montecrazy1971 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I keep hearing people talk about 3.73 to 4.10 gears being to much gear for cruising. My car has 3.90 with a th400 and 3500 stall and mild smal block and still gets 14mpg. So i'm very happy with this gear. just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 another good reason to run a small block rick, that kind of gearing is fine on short drives.. put it on the freeway @ 70mph for an hour or more at a time.... when my overdrive wasn't working I Really didn't care.. until I drove out to leo's at 3300 rpm for an hour, listening to the incesent drone of my mufflers (they're super quiet at 2250 rpm when i'm on OD) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdk70monte Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Yeah, it's not so much the gas mileage. I get around 15 mpg in with my ZZ4 350 crate motor with a 3.73 rear gear. But if I want to get on the highway, I hit 3000 RPM at around 60-65 mph. I just don't want to put that much stress on my motor for any long distances. That's why I am contemplating switching to a lower gear until I can get an overdrive tranny put in. I'll probably do that when I put the big block in, since it's originally a big block car. Overall I'm happy with it, it's just not a long distance cruiser at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I've got a good sit-up in mine. Thanks to all the help and information from my FGMCC family. Great in town car with the 700R4 and 3.73 gear. Great on the highway too!! It's still not broke in and it's getting 18 at 60. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montecrazy1971 Posted March 26, 2009 Author Share Posted March 26, 2009 I guess you guys are right but I drive mine up to 100 miles away on the freeway at a time to different shows it never bothers me but thats just me I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbreese Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I guess you guys are right but I drive mine up to 100 miles away on the freeway at a time to different shows it never bothers me but thats just me I guess. Hey Rick, I have done Hot Rod's Drag Week two years in a row. Some of the drives between tracks were over 300 miles. All of my buddies cars had OD trannys. On the interstate we were traveling around 70 to 75 mph. My engine was buzzing around 3600 rpm for several hours at a time. It was mechanical music!!!! . Zero issues and I got about 13 mpg. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 I can put up with my engine turning 3300 rpm.. but I'd definately want to re-tune the exhaust fist .. the drone at those rev's is really annoying (thank god for my 1,300W+ stereo system) but the engine is so much more 'relaxed' and 'composed' feeling when it's only turning 2250 rpm to maintain 70mph at 3300 the whole car feels like it's "straining" all the time.. not to mention since my engine isn't balanced, it vibrates FAR less at 2250 ~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 well...you're not a engine guy I see, nothing sounds sweeter than a V8 buzzing down the road at that RPM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Originally Posted By: Bones well...you're not a engine guy I see, nothing sounds sweeter than a V8 buzzing down the road at that RPM Sure there is. A V8 buzzing down the road at that RPM with OPEN HEADERS!!!! well since we hijacked this thread, good point Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 when the trans for the monte was done we called a trans shop out in cali. we gave them all the spec's they asked for engine size, hp, rear end gear and rear tire size. we went with a 700r4 with a 2400 stall( which the trans shop said was a good choice) kept the stock 2.73 gear and the rear tires coming in at 26" tall. in overdrive i turn 1750rpm's running at 65mph. my trans shop said to put a trans temp. gauge in as heat kills a 700r4 so far my trans runs 165 degrees on a hot summer day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heff Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Just put mine on the road tonight after rebuilding the rear end. I went from a 2.73 to 3.55's, and I upgraded to boxed control arms with a sway bar and all poly bushings. Allen is right it sounded great at cruising speed because I cut off the exhaust just in front of the cross member with plans of adding a new exhaust next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anv1l Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 Heff, I'm on the hunt about rear gear swapping. I have 2:73 gears in my 12 bolt (non-posi) and am searching for what I all need to order. And from where....? Due to my cam specs in my 327, via info I recieved from Edelbrock Tech, I need to run a 2500 stall AND should change my gears too. I was told a 3:73 would be optimum for my set up. I don't do a ton of highway miles (who needs a radio when the horses are talking?). Any hints or links? Thanks much! ~Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heff Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 I bought my new 3 series carrier (eaton), sway bar, bushings and boxed control arms off ebay. master bearing kit, and 3.55 gear set from summit. I had roughly 900.00 in parts, all the labor was done by me, except for setting up the rear end, that was done by a friend of mine who knows way more about it than I do. Chad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 uh huh.. you drive a v8 for 12 hours buzzing along at 3300 rpm with a horrible exhaust drone and let me know if you still like it. i'll keep my over drive and 2250 rpm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevygirrrl1971 Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 i could listen to it all day. i love the way our car runs & sounds. mean & nasty sounding is the way i like 'em! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I couldn't handle driving my monte for the hour each eay to leo's and back if it wasn't for my killer stereo system to drown out the exhaust drone @ 3300 rpm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heff Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 try shifting it into overdrive? (2250 rpm) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 3.73 w/700R4 26 " tires and at 60 running 2100 rpms Real smooth on the hi-way. The overdrive is perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Heff.. my transmission has a 'stuck' valve in the valve body.. it won't shift into over drive for any reason.. (the trans thinks I have my foot to the floor all the time) I had the trans shop fix it once under warranty and they still couldnt' get it right, so I'm gonna look at it myself once it gets a little warmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heff Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 ah.. now I understand, the two post just didn't make sense? I hope you get it figured out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangeba Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 After many years of exposure to loud noise, it won't bother you a bit because by then you'll be hearing impaired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 bruce.. that's why I got that 1,000 watt amplifier in the trunk :"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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