i wanted to find out my gear ratio since im getting my trans rebuild
it has the stock gears and i tried a site online for finding out what my car info is but i masked the last couple numbers (not stupid) but the site was blocked from some reason
so if anyone could find out for me or help me find out it would be great
1G1FP2182JLXXXXXX

 

The VIN number won't really tell you gear ratio. It'll tell you the engine, and sometimes only one gear ratio was available with a specific engine, but for 88 the L98 could be had with 2.77 or 3.27 gears. Really that doesn't tell you what's in the car NOW.

Your best bet if you want to know what gears were there originally is to check the RPO codes. If you want to know what gears are in it now, pull the cover off the rear and check.

 

What about the numbers in the center counsel the "service parts identification"? Would anything in these codes tell me the gears?

 

It'll tell you what the car left the factory with. If you're lucky, that might be what it has now.

 

Those would be the RPO codes I mentioned. Verify that the VIN number on the SPID matches the VIN under the windshield, if it doesn't the console lid (and the codes) are from a different car and they're useless. If they match, then look at the Gxx codes. Google the codes that start with the letter G and one of them will tell you the original gear ratio.

However, since these are old cars, that attract enthusiasts, gear changes and axle swaps aren't unusual. Just because the codes say it's one ratio doesn't mean that someone hasn't swapped the rear axle to get disc brakes or a better gear ratio.

 

You dont need to pull of the cover to check.

Use a Gear ratio Calculator like this one:

http://www.f-body.org/gears/ or

http://www.rearendparts.com/pages.php?pageid=16

Just write down what rpm's you are at at a certain speed. For my , I have 3.08 gears and run abour 2000 rpms at 67 mph, I have a 215 65 R15 tire or about a 26" diameter.

Hope this helps.

 

Chances are if it's the original rear, and the tranny is out for a rebuild, I would pull the cover and check like DREW said. The grease probably needs changing anyway.

 

GM is notorious for reusing RPO codes for different things on different vehicles... TGO has a RPO decoder... it would be your best bet

 

If you trust both your tach and your speedo.

 

Why does this question get asked over and over and over and over and over and over and ..... ???

The answer is always the same.

If you REALLY want to know what gears are in your car, you GOTTA look at em.

What's the big deal? Why are people SO reluctant to LOOK AT THEIR GEARS? It's not like it's something "hard" or anything like that; only takes a couple of minutes.

Changed your rear end grease lately? I thought not. Then while you're catching up on the overdue routine maintenance, make a point of LOOKING at the gears; then you'll KNOW, with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, what gears are IN your car, NOW. And, you'll have fresh fluid, too.

 

I've checked ratio by getting the wheels off the ground, spinning the driveshaft ten times, and counting the tire rotations.

But really its good to follow the rule of "if you didnt personally do a particular thing, dont expect that its ever been done". I'm glad I pulled the cover to check if I had limited slip. I didnt have ls. But I did have rear fluid that came out like mud that I'm glad I changed before ever driving the car.

 

1) the majority of 350's got the 3.27 from 1987-1999, and 3.23 from 1990-1992.
2) US Formula's and GTA's all should have had the 3.27/3.23 as above. The Trans Am Also should have gotten the same, but the jury is out on that one. I do know that some years it was MANDITORY to have the 3.23/3.27 with the 350.

However Camaros are different that Firebirds, so this leaves some things up in the air.

I will be so bold to say
1) ALL 1990-1992 had the GU5 (3.23) with the L98 Z28, Formula, GTA & Trans Am.
2) ALL 1987-1989 Formulas and GTA's with the L98 had the GW6 (3.27)

3) It is a hit or miss for Camaros, many from 1987-1989 They had both, I think the majority had the 2.77...

John

 

Since the OP is asking about an 88 Camaro with an L98, that would indicate that the original gears were either 2.77 or 3.27 gears. Both of those ratios were available with that engine in 88 and 89. In 87 the L98 required 3.27 gears, and 90-up came with 3.23's, but 88 and 89 had optional ratios. To get the 3.27 gears in 88-89, G92 needed to be ordered.

Of course, since we have almost his complete VIN we know the year, make, model, and engine, so I didn't figure that Firebird info or other years were really pertinent.

 

Put your Vin into this website and it should tell you what you came out of the factory with.

http://www.compnine.com/vid.php?vin=1g1fp23e2nl166978

 

 

Drew, You are correct that my answer was more than what he needed, however I was making a point so that in the future if someone was doing a search for a Firebird it would be posted for all to see.

Just thinking outside the box.

John

 

Unless he has a car exported to Canada, his data will not be available.

John

 

It's pretty easy.
Jack up both drive wheels. Mark the tire with chalk.
Start turning the driveshaft.
Count the turns of the driveshaft for exactly one revolution of the drive wheels.
All done.

 

Yes,

It is not too hard to tell if you are going 40 mph or 60 mph,plus most GPS's have a function to tell you your speed limit.

 

mine had metal tag on top that said 3.45- idk if others have it

 

Yep, an Old School Trick I've done a number of times.
Quick, easy and painless.

 

It won't do any good going to "Compnine" as they have shut down.

 

Just jack up the *** end. Put it in neutral. Rotate a tire 1 full turn while counting the driveshaft rotation. If you get 3 and 3/4 turns it's 3.75 If you get approximately 4. It's a 4.11. In your case 3 turns would be a 3.08. Nothing difficult. Just a pain.