5th Gear Swap from NSN - Anyone Tried This?

MyZmZm · Dec 3, 2005

http://www.nsnmotorsports.com/new-site/prod.php?pid=111

"This gear swap for your 01+ Protege or MSP with 5 speed manual reduces your highway cruising rpms for a more comfortable and gas sipping drive. These components can be replaced on the car without removing the transmission"

Has anyone tried something like this? What results did you get? Recommended or not? What's involved in doing the swap, how difficult would it be (ie need to have a shop do the swap)? What kind of reduction in rpms and increase in mileage could be expected from doing this?

I do a fair bit of long-distance driving, and it's always bothered my how high the rpms are when at highway speeds (120kph = 3600rpm). Basically just wondering if it's worth the price. Any info that could be provided would be appreciated.

mp3moose · Dec 3, 2005

Seems like a good deal. How much does it reduce rpms?

spacemonkey · Dec 3, 2005

I think its a final gear ratio drop. Much like tripoint motorsport's final gear drop.

Tripoint has them on their Protege race cars so they can meet better top speeds on the high speed tracks in speed world challenge.

Generally if you have more torque you can drop your final gears. I dont know if it will feel good in daily driving if your on stock NA setup. Your 1st and final gear will be longer. It will be slow from a stop if you dont have enough torque.

Cars are geared shorter for acceleration when you dont have that much torque.

I think its a final gear drop. it could be only 5th gear...which would be awsome! You still hae a short 1st just a longer OD.

daedalus · Dec 3, 2005

Subbing for intrest. I'm very instrested because i want a longer top gear and first gear. And i've got enough torque to handle the upgrade. Intrested to know whats involved with the swap... and how much it might cost to install it.

MyZmZm · Dec 3, 2005

Hey Steve - give us some info please!

TurfBurn · Dec 3, 2005

Nope.. not a final drive gear drop... an actual drop in replacement for your 5th gear. It drops rpm's by about 300 rpms'... not a huge bit... but enough to make a reasonable difference. It can be done in the car without removing the transmission and we are working on the instructions for that... so yeah... but the kit comes with the gears and the replacement nuts...

Thanks!

Steve

spacemonkey · Dec 3, 2005

TurfBurn said:
Nope.. not a final drive gear drop... an actual drop in replacement for your 5th gear. It drops rpm's by about 300 rpms'... not a huge bit... but enough to make a reasonable difference. It can be done in the car without removing the transmission and we are working on the instructions for that... so yeah... but the kit comes with the gears and the replacement nuts...

Thanks!

Steve

thanks that waht I thought after reading the discriptions. Sounds good if its only 5th gear.

MyZmZm · Dec 3, 2005

In your opinion Steve, is this a worthwhile thing to do? 300rpm isn't a lot, but it isn't a little either... Thx!

daedalus · Dec 3, 2005

Any ideas on how much this would increase top speed by? If you have the gearing ratio thats all i need... i'm just allways curious about going faster!

TurfBurn · Dec 3, 2005

When i calculated it out it was like an extra 8 mph... not a ton of top speed improvement... but it was still around 167 at redline... whichis probably more than the car can handle anyway.. and the horsepower needed to get there is considerable.

As far as it being worthwhile... yeah.. i think so. It's a reasonable drop in rpm's. you don't want to drop them too much or your gas mileage will actually suffer... so it should be right in an area of being a good drop.

MyZmZm · Dec 3, 2005

With this 'new' gear, wouldn't the engine have to work a bit harder turning it (minimal, but still there)? Then with wind factored in at highway speeds (head or cross wind), could it cause your mileage to drop more than it does right now? For example, I get about 35-36 mpg on the highway with no head/cross wind. However, as soon as I have any wind, mileage drops to about 33.

Also, does this come with everything needed to change out the gear, or would you have to get extra stuff (nuts/bolts/etc)? Is this conducive to a driveway install, or would you have to have a shop do it? Ball park time to do the swap?

Sorry for all the q's - just trying to wrap my head around all the possibilities here. Thanks Steve!

rx7mazda · Dec 3, 2005

Screw that. Make a huge gear so we can drive 85mph at 2500rpms. (thumb)

J/k. Actually... how exactly does it make 5th gear longer without having to remove anything from the tranny? (uhm) How does it install?

gimpo2 · Dec 3, 2005

rx7mazda said:
Screw that. Make a huge gear so we can drive 85mph at 2500rpms. (thumb)

J/k. Actually... how exactly does it make 5th gear longer without having to remove anything from the tranny? (uhm) How does it install?

hahaha its just a resistor you install on your rpm tach wire

chaos2015 · Dec 3, 2005

sub for info

rx7mazda · Dec 3, 2005

gimpo2 said:
hahaha its just a resistor you install on your rpm tach wire

So all the resistor does is force the tach to read 300 rpm's less than you actually are

. So how does it make the gear longer, I still don't understand? Is it one of those things that you can't just explain, it just works?

gimpo2 · Dec 3, 2005

rx7mazda said:
So all the resistor does is force the tach to read 300 rpm's less than you actually are . So how does it make the gear longer, I still don't understand? Is it one of those things that you can't just explain, it just works?

sorry to confuse you. it was just a joke. like those ebay HP chips

rx7mazda · Dec 3, 2005

gimpo2 said:
sorry to confuse you. it was just a joke. like those ebay HP chips

Haha I was about to say, how in the hell can a chip on the tach have anything to do with the gearing of the tranny. It sounded phoney with the whole resistor thing, first thing I thought of was eBay.

Breeegz · Dec 3, 2005

I may be wrong, but I'm under the understanding that the Fifth gear is actually outside the tranny housing (covered by a plastic or metal cover that needs to be removed) I'm also under the understanding that the fifth gear also acts as the reverse gear (A gear drives the fifth gear, changing the direction of 5th gear and lowering the combined gear ratio, with enough torque to drive the car from a stop)

My question is, if it does indeed affect reverse, how much will it affect reverse?

oh yeah.. subbing for info.. I'm pretty interested in this... if anyone has already done this, I'd like to know what you think of it.

Mental Addiction · Dec 3, 2005

This swap is worth it. I have done this setup and IMO it pays for itself. My gas milage on the freeway went up 2mpg.

Pretzellogic · Dec 3, 2005

Subbing for more info.

5th Gear Swap from NSN - Anyone Tried This?

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