tranny options, 915, 930, or G50 Options

[smrz914]

Hello,

So my situation is that I'm going up to Chico for school and want something with higher gearing. I have a 914 w/ a 350 putting out about 280hp/330tq. I was considering doing a 915 but it seems that it wouldn't be much of an upgrade to the 901. A 930 would be nice and I'v heard that the gearing is good for a v8. A G50 seems really expensive and really overkill. I would like to do as much of the work myself so that I can keep the cost down. So I would like to know what is entailed in doing the different transmissions, the issues with the different ones and what needs to change. Thanks.

Paul
'72 5.8 918

[LvSteveH]

The tranny options you are considering are of course not for the faint of heart. They all have serious obstacles and compromises unless you have $10K around to just pay to have it done. Even then, a cable shifter leaves a lot to be desired. The Wevo setup for a 915 allows for conventional shifting without the cable and is very well sorted and regarded in racing circles. The down side to the 915 vs. 930 is that the stock gearing isn’t ideal for a V8, so a ring and pinion swap is usually recommended, and the 930 is good for more horsepower. In a V8 application, I’d think the 915 is good to around 500hp, the 930 anywhere north of that. Transmission are a funny thing, you can get the toughest tranny in the world, and some drivers will still blow it to bits. On the other hand, in all forms of racing, there are drivers that can make relatively stock or conservative parts last and last and last, when others need to upgrade. I’ve heard Robby Gordon is very easy on his equipment. It’s all about how you drive it. I recently saw a 914 can-am car with a 280hp 3.6L Porsche six in it, running a completely stock 914 gearbox, not even the billet intermediate plate. It even had huge slicks. It’s a recipe for disaster, literally one bad shift and it’s all over for the tranny. If the driver is capable from preventing that bad shift, and has the driving and clutch finesse to keep the shock loads to a minimum, then why upgrade? You didn’t mention having any problems with the longevity of your current tranny, and your horsepower and torque ratings aren’t extreme, I’d say stay with what you have. At minimum, if you cut corners, you are looking at close to $5000 for the upgrade. If the gearing is that big an issue, why not upgrade the 4th and 5th gears on your current trans? If you are ambitious enough to want to jump into the world of 930’s and 915’s, then digging into the 914 trans shouldn’t be anything too dramatic. There are some excellent online resources available on how to set the gear stacks back up, and Pelican even sells the special tools necessary. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have all the bullet proof parts out there, but everyone has a budget, and until it proves necessary, I’d spend the money where you know it’s needed. Good luck. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Steve