AdjustTiming & 3.73 Gears install

[Blue01GT]

Hey i got a 2001 GT 5spd and i got two questions:

I am about to install a steeda timing adjuster. I have already loaded up 92 octane in my tank. What timing can i safely adjust to in the Southern California weather with 92 octane? the stock is 10. does anyone know what i can safely do on this? the engine is stock except for steeda underdrive pulleys and this timing adjuster

Also, i want to install 3.73 gears but i dont want to pay $400 for the installation. I usually do car work myself but my friends tell me that 3.73 gear change is hard to do. Is this something that a person with moderate car knowhow can install? what if i found a chiltons repair manual? also, where can i get my speedometer calibrated once i change? i dont wanna have to buy the $150 computer that steeda sells just to get me speedometer accurate.

thanx! please someone reply to this thread and help a fellow stang lover out. By the way, my stock 1/4 mile best time (i havent tried out these new parts at the strip yet) is a 14.56 at the LACR. This is with a full tank and spare tire and at approx 3000ft high.

[blue00gt]

You should be able to bump your timing to 14 or 15 degrees to get the most power out of it without running into problems.

[Rally]

Hey Blue01GT, do you ever come up to the Bay Area? There is a great place up hear that is highly recommended that will do the install for $220. I am sure, however, that in the greater LA area there MUST be someone who will do rearend work reasonably.

You have two options for correcting your speedo after the switch. First is a little plastic speedo gear. For a 3.73 gear switch you would need a 23 tooth one. The problem with these are they aren't that accurate, (pretty good up towards 70mph, then off about 5mph or so) and they get ground up pretty bad and will need to be switched. The reason for this is that the drive and driven gears for the speedo don't actually mate correctly (with the 23 tooth) so under the wear of driving, the softer speedo gear gets ground up. Some people claim that they have no problems with the speedo gear, others despise them.

Your second choice is either a mechanical or electronic speedo compensator. These devices (like the Steeda one) work inline and compensate for the change in the gearing (and potential wheel size changes too) and send corrected numbers to the speedometer. Abbott makes an electronic device, and it sells for about $150, although I am sure you could catch a bargain somewhere. The mechanical speedo compensators (SpeedCal) are also devices that work inline, but is used by those of us with pre-99 stangs that have pure mechanical speedometers. These guys would still work on your ride, and they are priced at $79-99. Brothers has one for $79, Dallas Mustang has one for $99. If you search the archives, you will probable turn up volumes on this question, as well as links.

Good luck!