Evaluation and "impressions" of my recent 4.44 rear gear install.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 37,305
Likes: 18
A bit of background:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=85690
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=85687
Now that I've had a couple of days to drive this car with the new gears, I can post about what I've discovered for those who have been eager to hear about it. I think you guys know me well enough by now that I won't "sugar coat" it or blow sunshine up your butt simply because I've spent a whack of money on this mod.
(I currently also have AEM CAI and Neuspeed Cat back exhaust - these have been on my car for quite some time.)
Objective evaluation:
Normal daily driving:
Moving off from a stop requires much less clutch play. Time to full clutch engagement much less.
Gear changes happen sooner (at a lower speed than before). At certain city speeds, I found I was shifting into one higher gear than before in order to maintain the same engine sound and vibration as before. So maybe this will actually increase my city mileage.
1st gear @6K rpm is now 42 km/hr.; 2nd gear @ 6K rpm is now 66 km/hr. I can't remember what it was with the stock gearing but for those who are going out to check, just remember to hang @6K for a few seconds to let the speedo catch up or you'll think my numbers are weird.
@110 km/hr. in 6th, the tach is now @ exactly 4000 rpm. So no doubt my highway mileage will suffer somewhat.
Moderately spirited driving:
It's now possible to get a much better "clutch slip" launch from a dead stop. The revs don't have to be quite as high to get the car moving briskly. eg. Under current Calgary conditions of single digit temps (*C), I revved to about 3K rpm, released the clutch rapidly and the rear tires broke loose and spun. The car kept going without bog.
The car gets to VTEC land more quickly.
Shifting intervals are closer.
More spirited driving:
It is now extremely easy to "chirp" the tires on the second gear change UNDER VTEC. OVER VTEC, not only is it insanely easy to chirp the tires but it is possible to lay a good patch of rubber.
The few times I aggressively redlined the car, it was much quicker to reach 9K rpm and shifting there resulted in much more neck snap.
Subjective impressions:
Normal driving:
It seems much easier to drive this car as clutch engagement is smoother and from a stop, is a shorter time frame.
It is required to shift sooner unless one wants to rev a bit higher (in which case, with my exhaust, more noise is evident to outside observers).
Engine braking feels more pronounced.
More spirited driving:
This setup is a lot more fun. The engine "music" comes sooner. The added acceleration is becoming more addictive.
Engine braking is very pronounced.
Spirited driving:
I find myself shifting aggressively (a lot) below VTEC just to hear the 2nd gear chirp (and just because I can now). Haven't tried this going to 3rd yet. (I'm still breaking it in, you know.)
Since getting to redline happens a bit quicker, I may have to open up the beep interval on my "Modifry" shift beeper.
So, was it worth the money and effort to get this done? Objectively, that kinda depends on your particular circumstance. "Seemingly" adding almost another 20 HP to your powerplant (at the crank) for just under $2000.00 Can. is worth it to some but maybe not to others. If you must pay someone to do this whole job, then you might want to be a little more critical of the decision to do this. It's a lot of money. I don't have performance "numbers" to back any of this up so for now, you'll have to go by my "subjective" conclusions.
Subjectively, HELL, YES! Remember, I saved about $600.00 doing most of the work myself so it was worth it to me. And under 2 grand for 20 HP "might" be worth it in general but I believe this is 20 of the safest HP you can add to the car so it "is" worth it. It does not intrude upon the output of the engine like most mods do. It 'does' give the current output more "mechanical advantage". As already stated by the "blown" car owners, this mod goes hand-in-hand with a S/C'ed application as you don't have to rev quite as high to do a clutch drop. Revving too high on a S/C car will produce wild wheel spin and cause other drive line stresses. Of course, this also applies to a stock car. Your clutch would take a bit less of a beating.
My evaluation will continue during and after the break in period of about 500 miles. Hopefully, you won't hear of any new developments unless something bad happens along the way.
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=85690
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=85687
Now that I've had a couple of days to drive this car with the new gears, I can post about what I've discovered for those who have been eager to hear about it. I think you guys know me well enough by now that I won't "sugar coat" it or blow sunshine up your butt simply because I've spent a whack of money on this mod.
