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Is there somehow you can make the mx3 tranny stronger? I have the famous 3rd gear grind already with the KLZE and was wondering if there anyway you can make the tranny stronger. This winter im thinking about turboing it but its not worth it too me if im just going to blow trannies and shafts. I be better off just buying a turbo car but i love the car and hate to get rid of it.

straight cut gears

Fabricate your own sort of tie link to cradle the shafts together in the middle, there is no cradle in the middle, the drive shafts are only held at each end. Thats why a helical 3rd is bad, helical gears push the shafts apart. Shafts apart -> boom.

There is a 'tranny saver' that basically stiffens up the flange in an area where the case tends to crack.

There are a few differentials available.

Fab in a stronger box, one off custom. Engine adapter, maybe custom input shaft, custom mounts, linkage and axles.


Trans only tend to start failing around the 300 hp mark.

Your best/cheapest bet is to call up a large junk yard and pick up 10 transmissions on a palate for a grand, that should keep you in transmissions for a few years, and would be cheaper than a fully built one.

Cryro treating it

Ryan wrote:straight cut gears

Fabricate your own sort of tie link to cradle the shafts together in the middle, there is no cradle in the middle, the drive shafts are only held at each end. Thats why a helical 3rd is bad, helical gears push the shafts apart. Shafts apart -> boom.

There is a 'tranny saver' that basically stiffens up the flange in an area where the case tends to crack.

There are a few differentials available.

Fab in a stronger box, one off custom. Engine adapter, maybe custom input shaft, custom mounts, linkage and axles.


Trans only tend to start failing around the 300 hp mark.

Your best/cheapest bet is to call up a large junk yard and pick up 10 transmissions on a palate for a grand, that should keep you in transmissions for a few years, and would be cheaper than a fully built one.

Has someone done this before?

You can talk to.... his real name is Justin, on Probetalk, his handle is WpgKLZE. I believe he's building a bulletproof trans for a 600HP+ build.

If you dont have the cash to fork out for a sequential gearbox, then forget about all options for an oem gearbox to get it to hold together. Just my 2 cents. I have been able to keep my Kia Sephia slushbox together with 300hp and torque somewhere in the 230-250 range. It just depends how you abuse it and how much torque you throw at it.

who is jaydog and why is he back?

the ford ZX2 97+ has supposedly better cut gears and syncros from what I've heard.

SuperK wrote:who is jaydog and why is he back?

the ford ZX2 97+ has supposedly better cut gears and syncros from what I've heard.

Are you kidding Chris? FYI, I was formerly jaydog5678, but for whatever reason, I can't log in to that account. Not to mention, we have met before in GA at Pat's old house..I'm assuming you are kidding - lol. Forgot to mention the MOCA forum.

syncros and gears are nearly identical in every way with Mazda, Kia, and Fords in the early to mid 90's. There have been changes with the Kia's and Ford's which, IMO is an improvement over our Mazda counterparts. The way to go for any 4 cyl turbo engine
is the Kia Sephia's gearbox.

haha, I figured you were the same Jaydog from moca, but I didn't realize you left

Has anyone tried to use the syncros and gear from the Ford ZX2?

I have it.

Is it alot better than stock gears?

Sounds like you need a rebuild anyway. If you decide to tear your trans down, look at the gears, especially 3rd. You'll probably find the teeth worn off and you may not have an issue with syncros. If you don't haved the tools to do it, take it to someone you specializes in manual trans rebuilds and request to replace the worn out gears.

I was thinking about turboing the car during this winter sometime after i get all my other projects done first. I want to do my build right not some hack job. I know the 3rd gear the weakest, i already have the famous 3rd gear grind. But i also have a parts car with a good tranny.