Ok I just did a good amount of researching through the FAQ archives and I kinda am still unsure of what FD I really want in my R.

As most of you know I blew my old tranny with the JDM 4.75 FD that was installed and that FD was shot. Soo I have a new USDM tranny and obviously the 4.4 FD in it.

I have near 200 wheel now, and it needs more tuning which will surely grant me a little over 200. It is slower now obviously than it was with the JDM, but I want a SMS or Hytech header upgrade by winter. (money is everything). Any rate, I am thinking either JDM or ATS 4.9 FD, but part of me is wondering whether or not I would lose in auto-x and drag times because of shifting too much with the ATS.

Also, there is the highway driving to consider, based on what I read, I should be around 5100-5200 at 80 miles per hour with a top speed of 148 at 9k rpms. (Just a interesting fact) It might get annoying...... but i believe even the JDM was like 5k at 80 miles per hour.

The car is built for auto-x, and i wanan keep it that way. So basically considering I don;t race it that much, what would you all say to go with? I want lots of acceration, trust me, but maybe the ATS is too much for someone who doesn't track that much?

Or do you think that I should keep the 4.4 and see how it feels down the road with that new header eventually?

 

Shouldn't be that hard a choice, especially since you've already had the JDM and presently have the stock 4.4.

You mentioned research, and I suppose that includes the stuff in the FAQ.
There's a nice gear-speed calculator (excel spreadsheet) in there that Austin posted, too.

 

he's back haha. i was beginning to miss these "totsie" threads

you could PM chris93si about the ATS FD...he and a number of other members have it installed.

if you are THAT hardcore about autox then you could better spend the money in other areas...IMO.

ps - horsepower doesnt mean much in autox.

 

build the caR fist then look at your dyno plot to see what FD you will need. pretty simple.

 

Yea I loved the torquey feeling I had over the 4.4 with the JDM 4.75. The JDM just accelerated so much faster it seemed. I suppose maybe its whether or not the ATS will be better for me than the JDM. I am leaning towards another JDM just because I know what it can do, and it never got annoying to me really.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by totsie7944 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yea I loved the torquey feeling I had over the 4.4 with the JDM 4.75. The JDM just accelerated so much faster it seemed. I suppose maybe its whether or not the ATS will be better for me than the JDM. I am leaning towards another JDM just because I know what it can do, and it never got annoying to me really.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

its 4.785 btw

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JOHN WAYNE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">he's back haha. i was beginning to miss these "totsie" threads

you could PM chris93si about the ATS FD...he and a number of other members have it installed.

if you are THAT hardcore about autox then you could better spend the money in other areas...IMO.

ps - horsepower doesnt mean much in autox.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So you missed me eh? haha I have had some personal problems keeping me away the last few months.

but i AM NOT that hardcore about auto-x. Soo I am thinking the JDM might be best.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">build the caR fist then look at your dyno plot to see what FD you will need. pretty simple.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well its fully built bottom to top now. I just wanna replace my JDM 4-1 header with a better one. But money wise, I was thinking I would save for a FD before the header and tune it up with that. then retune to adjust for air/fuel once I got the new header

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JOHN WAYNE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

its 4.785 btw </TD></TR></TABLE>

yea my bad. I swear I knew that.... honestly

 

i have the ats 4.9 fd in my r with all stock gearing. It sux on the highway but acceleration is awesome. Best mod for the buck if you ask me. I would suggest if you drive highway a lot, to get a gsr 5th gear installed. Not too much loss but way better on road trips.

 

If the purpose of the car is for auto-x, then the ATS would definately be worth the investment.

The way I see it is, the ATS might make you shift earlier (in terms of time), but you can stay in 2nd instead of dropping to first for really low speed corners.

BTW I love my ATS and I've been rockin it since '02, I'll never go back.

 

<u>Cliff's Notes</u>:
Dragstrip: Advantage, shorter FD.
Highway driving: Advantage, stock (taller) FD.
Autocross and Road Course: Depends on the course.

I agree with Rob. Build the car first, without opening the tranny, and try it out. If you decide you still want it, you can always put it in later.

 

TOOTSIE.... i was wondering where the hell you have been!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jon D &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">TOOTSIE.... i was wondering where the hell you have been!</TD></TR></TABLE>

he's been making up for lost time by post whoring the entire forum LOL

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by totsie7944 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The car is built for auto-x, and i wanan keep it that way. </TD></TR></TABLE>

ATS 4.9 all the way. please, trust me on this.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by totsie7944 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Also, there is the highway driving to consider, based on what I read, I should be around 5100-5200 at 80 miles per hour.... i believe even the JDM was like 5k at 80 miles per hour.</TD></TR></TABLE>

stock is 4500@80. with the ats it is 5000@80. if you are worrying about highway, get a gsr or ls fifth, and and you will have stock crusing rpm on the highway.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rodney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ATS 4.9 all the way. please, trust me on this.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did and still do, it's hands down the best mod I did besides the driver.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Rodney &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">stock is 4500@80. with the ats it is 5000@80. if you are worrying about highway, get a gsr or ls fifth, and and you will have stock crusing rpm on the highway. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The highway cruising thing is not a huge issue, unless you have an uber loud-as-fawk fartcan.

The funny thing to me about the highway cruising concern is personally I tend to baby my car on the street, I'll short shift, I don't mess with it and for the most part I stay the speed limit or at the worst with the flow of traffic and the car hums along in 5th no problem, not annoying or anything it's only 500 rpm higher. And unless you're trying to keep up with Oscar it's not an issue.

But when I take it to the track, god I beat the living snot out of the car. It's usually never out of Vtec after it leaves the pits till a cooldown lap. It just feels so right. All gearing aside, the car just feels awesome continuously from 5k to redline for however many minutes a session is from 30 to 45 or till the fuel runs out. I never once even think of the minute 500 rpm higher on track.

But everyones first concern is running on the street at street speeds with the gearing difference.

Of course an LS or GSR 5th is an option, but rodney please tell us how much fun that is.


If I did it all over again, I'd still do the 4.929 but first, and the rest could wait.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">not annoying or anything it's only 500 rpm higher.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think 500 RPM is a significant difference. That's the difference between cruising in the GS-R and the ITR, and it can be annoying. But it's easy to see whether you might find it annoying; just try driving at 4500 RPM and then go up to 5000 RPM. See what the noise difference is for yourself; if you don't find it annoying, then don't worry about it.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1GreyTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I never once even think of the minute 500 rpm higher on track.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Basically, the shorter FD doesn't affect the RPMs you use on the track. You will still shift at redline, and your revs after upshifting will be the same with the shorter FD as with the stock FD. (They're determined by the difference in ratios between the two gears you're shifting from and to.) So you're still playing in the exact same part of the revband. (Even though your revs at any particular speed will be higher, if you're in the same gear at that speed, or lower, if you're in a higher gear at that speed.)