Which gears to get?

Gearbanger 101 · May 22, 2012

No, it's not a civic, but I do run regular gas and have seen a best of 27mpg on the inner state. As odd as you find it that some people are concerned with fuel economy in a 20-year-old V8 powered sports car, I find it funny how some automatically decide that owning a sports car means you have to get ty mileage in order for it to be taken seriously. What's the matter with wanting and achieving both?

And it's really not all about maximizing torque multiplication. If that were true, the fastest cars would be running the lowest gears and they're not. I've learned from experience that a balance needs to be struck between horsepower, actual torque output and where it occurs in the vehicle weight and torque multiplication achieved by rear end ratio.

Believe it or not, my Cougar was both faster and quicker at the track with the 3.27's than it was with the 3.73's. That being said, this Mustang is mainly a pleasure cruiser....so I'm not overly concerned with running it down the track with just enough gear. At the end of the day, the majority of my driving isn't going to be spent at WOT crossing through the traps at 6,000RPM.

A balance needs to be struck between best acceleration and best economy/drivability.

....and I've heard nothing yet that tells me a blanketed respnce of 3.55 or 3.73 is it?

ratio411 · May 22, 2012

Wow, I am the last one that would want to keep a thread resurrection going, but I have to chime in.

4.1os seem to work better with an AOD.
The T-5's first gear is too low IMO.

When striking the balance of driveability and economy, you need to think hard about your specific situation.
It may sound counterintuative, but lower gears (higher numerically) get better economy around town.
The engine doesn't struggle in traffic with the extra leverage, so hence the better economy.
Of course if you drive on the interstate or long, open rural roads, more than in urban/suburban traffic, then you'll get better mileage with higher gears (lower number).

If I was worried about economy, I'd make the car lighter. That goes a very long way towards economy, and performance.

Gearbanger 101 · May 23, 2012

ratio411 said:
Wow, I am the last one that would want to keep a thread resurrection going, but I have to chime in.

4.1os seem to work better with an AOD.
The T-5's first gear is too low IMO.

When striking the balance of driveability and economy, you need to think hard about your specific situation.
It may sound counterintuative, but lower gears (higher numerically) get better economy around town.
The engine doesn't struggle in traffic with the extra leverage, so hence the better economy.
Of course if you drive on the interstate or long, open rural roads, more than in urban/suburban traffic, then you'll get better mileage with higher gears (lower number).

If I was worried about economy, I'd make the car lighter. That goes a very long way towards economy, and performance.

See, I never really understood the around town driving argument. I've got stock 2.73's in mine and I have no problem running around in 5th gear, lugging along at 900-1,000RPM. Car doesn't pull, but it doesn't struggle either. Just putters along.

Someone above mentioned the ability to pass in 5th gear on the highway....why? It's not a passing gear. I hate the feeling of cruising down the highway, feeling like you need to look for a 6th gear. Letting off the gas and feeling the engine drag is so annoying.

I'm just curious if the 3.27's might be a nice compromise. An improved pull in all the gears, but not so drastic that it's got me revving through my torque curve. True, the 3.27's are a little stuffy with the automatic cars, but with a 3,000lb 5-speed, it might not be so bad. Especially if I add more power and torque in the lower regionss via a stroker, or blower later on down the road.

I'm still so on the fence with this. The last thing I want to do is pay to have these gears changed twice!!!

fiveohwblow · May 23, 2012

Gearbanger 101 said:
See, I never really understood the around town driving argument. I've got stock 2.73's in mine and I have no problem running around in 5th gear, lugging along at 900-1,000RPM. Car doesn't pull, but it doesn't struggle either. Just putters along.

Someone above mentioned the ability to pass in 5th gear on the highway....why? It's not a passing gear. I hate the feeling of cruising down the highway, feeling like you need to look for a 6th gear. Letting off the gas and feeling the engine drag is so annoying.

I'm just curious if the 3.27's might be a nice compromise. An improved pull in all the gears, but not so drastic that it's got me revving through my torque curve. True, the 3.27's are a little stuffy with the automatic cars, but with a 3,000lb 5-speed, it might not be so bad. Especially if I add more power and torque in the lower regionss via a stroker, or blower later on down the road.

I'm still so on the fence with this. The last thing I want to do is pay to have these gears changed twice!!!

Brian I had 3.27's, magnaflow CB and strut tower bar on my car and ran a 14.2. They were awesome gears and I wish I had not changed them. I honestly think for the t5 5.0 crowd it's the best compromise or middle gear that exists. I still saw averages of 25-26 mpg, only 1800 Rpms at 70 mph iirc and never felt like I was winding it out just for normal driving.

Once again, wish I would have kept them. Oh well.

View attachment 149306

ratio411 · May 23, 2012

Gearbanger 101 said:
See, I never really understood the around town driving argument. I've got stock 2.73's in mine and I have no problem running around in 5th gear, lugging along at 900-1,000RPM. Car doesn't pull, but it doesn't struggle either. Just putters along.

Someone above mentioned the ability to pass in 5th gear on the highway....why? It's not a passing gear. I hate the feeling of cruising down the highway, feeling like you need to look for a 6th gear. Letting off the gas and feeling the engine drag is so annoying.

I'm just curious if the 3.27's might be a nice compromise. An improved pull in all the gears, but not so drastic that it's got me revving through my torque curve. True, the 3.27's are a little stuffy with the automatic cars, but with a 3,000lb 5-speed, it might not be so bad. Especially if I add more power and torque in the lower regionss via a stroker, or blower later on down the road.

I'm still so on the fence with this. The last thing I want to do is pay to have these gears changed twice!!!

Sounds like 3.27 is the perfect gear for someone that drives enough highway/rural and has a T5.
Add to that the granny first gear of the T5, and being overkill with 4.10s... I would imagine that 3.55s would be a really nice gear for someone that doesn't see much highway.

3.73 and 4.10s with a T5 should probably be left to guys that have more purpose built cars, and/or need them for the strip.

Just an observation.
Personally, I could live with 4.10s in a street car if that first gear wasn't so crazy low.

Which gears to get?

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

ratio411

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

fiveohwblow

Official Member

ratio411

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Which gears to get?

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

ratio411

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

fiveohwblow

Official Member

ratio411

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