opinion please. Im not sure if I should grab this 3rd member with 4.88 gears from a friend. and yes, this is for a daily driver. As usual, I did a search but the results are not very convincing.

 

1) What gears are in the stock 85 GSL-SE
2) Anything above 4.10's are going to be pretty wicked in a daily driver, forget highway, you'll have to go below the speed limit to get good gas mileage.

 

I had a 4.38, and that was about at low as I want to go. I think 4.38 and 4.44 are a good compromise between power and drivability.

A friend had a 4.88 on a P-port and it drove him crazy.

Hey Wacky, I am coming out for that pool tournament at the Bicycle Club again. Maybe this time I won't flake out and come check out your cars. Is your number still the same?

 

thanks guys. I'm currently running a GSL-SE 3rd member and Im not quite happy with it. Im just going to buy it for extra parts since he only wanted $100 plus a few of parts.

yes, my number is still the same. Feel free to call me anytime and I will come-by and pick you up.

thanks again.

 

I'd criticise your lazyness to do a proper search (as this did come up at least twice in the last few months), but I'm too lazy to prove it.

I have 4.88 gears in my 83 GS daily driver and think they are fine for day-to-day use on the street. I even took a 2,000+ mile freeway trip (Seattle to LA to Vegas and back), averaging about 80mph, and the gas mileage was not too bad (about 20mpg). Around town, my fuel economy suffers, but that's because I drive it harder than before. I also put 8,000+ miles on 4.88 gears in my old Peripheral Ported 13B 1st gen with Weber 51IDA (Oregon to Florida and back, for one race) and got 15mpg while pulling a trailer and 19mpg without. Yes, I cruise on the freeway at 4-5K RPM (4K = ~65mph), but my Racing Beat exhaust keeps me sane...in the race car, I had to wear ear plugs.

I'd be happy to go into more detail but I have a press deadline in about four hours.

 

I guess I missed that one since Im busy postwhoring in the west coast. . Thanks also for your input. If time permits, Im going to install it just to get a feel for it before it goes in the storage shed.

 

Yea try it. I have one on the racecar. I wouldnt use it on the street unless you put tall tires on it to offset the gear some. I was thinking of some tall wide 15 or 16's. More traction, and still get a gearing advantage for quicker acceleration. Dont have them but from my experience, the 430 or 444 would be better if your using 13" wheels.

 

Let me know when you come out too. I used to play pool heavily many years ago but I suck now.

 

For a $100, **** I would buy that in a heartbeat.

 

thats a good info also. the gear and tire combination.

 

 

Did you come out first and then suck ? Or the other way around ? Just curious...

 

Well, the tournament is going to be covered by ESPN, so you better brush up on your game. We used to play all over the place, mostly in orange county, sometimes in the valley.

I did okay last year, came in tied for 17th after losing in the first round. It is a great event, very well produced, and all of the top names (not me) will be there.

 

That came out wrong...

 

Well I have 4:44 gears on mine, but I also have 17''s with 315/35 tires. On the highway the speedo read 60mph at 3k RPM, and I was thinking "should my speed be this low?"

Then I found this web site. I'm wondering if this would apply to our cars aswell?

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

When my speedo says 60MPH, I'm actually traveling 67.8 MPH

 

Hey rommel. you should talk to my dad on the 4.88 thing. he had that on his RX3 for a long time and he liked it. Oh yeah, this is kinda out of the subject but do you have an extra gslse E-shaft laying around?? My dad said that i mightve spun a bearing cuz my BP is making a weird clunking noise now. we already checked the fr and rr stationary gears and they were fine. Now my car just sits in the garage. He wants to put the PPort in my car now!! UH OH! =)

 

p-port, yummy!

 

and your complaint with that is? **** if my dad would give me a P port to play with I'd **** my pants from the sheer joy of it.


kenn

 

Ok, I picked up the 4.88 in a GSL-SE 3rd member. I hope to install it this week so I can enjoy the ride at the annual hangover run with the SOCAL RX/Miata guys. The downside is...I traded many parts plus $100 for this item.

 

Not really.

My friend with his '79 4-speed gets about the same mileage as I would get in my '80 5-speed - about 22mpg. (This comparison eliminates differences in emissions strategy or anything else)

Difference is, of course, the '79 has no 5th gear.

A 5 speed transmission with 4.88 gears is pretty much the same top gear as a 4 speed with stock gearing (3.91), within a percent or two.

Don't believe it? 3.91 divided by 4.88 is .801, which is right around where the SA/FB 5th gears are...

 

Years and years ago I had a set of 4.44's in my car. Tire size was 205/60-13 or 205/50-15 - can't quite remember. Anway most of my driving was NOT in the city. I didn't care for it too much. The mechanic screwed the setup and I wound up back with the 3.90's. For a play car or one that stayed in the city, I'd put that 4.44 on in a minute. Felt like and extra 50hp.

 

I need a 4.88 third member in excellent shape that will fit an '84 GSL rearend.

Seriously

 

My REPU came with 4.625 factory. Add on the RB Aluminum flywheel and boy does that motor spin up quickly. I use a 76 ribcase 5 speed or 80 5 speed and mpg is 15 combined street/highway, which is right on par with other repu owners. They weigh 2750lbs and have poor aero.