my new car

[moranor@axis]

well thats the way it feels after its been away for so long i just phoned the workshop that fitted my e46 323i with a 6 speed box and 3.38 diff (parts courtesy of gizmo)

this is the 1st real mod ive done to any car (sure ive played with air filters and rubbish like that) I cant wait to get it back its driving me crazy...

if i feel like this now over this i think i might just explode when i finally fit boost

 

[ruaangrobler]

:thinking: so, I'm lost...is she back now? - if so, how does she feel, if not, when are you expecting her back?

 

[moranor@axis]

well last i heard it was going for a test drive ill phone them now

 

[moranor@axis]

just got it back will give a full report next week after an extended test drive

 

[Twinz]

Lovely. Waiting for that review

 

[ruaangrobler]

sweet, look forward to it

 

[Sankekur]

What diff did you have in before the 3.38 one?

 

[Spy007]

:ttiuwp:opcorn::drama:

 

[moranor@axis]

it was a 3,07 diff...
1st impressions are WHOA
definitely feels faster I calculated a 10% gain in torque with this diff and it definitely feels like 10% (not sure if it would be a 10% power gain also)
now i need to get the exhort done
the nice thing is its 10% of whatever the engine puts out

 

[Sankekur]

Only the torque will increase, the power will remain the same with an increase in the diff ratio. The good thing is the torque is the one that give you the sensation of being pushed back in your seat which is why your car feels faster because it is in fact accelerating faster.

 

[moranor@axis]

thought it might not increase power, but thats ok ill quite happily have 5kw with 1000nm not that it is in any way possible

 

[Sankekur]

thought it might not increase power, but thats ok ill quite happily have 5kw with 1000nm not that it is in any way possible

It could be possible to get 1000Nm torque with something like 100:1 diff ratio but the engine will constantly be running out of revs

But in all seriousnes lots of torque is awesome, might even decide to do my diff as well, but still have to find out some more things.

 

[moranor@axis]

do you have a 5 or 6 speed box?

 

[Sankekur]

6-speed

 

[moranor@axis]

well then its a pretty cheap mod for you and if you dont like it its easy to swop back

 

[moranor@axis]

i got 9.5L/100km today its never been that low

as far as performance goes the best way to put it is...
you know that nasty feeling you get when you in the wrong gear?
well with the old ratio it feels like it was constantly in the wrong gear...

 

[ruaangrobler]

Hello fellows. Tell me, why is it an easy mod on the 6 spd - as opposed to the 5? - just curious, I have the 5, but I've always thought that if my box goes, I might stick the 6 spd in there. I've heard and read it's an easy conversion - but I know that easy is a really relative term.

But back to the diff, why easy on 6 spd - I suppose it's a stupid question but I'm a noob, and you only get smarter by asking. Is it because of how the box is linked to the diff, or do the 5 and 6 speeds have different diffs? :dunno:

Would it be recommended for me to consider getting the diff done, even if I might change to a 6 speed later? Wouldn't mind some more torque. That's one organo-mechanical link I do understand, the link between pushing power and my smile.

 

[moranor@axis]

the gear ratios on the 5 and 6 speed are almost identical with the 6 having an extra cruising gear

all e46 diffs are interchangeable except the m3 so that means you can get alot of different ratios buy swapping your diff

if you fit a 3.38 or 3.46 diff you your car with a 5 speed box your fuel consumption will go up because you will be revving higher on the high way the increased revs will also cause added wear and tear on your engine that is why i did the 6 speed box on my car...

that said even a 3.46 diff will not destroy your car or have you running to the petrol station that often im sure there are alot of forum members running it on a 5 speed box i just wanted to have the extra torque without those draw backs

 

[andrewbuch]

I have also heard that sometime doing the diff swap after the revs increase you consumption can go down if after the swap your car is now running better in the torque curve or something like that..

Hope that makes sense..

So it could either increase consumption or bring it down.. But will also increase cause now with the feeling of more power you put more fooot

 

[moranor@axis]

it would depend on how much high way driving you do im sure that any big change in ratio will put up your high way fuel consumption... a small change can help fuel consumption if you look at the vw bluemotion models the main difference with them is they tweaked the ratios for economy...some of them area also faster than the original