Looking for all EVO 8, 9 people with 6 speed still.
Is it just me or is most of this hearsay about the torque? I have never read about a 6 speed breaking from torque. With as many 9 MRs that were produced, the failure rate seems to be much lower than everyone is suggesting.
EvoM Guru
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From: Tri-Cities, WA // Portland, OR
It seems to be a combination of heat and torque. Even near-stock power levels will kill it if its tracked regularly without any additional trans cooling. However, there seem to be a number of people who have kept the trans together at 500+ whp/400+ ft-lbs when street driven.
what fluids are you guys running? recently switched from amsoil mt90 to redline mt85 - shifts better, but I'm only running 300whp, and only autox so I don't really have any concerns about breaking anything...
It seems to be a combination of heat and torque. Even near-stock power levels will kill it if its tracked regularly without any additional trans cooling. However, there seem to be a number of people who have kept the trans together at 500+ whp/400+ ft-lbs when street driven.
OEM fluid for myself and all the other 6 speeds I've pushed into the 500/400 range in the past. I however have not autox since switching off stock turbo e85.
So i haven't updated this in awhile! I know i posted before that last year i was going to go with a TRE 6 speed trans over the winter but i decided to see when mine would break.
I also picked up a spare 6 speed, hoping it was in better condition than my current, but come to find out that the used (supposedly 55k miles, never beat on) trans has a 4th gear grind, that is pretty bad, but still goes into gear. And after all the work of installing it, i left it in.
Now for the first 10k miles with this newer/used trans, i ran AMSOIL mtg 75w90, and it ran just like the old trans, plus a 4th gear grind. Now as of last month, i changed all my fluids but decided to run Motul 300 75w90 (not to be confused with "Motul 300LS"), and WOW what a difference. I still had the 4th grind here and there but not nearly as bad as it was with AMSOIL. and the more i drive it, the better it seems to get.
Just to refresh everyone on my build, I'm making 470whp and over 400wtq with an FP Red, built motor revving to 8.5k, and an Exedy twin disk to hold it all. A few days after the fluid change i went to the drag strip and ran 3 passes. My best of 12.08 at 115, (i know i can't drive lol) but i still beat this trans pretty hard, my best 60' was 1.7.
I will try and continue to update with my findings with this trans as much as possible! but for daily driver and a few launches, i doubt a Trans cooler is required, i don't think you need one for drag racing either. But i HIGHLY recommend "Motul 300 75w90" fluid for the 6 speed MR trans. I plan on running this trans into the ground. Between trying for low 11 second passes at the strip to 200 miles a week daily driving. We'll see where it goes!
I also picked up a spare 6 speed, hoping it was in better condition than my current, but come to find out that the used (supposedly 55k miles, never beat on) trans has a 4th gear grind, that is pretty bad, but still goes into gear. And after all the work of installing it, i left it in.
Now for the first 10k miles with this newer/used trans, i ran AMSOIL mtg 75w90, and it ran just like the old trans, plus a 4th gear grind. Now as of last month, i changed all my fluids but decided to run Motul 300 75w90 (not to be confused with "Motul 300LS"), and WOW what a difference. I still had the 4th grind here and there but not nearly as bad as it was with AMSOIL. and the more i drive it, the better it seems to get.
Just to refresh everyone on my build, I'm making 470whp and over 400wtq with an FP Red, built motor revving to 8.5k, and an Exedy twin disk to hold it all. A few days after the fluid change i went to the drag strip and ran 3 passes. My best of 12.08 at 115, (i know i can't drive lol) but i still beat this trans pretty hard, my best 60' was 1.7.
I will try and continue to update with my findings with this trans as much as possible! but for daily driver and a few launches, i doubt a Trans cooler is required, i don't think you need one for drag racing either. But i HIGHLY recommend "Motul 300 75w90" fluid for the 6 speed MR trans. I plan on running this trans into the ground. Between trying for low 11 second passes at the strip to 200 miles a week daily driving. We'll see where it goes!
Also, i sold my FP red setup, to go forward facing with a xona rotor 7164. I plan on making 650-700 dynojet hp, and id like to run a 10 with the spare stock 6 speed that is in my car and With the Motul 300 fluid in it. Im thinking i can ride out 4th long enough past redline so i don't have shift 5th and lose time. so 10's or bust for this season! (bust my transmission that is)
EvoM Guru
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Tri-Cities, WA // Portland, OR
if you read a few pages earlier, i have a log of my whole 6 speed experience. but i have a few thousand miles on the used 6 speed i bought as a spare now. It had a 4th gear grind with the AMSoil and OEM fluid. Once i change to Motul 300. it was night and day. best fluid over ran thus far. (and don't ever use pennzoil synchromesh.
No issues so far. I don't daily the car, so I'm not bearing on it 24/7. Even if I do drive it around town, I don't drive it Ricky Racer style.
So maybe I'm not as hard on mine as other people?
When it breaks, I'll rebuild or replace. I'm spoiled and don't want the 5spd. LOL
I just want to comment that good synchro performance doesn't necessarily correlate with good lubricity because synchros need some friction to work properly while the gear teeth need a good film strength. However, a consistent grind will only get worse, so good that you got rid of it.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
From: Sydney
Running 265 hp and broke fork on the bell housing on my evo 8 6spd.
Since then installed another used 6spd and now running 305 hp and so far so good.
Install new excedy sports organic and using Castrol vmx oil
Since then installed another used 6spd and now running 305 hp and so far so good.
Install new excedy sports organic and using Castrol vmx oil
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: California
I didn't read all the posts in this thread, but it's really just 4th gear that is weak in the 6 speed simply due to it's smaller size to fit in the same packaging.
Also, what I'm not so sure if it's been mentioned, you are more likely to break it by being lazy and accelerating in 4th. You should always change down. Acceleration in 4th from low rpm is loading up that gear the most.
Also, what I'm not so sure if it's been mentioned, you are more likely to break it by being lazy and accelerating in 4th. You should always change down. Acceleration in 4th from low rpm is loading up that gear the most.
I remember reading somewhere, with pictures of both gears and I don't think they were actually different in width or atleast very little difference, as a millimeter or 2. I always believed that the 6's just don't like heat or abuse for long periods of time at circuit tracks. Mine has always done well with frequent fluid changes. And that is with 2 different trans. And the second having a grind in 4th. (