Hello everybody! Thank you for putting your time and efford in creating such a wonderful resource!

I'm yet another newbi with their endless questions

Have my 92 Tracker, 1.6l 8v, 5sp, stock, for three years allready - loving every minute of it! However, two monthes ago had to replace rear axle. Got a used one of a 92 Tracker, 1.6l, 8v, Auto. Asked people around myself if the gear ratio will be the same or not. Everybody was saying yes. But, when the new axle was in place, a friend of mine did a simple test - spined the drive shaft and counted the wheel turns. Original axle, on 10 rotations of the drive shaft would spin the wheel 3 3/4 turns. New one would 4 1/4 turns. Thanks to him I hadn't blowen my tcase and front axle. So, I had to swap the front axle aswell to match with the rear. I kept the original tcase. Now, I've noticed, that my speed is higher but tork is way down.
Any suggestion is highly appriciated.

You owe your friend a 6-pack of good stuff.

  If you use the search bar above,you will find a ton of very useful info on this subject,I know I did!Autos and manual's have different gear ratios,and that is probably the issue here.

Well, just for starters, your symptoms are exactly what you should expect from switching to lower ratio differentials.  If you're looking for a fix to your lost power, you've really got three reasonable choices.

1. More horsepower.  Good luck with that, unless you want to drop serious coin or have serious skills, tools/equipment, and time..

2. Smaller tires.  *cough*

3.  Dump the "new" gears you got and replace them with the right damned ratios. 

Remember that one buddy of yours whom you owe beers (or whatever's an age-appropriate substitute)?  Well, all your other friends are owed some three-step kicks to the groin.

beercheck:
thank you very much for plain and simple answer. I've been trying to get a gist of all those gear rations for a while, but noone could have explained it better then you.

Do you think switching to an auto t case would help?

Also, my engine is dying, anything i should consider before thinking of going for a bigger engine?

No, I believe the transfer cases from autos and manuals are identical, but someone else here will be more definitive on that.

Same with the "bigger engine" question.  Give everybody a day or three to check/chime in.   Coming from the 1.6 8-valve, you've got several choices, depending on what you're interested in spending.  Just upping to the 16-valve engine should be about as straightforward as anything, but I don't have any experience with the wiring/ECM changes involved.

Does 16v have more HP? I thought they have same HP...

Does 16v have more HP? I thought they have same HP...

8V is 80bhp, 16V is 95bhp

Once again I would like to thank you for this wonderfull forum. Fast replies strait to the point.

Installing an automatic tranny would put your gear ratios back to stock. I would try and find the correct gears and go that route instead of a tranny swap. Then put in the 16v and life will be grand

Derek

2.0 is 120hp.... maybe a possibility.