Transmission for ZE

[fieromx3]

the mx3 being lighter and having shorter gears are like the main reason they can usually outrun a ZE mx6... shorter gears DO help! it would be nice if we had a 6th gear though

[Nd4SpdSe]

In reference to 4.11:1

The gear ratios are actually well stepped for an engine making at least 150-160ft-lbs at the wheels. With more power the advantages is there is less torque multiplcation throught the final drive gears, less wasted power to wheel spin and longer time in gear in the power band between shifts.

[fieromx3]

yes u can hold a gear longer but does not mean u are going to accelerate quicker... still takes more power to accelerate on a higher gear then a lower gear ratio...

[Nd4SpdSe]

yes u can hold a gear longer but does not mean u are going to accelerate quicker... still takes more power to accelerate on a higher gear then a lower gear ratio...

Oh exactly, but it comes down to what you do with it.

Look at it this say, on a 1/4 drag strip, you use

4.11:1 - 1, 2, 3
4.39:1 - 1, 2, 3, 4

Using a longer 1-2-3 should be quicker because using 4th on the 4.39 is taller regardless, plus you should be able to get a better 60ft on the 4.11 and for what I've been told, that's there the 1/4 mile is made on the Mx-3.

[onlytrueromeo]

MX3's are lighter than mx6's so thats not a good comparison. I personally think our gear ratios ARE too short with a ZE, 1st gear is almost unnecessary. Yes, shorter gears will be better for acceleration, but only up to a point. If you are just planning on putting a ZE in and not doing any other mods to the car such as megasquirt, NO2, or turbo in the future or don't plan on getting an LSD I'd stick w/ the stocker...if you DO plan on doing some of these things, taller gears will have more of a benefit IMO unless you want to run slicks. Mostly a taller final drive and 5th gear are all you need, you're not looking for something too drastic. There is alot of info on probetalk about optimal gear ratios to hold peak power when shifting. You should read that!

[Mooneggs]

I ran a 14.5 (which is not bad compared to other ze's on this board) on crappy tires with an mx-6 tranny, kl01 cammed ze, and kl36 ecu... I feel like this setup is pretty good and I usually got 25 mpg in the city and almost 32-34 on the highway.

I'm starting to wonder what all the hype is with my current setup - kl31 cammed ze, mx-3 tranny and probinator ecu... I won't really know until I go to the track how it compares but so far I'm just not sure if it really is any "faster", I'm barely getting 20 mpg (although my AFPR psi is bumped up a tad )

[Mooneggs]

Look at it this say, on a 1/4 drag strip, you use

4.11:1 - 1, 2, 3
4.39:1 - 1, 2, 3, 4

Using a longer 1-2-3 should be quicker because using 4th on the 4.39 is taller regardless, plus you should be able to get a better 60ft on the 4.11 and for what I've been told, that's there the 1/4 mile is made on the Mx-3.

unless you are trapping 90 or under you are still going to shift into 4th even in a 4.11:1

shifting in the mx-6 tranny: 2nd 30mph, 3rd, 60mph, 4th, 90mph, 5th 120mph
I haven't tested this in the mx-3 tranny yet...

[Nd4SpdSe]

unless you are trapping 90 or under you are still going to shift into 4th even in a 4.11:1

shifting in the mx-6 tranny: 2nd 30mph, 3rd, 60mph, 4th, 90mph, 5th 120mph
I haven't tested this in the mx-3 tranny yet...

When I was in VA, I was hanging around with a local ZE Probe owner and we was running mid-14's and i could even hear him shift...

Those speed ratings can't be right....I did 235km/h just under 7000rpms with my Mx-3 trans...thats 146mph. It's been mentioned many times on here we can hit 150mph on the stock Mx-3 trans.

[RX8SE3P]

unless you are trapping 90 or under you are still going to shift into 4th even in a 4.11:1

shifting in the mx-6 tranny: 2nd 30mph, 3rd, 60mph, 4th, 90mph, 5th 120mph
I haven't tested this in the mx-3 tranny yet...

Those speed ratings can't be right....I did 235km/h just under 7000rpms with my Mx-3 trans...thats 146mph. It's been mentioned many times on here we can hit 150mph on the stock Mx-3 trans.

You got his point wrong. I think he means 1st goes to 30mph, 2nd goes to 60mph, 3rd goes to 90mph, 4th goes to 120mph. He was stating the speed that you would have to shift into the next gear.

That seems almost about right to me too. Except the MX6 tranny gets about 105kmph off second gear, maybe more if you rev the absolute balls off it. The K8 tranny seemed to be pretty much redlining at around 100kmph (60mph).

[fieromx3]

i dont how thats possible... at 3500rpm you will sit at 110kmh so 7000 will be 220kmh... u can get 240kmh out of an mx3 trans but to say at 235kmh is under 7000 i just cant beleive... not trying to be an a-- at all i just dont want misinfo going around. maybe you did i dont know but there is alot of mixed opinions on there top speed vs. rpm remember at that speed ur speedo wont be 100% accurate and it is know the tach can be off by like 2-300 rpm

[Mooneggs]

There have been a few times where I got up to high speeds in my ze with the mx-6 tranny... at 140mph I was at 6500-6600... I remember one time I went past 150 but I don't remember what the rpms were at I"m sure it was mid 7 range.

[Nd4SpdSe]

i dont how thats possible... at 3500rpm you will sit at 110kmh so 7000 will be 220kmh... u can get 240kmh out of an mx3 trans but to say at 235kmh is under 7000 i just cant beleive... not trying to be an a-- at all i just dont want misinfo going around. maybe you did i dont know but there is alot of mixed opinions on there top speed vs. rpm remember at that speed ur speedo wont be 100% accurate and it is know the tach can be off by like 2-300 rpm

Maybe maybe not. I think my speedo is spot on when I compared it to my GPS, and I was around 6800rpm at 235km/h

[Mooneggs]

is it true that it takes more rpms to make more mph at high speeds (staying in the same gear 5th for example) or does that have to do with where the powerband drops off?

[mx3autozam]

Why is there an argument over this again and again and again. Ask anyone who races even old muscle cars. Shorter the geraing the faster it will accelerate. the longer the gearing the faster top speed you will get.

[Nd4SpdSe]

For top speed, there's a million threads on here about it, look through them. I know what I say on mine, accurate or not, who knows, doesn't mean mines wrong, and I don't think it is.

For the 4.11:1, I've seen it myself at the strip, once mind you, but tire size would also affect it. I know a few times I've had to use 5th a few times, and those were my slowest runs...but I don't think I've trapped over 94mph ever, and I squeeze into redline on 4th many times so I didn't have to shift that extra gear.

I said what I had to say about using 4.11:1 and I'm not arguing over it, make your own judgement. FYI: I'm using 4.11 on my next motor.

I'm done.