6 speed manual gear ratios
- Thread starter theenico
- Start date
rdss
Junior Member
That and you can probably sell it for a decent price to make up for the 6 spd, especially if you don't beat the crap out of it.
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The M32 Martyr
My MZ0 drops out of 3rd everytime now. I'm gonna throw the MZ4 back in, but I'm cruising eBay for yet another back-up M32. Gotta have one ready to go at all times for my build. Especially with the upcoming turbo swap.
The Cruze MF3s are abundant. There is one with 4k miles for $600 shipped. The 4.27 first gear makes me nervous though. I do like the overdrive numbers.
Any thoughts?
Also, an M32 Teardown thread is coming soon.
The Cruze MF3s are abundant. There is one with 4k miles for $600 shipped. The 4.27 first gear makes me nervous though. I do like the overdrive numbers.
Any thoughts?
Also, an M32 Teardown thread is coming soon.
sx sonic
New member
Holy sh!t, I was just going over the math and the final drive on the mf3 is a good bit higher than everything else, then it quickly works It's way towards having lower gearing.
It doesn't look very good on paper as a drag trans, 1st kills it and I wonder if the big gap between 1-2 will worsen the existing shift issues.
How's traction at the strip with the mz0?
It doesn't look very good on paper as a drag trans, 1st kills it and I wonder if the big gap between 1-2 will worsen the existing shift issues.
How's traction at the strip with the mz0?
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The M32 Martyr
Traction has been fine, but that is mostly contributed by the KDW's.
Yeah, the MF3's 1st kills it for me. I wish the MZO had the MZ4's 1st, 5th, and 6th.
But to be honest. Once I'm nearing the 270whp mark with the bigger turbo, the MZ0 might be holding back my 60' times and may present traction issues.
However it would be optimal for making the GT2560's power usable under DD circumstances.
I think I may be crossing back to and sticking with the MZ4, but unfortunately they are a little more rare to find used than the MZ0s and MF3s.
Yeah, the MF3's 1st kills it for me. I wish the MZO had the MZ4's 1st, 5th, and 6th.
But to be honest. Once I'm nearing the 270whp mark with the bigger turbo, the MZ0 might be holding back my 60' times and may present traction issues.
However it would be optimal for making the GT2560's power usable under DD circumstances.
I think I may be crossing back to and sticking with the MZ4, but unfortunately they are a little more rare to find used than the MZ0s and MF3s.
ScarabEpic22
Member
I want the 5/6 gears of a regular Sonic...looks like my 6th is the same ratio as the 5th of the normal Sonics. Anyone know if you could swap 6th -> 5th then add the 0.64 6th gear? I dont need 3000rpms at ~70mph in my RS, it's nice for passing power and climbing hills but Id rather have a few more MPGs and downshift into 5th if I need to.
Macehammer
New member
Theoretically yes, but no one is cracking these trannies open yet.
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The M32 Martyr
I'll be cracking my MZ0 soon after I swap back to the MZ4.
5th and 6th share a shaft. So the easy and practical thing to do is swap in the MZ4s third shaft in its entirety.
Caveat, if you plan on adding any serious engine power down the road, you may want to go for the MZ4 outright.
It'll save you the trouble of cracking it open.
5th and 6th share a shaft. So the easy and practical thing to do is swap in the MZ4s third shaft in its entirety.
Caveat, if you plan on adding any serious engine power down the road, you may want to go for the MZ4 outright.
It'll save you the trouble of cracking it open.
ScarabEpic22
Member
Thanks for the confirmation.Got it, makes more sense to swap the whole shaft in vs swapping gears around.
True on the MZ4, the MF3 out of the Cruze Eco looks appealing as well on paper. Fairly steep final drive with the same first/second as the RS currently has.
My Sonic is my DD, it wont be getting anything more than a tune, intake, charge pipes, turbo-back exhaust, injectors (if necessary), and meth in the performance department. No built engine or turbo swaps, I need to keep one of my rides running all the time and I keep pulling my TBSS apart to change things!
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theenico
New member
First the one answer that hits the meat of what's being asked. Yes 6th gear is swappable. That's a fairly common procedure with the Vauxhall guys that have M32s.
To Pre: Going back to one of the ratio vs. speed charts I posted, The difference between first in the MZ4 and MZ0 is negligible.
You can't just swap the complete output shaft. It is one of the pinion gears. You could only do it between trannies that have the same R&P.
To reiterate, the best compromise for both situations is a 6th gear swap.
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The M32 Martyr
I am aware that 1st isn't a plug and play swap. My "ideal" box of gears is purely fantasy.
I suppose an in-patient 6th gear swap is doable, but as soon as a knuckle starts bleeding, all care and tenderness quickly goes out the window.... At least for me.
Like Muhammed Ali says "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
I much prefer to do overhaul type projects in a clean, open, pressure-less environment.