(I currently also have AEM CAI and Neuspeed Cat back exhaust - these have been on my car for quite some time.)
Objective evaluation:
Normal daily driving:
Moving off from a stop requires much less clutch play. Time to full clutch engagement much less.
Gear changes happen sooner (at a lower speed than before). At certain city speeds, I found I was shifting into one higher gear than before in order to maintain the same engine sound and vibration as before. So maybe this will actually increase my city mileage.
1st gear @6K rpm is now 42 km/hr.; 2nd gear @ 6K rpm is now 66 km/hr. I can't remember what it was with the stock gearing but for those who are going out to check, just remember to hang @6K for a few seconds to let the speedo catch up or you'll think my numbers are weird.
@110 km/hr. in 6th, the tach is now @ exactly 4000 rpm. So no doubt my highway mileage will suffer somewhat.
Moderately spirited driving:
It's now possible to get a much better "clutch slip" launch from a dead stop. The revs don't have to be quite as high to get the car moving briskly. eg. Under current Calgary conditions of single digit temps (*C), I revved to about 3K rpm, released the clutch rapidly and the rear tires broke loose and spun. The car kept going without bog.
The car gets to VTEC land more quickly.
Shifting intervals are closer.
More spirited driving:
It is now extremely easy to "chirp" the tires on the second gear change UNDER VTEC. OVER VTEC, not only is it insanely easy to chirp the tires but it is possible to lay a good patch of rubber.
The few times I aggressively redlined the car, it was much quicker to reach 9K rpm and shifting there resulted in much more neck snap.
Subjective impressions:
Normal driving:
It seems much easier to drive this car as clutch engagement is smoother and from a stop, is a shorter time frame.
It is required to shift sooner unless one wants to rev a bit higher (in which case, with my exhaust, more noise is evident to outside observers).
Engine braking feels more pronounced.
More spirited driving:
This setup is a lot more fun. The engine "music" comes sooner. The added acceleration is becoming more addictive.
Engine braking is very pronounced.
Spirited driving:
I find myself shifting aggressively (a lot) below VTEC just to hear the 2nd gear chirp (and just because I can now). Haven't tried this going to 3rd yet. (I'm still breaking it in, you know.)
Since getting to redline happens a bit quicker, I may have to open up the beep interval on my "Modifry" shift beeper.
So, was it worth the money and effort to get this done? Objectively, that kinda depends on your particular circumstance. "Seemingly" adding almost another 20 HP to your powerplant (at the crank) for just under $2000.00 Can. is worth it to some but maybe not to others. If you must pay someone to do this whole job, then you might want to be a little more critical of the decision to do this. It's a lot of money. I don't have performance "numbers" to back any of this up so for now, you'll have to go by my "subjective" conclusions.
Subjectively, HELL, YES! Remember, I saved about $600.00 doing most of the work myself so it was worth it to me. And under 2 grand for 20 HP "might" be worth it in general but I believe this is 20 of the safest HP you can add to the car so it "is" worth it. It does not intrude upon the output of the engine like most mods do. It 'does' give the current output more "mechanical advantage". As already stated by the "blown" car owners, this mod goes hand-in-hand with a S/C'ed application as you don't have to rev quite as high to do a clutch drop. Revving too high on a S/C car will produce wild wheel spin and cause other drive line stresses. Of course, this also applies to a stock car. Your clutch would take a bit less of a beating.
My evaluation will continue during and after the break in period of about 500 miles. Hopefully, you won't hear of any new developments unless something bad happens along the way.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
Great review xviper! I've been considering the gear set switch for some time and with the Yellow Box now available, I've been eagerly awaiting thorough reviews. Thanks for a very detailed and clear description of this mod. It's now at the top of my list. 
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 37,305
Likes: 18
Originally posted by Nobody
And if you ever want to go back to stock, just spoon on a couple of 60 series tires in the rear!!!
And if you ever want to go back to stock, just spoon on a couple of 60 series tires in the rear!!!
This thing ain't going back to stock. If I sell it, the old gears go in the trunk. Hopefully, it won't limit my market too much but that's a few years away yet.
