What transmission are you using and why?

[e30rapidic]

Had both behind my S50. I prefer the gearing and overall feel of the G260.

Currently have the zf with 3.25 but I think a 3.15 would be perfect for all uses.

[bataangpinoy]

ZF320 + 3.15 LSD (e36 ring and pinion swapped into e30 housing)

Using 95M driveshaft and 95M diff input flange

#1 What do you like about your setup

Good gearing for mixed use.

#2 What dont you like about your setup

Service for slave cylinder is a bitch. 95M d/s uses a gasket to hold the grease in the CV, just started leaking. Yuck.

#3 Do you plan to change anything about your setup?

I would go 6speed for highway use. Definitely want to find a 328 d/s to get rid of this 6 bolt&CV unit.

If I add a turbo, I will gear up to a 2.93.

[Wanganstyle]

Ive been using the G260 + 3.73LSD combo on mine since I did the swap. Ive wondered if Im missing something by not using the ZF setup. Ultimately Id like to go to a 6speed, but now this works and I plan to keep it. I just wonder what the ZF feels like, because you know, I dont have enough headaches right now.

So heres my two questions:

#1 What do you like about your setup

#2 What dont you like about your setup

#3 Do you plan to change anything about your setup?

6 speed with anything between 3,46-3,91 is best for a 24v depending on application.

6 gears is better than 5 with no overdrive, 5 with overdrive is too long between gears.



For reference I ran within 1 second with 3,15 and 3,91 @ Thill east; same car/season/tires

Gearing change wont give you much for time attack lap time but it will make the car alot more natural to drive if setup for the circuit and with traffic

[BMW_TUNER]

So if I want to do a 6 speed swap vs a ZF 5speed swap, other than having the driveshaft shortened what else will I need to run my current G260 setup behind a Turbo S50? I know that the input spline count is different so I will need a new clutch plate but I am not sure what the other considerations are. Is there really any advantage to running a 5 speed vs a 6 speed?

[Jaker]

I know that the input spline count is different so I will need a new clutch plate

Keep in mind that many aftermarket clutch manufacturers will swap/change the hub in your clutch disc for a lot cheaper than a new clutch disc. I personally had Clutchmasters change the hub in a clutch for me twice, both times for $50 each.

[agent]

Is there really any advantage to running a 5 speed vs a 6 speed?

You run a six speed if you take long road trips and need the close ratios of the other five gears for when you get there (e.g. track days), or if you really like keeping your right arm and your left leg active.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

You run a six speed if you take long road trips and need the close ratios of the other five gears for when you get there (e.g. track days), or if you really like keeping your right arm and your left leg active.

Well put.

Also I like your sig, specifically the smiley in the middle

[agent]

Well put.

Also I like your sig, specifically the smiley in the middle

Thanks! It's more or less my own creation so you're welcome to copy the image address and use it if you wish.

[Northern]

What rev limit is your engine set to?

What sort of courses do you regularly run? Short twisty ones?

Are you regularly shifting back and forth between 2nd and 3rd?

A 3.73 with a ZF in 2nd gear and a 6,500 rev limit on 25" dia tires (255/40-17) would give you a top speed of 52mph on the rev limiter. That's pretty slow for any of the autocrosses that I have run in for the last 20 years. I'm sometimes hitting the limiter with a 3.23FD, a rev limit of 7,800 and the Getrag trans at about 70mph.

7200 RPM redline (M52b28)

I'm going to say short/twisty. Only one spot I shift out of second on one of them. Our regional events have larger courses, but I've never had time off+working car at the right time.

One course is a small parking lot, the other is a small circle track that gets turned into an elaborate slalom for the straights to keep speeds down.

50mph for the top of second sounds about right at ~80kph.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Simon, to give you some relative data, with the zf320 and the 3.25 lsd for most of the autox courses I've run in socal I've just barely redlined in 2nd on the fastest section(s) @ ~7100 rpm and 62ish mph. I've run one or two faster courses with the scca where I had to shift into 3rd at one section.

If anything I have been considering a 3.15, or figuring out a safe way to rev higher :P

here's a good calculator for checking redline rpm/mph in different gears http://www.endtuning.com/gearratios/

Thanks! It's more or less my own creation so you're welcome to copy the image address and use it if you wish.

I will, thanks :D

[e30austin]

I have an S50/G260 and S52/G260

#1 What do you like about your setup

I love how notchy the gate is. Paired with a UUC/DSSR setup, it is tight as fuck and ultra notchy. The overdrive 5th gear really appealed to me when I daily drove my red car.

#2 What dont you like about your setup

I've never been 100% on having the trans tilted, but it's not that big of an issue. I plan to boost the S50 car at some point soon and I don't really trust putting 500whp behind a G260. That car will either get a ZF/2.93 or I may just say fuck it and find a G265/6 and an M20 bell housing and call it a party. The biggest reason I haven't gone to a ZF is I really do like the overdrive gear for long trips on the highway. Also, the ZFs gate is nice for a daily, but I'm all about the notchy feel...and the gate is too big to be extra notchy to me...IMHO.

#3 Do you plan to change anything about your setup?

I guess I already kinda answered that.

I will say I have put over 100k on 24v/G260 setups over the years with good luck. I really do enjoy it.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

6 spd is just a highway gear. 5spds are better for tracking. The e46 m3 race cars that were raced back in the e46 days were 5 spd over the stock 6 spd

[butters]

So heres my two questions:

#1 What do you like about your setup

#2 What dont you like about your setup

#3 Do you plan to change anything about your setup?

I run ZF with a 2.93 LSD, mainly because I started with a 318 and didn't have a G260 or a medium case diff to begin with.

I like that I can run the factory transmission carrier, the feel is good, and apparently it's a very reliable transmission. I love doing 75 mph at 3,000 rpm.

I don't have any complaints, though I might change to a slightly shorter rear end, something like 3.15 max, just to multiply torque a bit. We'll see how it goes once the S54 is all set up.