3.38 Diff Installed, 4 hours my ass.... 1 hour install

Originally Posted by JJR4884

using an air tool, i only had to hold the driveshaft with a firm grip, it didn't spin at all



meh... for the low end acceleration, the 3.38 is worth it. not to mention, i always drive by sound of the engine, not speed... so keeping it at 2500rpms will keep me at 65ish... i don't mind going a little slower, it will save me from getting an 80 in a 65 ticket



do you have a 6 or 5 speed?

idk i don't enjoy cruising at 80mph.... 3000 rpms sounds a little bit too much for the engine IMO, 2700 tops for me

I've got a 5 speed, right now anything over 72 is over 3k if I remember correctly. With a 3.46 I may be up around 3500-3600, but thats still not that high, at all. These engines are meant to rev double that, and to survive on the autobahn, 3k is nothing.

ya for 5th gear 3k sounds good for 72mph... i was talking about 6th gear for me at 80

Originally Posted by JJR4884

ya for 5th gear 3k sounds good for 72mph... i was talking about 6th gear for me at 80

Still, 3000 isn't bad at all, IMO. I've got no problems cruising at 80+, I even get decent fuel economy up there.

my gas mileage hasn't gone down at all, and i've been enjoying the lower end quick shifts and what not

however my cruising speed on the highway has probably decreased on average between 5-10mpg just because I am conscious of my RPMs, which is probably why I am keeping a steady 23 mpg...

win win situation for me, far better accelleration in all gears, and i don't go higher than 70 now because of the RPMs


but you're right, 3000 isn't bad and with a TSE3 it still doesn't drone

I would never swap out my 3.46... and I have a 5spd

Definitely a great mod, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a little more grunt down low. As for cruising rpm's.. I do 80mph @ 3800rpm in 5th. We actually just had a meet last night where we were trolling around 95mph for about an hour straight

fawk yeah , seeing how everything is so overpriced here in sweden i decided to check the swedish-parts-database , and found that diffs aren't in the 1000$ area.

Most diffs here goes fr around 3-4 hundred, (found both a 3.07 and 3.38 for 330$ , to bad i've got body-damage i need to pay for )

damn thats a lot, however bmw charges $1800 for a non lsd diff, checked up the price on realoem...
so for half that i guess its not too bad...

little update after having it for 1 week +

fvcking love it..... 6th gear is quiiiiiiick.... and i love how the shifts are shorter from 0-40.... sounds nice too

I'm waiting to race a few friends just to see how it will pair up with some other cars... one being a 350z with test pipes

Originally Posted by JJR4884

little update after having it for 1 week +

fvcking love it..... 6th gear is quiiiiiiick.... and i love how the shifts are shorter from 0-40.... sounds nice too

I'm waiting to race a few friends just to see how it will pair up with some other cars... one being a 350z with test pipes

I beat a 350z once He grinded 2nd gear

since it came off an automatic, you can obviously put one on an automatic correct

Originally Posted by AdamBath

I beat a 350z once He grinded 2nd gear

lol that poor bastid

Originally Posted by da5mikeY

since it came off an automatic, you can obviously put one on an automatic correct

correct, however why would you want to? auto gears are taller as it is, putting a lower-ratio'ed diff would probably do worse for the mpg since you would be so far underneath the powerband in most daily driving...

and if you have an xi, no you can't do it because your rear wheels will be spinning at different speeds than your front wheels

Originally Posted by JJR4884

and if you have an xi, no you can't do it because your rear wheels will be spinning at different speeds than your front wheels

You can do it on an xi- just need to swap the front with the same ratio as the back. I don't know anybody that's tried it- the autos to have taller ratios than manuals.

I heard getting to the front diff would be a major PIA though.

Nice mod. I installed a 3.38 LSD unit from Diffsonline into my 330i 5speed about 2 1/2 years ago. By far this was my best modification I have made to the car! I am running stock intake and exhaust so I don't have to worry about added noise from the higher rpms. I am pretty much always at 22mpg with mixed city and highway driving.

A friend runs a 3.64 lsd unit in his '05 ZHP 6spd and it is a rocket. I love this gear with the 6spd.

Originally Posted by Baer

Nice mod. I installed a 3.38 LSD unit from Diffsonline into my 330i 5speed about 2 1/2 years ago. By far this was my best modification I have made to the car!

Ditto

I got mine from the my330i garage ZHP project car acouple years ago.

3:38LSD is still my favorite mod.

im debating which one to get a 3.38 or a 3.46. i have a 5speed so thats what im a lil worried n im on the highway alot to get to werk. i can get the 3.46 for 200 and the 3.38 for 275. which one should i go for?

Originally Posted by JELBMW330I

im debating which one to get a 3.38 or a 3.46. i have a 5speed so thats what im a lil worried n im on the highway alot to get to werk. i can get the 3.46 for 200 and the 3.38 for 275. which one should i go for?

The one you can get cheapest, there's no reason to "debate" anything, they are so close in ratio you'll never notice the difference.

Kpeng did this on an auto. I believe he used a diff from an x3.

good job JJR!!

I have an S3.62 with all needed "accessories" for a swap (axles, carrier, and a sway bar). I honestly cannot wait to put it in; but I was wondering if anyone has done this and regretted doing so in a 6spd? (not that I will be talked out of it, I just want to see some responses)

Originally Posted by JJR4884

Oh and please check out www.car-part.com
This mod costs me a hundred bucks Found a local place that had the diff, had 70k miles on it, and wanted $100... When we opened up the diff, the gears still looked brand new. Coming out of an automatic, it would be pretty difficult to fvck up a differential so 70k for that is still nothing.



J

The best I'm finding it $240 + $30 shipped... am i getting ripped off?

Originally Posted by Rooz

The best I'm finding it $240 + $30 shipped... am i getting ripped off?

go to www.car-part.com and see if there are any local junk yards that have them, if so call them up.

Usual prices can be between 250 and 350, so if yours is say 50k miles, its a normal price....