speed 3 tranny in 3s hatch?

[stillcantswim]

I am simply looking to cruise on highway at a lower rpm. Just wondering if it's possible and how much modification if any would be needed.

 

[BrianM3GS]

I have no idea if it is a straightforward swap, in part because I don't know how differently the engines mount to the transmissions.

I assume that this 3s has the five-speed manual transmission. Model variants are different in the U.S. and Canada, and there is no year given, so it's not clear.
Is the gearing actually higher in the 6-speed Mazdaspeed3 transmission than the stock transmission? The extra gear often just means smaller steps between gears, rather than an additional taller top gear.

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

Speed3 trans is quite different and would involve swapping alot more then just the trans.

You can use a later model mazda3 6 speed trans though. Those are pretty much a direct swap. But you will need the 6 speed cables, and shifter assembly also. Everything else is a direct swap.

 

[BrianM3GS]

You can use a later model mazda3 6 speed trans though. Those are pretty much a direct swap. But you will need the 6 speed cables, and shifter assembly also. Everything else is a direct swap.

I assume that this means using the Skyactiv-MT 6-speed found in 2012 and up Mazda3 with the Skyactiv-G 2.0 engine (such as my 2012 GS-Sky), and in all 2014-2015 manual transmission Mazda3 variants. It's interesting that this is a direct swap, since the engine is different (no longer the MZR) - they must have used the MZR's bellhousing pattern on the new engine. Reduced size and weight were prime targets of the Skyactiv-MT design, so I guess I'm not surprised that this 6-speed fits in the space vacated by the previous 5-speed.

Does anyone have sources of gear ratios - both transmission and final drive - for both stillcantswim's 5-speed and the Skyactiv-MT 6-speed?

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

It was more specific to the older 3's. Donor trans would be the 2010+ 3S 6 speed.

 

[BrianM3GS]

It was more specific to the older 3's. Donor trans would be the 2010+ 3S 6 speed.

Ah, that makes sense. I had not heard of that transmission in Canada - the second generation (model years 2009-2013) Mazdaspeed3 came with a 6-speed, but I thought that the other levels (GX, GS, GT) came only with a 5-speed, until the SkyActiv version. Maybe the 6-speed came with the 2.5L engine in the GT, which might correspond to the "s" version elsewhere.

 

[stillcantswim]

2007 5 speed MT