4 speed vs. 3 speed

[47 mopar coupe]

which is a better setup for a moderately built 340 dodge demon also could anyone tell me the gear ratios for a 3 speed and a4 speed tranny thanks for your help jan

[1972roadrunner]

i don't know about gear ratios, but personally, i would go with a 4speed...just because of gas milage on the highway, and IMO: you can get a little more speed from the extra gear.

[Tarrbabe]

unless you use the 4 speed overdrive the gas mileage will be the same as high gear in the standard 4 speed is the same as the 3 speed, 1-1.
But the 4 speed is more fun!!!

[Doug Wilson]

When 4 speeds first became available in high performance cars, and were offered alongside 3 speeds, there was a lot of discussion as to whether the extra time spent shifting a 4 speed was compensated for by having the extra gear ratio available. The consensus - obviously - was that 4 were better. I'm not really so sure, since with the highway type gears I usually ran, I went through the lights in second (of a 3 or 4 speed) - usually having a torquer type engine. In canyon running, I did almost all of it in second.

However, all the car companies are going with lots of gears. Could they possibly be incorrect?

[freak007]

generally speaking more gears is better(not to mention more fun) the reason it is better is because with a typical 4 speed you have closeer ratio gears as opposed to a 3 speed...


the 833 is the 3 speed,the gear ratios are 2.47 1.77 1

I do noy know the 4 speed but i will use a Richmond for example:
2.64 1.75 1.34 1...

now if you were to shift at 6000,your rpms AFTER the shift would be:

833 1-2 3570 2-3 3389

Richmond 1-2 3977 2-3 4594 3-4 4477


as you can see the 4 speed keeps the RPMS higher requiring less time before the next shift,and putting more horse power to the pavement...

[rumblefish360]

Freak, ya made a boo-boo. The 833 is the 4spd.
Gear selection is dependent on year, and fine or course gears that were talking about.
Fine pitch gears...
'70 and earlier
2.66, 1.91, 1.39, 1.00
T/A and '71-74;
2.47, 1.77, 1.34, 1.00
'65 /6 & 74,75 -318;
3.09, 1.92, 1.40, 1.00
75-80- OD;
3.09, 1.67, 1.00, 0.73

The 3spds;

A-903;
2.95, 1.83, 1.00, or 3.22, 1.84, 1.00
A-250;
3.18, 1.70, 1.00
A-230;
2.55, 1.49, 1.00 or 3.08, 1.70, 1.00

[rumblefish360]

With that posted, I would prefer a 4spd. I had trouble with the 3spd's.When the levers were suposed to be straight up , they werent. This made shifting impossssible.
However a buddy of mine won't have it any other way.

[Doug Wilson]

3 or 4 speed - I'm just glad that you are going your own way with a stick, instead of with an auto, like the rest of the world!!

[1972roadrunner]

Originally posted by Doug Wilson
3 or 4 speed - I'm just glad that you are going your own way with a stick, instead of with an auto, like the rest of the world!!

i WISH my car was a standard....but the 727 is a good auto...bulletproof i love driving standard, especially when the vehicle is capable of scratching second and/or third

[freak007]

hmm...I thought the 833 was a 4 speed...but the preestage website said otherwise...thank you for correcting my error...

[beepbeepsrule]

A four speed would be better for driving around town (or racing a road course) because with more choices you can match the gear to what the engine needs as the conditions change during braking and turning and the inevitable stop & go from city driving.

[rumblefish360]

Do ya have the sites address handy?