rmurad38

This is the last type of post I would have thought I be posting but here goes. My 2011 v6 has 3.73 gears, a BAMA tune (sort of) and Airraid intake. These mods did certainly make the car faster, but at the sacrifice of drivability. Let me first say I live in the congested California bay area, traffic can be nasty at times, and even when not, it's still slow going. When I bought the car, I was actually surprised at how slow this supposed 305hp car was off the line though once moving, no complaints. So anyhow I got the tuner, helped a bit, then I got the gears, after 3 tries, they helped too..the intake, eh dunno, maybe sounds quicker. Anyhow I mentioned the gears took 3 tries..a catastrophic pinion bearing failure left me stranded, it's repair left me with a leaking rear end, third time fixed the leak. Maybe going with the cheapest guy, still $500 to install wasn't the best idea..continuing on, the gears made for serious problems with my tune, had this awful bump when decelerating (from 2-1) and seriously 16!! Revisions later still not happy, they did work the bump out, but never got the shifting quite right. I think they as well as me have just got sick of trying. I'm currently running a "tune" only fixing the speedo for the gears, stock engine and transmission for now, it's the closest thing to smooth I can get in this slow moving stop and go traffic. So here I am, $379 for a tuner that's not really being used, $250 for an intake that seems only to make noise, and about $700 into gears that have killed my fuel economy 15mpg city if I'm lucky! Clunk loudly when being put into drive or reverse, but yes they did make the car leap off the line.

So I'm thinking of dumping all of it, going back to stock, slow stock, sigh.. But perhaps when the warranty is done, doing a serious mod like the pro charger, but who knows?

Thoughts?

KonaStangPete

sounds like the mods werent the problem, the cheap gear install maybe, and 3.73s should be helping you with fuel economy in stop n go and city traffic, not killing it, if they cant fix it then i'd say just go back to stock 2.73s and keep the CAI and tune cuz thats what sounds like is causing the drive-ability problems. I have the JLT and bama tune and have no problems with it at all, tho im stick shift.

good luck with whatever you decide to do

LostBoyz

yup sounds like the rear end is still a problem

if you do want to sell your tuner and CAI, let me know

Joenpb

I understand your problem, as I drive up to LA a few times a month & sometimes get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. I've done all the mods you did, but installed 3.31 gears. The car I believe should have been geared that way in base trim, the 2.73s are just too tall IMO. 3.31s are quicker than the 2.73s, but still have good drive-ability in town. I'd swap out the gears with 3.31s or go back to the 2.73s. My guess is the tune is not the problem (or shouldn't be w/ 2.73, 3.31s), its the constant shifting, and increased engine noise/exhaust the 3.73 gears produce.

Find another shop to make the swap. I was lucky, & actually took mine to the same place another member had his done, & my 3.31 gears have worked perfectly. Good luck.

Daniel98GT

15 mpg city? Really?

I have 4.10's in my gt and im still pulling nearly 16-17 mpg in the city.

rmurad38

Yup, it's terrible, but I seriously spend more time idling than actually moving. Of course I am going by the computer which may not be the most accurate, if I drive it like a granny, I can get 17, but that's making a serious effort to be gentle (priuses passing me) highway, maybe 25-27 @ 75.. If I stomp the hell out of it from stoplight to stoplight, maybe 12, 13. Lol.

If they ever offered stop-start as an option, my city mileage would go through the roof with all the idling.

Now, another question, do you (or anyone else) notice with your 4.10's (or any more aggressive gear,) is there more "slop" in the drivetrain? I get a "clunk" putting it in to drive or reverse (though no clunking while driving) this doesn't seem normal to me. Any idea of what could be causing this clunk?

Thanks

Daniel98GT

If im rolling down the highway in 5th and i pat the gas i can feel a slight clunk in the rear but i always assumed that was the driveshaft or something. I bought my car with the 4.10's so im not sure what it felt like previously.

wrxified

Everything seems to revolve around a ****ty gear install. I can tell you I had gears, intake and 93 race tune installed for months without any issue at all.

Grungie

I had Ford install my 3.73 gears and I'm having very similar problems. Should I go back to Ford and tell them that they did a $***ty job?

I'll be more tactful though lol

rmurad38

Hmm?? Same problems? Clunking going into reverse then drive but nothing after? Crap mileage? Occasional weird shifting (if an auto) Do tell..of course you shoul run them in several hundred miles before passing too much judgement

Rmurad38