Gearbox Fixed !!
Discussion
I finally got the car back a couple of weeks ago. A long story which would have been much, much shorter if I had been slightly more patient!
Basically, it's been seriously upgraded but I should have sent the whole car to Kevin instead of just the gearbox ! Unfortunately the guys who put the new 'box on the car busted the input shaft and the clutch. Not their fault, the new gearbox is much harder to fit and the dealers see so few cars nowadays that they could be forgiven for having to refer to the manual now and again !
The new gearbox has a seriously beefed up one piece input shaft; taller first gear, taller final drive; dropped fifth and much closer ratios in general.
It also has a quaife torque biasing limited slip differential.
The practical upshot is that the sudden surge in first gear has gone with wheelspin well controlled by the diff. The 0 to 60 has probably increased by a second but all other acceleration is now seriously improved as the engine doesn't drop way down the power curve every time you change gear ! In other words, the mostly redundant dash to 30 mph is less violent, but all the useful 20 to 80 stuff is loads better.
It also means that changing gear in everyday situations happens a lot less. It does 60mph in first !!
Kevin, who did the rebuild was without doubt the hero of the piece, going well beyond the call of duty to ensure customer satisfaction. If what he said is true, and it's likely, and most Esprit V8s will need a gearbox at some point mid-life, he is definitely the guy to ask. His client list reads like a who's who of car enthusiasts.
Any questions ?
Mail me direct if you want any detailed stuff.
Ratios: old new old final new final old mph new mph
1st 3.36 2.66 13.07 9.15 37 60
2nd 2.06 1.75 8.01 6.02 61 90
3rd 1.38 1.38 5.37 4.75 91 115
4th 1.04 1.04 3.68 3.58 121 150
5th 0.76 0.82 2.96 2.82 165(!)* 199
final 3.89 3.44
reverse 3.54 3.54
assume engine max revs = 6,500 rpm
The figures in the bottom right show how much headroom there is for tuning. 500 bhp is very easy in these cars but no use if the gearbox was built for 250 bhp! The new gearbox is much much stroger and should survive the standard 350 with ease, but would take a lot more.
* If this is true, there's been some fibbing in the spec sheets. I am not totally convinced of my figures for the standard car, are they correct ? Am I assuming a red line too low ??
Anyway, I hope this answers the question: What will I do when the gearbox goes ?! The fault with mine was the second gear synchro....BUT... the input shaft was cracked (£1,000) and there were several other areas of damage. And I am very gentle with mine ! ( 48,000 miles or thereabouts; Kevin was surprised it had lasted that long!) If you wanted the stronger 'box, but standard ratios, that would be fine. Apparently, nine out of ten chose the new configuration, and there has never been a failure for reasons other than user error of one sort or another.
Basically, it's been seriously upgraded but I should have sent the whole car to Kevin instead of just the gearbox ! Unfortunately the guys who put the new 'box on the car busted the input shaft and the clutch. Not their fault, the new gearbox is much harder to fit and the dealers see so few cars nowadays that they could be forgiven for having to refer to the manual now and again !
The new gearbox has a seriously beefed up one piece input shaft; taller first gear, taller final drive; dropped fifth and much closer ratios in general.
It also has a quaife torque biasing limited slip differential.
The practical upshot is that the sudden surge in first gear has gone with wheelspin well controlled by the diff. The 0 to 60 has probably increased by a second but all other acceleration is now seriously improved as the engine doesn't drop way down the power curve every time you change gear ! In other words, the mostly redundant dash to 30 mph is less violent, but all the useful 20 to 80 stuff is loads better.
It also means that changing gear in everyday situations happens a lot less. It does 60mph in first !!
Kevin, who did the rebuild was without doubt the hero of the piece, going well beyond the call of duty to ensure customer satisfaction. If what he said is true, and it's likely, and most Esprit V8s will need a gearbox at some point mid-life, he is definitely the guy to ask. His client list reads like a who's who of car enthusiasts.
Any questions ?
Mail me direct if you want any detailed stuff.
Ratios: old new old final new final old mph new mph
1st 3.36 2.66 13.07 9.15 37 60
2nd 2.06 1.75 8.01 6.02 61 90
3rd 1.38 1.38 5.37 4.75 91 115
4th 1.04 1.04 3.68 3.58 121 150
5th 0.76 0.82 2.96 2.82 165(!)* 199
final 3.89 3.44
reverse 3.54 3.54
assume engine max revs = 6,500 rpm
The figures in the bottom right show how much headroom there is for tuning. 500 bhp is very easy in these cars but no use if the gearbox was built for 250 bhp! The new gearbox is much much stroger and should survive the standard 350 with ease, but would take a lot more.
* If this is true, there's been some fibbing in the spec sheets. I am not totally convinced of my figures for the standard car, are they correct ? Am I assuming a red line too low ??
Anyway, I hope this answers the question: What will I do when the gearbox goes ?! The fault with mine was the second gear synchro....BUT... the input shaft was cracked (£1,000) and there were several other areas of damage. And I am very gentle with mine ! ( 48,000 miles or thereabouts; Kevin was surprised it had lasted that long!) If you wanted the stronger 'box, but standard ratios, that would be fine. Apparently, nine out of ten chose the new configuration, and there has never been a failure for reasons other than user error of one sort or another.
Cats fixed, K&N filters, goes like stink.....in 3rd, 4th and top..But, I have seen the promised land !!!! All I need is full boost in 1st and 2nd to match the taller gearing and presto ! FIVE useful gears as it should have been from birth. Gearbox just gets better and better, don't know why I ever wondered over the ratios. AS such, can't recommend Kevin highly enough...Does what it says pon the label ! When your gearbox goes....and it will! Ask me about it,..I have no regrets ay all!
Anyway, I am told that the Sport350 conversion is effectively full boost (instead of half) on first and second. If so, this would be all I need. Any alternatives ? Oh see thread called gearbox question 3 by the way! Thanks !
Anyway, I am told that the Sport350 conversion is effectively full boost (instead of half) on first and second. If so, this would be all I need. Any alternatives ? Oh see thread called gearbox question 3 by the way! Thanks !
Name is Kevin Jones. He works for GTO Engineering ( a Ferrari dealer) as a suspension expert but also does a lot of work on UN-1 gearboxes. His list of clients reads like a who's who of motorsport personalities and yet the personal level of service provided to me was out of this world. Hopefully, my gearbox will never go again (their test car has done over 60,000 miles) but I would be in no doubt at all where I would go to get it fixed. I would have no hesitation in recommending this guy to anyone with a poorly Renault gearbox.
He has an amazing collection of cars and was so impressed with mine that he is contemplating purchase of a V8. He says that the standard 350 BHP is not enough however and he would want to upgrade the engine.
One of his cars is a Benetton F1 car from the turbo era. 1500 BHP and it doesn't weigh 400 Kg!!!
Anyway, anybody wants his details, mail me.
He has an amazing collection of cars and was so impressed with mine that he is contemplating purchase of a V8. He says that the standard 350 BHP is not enough however and he would want to upgrade the engine.
One of his cars is a Benetton F1 car from the turbo era. 1500 BHP and it doesn't weigh 400 Kg!!!
Anyway, anybody wants his details, mail me.
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