I have the manual trans and opted for the $87 3.55 factory option. I really wish I stuck with the 3.31s for better fuel economy.

 

By the way, here's some other info about the 4:10 set up...
I know you said N/A and someone recommended saving your cash and supercharging...so, just so you know, if you supercharge your stang and have 4:10 gears it likely requires the install of a new low degree thermostat + Performance Radiator and hi-speed fans as the car overheats without it but with 3,73 it will be OK.

So if you mod with intent of staying N/A 3:73 or 4:10 is no problem, but, if you change your mind later and get the cash and decide to supercharge, you will require much more work with 4:10 gears S/C combo, again the 3:73 set up would likely be OK with N/A or supercharged. Plan what you want for now, but do keep an eye on your long term objective, it might change...

 

I'm planing on going N/A or Spray. If I go with a blower I'm going to go to a 3.55's or close gear. I wouldn't need as low of a gear for boost. I would like to get the best Gear for my car N/A. I know Pauls High performance used 4.30's in the First 05 in the 12's. If this was my only toy I probably would use a blower. I've always used power adders and I would kindof like to build one with out one this time. If any I would use the bottle just because I have about 4-5 kits at the house not in use. I can convert them to fit an 05 up.

 

Sorry, but that is completely not true. I've been running 4.10s with forced induction for over a year now and have had ZERO issues with overheating. Stock fan(s), stock radiator, stock thermostat. Search around, there are literally dozens of S197 stangs with 4.10s and a blower of some sort that do not have the problems that you're describing. Please do not spread false information such as this, it simply is not true.

 

HEY TOM....

My facts are VERY straight....allow me to explain.....

It completely depends on where you run your car. If running a modded vehicle in a hot climate, year round without additional cooling....the motor would certainly blow up...It is possible to run a stang without the additional cooling, in some parts of the world, but not where I am, guess we should be clear about this, geograghy is a serious consideration to building your ride.

To say the information I provided was false, is actually a false statement...

The fact that you run your set up without the additional cooling doesn't mean you won't have excessive wear over time, compared to someone who uses additional cooling....and this is dependent on how often you race, track or street...if you are a "Stop Light" racer then, yes, it is fine without additional cooling....but if you put your money where your mouth is, like I do, at the track on occasion, additional cooling would be a must have

 

I am not going to get into a debate with you over this. Running 4.10s in a blown application will NOT be the determining factor regarding engine failure, even over extended time as long as the stock cooling system is maintained properly.

 

Stangzilla, I am running 4.10's with a Vortech supercharger. My entire cooling system is 100% factory stock, fan on/off temps are setup correctly in my computer tune, and I've had absolutely NO overheating issues ever! Even on hot/humid 100 degree plus weather it does not overheat. My car sees its fair share of dragstrip duty and I hot-lap when the staging lanes allow for it, and again, no issues to report. The factory cooling system is working very well and does not have any problem keeping my car cool under all circumstances.

Keep in mind that these cars have PLENTY of overdrive in 5th gear to keep rpm's in check, even with steep rear end gears. My car only turns 2,500 rpm's at 70 mph. By comparison, my '68 Pontiac GTO (no overdrive THM400) pushed 4,000 rpm's at 70 mph with its 3.90 saf-t-trak rear end, so I installed a 4-row heavy duty radiator and 160 degree thermostat to keep up with its cooling needs. The modern musclecars just plain do NOT have the same heat issue as the old cars did. Also, the S197 GT uses aluminum block & heads (which dissipate heat very well) versus iron blocks of yesteryear which retained heat.

All the supercharger companies recommend a cooler range of spark plugs to aid in preventing pre-detonation, and intercooling helps keep intake charges cool for denser air/fuel (and more power), but no upgrades to the cooling system are mentioned by these companies for the S197's. I'm sure they have small fortunes invested in research and development on the subject.

 

Hi Tom,

Thanks....I wasn't looking forward to an on-line debate about a cooling issue....I respect your reply..

Yours too Brian....

But let me clear this up guys, Remember I said Geography is a major consideration in building your ride. I have had plenty of mod cars in my life, in North America and overseas, and never had upgraded cooling. Once I moved further overseas, that changed dramatically. I'm now in the middle east and dudes, it gets HOT here, I mean "you could cook an egg on the hood of your car" hot, and that's at night!!!! all high end runners out here are modded cooling, of some sort, glad to here you don't need it, saves tons of money for you, I put the info out there as I know it to be true, and I assume you guys did the same, looks like we all learned something, and hey, that's what the forum is about...thanks

To the O/P, just curious now, where are you running your stang??

 

I have an auto with 3.73s. Crusing rpms at 60 mph is 2000 on the dot and I am pulling 28 mpg on the highway and bark a mean 3rd gear with mods in sig. I couldn't be happier.

 

What are your cruising RPMs at 70-80 MPH? My cruising RPM at 70 MPH is about 2100 RPM and at 80 MPH it is closer to 2400-2500 RPM. Michigan freeways all have 70 MPH speed limits, so the average traffic speed is 80+ MPH. 60 MPH is what people normally drive on local roads around here (50 MPH limits)

 

I don't get to cruise at 70+ locally very often. Too many state troopers around here.......I was on the interstate about 2 months ago and I cruised at 80mph for about 50 miles (limit is 70 here on the interstate) and believe the rpms were in the 2400 rpm range. Remember I have an auto trans.

 

I live in Alabama. I think for right now I'm putting in 3.73's. They are free and a buddy of will will install them for me. The 4.30's are in a rearend that I can pull them out of. So I will use the 3.73's and play and then if they are not low enough I will change them later.

Thanks for the help.
Chris

 

Free? Can't beat that!

 

I am in the same post as the OP. I have 4.10s in MT. I am adding cams,LTs. I will be switching to 4.30s to maximize what I have. Mod motors LOVE gear. Anybody here running 4.30s with a MT? If so what height tire are you running and what rpms are you at the traps???

 

I used to have a 1996 Cobra when 3.27s were the stock gear, and remember the big debate was always 4.10s versus 4.30s....then you'd have some guys chime in declaring 4.56s were the ticket. That was a car that liked to be shifted at 7,000rpm. The 3v 4.6L is shifted at "only" 6300-6500rpm.

Personally, I think 4.10s are the way to go for a strictly NA performance application, while 3.73s are much more versitile as many have said, if you are going to add a blower at some point or do a lot of highway driving. 1st gear is going to wind up might quick with 4.30s, and unless you have drag radials, you're just going to be lighting them up all the time.

If you have 3.55s, going to 3.73s is probably a waste of time, money and effort for the reward, and better spent elsewhere. If you have 3.55s, 4.10s the way to go. If you have 3.31s, it would make a nice bump to give you a little more torque multiplication around town to go to 3.73s, but 4.10s would be that much more of a jump.

If it were me and my car (07GT with 18's and 3.31s), I'd probably just go with 3.73s. I had 3.73s in my 5.0L GT way back when (stepping up from 2.73s), and think 3.55s would have been plenty. That herky jerky bull5*** in 1st gear gets annoying in slow speed or city driving.