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4th Gen Gear swap out

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Old Jun 5, 2012 | 12:30 AM
  #1  
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4th Gen Gear swap out

Hi guy, I need some help. I have 4th gen max and at about 75mph the RPMs are 3000. I need to change the 5th gear itself to the 6th gear of a 6th gen max.

5th gear of 4th gen max ratio is 0.80

5th gear of 6th gen max ratio is 0.80 also
6th gear of 6th gen max ratio is 0.63

I want to do this so I can have lower RPM level at higher speed when I'm in 5th gear. I do a lot of highway driving and would like to save some money on gas.

Can you guys tell me if this is possible or not, and will the 6th gear of the 6th gen max fit on my 4th gen 5th gear spot.

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by KennMaxx; Jun 5, 2012 at 07:00 PM.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 05:57 AM
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I'm pretty sure this can be done and possibly done many times. Know of the 3.5 going on our trans, so the reverse possibly.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 06:44 AM
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Swap the whole transmission.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by asand1
Swap the whole transmission.
I agree with this... BUT funds are also needed...tranny,clutch cbles shifter,and a few other things...youre talkin 1000-2000 pending where he gets parts...then labor...if he swaps the final gear and.does it himself it would be ALOT cheaper
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 12:48 PM
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Search for Altima 5th gear. IIRC its from 00-01.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 01:57 PM
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IIRC AT 70 RPMs are at 3k even. 75 is closer 3400
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 02:11 PM
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74mph = 3k.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 03:09 PM
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Aaron ie right...dont even try to correct him...he knows his transmission ****..4th gen full 6 speed swap...he knows what hes talking about LOL
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 06:56 PM
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Hi guys, thanks for your input. So you guys do confirm that 6th gen gear is compatible with my transmission right?

Also, i won't be able to do a full tranny swap because i dont have the money for that, nor do i have the time and knowhow to do it myself.

The gear will only cost me $186 from the nissan dealer and It's something I can do at home with a friend.

Another thing, my car is doing 3000k at 74.5mph (120km/h).

...and I checked up on the altima 5th gear as well, it has a ratio of 0.80... No dice

Looking forward to this, thanks again.

Last edited by KennMaxx; Jun 5, 2012 at 06:58 PM.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by KennMaxx
Hi guys, thanks for your input. So you guys do confirm that 6th gen gear is compatible with my transmission right?

Also, i won't be able to do a full tranny swap because i dont have the money for that, nor do i have the time and knowhow to do it myself.

The gear will only cost me $186 from the nissan dealer and It's something I can do at home with a friend.

Another thing, my car is doing 3000k at 74.5mph (120km/h).

...and I checked up on the altima 5th gear as well, it has a ratio of 0.80... No dice

Looking forward to this, thanks again.

So you're converting your 5-speed to 5-speed with these gears? 1-2-3-4-6?

I hope you post back with your experience. I wonder how livable the gap between 4th and 6th would be over time.

DW
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 07:27 PM
  #11  
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Thats the plan. If it is do-able!, then I will do it.
And yes, I will post my results.

3 things could happen:

1. I do the swap, everything works and I save fuel.
2. I remove the tranny, the new gear doesnt fit, i have to put back the original, and a total waste of my time.
3. I do the swap, and the fifth doesn't engage, or slips or whatever, and I lose the use of the 5th gear, then I would have done damage to my tranny and cost me more than I was trying to save originally.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by KennMaxx
Hi guys, thanks for your input. So you guys do confirm that 6th gen gear is compatible with my transmission right?

Also, i won't be able to do a full tranny swap because i dont have the money for that, nor do i have the time and knowhow to do it myself.

The gear will only cost me $186 from the nissan dealer and It's something I can do at home with a friend.

Another thing, my car is doing 3000k at 74.5mph (120km/h).

...and I checked up on the altima 5th gear as well, it has a ratio of 0.80... No dice

Looking forward to this, thanks again.
97-99 shares the same 5th gear as our 4th gen trannys.
00-01 is .740
http://web.archive.org/web/200501240...nsmissions.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/200801200...rive_axles.htm

You can also swap out the final drive of the altima tranny.
http://forums.maxima.org/all-motor/6...questions.html
http://forums.maxima.org/all-motor/3...s-4th-gen.html
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 08:38 PM
  #13  
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Hi "schmellyfart". Your suggestion is good but its not worth my trouble to change the gear to something that has a 0.06 ratio difference. Its not like its a 1 hour job where i can do and if i dot like it i can change the gear out again. Thus way i am more interested in the 0.63 ratio gear. This wil give me a good rpm drop that i'm looking for.

Thank you again,
Ken
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 10:34 PM
  #14  
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really is a good idea with these high gas prices, if u dont do high speed races shouldn't really be a issue, get to your desired speed in 4th and put it n 5th and cruise the motor will be more then strong enough to carry that gear even if u slow down 60mph and gain back to 75.
Old Jun 5, 2012 | 11:08 PM
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Thanks for the support travis. I do push my car a little hear and a little there (manuals are sooo friggin' fun ), but I don't want to. I want to drive nicely and safely. I don't know when I will get around to doing this swap, but for sure I will update everyone on it. I hope it's soon.

Ken
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 06:21 AM
  #16  
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If you're not pressing the gears on/off yourself and shimming the transmission yourself.... You're better off doing a spec-v 6spd swap for your car (About 1k in parts)

And thennn.... You get get the taller 6th gear for that transmission (JDM part) if you so crave low rpm highway crusing.

But with the stock Sentra Spec-V/6th Gen Maxima gearing I netted some silly MPG results.

