 gears/labor...I would probably do it...but I would not do it on my only daily driver...I've been in them...not worth it to me...
Thats rite!! The thing that is gonna kill your gas mileage is cruising around at 3000rpm and higher.And with 410's you "will" be reving that high!! The old rule of thumb is 410's in an aode is the same thing as 373's in a 5spd.
I have 4.10s waiting to go on my car at home, so I guess you can guess what I'd recommend. Don't forget about the rev limiter being hit. In some cases, a chip is needed. That's why I haven't installed mine.
PS. My GFs taurus has 223,000 miles and still running strong and it's a 96 so it's not older than my car.
I have 410's with an aod,at 2500rpm's Im at 70-72 mph.Theres times when I do 80-85 when Im running late to work.(thats at 4am,theres no one on the road) and Im dam close to 3000rpm,with a 5spd,you'd be 2-300 rpm's higher!! Thats the only thing that kills my gas mileage.If I keep it under 2500rpm Ive gotten 21mpg on the highway
i never got better than 22 with my lighter fox aod with 3,.27s ans that was a downhill trip to houston. the car was bone stock with h pipe and exhaust and k&n