Gearing Up for the Future
As of right now, I am running a y8 mainshaft (1-2) with mfactory 3/5 gears with a cable dx/si 3rd as my 4th with a y8 final drive.

1st - 3.250
2nd - 1.909
3rd - 1.565
4th - 1.259
5th - 1.000
fin - 4.250

I will be doing a boost build sometime next year; when the engine is removed. I will change to a dx/lx final of 4.058 to increase my top speed. However, in doing this I will try to switch to a zc mainshaft with the ~1.8% shorter 2nd gear. It's almost not even worth the time to swap 2nd gears. However since I already have the parts to do so, I will attempt it. I have heard that Bisi has done this using two 3mm shims on each shaft. Also, out of nowhere, an Aaron Hillman emailed me saying that he is sucessfully running ALL of his cable D guts in his hydro transmission. He said that he's using the cable fork assembly with the cable mainshaft and countershaft with two shims. One directly under the mainshaft ball bearing, with the other directly below both of the countershaft bearings.



Doing this will open up a few extra doors...
The 88-91 cable transmission has a few more gearing options that weren't available for the 92-00 hydraulic transmissions. Below listed is the unique cable components that aren't EASILY swappable.
2.95 final drive (crx hf)
3.88 final drive (dx and zc)
4.43 final drive (integra zxi)

1.650 2nd gear (crx hf)
1.894 2nd gear (dx/si)
1.944 2nd gear (dohc zc)

Main thing to note is the 3.888 final and the 4.4375

in doing this I am going to build the absolute shortest ratio D trans that can possibly be made with all OEM parts.
1st = 3.250
2nd = 1.944
3rd = 1.346
4th = 1.066
5th = 0.878
fnl = 4.437

1st -> 2nd = 0.598
2nd -> 3rd = 0.692
3rd -> 4th = 0.792
4th -> 5th = 0.824

Please note. Although there is the option of using the dx 1.172 3rd as a 4th gear. This is more 'geared' heh, for quarter mile acceleration whereas this transmission is more optimized for 'road racing.'

It's kind of odd. I don't really have a need for this transmission. I don't know why I feel so inclined to build it. I might keep it for a while, but I will probably end up selling it.

Aside from that nonsense. I have been doing some further calculating. I decided to take a break from buying crappy busted D transmissions to elevate myself to pimp status with my new calculator.




you all will be pleased to know that all of the calculations on this page have been done withing nothing other than a Casio DBC610.


In my close ratio transmission with a near 80% drop in all gears, the 1st to 2nd shift is still the same as it was from the factory :( This is ultra annoying. The solution would be to have a taller 1st gear that brought me further into 2nd gear once I shift. With observing the rpm drops of the aftermarket close ratio gears, they all seem to shoot for the same 18%-22% reduction in rpms as gears increase. This 'ideal' number is the same for pretty much all the 2-3-4-5 gears. However, most of the close ratio kits that come with a closer 1-2 all seem to have about a 30% drop from 1st to 2nd. This is because the gearing is so high in first gear, that the ratio of rpm per 1mph (like 25.0 to 25.9999999999) is much greater than it is for say 5th gear. Basically, a 20% drop from 1st to 2nd would feel "too close."



So that leaves me to the next step. Since I would be using a 1.944 2nd gear from the older jdm trans, I take 1.944 and divided by 0.7 (1 - 0.3 = 0.7 0.3 coming from 30%) and it leaves me with 2.7771, So I figure 2.75 will do fine. Also, a 2.75 ratio can be made with (33/12) which I know would be possible tooth count because that's close to what honda chose (3.25 = 39/12)

So this would leave me with the following ratios
1st - 2.750
2nd - 1.944
3rd - 1.565
4th - 1.259
5th - 1.000
final - 2.954, 3.25, 3.722, 3.888, 4.058, 4.25, 4.4375

That's right. By slightly shimming the cable countershaft, I would be able to run any of the additional ratios that are cable exclusive (2.954, 3.888, 4.4375) That leaves me to the next step. The holy grail of honda transaxles would definitely be the new japan model of the new (dc5) integra type R. This transmission is a 6speed and it can only be fitted to the k-series engines. K-series is what ever honduh riceboy dreams about, so naturally the cost of one of these drivetrains is through the roof. It is considered ideal to put one of these powerplants with the sacred 6speed close-ratio LSD transmissions in an older civic (1988-2000) due to the significant weight difference. (these old civics are very LIGHTWEIGHT compared to the newer ones). In doing this, these civics have an smaller overall tire diameter than the newer civics/integras, so you gain a gearing advantage as well as a weight advantage. And while you're at it, you might as well upgrade your final drive to the OEM, off the shelf japanese final drive of 5.062 that is found in the JDM CRV. In changing to this final drive, as well as changing the chassis of the drivetrain. It is considered to be the absolute most ideal setup ever in my opinion. Chad who dominates on the roadcourses in his K-swapped 2000 civic is running this setup. I spoke with him and he practically swears by these gears. Here are the ratios below.


