Project Hunk of Junk - diff choice

[Dave Price]

Hopefuly just bought a 3.54 English diff for £113.  I not sure if I need it, but as most 3.54 diffs seem to sell for £200, I just had to buy it.  See what it is like when it arrives.  My Phaeton will be running a 3.0 V6 Essex with MK4 Zodiac 'box, I have a 3.89 diff, but fancied a 3.54 as it is as close to Capri 3.09 that I can get.  My momeries of driving a MK1 3.0 Capri were that the gearing really well suited the engine.  So I have been worried that the 3.89 would be too low geared.  I understand that low gearing equals lower top speed and faster acceleration.  But what niggles me is that in my youth I had a race spec motorcross bike (very old bike).  This bike went very well, great acceleration and fast top speed.  I then fitted a larger rear sprocket to reduce the top speed.  This reduced the top speed and killed the acceleration, the gears became too short, you were forever changing gear and could not make progress as rapidily as before.  It is that niggle that has had me chasing a 3.54 diff.  Would the car accelerate better with a 3.54 or a 3.89?

[John Allen]

Stephen, sounds like a option. As the car wont finally hit my driveway until Monday I'm still in the "what have i bought" stage. Currently I know I've got a escort axle which was narrowed. was worried about tramping and damaging it hence the upgrade. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for offer

[Big Vern]

Volvo 240 axle - Rear track = 53" Capri 2.8i = 54.5"   Volvo wheels 25mm ofset and 5x108mm bolt patern so same as MK1 and 2 Granada. For more info visit the 'turbobricks' website

[John Allen]

Aftermarket alloys are available but £350. Found today the car already has a five speed so I'm laughing as obviously got one fitted. Well done to the dutton boys when they built her.

Atlas are rare but if someone got one then I'm interested.

[Big Vern]

"not sure where you are with this but im in same boat. got an english with 3.54:1 ratio (old rs2000) and first is no good. im planning on getting baby atlas with a 3.09:1 if u can also get a V6 ro type 9 box bell housing then you'll have best of both worlds but atlas's and the bellhousing aint cheap! boooooooooooooooooo"

John,

Baby atlas not cheap these days - given their slightly too narrow for the dutton a 'normal' atlas might be easier and cheaper to find.

If it's an essex V6 then the bellhousings are made of unobtainium now. Were fairly rare to start with (2.0L V4 and 2.5L V6 Granny MK1 '71-74) Don't think there are any aftermarket ones available but if there they also wouldn't be cheap.

 

[Big Vern]

English axle is a bit on the limit for the torque of the 3.0L, will just about cope with 2.8L. You really want a Capri atlas or a Volvo 240 which also uses the atlas. (lot of the escort boys are using them now)

Ade, What you want is a 3.77 or 3.89 diff - I might be interested in swapping for the 4.4 :-)

[Adrian Southgate]

I  started stripping an old axle in the garage during the week, cleaned the tag and with a little chemical forensic investigation revealed a 4:4*, so I would guess its a 4:41, not exactly the ideal diff for a 'touring sports car' with a type 9. I stopped at that point as the half shafts are both very snug and not moving even with a slide hammer and a blowlamp on the casing. I hate doing axles... :-)

[John Allen]

Dave,

not sure where you are with this but im in same boat. got an english with 3.54:1 ratio (old rs2000) and first is no good. im planning on getting baby atlas with a 3.09:1 if u can also get a V6 ro type 9 box bell housing then you'll have best of both worlds but atlas's and the bellhousing aint cheap! boooooooooooooooooo

[Tim Walker (The Bodger)]

I don't know if this helps

Escort Diff and Speed estimates

I know it's based on crossflow rpm's but are rpm's not rpm's?