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[feeutfo]

......

Oh, and it's quicker due to 5 speed auto, over the omegas 4.

Don't see why the number of gears makes  difference to 'quickness' ...... it'll just have more gear changes to make to get to a given speed. 
Does that make SWMBO's Smart, with its 6 speed gearbox faster than my 4 speed auto Omega? Or maybe my R320 is faster still with its 7 speed auto ...... 

The 1st 3 gears on the Omega auto are a bit long, so in effect its like trying to accelerate in too long a gear.  Easy fix (for 3.0/3.2) is a different diff, but then that makes the cruising 4th gear a bit short.

As the auto gear change is reasonably quick (esp on the 3.0), I'm convinced that the gains in an extra ratio would overcome the extra change needed.

I have always said, although possibly not on here, that the omega needs another gear. Even discussed fitting the TDi 5 speed box from the Opel model. But as TB pointed out, , the software to operate it on a petrol engine does not exist.

Although what I want from the car, probably doesn't fit with GM's remit of a comfortable executive saloon. But there we are.

[Kevin Wood]

Gearing is always a huge compromise on any car. You can't satisfy the need to get off the lights quick and the need to tow a pikey wagon with one set of gear ratios. More ratios helps in this respect, of course. A 4 speed auto has such a huge gap between ratios that it can't keep even a V6 properly on the boil, IMHO, let alone a tractor.

Most people tune cars without a thought to the gearing, or perhaps just a diff swap. It's not cheap swapping gear ratios beyond that, but to drive a car that has a tuned engine with gear ratios properly chosen to suit it is a delight. Nice long first to get you moving without losing traction then bwaaap bwaaaaap bwaaaaaaaaaap up the rest of the box.

[feeutfo]

Ideal in a decent auto. Why only 4 gears in the omega auto though. Makes no sense to me.

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

[Andy B]

Ideal in a decent auto. Why only 4 gears in the omega auto though. Makes no sense to me.

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

I suppose we were lucky it had 4, in that the gearbox was originally a 3 speed with the extra gear bolted to the side. 

[Andy B]

......
See?

Clearly!
It's been a long time since I was 5 yrs old. 

Your original post just implied that more gears = more speed. I can work the gearing etc out by my self 

[Kevin Wood]

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

Precisely. It was state of the art when it first went into the Senator, then they never bothered to update it.

[feeutfo]

......
See?

Clearly!
It's been a long time since I was 5 yrs old. 

Your original post just implied that more gears = more speed. I can work the gearing etc out by my self 

I don't think it was that long ago, was it. Really.

[feeutfo]

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

Precisely. It was state of the art when it first went into the Senator, then they never bothered to update it.

see, being much younger than Andy B P D C, I wasnt into cars then.

[Kevin Wood]

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

Precisely. It was state of the art when it first went into the Senator, then they never bothered to update it.

see, being much younger than Andy B P D C, I wasnt into cars then.

I guess you were worried about the 3 speed sturmey archer on your grifter, and then suddenly along came a bike with a 10 speed shimano setup, and it improved your acceleration off the lights, of course.

[Ian_D]

If the 4th gear in the omega is an overdrive, why couldn't they enable it in gears 1-3? Wouldn't it make it a 6 speed box then?

[Ian_D]

Oh and my replacement 'Omega' is an E39 540i Auto. Love it too... bit heavy on petrol though 

Think im going to end up breaking my Omega (currenly sorned) - just cant bring myself to killing my 4.5years pride and joy  Pitty really as theres not really anything major wrong with it, just because its worth so little its not worth the hassle/time. 

[feeutfo]

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

Precisely. It was state of the art when it first went into the Senator, then they never bothered to update it.

see, being much younger than Andy B P D C, I wasnt into cars then.

I guess you were worried about the 3 speed sturmey archer on your grifter, and then suddenly along came a bike with a 10 speed shimano setup, and it improved your acceleration off the lights, of course.

Bit after that, i was more of a, 45 on my red line flight cranks, and an 18 on my Araya flight rims, man in those days. Bit taller than the everyone else's gearing. But I had the power to get off the line at the same speed as the others, and take advantage of the higher top speed later in the race.

Then it was an 6 speed shimano cassete on me racer giving an extra two gear. No slotted gear levers in those days.

Followed by an extra tooth on the front sprocket on me cb125.

Not far off though Kev. Not far off.



...cirtainly wasn't much back pedalling going on though.

[TheBoy]

Ideal in a decent auto. Why only 4 gears in the omega auto though. Makes no sense to me.

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

I suppose we were lucky it had 4, in that the gearbox was originally a 3 speed with the extra gear bolted to the side. 

For someone so keen on accuracy of small points, I'm sure you meant front Mr B

[dbug]

If the 4th gear in the omega is an overdrive, why couldn't they enable it in gears 1-3? Wouldn't it make it a 6 speed box then?

Although not an auto box my 67 TR4A has a 4 speed box with O/D on 2nd, 3rd and 4th giving efeectively 7 speeds.  By removing a blanking plug O/D 1st gear is a possibility 

[feeutfo]

Ideal in a decent auto. Why only 4 gears in the omega auto though. Makes no sense to me.

Apart from the boxs available to GM at the time I guess?

I suppose we were lucky it had 4, in that the gearbox was originally a 3 speed with the extra gear bolted to the side. 

For someone so keen on accuracy of small points, I'm sure you meant front Mr P

Fixed!