What ratio is my diff?
I've got a 1995 E34 UK model 520i Touring, with a 5 speed manual transmission (1:1 top gear I believe)... The gearing seems a tad short for me, for what is essentially a cruise car (i'm not pretending it's a quick car), cos 85mph in top gear equates to 4000rpm! The same as my mates E36 compact 316i!!!
Now, i want as good economy as possible from this car, and am probably even going to gas convert it at some point. So what diff ratio have I got, and could i fit a slightly taller one from a slightly larger engined 5 series to drop the engine revs for motorway driving a tad?
Or, what about the 6 speed manual box even?
I appreciate that this is probably a quite drastic approach to potentially saving about 2 to 3mpg on a run, but hey... I'm new to this... And never realised that all the 5 series engine variants came with so many diff ratios! I mean, the 1995 E34 540i/6 that my dad had years ago was geared for interstallar space travel... At 150mph on the German Autobahn it had barely registered 4000 revs in top!!!
1995 E34 520i SE Touring, in Calypso Red, Manual Box.