WTB: E36 differential

[monterey]

looking for 3.73 or 3.91 gears for a '97 M3. any leads would be appreciated...

[Andy W]

you do realize that a 3.91 on a 5spd will drop your top speed to 130mph...just imagine what your rpms would be on the hwy, screaming

[monterey]

that's true...what's a good compromise?

[332 RustBucket]

I would go with a 3.46 or a 3.64. I went with a 3.38 from a 3.15 and wouldn't want to go lower than a 3.46 as it would just be too annoying on the highway.

[monterey]

this may be a dumb question but how does a mustang get away with 4.11's?

[///M3 CRAZY]

Originally posted by monterey
this may be a dumb question but how does a mustang get away with 4.11's?

with different transmision gears..

[Andy W]

the mustang actually has an overdrive gear. 5th is 1:1 in our cars, not exactly the best for hwy's

[94 EURO M3]

you do realize that a 3.91 on a 5spd will drop your top speed to 130mph

Is it really that bad?
I just made a deal on a 3.91 ..... but from people I talked to, they said that it wasn't that bad, that it would drop my top speed down to 150ish.......

What kind of MPG's would i get doing 75 - 85 MPH?

I thought it would just drop my MPG a little bit, like 10-15 per tank. If this is really going to kill my gas mileage, I'm not going to do it.

Also, I don't know if it makes any difference, but I have a 94 Euro M3.

Thanks,
Josh

[Staticx311]

well i know the m roadster is geared insanely low and I still get 24mpg and do about 3000-3500 rpms in 5th at about 70 or so.

RoB~

[Erik@EDGE]

Umm, your top speed is about 155 with stock gears so no way will you get close to 150 with 3.91's anyway. Do a search for gear and calculator to see your speed in different gears. The reason why mustangs and camaros can get away with higher gears is that their 5th and now 6th gears are overdrive gears that let them lug along. It also helps that they have a little thing called torque that we have in relatively short supply

Also, if you have a euro M3, you had better make sure the diffs are the same. As I recall, the Euro M3 has a large differential case and a different subframe vs. the US car with the medium diff. IF yours is a euro, doesn't it have a 6-speed? If so, you should already have a 3.64.

[94 EURO M3]

I have a 94 Euro..... so it has a 3.0L.... which is 5spd, and uses the same diff. case as the US cars.

The 96+ came standard with 6spd & the larger case.

Does anyone know what my stock diff. is?

Thanks,
Josh

[94 EURO M3]

I found my stock gears to be 3.15

I decided not to go with a 3.91.... as it would be rediculious on the highway.

I'm going to go for a 3.46 or 3.64.

Thanks,
Josh