97L gear ratios vs. RS ratios? (MT)

[Murray]

did the 97L have different gear ratios than the 98+ RS's?

i have a 2.5RS motor in my 97 L, and a few people who have driven it say its faster than an RS, i can only think its caused by the gear ratios.

anyone verify this?

Murray

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

[scuzzy]

probably gear ratios but also weight can play a major factor.

200lbs can take off a tenth on your 1/4th time

[yebokmj]

For a fact the L has a 3.9 and the RS has a 4.44. So yes they are differant. I remember reading somewhere and talking to some who said something like 1-2 are very close to RS ratios and 3-5 are close to WRX ratio. I have a 2.5 on my MY97 L tranny but with the turbo and it having been so long since I drove my last car the RS-T it's hard to say the differance.
Joshua

[Murray]

im also still using the old cable clutch setup..so its much quicker engaging.

i will have to search for hte actual ratios to see how different they are other than the final drive ratio.

Murray

[Billy]

You'll have to do a little legwork to figure out the L stats but here's a head start with some figures I copied and pasted from a post I made on a local board.

Post 'em if you got 'em!


JDM STi V5 / STi V6
First Gear 3.166 (3.083 Type R/RA) 42MPH @ 8000RPM 31MPH @ 6000RPM
Second Gear 1.882 (2.062 Type R/RA) 63MPH @ 8000RPM 47MPH @ 6000RPM
Third Gear 1.296 (1.545 Type R/RA) 83MPH @ 8000RPM 63MPH @ 6000RPM
Fourth Gear 0.972 (1.151 Type R/RA) 112MPH @ 8000RPM 84MPH @ 6000RPM
Fifth Gear 0.738 (0.825 Type R/RA) 156MPH @ 8000RPM 117MPH @ 6000RPM
Reverse Gear 3.333
Final Drive 4.444
70 MPH @ 3700 RPM in top gear (eye balled)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JDM New Age STi MY2001
(RA's have the same gear ratios as the regular box, as you can see they are just as short as in

previous incantations)
First Gear 3.636 40MPH @ 8000RPM 30MPH @ 6000RPM
Second Gear 2.375 62MPH @ 8000RPM 46MPH @ 6000RPM
Third Gear 1.761 83MPH @ 8000RPM 63MPH @ 6000RPM
Fourth Gear 1.3346 110MPH @ 8000RPM 83MPH @ 6000RPM
Fifth Gear 0.971 151MPH @ 8000RPM 113MPH @ 6000RPM
Sixth Gear 0.756 194MPH @ 8000RPM 146MPH @ 6000RPM
Reverse Gear 3.545
Final Drive 3.900
70 MPH @ 2900 RPM in top gear (eye balled)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USDM/CDM 1998-2001 RS2.5 - MT
1st - 3.545 29MPH @ 6000RPM
2nd - 2.111 50MPH @ 6000RPM
3rd - 1.448 72MPH @ 6000RPM
4th - 1.088 96MPH @ 6000RPM
5th - 0.780 134MPH @ 6000RPM
Reverse - 3.333
Final drive ratio - 4.11
70 MPH @ 3200 RPM in top gear (eye balled)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USDM/CDM WRX - MT
1st - 3.454 37MPH @ 7000RPM 32MPH @ 6000RPM
2nd - 1.947 66MPH @ 7000RPM 57MPH @ 6000RPM
3rd - 1.366 94MPH @ 7000RPM 81MPH @ 6000RPM
4th - 0.972 132MPH @ 7000RPM 113MPH @ 6000RPM
5th - 0.738 174MPH @ 7000RPM 149MPH @ 6000RPM
Reverse - 3.333
Final drive ratio - 3.90
70 MPH @ 2800

[Billy]

Oops forgot to paste this in... it's kind of important.

"All calculations were performed with a stock JDM tire size of 205/50-16 found stock on the V5/V6"


The quicker feeling L might have to do with less static weight (a la brighton perhaps?) and perhaps way less unsprung weight if your L has the stock 15's. Or maybe the hood scoop on an RS really does slow it down immensely?

Maybe if the RS's compared against were 2000+ and were equipped with rear LSD's it might slow it down a tad.

OK now I'm fishing but really, I would think that such a small performance difference would be hard to detect on a butt dyno, no matter how many calibration sorties it's been out on.

[Murray]

thanks for all the info, i will have to review it when i have more time.

i guess these peoples butt-dyno's are out of calibration, one drives his RS everyday and says mines faster, i drove his and say his is faster, and the other person says mine is the fastest RS he's driven(he's owned 2)
who knows..

oh, and my car is an AWD L, with RS hood, 22B wing, and 16 inch wheels(205/55/16), i have all power options, and RS interior, minus the dash.
rear drum brakes, WRX fronts, no ABS.
hmm...

Murray

[North Ursalia]

To answer the original question of 97 L vs 98+ RS's...

*cough* http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...hreadid=181343

The other issue you aren't thinking about is your L weighs less than an RS .


Brian