I'm doing a B20 swap in the next couple weeks, and trans gearing has risen to the top as an issue I need to figure out. The car is extremely mild compared to the rides here, and will be daily driven about 600 miles a week for work. So, naturally I figured I'd drop an LS 5th gear into my S1 for nice mellow crusing. However, I still like to goto the track here and there which makes for a problem trying to race the S1 trans on a low revving B20.

4th gear hits at 85mph turning 6500 rpm. That's my pre-planned shift point for the b20, which just won't work at the strip as I'll easily be breaking 85mph traps. Shifting to an LS 5th gear just doesn't seem plausible at all, as the rpm drop will be rather severe. So now I'm at a crossroads. Should I just swap an LS trans in complete, or should I just plan to rev over my powerband to 7k or so and rap out 4th gear? Doing the latter seems effective, but appears would really limit an future potential.

However, I've heard overall acceleration suffers with the LS trans, which is why I wanted to pop an LS 5th in my S1 and have the best of both worlds. But with the lower rpm I'll be turning it just doesn't seem to work.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated, thanks.

imo, throw some cams in that b20 to get it to make power higher up in the rpm range. (or put on an oem vtec head) this will also give you a much larger "power band"

shifting it at 6500 is a lame idea. the car will just start making somewhat decent power, then you shift and drop way out of your power band.

another option you can try is putting a taller tire on it, if its making enough power for them.

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Maybe if you do plan on using a vtec head later on down the road just hold of on the cams until then and save your money.

As for the gearing issue, I would use a gsr completely stock kor if you want a taller 5th gear replace it with the ls. I had a b16 with a ls 5th that we put into my friends turbo hatch and it just sucked balls. I was running out of gear at the top end.

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Quote, originally posted by DaveF »

did i hear a request ? "small fry" imo, throw some cams in that b20 to get it to make power higher up in the rpm range. (or put on an oem vtec head) this will also give you a much larger "power band" shifting it at 6500 is a lame idea. the car will just start making somewhat decent power, then you shift and drop way out of your power band. another option you can try is putting a taller tire on it, if its making enough power for them.

Well I have considered going with some cams later on down the line, but the main idea of goin this route is mellow cruiser, with some nastyness on the side when needed.

I'm played out on the VTEC... I think. However, I might just find out that I miss it once it's gone. Also, I'm goin to be putting some serious miles on this mill. Estimating 45k a year or so once my job has me driving it everyday, and I just don't trust a CRVtec to be totally reliable from what I've read, on top of meeting the mellow requirement.

Shifting at 6500 seemed prudent to me. The stock(bolt-ons) b20 dynos I've looked at drop off about there. So really no reason to to take it there when you're not making the power.

I have considered the taller tire idea, well atleast OD. As I do have some nicer 18's laying around that I've considered slapping some rubber on for just that purpose.

Quote, originally posted by rip94delsol »

Just as Dave said I would do the vtec conversion. you will a larger power band. If doing a vtec conversion is too much at the moment just put in some cams to go well with your setup. Maybe if you do plan on using a vtec head later on down the road just hold of on the cams until then and save your money. As for the gearing issue, I would use a gsr completely stock kor if you want a taller 5th gear replace it with the ls. I had a b16 with a ls 5th that we put into my friends turbo hatch and it just sucked balls. I was running out of gear at the top end.

Well, it turns out I'm going to give the LS 5th a try. Some nice man in a uniform knocked on my door today and handed me a box with LS 5th main and counter gears inside.

Yall are way too fast for me in here, . In a way when I think about it I'm almost trying to go slow. I'm just trying to balance the desire for a work cruiser without sacrificing anyting at the strip except for the possibility of future potential.

I'll check out the gearing on the gsr, but I really don't want to mess with hydro, although that could be a future project I guess. For now though I think I just give the LS 5th a try, and possibly give the 18's a whirl.

I'm probably ignorantly optimistic to be able to use 1st-4th at the strip and 3rd and 5th around town and highway cruising.

Set me straight if I'm off my rocker, please.

Also, any thoughts about using 18's for the strip? I'd think ET's would improve along with 60's, but trap would suffer yes?