Is it possible to swap in the FWD 6spd transmission into a 4th gen? I assume it's possible with little modification since the VQ35 and VQ30 have the same outer mold. Apparently the shop who rebuilt my 5spd did a **** *** job and I wondering if this is a viable option. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

possible maybe, will the VQ30 handle a 6-spd? I doubt it (I hope i'm wrong)

-Dexter

 

Actually, a few people have done this. Though not many. I'm hoping they'll chime in here...

It is NOT bolt-on, however. A little custom work does need done.

 

i've heard that it can be done, but is not worth the time and effort.

 

It can be done but as it has been said, you will need to do some custom work. IMO, a 6spd is not worth it as you will have more drivetrain loss.

 

i heard about how the VQ30s powerband wasnt made for a 6 speed.

 

The reason I ask is because I'm looking to go to the VQ35 anyway, and I'd sooner do it all at once. Obviously the tranny will attach to the block with no problem, but my worry is mounting points for the tranny, fitment and driveaxles. Also is the 6spd VSLD? If it's not then I guess it's really not worth the hassle and I should just get an AE tranny.

 

At highway speeds would you be able to save a lot of gas with the extra gear?

 

Another thing I would benefit from seeing as I drive an avg. of 150+ miles per day.

 

I was under the impression that the final gear ratios of both the 5-speed and the 6-speed were very similar, with similar fuel economy numbers. The 6 speed is a closer ratio tranny, with the gears closer together than in the 5-speed. Not entirely sure though, the 6 speed could be a little better, since it has the same fuel economy when paired with the 3.5 as the 5-speed with the 3.0

 

Why? Show me proof to back up that statement, please.

If you're going with a VQ35, then I'd say go for it. Again, though, I'm not sure how much custom work is going to need to be done.

The 6-speed is not VLSD. It had an optional HLSD (Helical Limited Slip Diff.) which a lot say is actually a better form of LSD. I can't speak from experience or technical knowledge, though.

 

on the 6 speed trans is the 4th gear a one to one or is the fifth gear?

 

jeff at maxtuning has a 6 speed in his 4th gen.

 

Intuition says more moving parts results in more loss.

 

How are there more moving parts if you're only using one gear at a time? More gears, but last I checked you're not using more parts at any given time...sooo...

 

I seriously doubt an extra gear will make a huge difference in the power to the wheels. Perhaps if I had any interest in drag racing and the like it would bother me but this is my daily driver and I'm just looking to have more fun with it.

 

I'm sure the 6 speed is slightly heavier, I thought that the 6th gear in the 6 spd trans was just an extra gear they through in there that was taller than the 5th gear in the old trans, that allowed the car to idle lower at higher speeds. This was the main reason that the car isnt that much faster as a 6 speed compared to the automatic (5.5 gen +)

 

keep it 5spd, i doubt our motor can handle all of it... unless your car has alot of power and then maybe you would benefit from it.

 

That's sort of what I'm saying. It's rather useless with all the custom work needed for a VQ30, but if he's swapping to a VQ35 I don't see it being as pointless.

 

6-speed manual w/OD
Specifications
Transmission gear ratio (1st) 3.15
Transmission gear ratio (2nd) 1.94
Transmission gear ratio (3rd) 1.39
Transmission gear ratio (4th) 1.06
Transmission gear ratio (5th) .81
Transmission gear ratio (6th) .63
Transmission gear ratio (reverse) 3.00
Final Drive ratio 3.81 or 3.79

5-speed manual w/OD
Specifications
Transmission gear ratio (1st) 3.29
Transmission gear ratio (2nd) 1.85
Transmission gear ratio (3rd) 1.27
Transmission gear ratio (4th) .95
Transmission gear ratio (5th) .80
Transmission gear ratio (reverse) 3.43
Final Drive ratio 3.82

As you can see from the Info here the Ratios are very similar across the board and 6th gear is far taller in then the 5th in the 5spd. Not only can the VQ30 handle the 6spd you will basically only get better fuel milage from the addtion of a 6th gear. However the 3.0 may not have enough torque to over come some hills while in 6th.

 

What kinda hill are you taking in 6th gear?

 

Freeway hills!

 

Now that I think about it, why wouldn't you just downshift to get up the hill?

 

Of course you can.

 

Yeah I took my baby up Pikes Peak yesterday and was running in 1st and 2nd almost the whole way. When I got up to about 12,000ft she was hurting bad. Not too sure if it's a problem with ym synchros but I have to be almost completely stopped to get into 1st, guess I'll just order the transmission after I get some cash for my birthday.

 

I have them plotted at work of course, how convienient, with speed with respect to MPH, and the 6 speed wont be worth it in the end. And when people say it's only moving one gear at a time, it's not as they are all conncected, but the current gear is spinning that particular gear ring at that time, though they are all spinning. And the 6 speed has a heavy **** flywheel. These are the reasons that the Sentr SE-r and the 6 speed Maxima have low dyno #'s comapred to their automatic counterparts(Maxima in specific). Stick with the 5 speed, the 6 speed is essentiall a double overdrive system, with the only gains slitly at about 80+, but even then you have to shift one more time which will cancel out any distanced gained. The 5 speed actually is more agressive surprisingly enough. Also the fuel economy is not that much better when compared to the 5 speed.

 

what you dont have freeways that go throuh mountains where you live?

 

PA doesn't have mountains...

As for the weight of the flywheel I'm going to put a Fidanza or JWT flywheel on when i do the engine swap, I figure might as well do it while it's out of the car, and as far as speed is concerned I'm doing 80mph+ on the highway almost all the time here, which is a majority of my driving. Right now with the 5spd my engine is running 3300-3500rpm while doing 80-85mph, if I could I would just replace the 5th gear on mine with the taller 6th seeing as the only reason i really want it is for better gas mileage at high speeds. 4th is fine for up to 140mph anyway and I've only done that once before anyway.

 

Yeah...I can't see why it would kill anyone to downshift to 5th though.

 

some people are just lazy...they mind as well be driving automatics if they are that lazy to not downshift

 

It wouldnt, but it would be kinda annoying to always have to down shift everytime you came to a slight incline. Thats not to say thats whats going to happen if i had to guess it would set the RPM's in 6th gear at 70 mph at around 2400rpm and since the VQ without the variable intake lenght makes more torque then HP i dont think it would be a huge deal unless you like having power on demand while crusing on the freeway.

I guess my point is that gearing is very tricky and can effect your cars in many ways some good and some bad

 

just too much money to swap a 6spd tranny unless you can do it urself

 

Sure can