gen2 to gen1 transmission (gen1 weak 3rd gear tranny problems)

[a_ahmed]

I've been told that another weak aspect of the gen 1 is the 5spd tranny, the 3rd gear. Sure enough when I swapped in the 2.5 which is a bit more torquey it didn't take too long for the third gear to start getting bad. I've been driving 2nd to 4th for quite a long time now.

I've been told the 2nd gen tranny is revised and stronger. Is that correct? Or which tranny were people referring to.

Is it a complete bolt in affair? What should one be looking for?

Not thinking of the mspeed3 6spd tranny

Also are all the 5spd 2004-2009 the same? For example the 2.0 2004-2005, are they the same 5spd?

I'm going to guess clutch and flywheel are good to go same and my short shifter should be bolt in too??

[ryan2.3]

i PM'd you, i've got a second gen transmission if you're interested

[74sickness]

I have a gen 1 but in auto and swapped a gen 2 transmission in and it's a direct bolt up, and us fairly easy to do. Have fun and report back with the final results

[Booter22]

I have a gen 1 but in auto and swapped a gen 2 transmission in and it's a direct bolt up, and us fairly easy to do. Have fun and report back with the final results

but will the gen 2 5speed line up with the 2.5 as it comes with a 6spd stock ( which is total crap)

I would assume your short shifter will work in your car but it wouldn't work in a 2nd gen car. because you are just connecting the cables to the tranny but in the 2nd gen I think the shifter assembly is different and mounts different. would be interesting to know if the clutch and flywheel fit. because there are no alloy flywheels for the 2nd gen or at least I couldn't find any but I do remember coming across one for the 1st gen.

any way keep us posted op

[Kiyomi]

if your gonna do a swap, might as well make it to the speed transmission.

[nepal1344]

The 2.0, 2.3, and 2.5 all have the same transmission bolting pattern and same input shaft for the clutch. I run a 2008 sedan with the 2.5 swap with a gen 2 6spd transmission. A buddy of mine decided not to swap the trans and suck with his 2006 hatch 5spd.

To answer your question about gen 1 differences, to my knowledge yes all gen 1 5spds are the same. The gen 2 5spd is the same as the gen 1 as far as i know but the gen 2 6spd is the stronger one. That is the whole reason i swapped mine. my gen 1 5spd is sitting in my shed.

If you have any questions about fitment or swapping out let me know.

[Booter22]

interesting you say the 6pseed is stronger. in my experience at mazda the 2nd gen 6spd was the pos trans and for some reason kept chewing through either gears or clutches and some of which belonged to very good drivers. one was a friend of mine and he went through two clutches under 100,000km and he has been driving stick for many years. both of which they covered because there was a failure in the flywheel and other internal parts.

a_ahmed
so if I were to advise a tranny the 5sped is the better one to go with. at mazda there was never any issues with them in the first or second gens.

and yes I agree with you the 2.3L engine is a pos. I never said it was good. so I agree with you there. that was the worst motor ever. even the 2.3L turbos in speeds or cx7s were.. meh. they have had good 1.8s 2.0s and 2.5s. but that 2.3... no dice. so If you go with another one either the 2.0 or 2.5 would be the choice. but I would still pick the 5spd over the 6spd anyday.

[a_ahmed]

so other than the tranny being all bolt on.

What about the linkage? I mean if we get the tranny... how will that work with the 5 speed shift linkage vs the gen 2 6 speed linkage?? That's the only concern left to understand now.

[a_ahmed]

nepal1344 74sickness above

[nepal1344]

so other than the tranny being all bolt on.

What about the linkage? I mean if we get the tranny... how will that work with the 5 speed shift linkage vs the gen 2 6 speed linkage?? That's the only concern left to understand now.

use the 5spd shifter an linkage. bolts right on no issues. If you want the proper 6spd experience with the whole push down on the shifter in order to put it in reverse you need a gen1 speed3 shifter assembly but you'll keep the 5spd linkage.

