New Guy

[Mulholland]

Grats on the new motor Fidle.

Flute I really would strongly recommend a 3.25lsd for daily driving and a 3.73 at the most extreme. With the eta's power band and a 4.10 all you will be doing is shifting a lot more anyways, and hampering you economy (I know this isn't an car built for economy but race cars like to avoid frequent fill ups too and it isn't a massive tank) and cleaving off any top speed that used to be there.

By the math.. with a 2.93

1st. 34
2nd. 60
3rd. 94
4th. 131
5th. 162

Of course you don't stand a chance in hell of actually hitting top speed in 5th because of wind resistance. That's why a 3.25 is nice, you're still right in the eta's "BEAFCAKE" primal torque blast... but you're actually gaining top end by decreasing geared top speed but overcoming more wind resistance, hence the glory of the 3.25...which I am still trying to find a non thrashed 3.25lsd locally in DFW metro. With a 4.10 you're running out of rev's so fast and staying out of most of your power so I doubt it would be ideal for hill climb, or anything besides towing a boat for that matter in an eta. Everyone always brings up top speed when 4.10's and etas come up in conversation... it's not the lost top speed that matters. A 4.10 is slower on an eta than a 3.25 in terms of acceleration also, by the numbers, without even taking into consideration the added time from shifting to 5th on your way to 80. For overall performance I would go 3.25, for specific only climbing hills... I might go 3.73. Also I highly recommend with all of those other mods you're planning to just get a chip. They are a night and day difference on an eta. If you want a fantastic ebay chip I can give you a sellers info although I don't know if he has anymore eta chips.

[Fidhle007]

I could think my shop has a few 3.25 diffs lying around if you wanted to buy one, they're off E28s so you'd have to swap the output shafts and rear cover with your own but it should be golden. I might end up doing this on my new motor as I think the 3.73 will be way to short with the gearbox I'm using.

[Fidhle007]

Are the ratios the same on the ETA gearbox as they are on the I cars? If so, I can tell you exactly what speed each gear will put you in based on tire size and final drive.

[Mulholland]

they are, and on mine it's revving 5,400rpm, on stock wheels and tire size although I'm thinking of getting something with a shorter sidewall once these tires are finished (not much longer since they were new when I got the car but the struts couldn't expand hanging upside down in my shed overnight they were so shot when I replaced the suspension) If I go smaller on tires shift points would move up a tiny bit yeah? send me shift points with 5,400rpm redline on stock wheel/tire size.

If you're interested, here is Jordan's setup from what he told me.
"I am using the GeTrag 240 with my S52, along with a 3.73 diff and I love the gearing.

1st. 37
2nd. 67
3rd. 103
4th. 136
5th. 168

0-60 is 4.7 with an ideal launch and traction."
Thats on an S52 granted, not sure what exactly which motor you got by "something with more valves" but yeah. Appreciate it if you sent me those shift points, I really want the 3.25 because it should be the quickest and fastest on an eta, but I may settle for a 3.73 to avoid hassle and expenses. I really wanted to find one local to avoid shipping and add 40% to the cost of the diff lol.

[FLUTE007]

oh, i feel like a dope about the ford comment, i was in boston yesterday too, brought a bumper i had for your friend ben, awsome day for a drive into city.

[FLUTE007]

thanks for the input, mr mullholand, im gona stick with the 4.10 too much fun, if i went back now then it would be a downgrade

[Fidhle007]

oh, i feel like a dope about the ford comment, i was in boston yesterday too, brought a bumper i had for your friend ben, awsome day for a drive into city.

Nah, it's cool, I've been pretty secretive about the whole motor swap deal. I didn't want to spout off at the mouth about it and then end up pussing out so I didn't really talk about it until I had the motor in hand. I picked Ben (RedStar24o) up at school with his new bumper yesterday after I picked up my new motor, he's helping me do the swap now.

[FLUTE007]

cool sounds fun , if you guys need a hand let me know.

[Mulholland]

thanks for the input, mr mullholand, im gona stick with the 4.10 too much fun, if i went back now then it would be a downgrade

I personally could care less, 4.10's are fun in a very silly kinda slow way, I was just telling you by the numbers what the best diff for your purpose was, everything is personal preference though. But if you get a chance to try an eta with a 3.25lsd or even a 3.73lsd, I think you'll find it much much more appealing, regardless of the fact that it would be both quicker, have a higher top speed, and not make you shift every 20mph. To each his own. Definitely though, purchase a chip, conforti, markD, or ebay, before you blow funds on crap like a roll cage. Chip=single largest E30 "bolt on"/whatever non internal/FI modification. Like I said though you won't reap the full benefits with a 4.10 final drive. I can show you the numbers with each different diff if you like, stock, and chipped. I think the biggest part is a) LSD vs. open diff and B) hellishly tall gears vs. super short gears, only thing you're really appreciating right now. There really is something to be said for being right in your power band everytime you shift instead of being in flat dead top end.

BTW fidhle, since my internet and cable is out for the weekend (bouncing off of other peoples' wireless now) I went ahead and calculated all of those numbers I had asked you about. But still please PM me with what shipping is from you to me (75024 of course) and let me know about those 3.25's.