I suppose an in-patient 6th gear swap is doable, but as soon as a knuckle starts bleeding, all care and tenderness quickly goes out the window.... At least for me.
Like Muhammed Ali says "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
I much prefer to do overhaul type projects in a clean, open, pressure-less environment.
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The M32 Martyr
I guess it's the shorter drop to 2nd that is a nuisance. During a hard accel, by the time I barely get much use of 2nd, it's time to row to 3rd. It's because I'm already entering 2rd at like 4k.
It wasn't so bad when I first did the MZ0, but with the power increases I've made since, it's become less practical.
The other behavior I've noticed since MZ0 day one, is that when just commuting, going 3rd to 4th, and 5th to 6th feels like only half a gear change. The revs don't drop back to a sweet low spot that my years of manual shifting experience is expecting.
It wasn't so bad when I first did the MZ0, but with the power increases I've made since, it's become less practical.
The other behavior I've noticed since MZ0 day one, is that when just commuting, going 3rd to 4th, and 5th to 6th feels like only half a gear change. The revs don't drop back to a sweet low spot that my years of manual shifting experience is expecting.
Sonic Attack
New member
Ring & Pinion Swap Opinion?
I do likes my '15 RS 6 spd. manual daily driver...except the granny gear 1st. It's quite humorous to see 5k rpm before I get through the crosswalk from a stop. What is the possibility of swapping the 3.83 ring & pinion from the Cruze MR5, leaving the gear ratios as-is? I like the MR5 gear spacing (again, OK for a daily driver) but would like to see the engine turning lower RPMs on the highway. (70 mph = 3k-ish rpm)
The MR5 as fitted to the regular 1.4T Cruze and Sonic RS:
Final Drive/R&P: 3.83 for Cruze. 4.18 for Sonic RS
1st: 4.27
2nd: 2.35
3rd: 1.48
4th: 1.07
5th: 0.88
6th: 0.74
Thanks for your input!
I do likes my '15 RS 6 spd. manual daily driver...except the granny gear 1st. It's quite humorous to see 5k rpm before I get through the crosswalk from a stop. What is the possibility of swapping the 3.83 ring & pinion from the Cruze MR5, leaving the gear ratios as-is? I like the MR5 gear spacing (again, OK for a daily driver) but would like to see the engine turning lower RPMs on the highway. (70 mph = 3k-ish rpm)
The MR5 as fitted to the regular 1.4T Cruze and Sonic RS:
Final Drive/R&P: 3.83 for Cruze. 4.18 for Sonic RS
1st: 4.27
2nd: 2.35
3rd: 1.48
4th: 1.07
5th: 0.88
6th: 0.74
Thanks for your input!
mja
Site Supporter
old thread dig,
The M60, offered in the Zafira Tourer and the Astra K have the most stacked gear ratios of all M32's, with the lowest *numerical* final gear:
4.27
2.53
1.6
1.15
0.94
0.81
3.348 final gear
The total final gearing (6th x final drive) of the MZ4 is 2.24, the MZ0 is 2.93 (ouch), and a MZ4 6th gear swapped into a M60 would be 2.06.
For a 25" tall tire that means 6th gear would drop 200 rpm at 75 mph compared to stock. Where the MZ0 raises rpm by 700 at 75 mph.
Though still not as ideal gearing as the MZ0, if a 6th gear swap is possible, this setup would offer better acceleration in 1st-5th and better highway mpg than a stock sonicopcorn: + 1st would be usable unlike the RS gearing
The M60, offered in the Zafira Tourer and the Astra K have the most stacked gear ratios of all M32's, with the lowest *numerical* final gear:
4.27
2.53
1.6
1.15
0.94
0.81
3.348 final gear
The total final gearing (6th x final drive) of the MZ4 is 2.24, the MZ0 is 2.93 (ouch), and a MZ4 6th gear swapped into a M60 would be 2.06.
For a 25" tall tire that means 6th gear would drop 200 rpm at 75 mph compared to stock. Where the MZ0 raises rpm by 700 at 75 mph.
Though still not as ideal gearing as the MZ0, if a 6th gear swap is possible, this setup would offer better acceleration in 1st-5th and better highway mpg than a stock sonic
opcorn: + 1st would be usable unlike the RS gearing
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walkncontradxn
Member
I'll join ya on old thread digs MJA,
Just put an MF3 tranny in place of the O.G. MZ4. for my particular setup with 1inch larger diameter tire size I end up with almost the same wheel speeds (-~1mph) except 1st gear (-~2mph). And 1st gear is a whole lot easier to get going. The short first gear and bigger jump to second take some getting used to but I am a fan so far.
Just put an MF3 tranny in place of the O.G. MZ4. for my particular setup with 1inch larger diameter tire size I end up with almost the same wheel speeds (-~1mph) except 1st gear (-~2mph). And 1st gear is a whole lot easier to get going. The short first gear and bigger jump to second take some getting used to but I am a fan so far.