gear ratios

[Bigsmoothlee]

I have a 3.4, and I will be installing an early 5 speed transmission in my car.

The final drive is 3.89:1, so acceleration would greatly improve. Ive always felt that the later 5 speed and 6 speed had gears that were a bit too long...

[jaykay]

Doesn't the 6-speed transmission have a higher power transmission capacity?

During my limited track time, I have never used six.....perhaps due the large elevation change on the one long straight I have encountered

[Topless]

With a 3.4L I would add a motorsport LSD and trans cooler to preserve reliability. Wheel spin kills em quick.

[The Radium King]

yeah, i was looking at the trans cooler components at california motorsports. thinking draw from the drain plug, through a filter, pump, cooler, return to the fill plug. manually control motor with a switch in the cabin (repurpose the less than usefull refrost switch). cooler would probably go in rear bumper opening.

what do the spec guys do?

[Topless]

This thread shows how a trans cooler is being plumbed on the 5 spd:
http://986forum.com/forums/boxster-parts-sale-wanted/32117-boxster-spec-5-spd-transmissions-sale.html Eric could fill you in on the details.

At 170rwhp and no wheelspin a stock 5spd is pretty reliable in Spec cars. Add a 3.4L or overly stiff rear springs and get a lot of wheelspin and a hot, unhappy trans. Adding a cooler and LSD does seem to improve reliability but a wild-eyed driver slamming gears in the heat of battle can still do a lot of damage.

My trans was replaced at about 96k with another stock 5spd. It had a failed pinion bearing that was likely a result of inside wheel spin on corner exit.

[The Radium King]

i resemble that wild-eyed driver. from what i've read the 'proper' way to do a cooler is to draw from a new opening closer to the diff where the fluid gets the hottest, then return to the drain or fill. this appears to be what Eric has done. just wondering if the quick and dirty approach that doesn't require any machining might suffice.