I'm interested to know what speed/1000revs you all are doing (in 6th) - my Blade is doing just under 11mph/1000 which at red line theoretically would do 118 (not that I have ever done that on a public road !!)

This is no great problem but does mean at 80ish I'm doing about 7500rpm

Is there a way of easily changing the 6th gear to create a cruise gear (and make it go faster) and just use the other 5 for playing

A

mine does 10.2 MPH per 1000 revs in 6th. Fitting a lower number diff, eg 3.14, will increase the gearing in all gears, reducing the revs at any give speed. It slows you down in lower gears though. Bigger wheels and tyres have the same effect.

It might be possible to strip down your gearbox, remove the cogs for 6th and replace them with ones of a different ratio, if such things exist and will fit.

Failing that, some sort of over drive unit after the gear box, or a 2 speed diff or 2 range transfer box would do it.

Hi, Mine is exactly the same.
I guess you have a 3.62 rear end as I have and 15" wheels
I think you either have to accept that you have a BEC and that 7500 RPM is roughly 2/3 of peak revs, so no big deal any more than a CEC at 4500 is 2/3 peak.

Or you go for a different rear. I am looking at replacing mine for a 3.38, I am quite happy with the clutch actiojn on mine and am confident I will still be able to pull off, but will drop the revs at 70mph to about 6500 and will be able to get closer to 60mph in 1st (about 55 I think).
a 3.14 rear would get you down to about 5700 rpm and cost an arm and a leg and a kidney!

CEC next then

Col

You're right, mines a 3.62 and shod with 195/50 x 15's same as yours

I'm very happy with the set up and don't want to change the rear as it would affect the acceleration (the bit I love)

But is there something on the market that could be a bit like an overdrive that would reduce revs when not needed

A

http://www.allensperformance.co.uk/gearboxes-and-couplings.htm

step up reverse box

Hi I am running a 3:38 diff about 128mph top end and about 6700 revs at 70
I believe this is the best option all around as I haven't lost hardly any of the acceleration and its not revving to high cruising at 70 to 80 ish

Same as above, 3.38 diff and 15's. Roughly 6,700 rpm at 70.

Ours has a top speed of 128'ish due to lower output ratio. Using 3.62 diff and 15" wheels... a 3.38 would be better but they're not typically LS.

Steve

40 miles at 4000 rpm.
3.36 LSD from scorpio and 17 " wheels

I'm running a 3.14 diff on my R1 engined car and it's sitting at approx 6800 at 70mph.

Tim

Thats a 2004 engine though isnt it Timmy? With a 3.14 in a pre 2004 engine like most use you'd be doing nearer 80mph on 185/60-13" tyres.

Alan, FWIW if your blade is geared for 11mph/1000rpm then it will top out at nearly 130mph not 118mph, as the red line is 11750rpm on the carbed engines, and presumably at least that on later engines.

cheers

Chris

mines a '97 Blade and max output is at 10750 Chris - that gave me the 118 figure - you're right though, it probably will go a bit higher (cut out is at 12200)

A

ps thanks for all the feed back guys - very interesting

[Edited on 15/9/06 by alanr]

The rev limiter should be at 11750 unless its been modded to go higher, and in my experience it will happily pull to the limiter in top

mines a 3.62 diff and 98 blade motor seen 122mph at 11500 ( on my testtrack). 70 is about 6600rpm