Transmission 5th Gear

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davery
Posts: 804
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:51 pm
Your car is a: 1985 Spider
Location: Ohio

Transmission 5th Gear

Post by davery »

I have seen a couple of new trans that have a smaller 5th gear ratio, for lower RPM's on the highway.

I think the factory 5th is 87:1. I have seen new trans with 82:1 and 78:1

My question is can these be purchased and added to my existing trans?

I would really like to drive my spider on the highway for extended periods.
Don Avery
Dayton, OH/Sarasota,FL
1985 Pininfarina
2011 Eos
2012 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet
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SLOSpider
Posts: 1140
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:10 am
Your car is a: 1973 124 Spider 2.0FI
Location: Lompoc, Ca USA

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by SLOSpider »

You can drive that thing across country no problem as is. Don't know about the other gears ...
1975 124 Spider
1976 Mazda Cosmo http://www.mazdacosmo.com
1989 Chevy k5 Blazer
1967 GT Mustang Fastback
vandor
Posts: 3996
Joined: Sat May 23, 2009 1:23 pm
Your car is a: 1971 124 Spider
Location: Texas, USA

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by vandor »

>My question is can these be purchased and added to my existing trans?

Not yet. Maybe in the future. I've been trying to convince my machinist friend to make some for a long time...
Csaba
'71 124 Spider, much modified
'17 124 Abarth, silver
http://italiancarclub.com/csaba/
Co-owner of the best dang Fiat parts place in town
80124FI

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by 80124FI »

I have been wondering the same thing. Or if there is an option to change the pinion and ring to drop RPM ... 70mph seems to have this engine screaming
So Cal Mark

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by So Cal Mark »

the twin cam likes to scream
narfire
Posts: 3959
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:14 am
Your car is a: 1980 124 spider
Location: Naramata B.C.

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by narfire »

So Cal Mark wrote:the twin cam likes to scream
I don't know if 4500 rpm is screaming, but I will drive 400kms or so with the engine in that territory and still get around 30 miles per imperial gallon in a slightly modded 2L FI.
Car runs great and temp is not an issue. (touch-wood)
80 FI spider
72 work in progress
2017 Golf R ( APR Stg. 1)
2018 F350 crew long box
131
Posts: 672
Joined: Sun Nov 14, 2010 1:13 am
Your car is a: 1982 131 Superbrava warmed 2.0 litre.
Location: Tasmania, Australia

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by 131 »

narfire wrote:I don't know if 4500 rpm is screaming
Approaching 6k/rpm is starting to scream, anything less is normal driving, (despite what my wife thinks).
Mick.

'82 2litre 131, rally cams, IDFs & headers.
Tobi

Re: Transmission 5th Gear

Post by Tobi »

To let your motor scream is like blowing a stuffed nose!
G+B Motorentechnik in Germany offers a longer 5th but that's got to be expansive and you would have to ship the transmission there.
Talking about Germany....going on an Autobahn and floor it and you will have it scratching the redline for as long as you want.
4500 rpm is nothing, most people in the U.S. are just not used to it.
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