VHR + FD Gear Ratio upgrades - 3.9 and 4.08

Solus

anyone have any idea about what it would run to try to get these installed?

Denny McLain

Should know next week as the gears that were ordered should arrive pretty soon.

It may be a bit difficult to find people to install the gears as two shops I approached knew nothing about the car and did not want to touch it. I'll contact the local dealer to see what they say and also a trans shop that a Porsche aftermarket tuner shop referred me to.

Gear installs are fickle almost falling into an art and I've screwed up installing them before so I won’t dare try. Even someone who writes automotive text books (Bob Norwood… on one of my cars!) has screwed up installs, so the install is critical. Also, going to make sure all the necessary shims are there as w/o the correct shims, the car can sit on a hoist for days waiting the correct parts.

My opinion gears are worth the hassle and if necessary will just let them sit in my garage until the right shop is found.

Have a spreadsheet to plug numbers into that computes average hp during a simulated 1/4th run. Haven’t crunched the numbers yet and curious as to how it comes out, but gears helps the car get into the powerband quicker and multiplies torque. The real deal.

Denny McLain

Just called Z1 and I like their style.

Instead of just shipping the ring and pinion, they bought a 370Z rear end to make sure everything was compatible before they shipped mine to me. Now, that's how it should be done!! My hats off and Kudos for them taking the time to double check and make sure something works not letting the customer be the monkey shot off into space to see if they come back alive or not. Smooth move on Z1's part!!!

Got a couple of quotes on labor. Ended up at the wrong shop the Porsche people referred me to and they wanted $600.00 to do the install. As mentioned, done it before and screwed it up before. If I remember correctly, think it was about four hours if everything goes well. The real red flag is I told the shop owner that $600.00 sounded a bit steep and he said: "but we are going to have to remove the exhaust". Auh.....the rear section is maybe a ten minute job once it's up in the air. C ya.

Finally found the right shop (it was across the street) and they wanted $400.00 to do it which is much closer to what it should be in my opinion. Guessing between $300.00 and $400.00 is the sweat spot. Being the Porsche shop uses them for their customers and their race cars..... I'll pay the $400.00 and smile as they probably do good work.

Z eliminator

My 7 At turned 2050 @ 100km with the stock gears
With the 4.08 it tuens 2750 @ 100km.
700 rpm diff.
Fuel diff highway 7.8 to 9.8 Liter per 100km. easy driving put your foot into it and it gets alot worse.
Today i had a guy with a newer mustang Gt with exhaust playing with me I down shifted to 3rd ( rev matching sounds great) and he was not a happy camper.
45 mph to 65 ate him alive. My estimated 0 to 60 times based on the 1/8 mile and mph are 4.01 seconds.on street tires.
See 12.8 @ 110.33 in drag section for pictures and details of my car .

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12.343 @114.14 . 4.5 stroker motor is now being built. Dec 1 2015.

Denny McLain

First......congratulations. That's more of what I'd expect these cars to run. Imagine the gears are worth between 1-2 tenths of a second. What other mods do you have?

Don't take this a peeing in the pool but based on your 60 foot times you're going to be very hard pressed to see a low 4 second 0-60 mph time. Closer to a mid to semi high four second. Drag Radials will knock about 2 tenths to maybe even 3 tenths off your time and help get closer but might be hard on the drive train. Personally not a big fan of 0-60 numbers as 50% of it is the launch. That's why all wheel drive and rear engine cars like the Porsche do so well in that category.

None the less a very respectable quarter mile and eighth mile making a good showing for the Z cars. Good for you!

Z eliminator

I based the 0 to 60 time using the 1/8 mile data calculator from drag racing sites.
Thats the # that i got. Its only a educated guess. But it gets there quick. Its only a # that you can compare other cars with using the same formula.
First gear is a blast when it hooks and does not spin.
You will love the 4.08gears but, they can be a pain in trafic, and it hurts gas mileage/ diff is 700 rpm at 100 km.
Im considering the GTM. supercharger set up. Sam will have it ready for me very soon.
11's here we come. Target is 420 rwhp.

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12.343 @114.14 . 4.5 stroker motor is now being built. Dec 1 2015.

BalanBro

There is some good to short gears also I think. My tC has very short gear ratios stock, but I often get caught in traffic and it actually works out real nice. While other guys with MTs have to ride the clutch to move slowly and over short distances, I can just put it into 1st gear and crawl. Much easier on the left leg IMHO. Tall gears can be annoying in traffic.

Denny McLain

Basically with about every bolt on engine mod available during logging for fuel/air and timing with the AccessPort, the best 0-60 time I got was 5.01. it appears to be pretty accurate. This was achieved doing about a 3000 rpm launch, letting the tires grab and giving it hell after that. Granted, on a sticky drag strip and playing with tire pressures, could get it a bit lower but probably not much more than a couple of tenths. The problem again with 0-60 is the launch as it grossly favors cars with slicks, all wheel drive or rear engine.

My guess is the drag site made an auto assumption you were using slicks and probably a 1.4-1.5 sixty. The best 60 with my Vette using MT Streets was a 1.52 and it being an honest 600 hp car. Also broke a bunch of crap too because of too much bite.

Trust me.....with you all the way on the benefits and surprised how many people aren't aware of how much better the cars perform and how much more fun to drive. Frankly didn't know they were available or would of had the 4.08's long ago.

Once the gears are in I'm sitting on the fence for a bit. Biggest issue is the cars are so new everyone is working out the bugs. Still can't tune the car with the AccessPort as the software isn't ready so feel like I'm stuck in the mud for now.

SOLISIMO

I just called Z1 and they have no clue about a 4.08 gear for my G37, whats the deal

Mike

Z1 motorsports or Z1 Performace? They are two separate companies.

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NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z
Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

SOLISIMO

i think that solved my problem OWNED! hahaha thanks

Denny McLain

We'll see in the end, but as far as I'm concerned Adam has been great doing what I consider the "right thing."

Even though it has been a month, should receive the gears either today or tomorrow. Why a month? Adam wanted to double check the fit and ordered both the 4.08's and a stock set of gears to take measurements. Gladly wait the extra time to make sure they fit correctly.

Off to a medical meeting or I'd have them installed this week but when back will get them installed and hopefully to the new drag strip here in Dallas. One last tuning session on the dyno also. Thirty acres of concrete, 4800 feet long and heated/air conditioned bathrooms. (Pretty neat facility)

Currently 323 rwhp (sae) and my guess is high 12's around 110 mph.

Z1Performance

We are Z1 Performance, located in NY, and been around since 1996

Z-1 Performance Automotive Services Inc.

We have no relation to any other company/products that may use the same name.

Denny - good luck with them, and any questions, you know where to find me!

SOLISIMO

Yeah i called z1 motorsports bc I got confused, they were actually somewhat rude and kept transferring me to different guys.. lol.

Denny McLain

[QUOTE=Z1Performance;

Denny - good luck with them, and any questions, you know where to find me![/QUOTE]

I thank you sir. Seriously looking forward to the gears as they really wakeup certain cars. With the rev limit bumped up and the powerband as it appears on the dyno sheet, expecting good things.

Kinda down to the wire on delivery as my flight to a meeting in San Francisco leaves later today. Hopefully Fed Ex will catch me before I leave. My wife is coming with me but returns before I do. Just something about spending money on parts and tearing apart a new car she just doesn't get. Everyone does that to their six month old car right?