6MT Pumpkin Swap onto 5AT Car
#1
6MT Pumpkin Swap onto 5AT Car
Well, I swapped my 5AT pumpkin out today for one from a 6MT with the stock VLSD. Of course the 5AT already had the VLSD, but what I was really after was the different final drive. The Auto comes stock with a 3.3xx FD ratio vs the 6MTs 3.5xx FD ratio. As my sig states, I already have a lot of NA mods and I have been wanting to do this swap for quite some time.
Install:
I did the swap in my garage with jack stands and a floor jack. It was a little tricky by myself as the complete pumpkin is pretty damn heavy ~70lbs. There are quite a few nuts and bolts to break loose, a couple speed sensors to unhook, and a hose that must be unhooked. Once everything is out you better be ready!! The pumpkin has to move forward then down and back to be pulled out. Just the opposite for reinstall. It went fairly smooth and took me about two hours total, no air tools or impact wrenches, just plain old hand tools.
Driving Impressions:
There is a noticable increase in acceleration through 3rd gear and it did exactly what I was looking for. When shifting from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd, the rpms always seemed to drop just a little too far. Well not anymore!! The car accelerates smoother, faster and the shifts feel the same way. I wanted to do this mod before a TC or VB upgrade just to see what would happen. I still think a mild VB upgrade would be a nice compliment but I do not feel as great a need now. With the 275 19" wheels, I had lost some acceleration and off the line punch. That is all back and just a little more. From a stop, putting the pedal to the floor roasts the tires, before I had some wheel spin, but it was not easily maintained as the tires would catch grip. When I get some 17" DRs it will be interesting to see how much better I run through the 1/4 mile. Unfortunately the local track is closed for the winter here in Iowa. I am pretty sure high 12s are where I will be. At higher speeds it is of course harder to tell a difference. There is not much of a difference in cruising RPMs and I expect to loose 1-2mpg on average once I stop hammering the pedal
In closing:
I would recommend this to any 5AT owner, even those with a SC. I initially wasn't sure if this would be a good thing with a SC but I now feel that it would be a great match as it gets the car into the sweet rpm range faster and keeps it there between shifts. Many have wondered about the 3.9 FD from 350EVO and to tell you the truth, I think it would work quite nicely if you want your Z to be more of a muscle car that rules the streets, strip and the track. The only issue I can see is that gas mileage would be much worse than stock making it a little overboard for a daily driver.
Install:
I did the swap in my garage with jack stands and a floor jack. It was a little tricky by myself as the complete pumpkin is pretty damn heavy ~70lbs. There are quite a few nuts and bolts to break loose, a couple speed sensors to unhook, and a hose that must be unhooked. Once everything is out you better be ready!! The pumpkin has to move forward then down and back to be pulled out. Just the opposite for reinstall. It went fairly smooth and took me about two hours total, no air tools or impact wrenches, just plain old hand tools.
Driving Impressions:
There is a noticable increase in acceleration through 3rd gear and it did exactly what I was looking for. When shifting from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd, the rpms always seemed to drop just a little too far. Well not anymore!! The car accelerates smoother, faster and the shifts feel the same way. I wanted to do this mod before a TC or VB upgrade just to see what would happen. I still think a mild VB upgrade would be a nice compliment but I do not feel as great a need now. With the 275 19" wheels, I had lost some acceleration and off the line punch. That is all back and just a little more. From a stop, putting the pedal to the floor roasts the tires, before I had some wheel spin, but it was not easily maintained as the tires would catch grip. When I get some 17" DRs it will be interesting to see how much better I run through the 1/4 mile. Unfortunately the local track is closed for the winter here in Iowa. I am pretty sure high 12s are where I will be. At higher speeds it is of course harder to tell a difference. There is not much of a difference in cruising RPMs and I expect to loose 1-2mpg on average once I stop hammering the pedal
In closing:
I would recommend this to any 5AT owner, even those with a SC. I initially wasn't sure if this would be a good thing with a SC but I now feel that it would be a great match as it gets the car into the sweet rpm range faster and keeps it there between shifts. Many have wondered about the 3.9 FD from 350EVO and to tell you the truth, I think it would work quite nicely if you want your Z to be more of a muscle car that rules the streets, strip and the track. The only issue I can see is that gas mileage would be much worse than stock making it a little overboard for a daily driver.
#3
glad to hear you like it. Before the fd, i didn't really get any wheelspin while flooring it from a standstill (without power braking), but after i had the FD installed, the tires would break loose. This was on 17's. After i had my 19's put on, the car still felt faster than when i was on 17's without the FD.
#6
Re: 6MT Pumpkin Swap onto 5AT Car
Originally posted by zzzya
In closing:
I would recommend this to any 5AT owner, even those with a SC.
In closing:
I would recommend this to any 5AT owner, even those with a SC.
