shifting mechanism and research update

UPDATE:

i had to use ford focus shifter mechanism and shifter cable

mazda3 1st, 3rd, 5th gear => "push" mechanism
mazda3 2nd, 4th, reverse => "pull" mechanism

but for ford focus is the other way around....

MTX75 gearbox with ford focus shifter... it will be 1-3-5 push in.... but MTX75 gearbox with mazda3 shifter will be 1-3-5 pull in...

REASON:

Ford focus shifter -> the 'shift' point is under the center pivot ball

so when you push the stick forward... everything under the center pivot ball move backward... so the shift point actually pulling the cable to enter 1st gear....

and the MAZDA3 shifter -> the 'shift' point is above the center pivot ball.... so when you push the stick forward.... the 'shift' point which is above the center pivot point also move forward....


so if i use mazda3 shifter on ford MTX75 gearbox, i will get this pattern:
2 4 R
| | |
+-+-+
| | |
1 3 5

lol its kinda cool but its gonna be hard to get used to....


probably its best to explain it with this pics....






so i have to use ford focus shifter.... and im searching for it atm....

gear ratio comparison

i got this Gear Ratio Calculator from QUAIFE and calculated the stock Mazda3 gearbox and the stock Ford Focus gearbox... the comparison is based on my 18 daily driven wheel and 7000rpm shift point....


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gearbox:- G35M-R (mazda3)
Tyre:- 225/40/18
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st - 3.307
2nd - 1.842
3rd - 1.310
4th - 0.970
5th - 0.755
Reverse - 3.166
Final drive - 4.388
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top Gear gives 36.254 KPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 253.779 KPH at 7000 RPM

Engine speeds in top gear:-
40 KPH = 1103 RPM 50 KPH = 1379 KPM 60 KPH = 1655 RPM 80 KPH = 2207 RPM
100 KPH = 2758 RPM 110 KPH = 3034 RPM 130 KPH = 3586 RPM 160 KPH = 4413 RPM

Top Speed in 1 gear = 57.939 KPH
And changes into 2 gear at 3899 RPM dropping 3101 RPM
Top Speed in 2 gear = 104.019 KPH
And changes into 3 gear at 4978 RPM dropping 2022 RPM
Top Speed in 3 gear = 146.262 KPH
And changes into 4 gear at 5183 RPM dropping 1817 RPM
Top Speed in 4 gear = 197.529 KPH
And changes into 5 gear at 5448 RPM dropping 1552 RPM
Top Speed in 5 gear = 253.779 KPH
******************************************************************************************




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gearbox:- MTX75 (ford focus)
Tyre:- 225/40/18
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st: 3.42
2nd: 2.14
3rd: 1.43
4th: 1.03
5th: 0.77
Final Drive: 4.06
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top Gear gives 38.570 KPH/1000 RPM and a top speed of 269.991 KPH at 7000 RPM

Engine speeds in top gear:-
40 KPH = 1037 RPM 50 KPH = 1296 KPM 60 KPH = 1556 RPM 80 KPH = 2074 RPM
100 KPH = 2593 RPM 110 KPH = 2852 RPM 130 KPH = 3370 RPM 160 KPH = 4148 RPM

Top Speed in 1 gear = 60.604 KPH
And changes into 2 gear at 4376 RPM dropping 2624 RPM
Top Speed in 2 gear = 96.949 KPH
And changes into 3 gear at 4745 RPM dropping 2255 RPM
Top Speed in 3 gear = 143.013 KPH
And changes into 4 gear at 4970 RPM dropping 2030 RPM
Top Speed in 4 gear = 201.442 KPH
And changes into 5 gear at 5223 RPM dropping 1777 RPM
Top Speed in 5 gear = 269.991 KPH
******************************************************************************************


atm the MTX75 is shorter ratio, which what i want, but the final drive is too low.... which make the top speed too high....

i dont really need top speed. this is why i need to upgrade the final drive on the MTX75 from 4.06 to 4.6.... i will loose the top speed but gain more acceleration....

cost breakdown

the reason i choose ford gearbox (MTX75) over mazda3s (G35M) are because of this comparison.... (all prices are rough conversion using www.xe.com)

ford focus MTX75:
-------------------------------------------------
$750AUD - secondhand, comes with clutch, flywheel, ribcaging, 2 shaft, bigger center inputshaft.
$940AUD - QUAIFE LSD 1.5way
$990AUD - 4.62 QUAIFE final drive
$330AUD - 2 custom poly mounts (under battery and rear mount)
$400AUD - custom driveshaft (probably billet)
$150AUD - nitride treatment
$800AUD - clutch and flywheel
$200AUD - gear adapter plate custom made by CNC
---------------------
$4560AUD total stronger gearbox, more options and cheaper aftermarket support, shorter gear ratio


