3.46 + stock 2.7 ETA...

[BoxDriver86]

So my diff has started to give up the ghost and I plan on swapping it out very soon. I have been looking into going with a 3.25 but a very low mileage 735i just showed up at my local yard and they only want $20 for the diff. It would save me a ton of money to go this route, but is it the right idea?

Any thoughts from the ETA gurus out there?

I do plan on doing an M50 swap relatively soon but I wanted to get the diff taken care of prior. I know it will kill my MPG but since I do a lot of highway driving, how bad of an idea is this?

Thanks in advance.

[MR 325]

If you do a lot of highway don't do it! The 3.25 is pretty much as short as you want to go on the Eta. Back when I had my Eta I had a 3.25 LSD in it and it was great.

[BoxDriver86]

Thanks for the heads up. I do mostly highway driving so I assumed that it would be a bad idea. I appreciate the confirmation.

[nrubenstein]

But if that diff is an LSD, buy it and resell it.

[2mAn]

Good to know, I was also looking at a 3.46 to swap in later on. No problems with my 2.93 so im not changing anything.

[Bearmw]

Anyone compare the 3.46 in an Eta with a 5spd versus an auto? I'm to lazy to look up the overdrive ratio now. Is the 3.46 still too short with the auto to be comfortable on the highway?

[MR 325]

Actually with an auto it may be alright. If I had an auto Eta I'd be looking for gas mileage and not performance though.