Last edited by Gsedan35; 11-22-2004 at 07:12 AM.
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#8
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From: So-Cal - Ready to go?
Once you use the 6MT Ring & Pinion you can use any LSD on your Automatic...
Here is a link to the parts you will need for the 5MT FD to 6MT FD swap...
6MT Final Drive Gear Package
Once you have this you can instal a factory VLSD, or even a NISMO LSD.
One can install the 350EVO FD Gear which we do have instock as well, but with an AT you would most likely NEED the Stillen Valve Body upgrage...
We do offer that as well...
Here is a link to the parts you will need for the 5MT FD to 6MT FD swap...
6MT Final Drive Gear Package
Once you have this you can instal a factory VLSD, or even a NISMO LSD.
One can install the 350EVO FD Gear which we do have instock as well, but with an AT you would most likely NEED the Stillen Valve Body upgrage...
We do offer that as well...
#11
Originally posted by PumpedVA
OK I am still learning here but what the diffrence between the NISMO Limited Slip Differential and the 6MT Final Drive Gear
?
OK I am still learning here but what the diffrence between the NISMO Limited Slip Differential and the 6MT Final Drive Gear
?
The 6MT final drive is a different set of gears... i.e. gears of different ratio which translate engine RPM into actual wheel movement... i can't remember the exact ratios off the top of my head, but the 6MT final drive is composed of shorter gears than the 5MT set. So for a given engine RPM in a given gear, the 6MT will be going slower... but that also allows you to accelerate faster, as shorter gears take less work to spool them up. It's also why you see a number of people swapping the 6MT gear set with the 350Evo set which is much shorter. Increasing your ability to accelerate isn't just about horsepower and torque, it's about how you use it and how you translate it to the ground.
#14
Originally posted by PumpedVA
ok did a search and look like the big question is 3.5 or 3.9
ok did a search and look like the big question is 3.5 or 3.9
it depends on how much you like your top speed and if you do a lot of highway driving what RPMs you like to cruise at.
I was originally considering the Evo set pretty hard, but I do a LOT of highway driving (put about 7000 miles on the Z in the last 4 months)... and I cruise at about 85-90 which puts me around 3200rpm in 6th... i don't know how much i'd like to bump that up to 4000 or so with the evo set, but if I can stop doing all the highway traffic, I'm definitely going in for the swap... just watch zillinois' vid of his acceleration with the tilton & 3.9fd and you'll be in lust (well, at least I was!)
#15
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3.5 the stock 6MT final drive gear will be more then enough for the 5AT car...
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
#16
Originally posted by Jason@Performance
3.5 the stock 6MT final drive gear will be more then enough for the 5AT car...
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
3.5 the stock 6MT final drive gear will be more then enough for the 5AT car...
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
And the link you posted is the 3.5
#18
Re: Re: 6MT Pumpkin Swap onto 5AT Car
Originally posted by Gsedan35
It's not a good thing to run the oem viscous limited slip with a SC because more power and the stickier tires they are bound to have will power right past the viscous fluids ability to do it's job. The only thing standing in the way of being a open diff is that viscous snots ability to withstand torque, add more power and stickier tires and those two things will shear the fluid and win, meaning no slip limiting. Got FI, get clutch type LSD.
It's not a good thing to run the oem viscous limited slip with a SC because more power and the stickier tires they are bound to have will power right past the viscous fluids ability to do it's job. The only thing standing in the way of being a open diff is that viscous snots ability to withstand torque, add more power and stickier tires and those two things will shear the fluid and win, meaning no slip limiting. Got FI, get clutch type LSD.
I had to go out of town today for an unexpected trip and so I monitored my gas mileage very closely. I did not loose anything on the highway!! In fact I think I may have some slight gains. I am not totally suprised at this as I knew it could happen, but I was prepared for a loss. Since I have cams and also 19" wheels, I believe engine load and efficiency are making this happen. At cruising speed I am just into the cams and since this FD relieves some stress on the drivetrain I can actually tell a difference in the sound of the exhaust note from having the TB closed more. Another reason to love this mod. I also had more time today in 4th and 5th gear which I was very impressed with. Driving in 4th gear is much better now and I think I will end up using it more in town than I used to which may reduce in town gas mileage as well. Fifth gear is also better and at cruising speeds I am just into the cams so passing acceleration is there and I would only need to downshift if in a real hurry.
#19
Originally posted by Jason@Performance
3.5 the stock 6MT final drive gear will be more then enough for the 5AT car...
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
3.5 the stock 6MT final drive gear will be more then enough for the 5AT car...
If you put it in your 5AT your car wont go much faster then a 120... would be good for a 1/4 MIle car.. thats it
You mean with 350EVO's FD the car won't go much faster than 120 right?
Last edited by BlackZ33; 11-22-2004 at 09:28 PM.