[a_ahmed]

use the 5spd shifter an linkage. bolts right on no issues. If you want the proper 6spd experience with the whole push down on the shifter in order to put it in reverse you need a gen1 speed3 shifter assembly but you'll keep the 5spd linkage.

This is what's confusing me bro, so i just use the 5spd linkage and the shifter will shift in six speeds with the reverse working just fine too??

I'm also not sure what the push down is as I haven't driven a 6spd mazda 3.
nepal1344

[nepal1344]

with the mazda 6spd you have have it in neutral push down on the shifter. It will depress about half inch and then you move the shifter into reverse.

If you take your 5spd and try to move the shifter right from 5th into reverse you cant do it unless you go to neutral first. This is the same type of protection just for the 6 spd. You can not put it into reverse unless you push down in neutral and then go to reverse.

I am still using the standard 5spd shifter so its hard to tell if im in reverse or 1st i have no protection from putting into reverse inadvertently.

[midnightfxgt]

3rd gear isn't weak. My car ran a lot more power than your 2.5L is making, was drove HARD and never had an issue. In fact, the vast majority of boosted first gen owners ran on stock gears with no real issues until approaching the 450+WHP club.... then some would upgrade to the PAR gears.

[Kiyomi]

3rd gear isn't weak. My car ran a lot more power than your 2.5L is making, was drove HARD and never had an issue. In fact, the vast majority of boosted first gen owners ran on stock gears with no real issues until approaching the 450+WHP club.... then some would upgrade to the PAR gears.

theres no way u pushing past 275whp without engine internals on a 2.3l, and i havent seen many who have forged their 2.3 to get 450whp unless your talking speed/transmission. i agree on the transmission, that it could last for a decent amount if it is driven on the street. but driving hard i relate to being tracked, only. Street driving doesnt stress a transmission to its limits. and the only local boosted sedan to ever track and push a gen1 transmission to its limits was Aaron which was an auto and ran mint on 10lbs i believe (about 220whp). I can vouch that the synchros on the 6 spds are garbage and shows alot more when pushed.

[midnightfxgt]

theres no way u pushing past 275whp without engine internals on a 2.3l, and i havent seen many who have forged their 2.3 to get 450whp unless your talking speed/transmission. i agree on the transmission, that it could last for a decent amount if it is driven on the street. but driving hard i relate to being tracked, only. Street driving doesnt stress a transmission to its limits. and the only local boosted sedan to ever track and push a gen1 transmission to its limits was Aaron which was an auto and ran mint on 10lbs i believe (about 220whp). I can vouch that the synchros on the 6 spds are garbage and shows alot more when pushed.
I wasn't past 275WHP. And obviously higher would need internals... that isn't what I am talking about. I am saying the stock 3rd gear is plenty strong enough for a stock ish motor and even hard road use.

This is about 5spd... not the 6spd

[Kiyomi]

I wasn't past 275WHP. And obviously higher would need internals... that isn't what I am talking about. I am saying the stock 3rd gear is plenty strong enough for a stock ish motor and even hard road use.

This is about 5spd... not the 6spd

its about swapping transmissions. and just saying, if your gonna go to the trouble of swapping to the 6spd, should swap in a speed transmission while your at it cause the mz 6speed synchros are garbage from my own experience. or just stick with the 5spd which has shown itself to be fairly reliable

[a_ahmed]

Just an updated as mentioned by a few posts above, you keep the 5spd linkage and it works just fine however going into gears is iffy... going from 3rd to second if i wana heel & toe into a corner its really akward and it's as if you can push it further to the bottom left (due to the reverse in the front left?) so it doesn't feel quite right. Going from 6>4 or 5>4 even feels 'odd' and doesn't pop in easy. The 5spd seems to be easier to shift into and down between all gears.

I am guessing if I get the masdaspeed shifter thingamajig (what's the part number what exactly am i looking for) then that'll make all the gears better gated without the reverse being an oddball in the far top left. I'll be looking into that..