Mazda3 G35M:
--------------------------------------------------
$2000AUD - secondhand, gearbox only, smoother and well spaced gearing (except for 3rd gear), no ribcaging, and smaller input shaft
$1810AUD - QUAIFE LSD 1.5way
$1500AUD - KAAZ custom 4.58 final drive
$200AUD - 1 custom poly mount (i only need to custom the under battery)
$250AUD - driveshaft replacement
$150AUD - nitride treatment
-----------------------
$5910AUD total and i still need to spend extra $$$ to strengthen the gearbox which is still dont know how....


also MTX75 is being used on Mazda3 in Group N rally by Burmeister Rallysport, on drag race mazda3 by GoldenEagle, also being used on mazda6 touring car by tri-point engineering. altough the main reason they choose mtx75 is because of the aftermarket support...

im just hoping if i can successfuly do this conversion, it will be a good options and solutions for other mazda3 modifier...


NB: i dont have to do the LSD, and final drive.... but since im gonna open my gearbox, i thought mind as well...

gearbox alt research...

UPDATE:

1. pressure plate on mazda3 has mazda part number and ford part number but on the ford focus pressure plate, its only has ford part number. so mazda3 press plate is fine to be fitted on ford flywheel... but not the otherway around...

2. ford flywheel and mazda3's flywheel are almost the same but not identical. ford have different side gear pattern which mean if im gonna use ford focus flywheel, i will have to use ford starter motors...

3. after looking at the bell housing bolt pattern... MTX75 and G35M has 4 bolts which has the same position but the others are different... so i will have to get a 1cm thick adapter plate to be cut by CNC and put it in between the engine and the ford bell housing....

4. the input shaft of the mazda3s and ford focus also different which made our clutch have different center ring (ford MTX75 is 4mm thicker)... the rest of the clutch are the same... so i got 2 options: 1 - swap the center ring (easier option but not the safest one) or 2 use focus's clutch which mean i have to sell my mazdaspeed clutch

i will post some pics when soon

5. the top passenger side mount are the same center shape (where the gearbox bolts up) but different bolt pattern that mount to under battery holder.... this can easily done by either drill new mount holes on the battery holder or make and adapter plate...

6. the rear engine mount is the same position (the one that mount to the chasis) but different holding pattern (the one that hold the gearbox)... i can use focus rear engine mount but i need to modify the holding point on the chassis... (ford focus engine mount are 3.5mm thicker)

i've bought the MTX75 gearbox... and today i just bought the top and rear engine mount for focus and the starter motors from a wrecker....

thats all so far.... will keep u guys updated...

the end of my gearbox... again... :(

ok... to cut the story short... i broke my gearbox last december, fixed it and then blew my gearbox on the drag day.

yes... this is my second time.... few months ago i did 15.4sec and broke my 3rd gear....

this time basically the 2 top engine mounts broke.... and the one under the battery snapped.... must've been after the burnouts.... i didnt realise... then after that, when i launched, the gearbox just pop on the second gear... no internal gear was broken, but the cage is cracked open and i guess the engine on angle give stress to the gearbox and driveshaft which appearently also snapped....

damage report: gearbox have hole, drive shaft snapped, 1 engine mount snapped, 2 others engine mount broken, fan shroud broken / get hit by the engine, selector link snapped... thats all i can find atm.... hopefully no more...

after doing some research, the closest design to mazda3 gearbox (G35M-R) is the MTX-75 gearbox from ford focus.... i bought the australian version... with 4.06 final drive... planning to put KAAZ or QUAIFE LSD in it too... ford MTX75 has Rib cage and stronger built... but the mazda3's gear ratio is better.... (but ford MTX75 can be easily upgraded to QUAIFE gear set)

i'll convert to MTX75 (ford focus gearbox) and hopefully it will hold better... maybe its not mazda3's gearbox fault.... its me who probably cant drive properly...

i'm starting the conversion next month... in the mean time, im just gathering info and inputs... please give me as much info as possible and please let me know if you have any suggestions or other possibilities... and i'll keep you guys imformed...




if you look at the pic... the mount that snapped are not the rear one... but the big top left mount under the battery holder....



appearently that top left engine mount snapped then drop the engine on angle.... and the driveshaft also on angle... and then pressure build to the gearbox then BOOM!

i started researching abit last night.... the bolt pattern are not the same.... and the MTX75 are bigger than the G35M-R.... but the MTX75 built are more solid with rib caging....

i need to custom the driveshaft... i probably had to make billet one... and custom the engine mount too...

i've got the gearbox + flywheel + clutch + 4.06 final drive ratio for $750AUD (secondhand from a local junkyard) thats cheaper than $2000AUD secondhand mazda3 gearbox.... so i have to make this conversion work...

also the LSD for MTX75 is alot cheaper than the LSD for mazda G35M-R...