5 sp. Versus 6 sp. Question?

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9 August 2006
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69
Location
Oconomowoc, WI
In my quest for a car I talked to many people, one of them being an acknowledged NSX expert. His name is sometimes mentioned on the forum. One of his suggestions was to look at the 5 sp. cars seriously. He commented that the 5 sp. is a stronger box. He also said the gating on the 6 sp. trans. is narrower leading to missed shifts. In fact, the day I talked to him they had a car in that was being repaired due to a missed downshift, over-revving, and internal engine damage. On the other hand, one of the recommendations I often see for the earlier 5 sp. cars, to boost performance, is upgrading to the 6 sp. tranny. Please help me resolve.
 
This gentleman did a couple things;

Bob Butler has done the math. Here are his results for 1/4 mile times:

Stock '91 NSX with no gearing changes: 13.67 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with 4.235 R&P: 13.57 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with 4.55 R&P: 13.43 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with short gears: 13.56 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with six-speed: 13.56 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with mods adding 15 horsepower: 13.35 seconds
Stock '91 NSX with 100 pounds weight reduction: 13.51 seconds
 
Gramps said:
In my quest for a car I talked to many people, one of them being an acknowledged NSX expert. His name is sometimes mentioned on the forum. One of his suggestions was to look at the 5 sp. cars seriously. He commented that the 5 sp. is a stronger box. He also said the gating on the 6 sp. trans. is narrower leading to missed shifts. In fact, the day I talked to him they had a car in that was being repaired due to a missed downshift, over-revving, and internal engine damage. On the other hand, one of the recommendations I often see for the earlier 5 sp. cars, to boost performance, is upgrading to the 6 sp. tranny. Please help me resolve.
Any transmission can be mis-shifted if the driver isn't paying attention. I don't think the NSX six-speed is any more susceptible to this than the NSX five-speed. You just have to be careful and know what you're doing when shifting.

What may be a bigger disadvantage is the cost of clutch replacements, $2000-2500 for the five-speed and $3200-4000 for the six-speed.

I think that the six-speed is a nice transmission. I just don't think the difference between it and the five-speed is all that significant, and it's not worth spending a lot of money to swap them, IMHO.

If you want to spend more money for better performance, then get a '97-05, which has 20 more horsepower to go with the six-speed. The '95-96 NSX-T (with the removable roof panel) generally costs $5-8K more than an otherwise similar '91-94 NSX Coupe, and the '97-05 NSX-T (with the bigger engine and six-speed) generally costs $6-10K more than an otherwise similar '95-96. It's up to you whether or not to spend more for these features, or to save money with an earlier model.
 
I agree with nsxtasy. Go for 97+ if you want a 6sp. As a rule of thumb, I recommend you always select a transmission with more speeds than the sum of the letter "o" from the city you live in:smile:

Shaun
 
Well, I wouldn't reduce my decision to the question if it's a 5 or 6-speed. There are much other factors to have an eye on. But a 5-speed with the shorties should be more expensive than a normal one because it's much more fun to drive with. :)
 
|Adeel said:
3200-4000 USD only for a stock clutch for 1997+ NSX's?

That includes labor. :smile:

On another note, you don't have to get a 6sp clutch if you swap it into 5sp car. You can get the Honda NA2 NSX-R Input Shaft ($324 from SOS) and it allows you to use a 91-96 clutch w/ a 6-speed transmission.
 
Ive been reasearching this plenty the 6-speed is just not worth upgrading

6-speed upgrade = $5-7k installed = .1sec gain = resale value + $1-2k
I/H/E/Chip/throttle = $3k DIY = .4-.6sec gain = resale value + $1-2K
CTSC = $9-10k installed = 1.5+ sec gain = resale value + $5-6k

If you have the money and affordability is not a question the 6-speed would not even be a consideration knowing that a CSTC may even be found used (rare but possible) if you wait around wich could cost 5-6k plus installation = 6-7K installed for unparalled power. And myths that you MUST change the I/H/E/ and so on before a CTSC is not true thats why HONDA guarannteed it from the start. But if possible change the headers and remove the muffler completly Ive owned or driven plenty of FI cars without mufflers (keeping cats of course) all FI cars such as my previous M3 my buds SC 911 and my buddys modded Lotus Esprit (SexyNSX on prime) everyone agrees, keep the cats and slap on some cheap straight pipes (resonators optional) or even hollow out your stock muffler but then you better have a hook up on emissions. I dont recomend this for NA engine though just for FI. IT SOUNDS AMAZING and with resonators not much louder than a exhaust. Cost of staight pipes at your shady exhaust place = $200-300. :wink:
And also performance wise the 6-speed benifits would also be beat by getting a SOS coil over suspension for around $2k installed and it does actually improve your quater by probably the same .1sec or so (better grip beacause of lowerd center of gravity, less body roll and loss of traction between shifts due to less jumpy suspension) Not to mention a 9lbs weight reduction.
Another mod that out weighs the 6-speed is a light wieght flywheel about $400-600 free install with your next clutch change or add $1k instalation. 10lbs weight reduction. Gain estimated +.1-.2sec acceleration best bang for the buck. Especialy on the road/track.

Anyone agree/disagree?
Patricio
 
Quit looking at the performance aspect as 1/4 mile gains in tenths of a second. I did a 5/6spd swap and couldn't be happier. I track my car and the track that I run always saw me at the top of VTEC in 2/3 gears and not carrying as much speed through some of the corners as I would like do to them being close together and multiple shifting.

With the 6spd I am able to be lower in VTEC while still pulling hard and shift as often or less. I carry more speed through the corners and have quicker lap times.

THAT speaks volumes vs. useless 1/4 mile times when you aren't driving a 1/4 mile car IMO.

Tim
 
1/4 mile times are the absolute best way of estimating the acceleration capabilities of a car if you can come up with a simpler way than go ahead.
1/4 mile times correspond to acceleration and therefore are very useful in comparing cost vs gain. For someone to exclude 1/4 test gains is ignorance. Such gains will apply on a track for you to compare a car in stock fashion with ($5k mod) 6-speed vs. a car with ($3k mods) I/H/E/chip. Im sure the additional 25 Hp in the later will (driver ability not included) smoke a 6-speed upgrade. On any track.

I test drove a 94 with the six speed 2 weeks ago and it does feel somoother at the hand because it newer. but thats the only noticable diffrence.
Besides the torque at 4500rpm vs 5300rpm is the same it just feels faster because of vtec. The actual HP diffrence is only 15hp for a split second. not enough to make a diffrence.

I wouldent be surprised if there is more benefit on the track from a lightwight flywheel than a 6-speed upgrade.

Now if your transmission goes in the future than it would make sence to consider a 6-speed of course but what im trying to compare is that there would be no reason to replace a perfectly good 5-spd for a 6-spd for performance perposes on the track. There are many better options.
 
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