buzzin hornet

Firstly...I love my 99% "stock" AP2!(only change CR FSB).

This car is a wonder....when rolling..but until I get rolling it's
lacking a bit at stoplights.

I'm looking to improve "low-end" and am planning on changing
the diff and going with a puddymod 1.5+ with either 4.3 or 4.44.

Having trouble with the decision...kinda feel it might be best to go
conservative(4.3) seeing as how I love the car already...but I don't
really autocross/track so running out of gear is alien to me...maybe
I'd be happier with the even punchier 4.44(bring it Jeeps and fricking
fast pickups).

My question...do most that gear adjust the VTEC window?
Seems geared you would arrive at VTEC sooner...then redline
sooner as well...and to me VTEC is just a blur anyway even
with the 4.10!
thanks y'all

H22toF20

Changing the final drive(diff in this case) will lower the speed in each gear but will increase your acceleration. The drop in RPM for each gear will be the same, unless you change one of the gears(1-6th).

I'm not a big fan of doing this, sense their's seems to be zero benefits on a road course and this will decrease gas mileage. I'd buy an EMS and a CAI, then get tuned. This will yield a much lower VTEC cross-over with a big increase in midrange power, which will increasing off the line acceleration and daily drive ability.

Moddiction

This will actually improve gas mileage around town believe it or not. Highway maybe down slightly but not much. Sure it adds rpm's but makes it easier for the car to move than to be putting around at like 2-3k.
I still got 300 miles on a tank when i was na with 4.77's on the highway. Around town I got significantly better mileage.
I would for with the 4.44 gears since you are AP2. If AP1 I would certainly say 4.77.
On an AP1 4.44 gears will certainly outperform stock gearing on any course. 1/4 mile 4.77's would win as well.
Of the line any of them will be much better than stock.

Gernby

Get a FlashPro and test pipe, load the Toda calibration, then see if you still feel that it's lacking. It will make the power curve feel more like a V6.

Moddiction

^Wouldn't go that far lol but can get some better midrange. No NA mods besides a stroker can give it that sort of feeling. Unless you are talking about a very weak v6..

buzzin hornet

Thanks all for feedback....but....I don't really think my midrange
is lacking.....it's the 1K to 4K that's somewhat .."shy"!

Besides...lowering VTEC engagement doesnt seem like a power
increase to me...if you want that just reach 6200.

I'm sold on gears..just trying to decide 4.3 or 4.44 for AP2?
I would go 4.44 but someone I've spoken to and who has driven
every available gear option has chosen 4.30 for their car.

My question?...do people that gear change VTEC window considering
the car is now going quicker through rev-range...i.e. do they raise
to 8500 in AP2 or do the gears work ok with stock VTEC?

Hirevs2k

i dunno man. ever since i got a good tune, the car pulls very good from a dead stop. i beat 350z's off the line modded or not, N/A wise that is. 350z's have weak v6's?

and to add to that, i have a good friend who has an 05 350z I/H/TP/E that i beat all the time. at one point he literrally gutted his car just to TRY and beat me, no dice for him. lol

Gernby

Here's my car totally stock (red), stock with a tune (blue), then another tune with just a test pipe (green). It has more torque at 2500 RPMs than most AP1's do at peak! It's definitely a larger percentage gain across the whole rev range than you'd get from 4.33 gears (5.6%), and the gains do continue below 2K RPMs.

Gernby

BTW, I've had 4.77 gears in my previous S2000. They were fun around town, but I ultimately regretted getting them. There's no free lunch, and the tradeoffs for lower gears suck.

Moddiction

While that is nice and there can be some sweet gains made I don't see it feeling at all like a nice v6 down low or midrange.
150 ft lbs is nice but only for the S2000 is it nice.
Most V6's now a days are 300hp/300tq or close to that.
Off the line is more the gearing that is helping you. I you race say a 350z from 3k rpm's see what would happen. Or do a 5th or 6th gear pull starting from 2-3k and you will see what the v6 powerband would do.

Gernby's dyno looks really nice and I am sure it feels infinitely better but still can't compare to the powerband of a higher output v6 engine.