Last edited by aackshun; Jun 6, 2012 at 06:24 AM.
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 08:00 AM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by aackshun
If you're not pressing the gears on/off yourself and shimming the transmission yourself.... You're better off doing a spec-v 6spd swap for your car (About 1k in parts)

And thennn.... You get get the taller 6th gear for that transmission (JDM part) if you so crave low rpm highway crusing.

But with the stock Sentra Spec-V/6th Gen Maxima gearing I netted some silly MPG results.
Actually, this sounds like a good idea. I can buy the spec-v tranny with 100,000miles on it for $400 (that's cheap compared to buying one gear for $186). In great working order. Swap out the internals, and have a 6spd with the 6th gear being 0.67 and it will come with a 0.81 5th. This way, I won't have drive the car too fast in 4th before shifting to 5th, because of the larger RPM drop.

Ken

Last edited by KennMaxx; Jun 6, 2012 at 08:55 AM.
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 09:21 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by KennMaxx
Actually, this sounds like a good idea. I can buy the spec-v tranny with 100,000miles on it for $400 (that's cheap compared to buying one gear for $186). In great working order. Swap out the internals, and have a 6spd with the 6th gear being 0.67 and it will come with a 0.81 5th. This way, I won't have drive the car too fast in 4th before shifting to 5th, because of the larger RPM drop.

Ken
I'm unsure about this working.

I actually have 6mt and 5mt parts lying around, I'll save you the trouble and make some comparisons later this evening when I get back home.
Old Jun 6, 2012 | 08:35 PM
  #19  
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You cannot put the 6spd 6th gear in the 4th gen trans. They are totally different transmissions.

If you really want to do a gear swap then the altima 5th gear and final drive is the only off the shelf option, but it won't be a very significant change.
Old Jun 7, 2012 | 11:41 AM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by aackshun
I'm unsure about this working.

I actually have 6mt and 5mt parts lying around, I'll save you the trouble and make some comparisons later this evening when I get back home.
Okay, that will help a lot! Thank you.

Originally Posted by Nealoc187
You cannot put the 6spd 6th gear in the 4th gen trans. They are totally different transmissions.

If you really want to do a gear swap then the altima 5th gear and final drive is the only off the shelf option, but it won't be a very significant change.
The 5th gear of the altima is not very different from the max, if at all. Have you tried doing this? Or has someone you know tired this and failed?

Ken
Old Jun 7, 2012 | 01:37 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by KennMaxx
Okay, that will help a lot! Thank you.



The 5th gear of the altima is not very different from the max, if at all. Have you tried doing this? Or has someone you know tired this and failed?

Ken
You are relatively new here, so hopefully the others will cut you some slack.

If Nealoc says it can't be done, you can trust that it can't be done.

DW
Old Jun 7, 2012 | 01:41 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Nealoc187
You cannot put the 6spd 6th gear in the 4th gen trans. They are totally different transmissions.

If you really want to do a gear swap then the altima 5th gear and final drive is the only off the shelf option, but it won't be a very significant change.
That's what I was thinking, I have more exp. playing w/ 6mt parts than 5mt (only blew up 1 5mt and never looked at it for more than 5 mins to see how many gears and synchros I fckd up [4/5 on synchs and 5/5 on gears] and iirc the shaft sizes aren't even the same).

Originally Posted by KennMaxx
The 5th gear of the altima is not very different from the max, if at all. Have you tried doing this? Or has someone you know tired this and failed?

Ken
No need to, just some simple math will tell you.

Originally Posted by dwapenyi
If Nealoc says it can't be done, you can trust that it can't be done.
Truer words have never been spoken
Old Jun 7, 2012 | 08:37 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by KennMaxx
Okay, that will help a lot! Thank you.



The 5th gear of the altima is not very different from the max, if at all. Have you tried doing this? Or has someone you know tired this and failed?

Ken
I have had both 5spd and 6spd transmissions torn apart and sitting on the bench next to each other, yes.

I know the altima 5th gear isn't a very big change, that is why I decided against doing it myself, though I briefly considered it. It just wasn't a big enough difference to warrant the cost.
Old Jun 8, 2012 | 12:24 AM
  #24  
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Hi Nealoc. What do you suggest I do?

I could call a cnc shop and have them manufacture me a gear, I bet that will cost an arm and a leg.

I'm fresh out of ideas, i'm talking all crazy now.

I just want better high speed fuel economy, I love the car, but to save fuel I actually have to drive at 62MPH(100km/h) to stay at a 2500 RPM range. 95% of the traffic around me is going 75MPH(120km/h).

Thanks,
Ken

Last edited by KennMaxx; Jun 8, 2012 at 12:27 AM.
Old Jun 13, 2012 | 09:01 AM
  #25  
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KennMax,

you were willing to put what IMO, would have been an extraordinary effort to replace one gear. Since you were willing to go that far, why not put just a little more effort and swap in the entire 6 speed gearbox?
With the entire gearbox you'll get better performance AND better economy from your car. Top speed won't change but you'll get there faster


DW
Old Jun 13, 2012 | 09:15 AM
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Taller tires?? If your not lowered, you got enough wheel gap for two more inches.
Old Jun 15, 2012 | 12:48 AM
  #27  
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a 6spd swap really isnt that bad at all. its nice being in 6th only at 2-2.5k rpms on the freeway vs 3k or higher. better fuel economy is exactly what you will be getting with the swap. it might cost you some now but it will defiantly save you some later. trust me i do a lot of freeway driving too and it helps out so much having that extra gear.
Old Jun 16, 2012 | 07:27 AM
  #28  
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I will put in some effort for better performance, but which tranny will I have to swap the 5spd with. spec-v 6spd? And will I have to gut out both of the trannies and rebuild my current bell housing with the 6spd internals?

Thanks for your help guys.
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