Hey all, I rolled the dice on a Japanese engine/transmission pull and I'm very pleased with the result. I put in some urethane mounts, a BHR ignition, a high flow filter, a decat, and it's a whole different car now.

My question is specifically about the gearbox. The throw seems shorter, the stick sits even lower and unless I'm just imagining things the ratios seem a little different. I'm not complaining at all, in fact I think I prefer it.

But I was wondering if there are any design differences between the US and Japan models that might explain the difference in feel.

I'm open to the possibility its all in my head.

 

It's all in your head. Unless you went from a 6 speed manual to a JDM 5 speed manual (which only came on the 4 port engine in Japan and Europe).

 

The fluid was exchanged for a different make also, so there could be a little pressure difference there. It's just that it's a lower mileage gearbox I suppose. Hey, I like it

 

The most likely possibility for the shifter height is that you don't have the PPF aligned properly. There is a spec to measure from the transmission to the frame brace to ensure that it's not sagging (which would drop the shifter height)

 

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/2003mazdarx8/

 

Veeery nice. Good website as well.

 

Doing any work without at least some guidance of the factory service manual is not really recommended.

 

As far as I remember, they are in fact has different ratio. I forgot was it gear 4th or 5th, it's not the same. Even the tranny has a different part number

same thing for S2, different ratio.

engine is the same, however.

 

Hmm. Interesting. Cruising on my old USA transmission I would get that signature gearbox noise in 5th. On the Japanese transmission the exact same noise has moved to 6th.

Besides this, I do feel that there is significantly more torque working up from a stop and that the shift points have moved by a fraction. I'm relatively ignorant though, so this is still in the realm of perception for me.

 

It goes ズウムズウム instead of ZoomZoom

 

冗談ですか？ haha

 

The gearboxes are identical except for third gear which is a taller gear on the S1 JDM spec. 6 speed box than the US spec.

 

I heard the JDM 5 speeds are stronger than the 6 speed is this true?

 

the 5 Speed box is basically a RX7 FD3S box with a different bell housing.

in a sense, yes it's stronger, but 7's 5th gear has its own issue as well.

 

I thought it was the tail section that was different.

 

LOL...you are both correct...it is both

The FD has a pull type clutch..the RX-8 has a push type like the FC

The bellhousing on the 5 speed is much like the FC....and the tailshaft is different to both of the RX-7 trannys. It is beefier than the RX-7 unit and designed to mount up to the RX-8 PPF

 

I actually knew that at some point. Can someone make a damn sticky already so I don't have to keep remembering ****,

 

多分ね…