jdm k20a ideal trans
1st - 3.266
2nd - 2.130
3rd - 1.517
4th - 1.212
5th - 0.972
6th - 0.78 (dc5 itr)
alt fin - 5.062

In doing this, I'm going to multipy each gear by the final drive ratio to get the overall gearing reductions
1st = 3.266 * 5.062 = 16.532492
2nd = 2.130 * 5.062 = 10.78206
3rd = 1.517 * 5.062 = 7.679054
4th = 1.212 * 5.062 = 6.135144
5th = 0.972 * 5.062 = 4.920264
6th = 0.780 * 5.062 = 3.94836

if you look at the first gear ratio, 16.53 it's a very high number. With the numerically higher final drive and the smaller diameter tires, 1st gear almost becomes useless because it's so short. I think back about the 92-95 civic cx and vx transmission, it uses a 3.25 first gear as well as a 3.25 final drive. Multiply the two and we get (3.25 * 3.25 = 10.5625) If you compare this number to the 10.78206 that's found for the above "ideal" transmission's 2nd gear, you will see that ideal transmission's 2nd gear is actually in fact shorter (numerically higher) than the 1st gear on the cx/vx transmission! Considering that the cx and the vx both had less than 100hp (cx at 70 and vx at 92) I consider that the ideal transmission's 2nd gear can be used as 1st. Also, I have heard about a few race teams playing with the new 2006 civic si on the drag strip. They conclude that they were significantly faster when they started off in 2nd gear instead of 1st. And this is with taller tires and a longer (numerically lower) 4.764 final drive! So with that concrete proof, I say that in the modified 'holy grail ideal' transmission, 1st gear is rendered useless 90% of the time. So the extra gear in the 6speed isn't actually worth it. It's just that in the 5speeds, 1st gear is too short.

In comparing my custom gear ratios for my 5speed transmission, along with the custom 2.75:1 first gear. I figured that with a taller 3.888 final drive from the 1989-1991 cable dx transmissions that could be used (with my countershaft shimming modification) in a newer 1992-2000 hydraulic "D" transmission. Ah, nothing like "off the shelf" cheap, readily available final drives. Anyways, with the taller 1st gear, a "taller" (numerically lower) final drive of 3.88 would work well. I then compared the ratios...Here's the overall gear ratio after multiplying the final gear by each individual gear.

Bense's custom D trans VS holy grail 2-6 gears
1st = 2.750 * 3.888 = (10.692) (10.78206)
2nd = 1.944 * 3.888 = (7.558272) (7.679054)
3rd = 1.565 * 3.888 = (6.08472) (6.135144)
4th = 1.259 * 3.888 = (4.894992) (4.920264)
5th = 1.000 * 3.888 = (3.888) (3.94836)

The numbers are so similar here. infact, I think mine might actually be a little bit better!

Link to the fatboyraceworks page with ratios plugged in
1st gear is entered twice for easier overlay comparison.

remember, we have 2.954, 3.722, 3.888, 4.058, 4.25, 4.437 OEM final drives available
as well as aftermarket 4.53, 4.73, 4.928 to use from.


muahahahha (:



I have been looking around. However nobody has made such a piece. I have tried Mfactory, ATS, Gearspeed, Jamie @houseman. Which btw jamie SUCKS at replying to emails. I've yet to get a response. "Another company" actually advised against going with Jamie because he had such poor customer service. On the flipside. I'm sure that he's just a middleman. I figure that he takes the components measures them, and sends them to the facility where they can properly machine the unit to his specs. So I figure, well if nobody else is gonna do it, who's to say that I can't? Oh well, I'd rather do it myself. Good thing I'm back in school this semester. I can't wait to get out of this boring crap and into the more technical stuff that is more "geared" :P towards me. I guess I could say that it's something that I want to accomplish one day. Learn how to calculate the measurments and send stuff off to the machine shop to have them create it and then put it to good use. Everyones gotta aspire towards something; I guess this is my calling.

Now that I've said that I want to tell you about the OTHER idea that I've been thinking about.. Just kidding. I'll save that for another day ;)