Changing Evora 400 final drive ratio - any issues?

[Champale]

Hello everyone,

I am curious to know if anyone has changed the final drive ratio on their Evora 400 with a kit such as this (they offer 5% and 10% reduction options):

https://www.monkeywrenchracing.com/product/mwr-ace-gear-set-upgrade-final-drive-evora-all-5-shorter/

One of my concerns is whether or not it will affect anything relating to the ECU and cause CELs or traction/stability control problems (although I normally turn everything off anyway).  Komo-Tec also sells revised gear ratios so if someone has done this instead, I would appreciate their feedback.

Thank you in advance!

John 

[TheKevlarKid]

Sorry don't know anyone who has done this mod. The cost to remove the gearbox to install it would put most people off unless your doing maintenance on it already.

[Champale]

Yeah it's a big project for sure and that's why I want to explore every angle before committing to it.  But these kits are being sold so I am hoping someone has done it and can comment on the potential pitfalls.  

[Champale]

No one has done this sort of swap?

[Bravo73]

I don’t recall hearing of anyone doing it in a 400 yet. Probably because either they haven’t felt the need or had the opportunity (ie the gearbox hasn’t had to come out to replace the clutch/flywheel). 

However, plenty have done it in V6 Exiges and maybe the original Evora. 

[Champale]

Your point about people having done it in V6 Exiges is something I hadn't thought about - thank you for pointing that out.  I am just trying to see what the possible issues might be with doing the swap.

[Gashead1105]

That's a US website you have linked to, you might have better luck on the US lotus forum. 400s have only just started coming out of warranty and that's a big job for minimum returns compared to remapping or similar. 

[Champale]

Actually I have posted on the US forum with no results, either.  MonkeyWrench Racing says that I shouldn't have any issues with their revised final drive ratio since the speedo runs off the wheel speed sensor.  It makes sense but I just want to make sure from an actual customer.  I have emailed Komo Tec also and am waiting to hear back (their customer service person is out this week).  

[electro_boy]

23 hours ago, Bravo73 said:

However, plenty have done it in V6 Exiges and maybe the original Evora. 

Yep I’ve certainly read of a few Exiges having done this mod.  If you don’t get any luck on the Evora forums try the V6 Exige section.  I believe in the uk Hangar111 offer this mod, they sell komotec stuff so it could just be the komotec kit.

[Champale]

electro_boy - I forgot to mention that I had actually emailed Hangar111 earlier in the week but haven't heard back from them.  Hopefully they or K-T will answer next week.  I have tried to leave no stone unturned!  

I am inclined to install the 10% shorter one after having done some speeds in gears comparisons to other cars I have owned.  One of the nice things about the valved exhaust in the 400 is that even in 5th gear at a 100mph cruise, when you close the valve the engine noise is almost completely imperceptible.  With the 10% reduction, 6th gear will still be over 3% taller than 5th is currently so that would be just fine.     

[Hangar 111]

We've done a few of the KT kits into Exiges.  Not aware of any issues with regard to the DPM, and certainly not anything MIL related.

I've driven a couple of them, a 460 in particular, and it makes a rocket ship even quicker.  It reduces the big gearing gap into 5th, and brings 6th in to play on some tracks. It feels more like an S2 Exige with a decent power upgrade, where you are pulling the next gear very soon after changing - you almost can't change gear quick enough! Obviously the downside is the increased RPM at road cruising speeds, so it depends on what your personal preference.

Dave

[Champale]

Dave@Hangar 111 - THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS INFORMATION!  You have just made my day!  Wow this is exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for!  

Any other info you can provide - or if you can have someone who has done this to their car post in this thread - I would greatly appreciate it! 

John

[Mattmahope]

I considered doing this when I installed the 400 clutch and Quaife LSD on my Exige 350 Sport. I decided against in the end because 1. It was pretty expensive, even taking into account the fact that I had the gearbox off and opened anyway, 2. The new 6th gear ratio would have been roughly the same as the old 5th gear ratio, and I tried cruising in 5th on the motorway and found it just too tiresome to want to live with that as my top gear, and 3. I decided it was better to just add more power instead!

[Champale]

That is interesting - but I have zero experience in an Exige so it's hard for me to compare.  As I mentioned earlier, I have spent a lot of time cruising in 5th at higher speeds just to make sure I can live with the extra revs and in the Evora 400 it is perfectly acceptable.  The valved exhaust makes all the difference probably.  

[donaldt]

does having a larger final gear really improve track time

some have suggested that it doesn't as you are just pulling a higher gear throughout the track 

I am considering the same because the Evora seems a little long geared and on the track I visit most the 4th gear isn't long enough but the 5th gear is too long to do anything (I max out at about 210kmh)

 

[Hangar 111]

The EA60 gearbox is a 3 shaft box that has effectively two final drives, one for 1st-4th, and one for 5th-6th.  This allows you to bring 5th-6th closer to the others, reducing the big gap between them.  So you aren't simply one gear higher than previously.  Of course, it depends on the track(s) as to how much of an advantage it is.

Also a gearbox is a torque multiplier, so you may well find you have more real world usable power as long as you are interested in changing gear

Dave

 

[Champale]

Call me crazy but I love shifting gears!

In doing research on this, I have compared the speed in gears of the Evora 400 with some other cars I have owned and enjoyed the gearing (Mitsubishi Evos, Mustang Boss 302, MK3 Focus RS).  All of those cars have relatively short gearing - interestingly, with a 10% reduction on the Evora, the speeds in 2nd through 5th will be almost identical to my Boss 302 (which is the wildest, rowdiest car I have ever driven - which I love!)  

Modern Porsche suffer from similar overly tall ratios and it just makes the cars less fun to drive.  If anyone else here has come from modern liter sportbikes, you understand what going up a few teeth on the rear sprocket does for the ride-ability and enjoyment of the bike.     

[Champale]

Komo Tec replied to my email regarding any issues with a re-gearing and they stated that there are none.  Very encouraging, might do this later in the summer.   

[cib24]

What's the ball park price to pay for the parts and labour and have a shop like Hangar 111 do it?

How difficult is it to pull the transmission yourself? A little more complicated than a front engined rear wheel drive car?

[Champale]

The Lotus service manual quotes something like a 52 hour job so it is not cheap.  A lot of that labor is simply getting to the gearbox (rear clam has to come off, then engine out).  

I am still toying with doing it, trying to decide on the 5% or 10% reduction.

[cib24]

Wow, okay well it looks like that's not a realistic proposition for most people. Better off just focusing on intake and exhaust mods to free up any restrictions and then add a remap to achieve 450-475hp.

[Champale]

Yes the cost is pretty silly, to be honest.  But the gearing on the 400 is absurd and even extra power can't fix that.  

[Mattmahope]

@Champaledid you end up doing this in the end? Would be interested to hear your thoughts either way. Thanks

[Loquacious Lew]

I don't think he did.  We've been in touch outside The Lotus Forums as I follow him on LT  and I have not heard any news about making this swap.  He does have a KomoTec tune so the power part of the equation has been uprated on his car.