# Changing the Gear Ratios



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Love my 2011 LTZ A/T. My ONLY complaint is the gear ratios.. they are piss poor. The adaptive learning transmission has smoothed the car out quite a bit, but it still has some gear performance problems:
1st Gear: This gear has always been too quick. The adaptive shifting has smoothed it out quite a bit because it used to try to shift into 2nd while making a left turn -_-. The car spends most of its time in 2nd and 3rd gear which is great from a dead stop.

My main problem is highway usage and the 4th, 5th, and 6th gears. My 4th gear is nonexistant now for some reason. I can't merge onto the highway well because 5th is too weak and 3rd is small to where it sputters out and stalls unless I slow down under 30 and shift it down manually into 3rd (from there it takes off like a missle as it should). The 6th gear is wayyyyyy to small. Cruising at 70 MPH requires some 2700 RPMs which is way too high for highway efficiency. Even at 55 MPH its around 2200 RPM, and optimal cruising is somewhere between 1700-2000 RPM. Not only that, I have no passing power when pushing 70 MPH. It tries to shift down to 5th, but since thats too high it stalls and sputters out... 

So yeah, I'm really not looking for a true performance tune type upgrade, but just better gear ratios. I hear you can do them manually but I'd like to know how to change this... help!


----------



## jakkaroo (Feb 12, 2011)

dont feel bad a b16 tranny in a honda 65 your at 4500 rpm right before vtec


----------



## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Love my 2011 LTZ A/T. My ONLY complaint is the gear ratios.. they are piss poor. The adaptive learning transmission has smoothed the car out quite a bit, but it still has some gear performance problems:
> 1st Gear: This gear has always been too quick. The adaptive shifting has smoothed it out quite a bit because it used to try to shift into 2nd while making a left turn -_-. The car spends most of its time in 2nd and 3rd gear which is great from a dead stop.
> 
> My main problem is highway usage and the 4th, 5th, and 6th gears. My 4th gear is nonexistant now for some reason. I can't merge onto the highway well because 5th is too weak and 3rd is small to where it sputters out and stalls unless I slow down under 30 and shift it down manually into 3rd (from there it takes off like a missle as it should). The 6th gear is wayyyyyy to small. Cruising at 70 MPH requires some 2700 RPMs which is way too high for highway efficiency. Even at 55 MPH its around 2200 RPM, and optimal cruising is somewhere between 1700-2000 RPM. Not only that, I have no passing power when pushing 70 MPH. It tries to shift down to 5th, but since thats too high it stalls and sputters out...
> ...


So... Let me get this straight... You know more about how the car is supposed to work than the people who designed it... but... you don't already know how to completely re-design a transmission from the ground up to get new ratios in it?

2700rpm is also pretty low for an automatic transmission with a 1.4L, by the way...

Mike


----------



## Dayhoff35 (Sep 7, 2011)

tune would be best, but dont think there will be different gears released for the cruzes, just not enough demand.


----------



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

No I certainly don't know more about everything than the engineers. I'm just saying from a driver standpoint. Its not as smooth as other cars I've driven from a shifting standpoint which is why I am asking how to change it. I also know that the makers design things a certain way to meet the guidelines and to reach a certain fuel economy rating. I also know that the rating is always on the low end of what is really achievable for any given car. A lot more goes on behind the scenes that we are led to believe but that's really not the point. I want my car to run better and that is that.

The car has no passing power on the highway at 70 mph if I need a bust of accel to pass a truck. That is a legitimate concern for me as a driver so why wouldn't I want a way to improve this??


----------



## tehcor (Mar 30, 2011)

get a tune then? much more of a power curve.


----------



## Dayhoff35 (Sep 7, 2011)

The passing at 70mph is not a gearing issue as much as a power issue. The car was not made to have speed hammering it at 70mph. If you want your car to downshift and have more power then now, get a tune, riding in a tuned cruze that i did last night there was a significant change in higher speed acceleration compared to stock. Or you could just put it in sport mode anddownshift yourself until you pass.


----------



## Quazar (Apr 28, 2011)

Im just confused why the OP didn't know what the gear ratios and the final drive ratio effect would be before he bought the car.


----------



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I had done my research on the car, but not that extensively as to know the ins and outs of the transmission. Was very pressed for time to make a purchase before I left state for my last year of college. The car drove well, and it does drive well, its just a minor nitpick I've noticed after a few long roadtrips. I wasn't suggesting that the thing needs to zip past everything, but when I try to take it past 70 to make a pass it stalls because the transmission tries to downshift to 5th but can't.


----------



## Dayhoff35 (Sep 7, 2011)

I understand, like i said though a tune would fix all your problems, but if you dont wanna go that route maybe just a little more time may be needed to make passes and so on. Its a good car for what it is though!


----------



## JdmHonda'lude (Jul 19, 2011)

You wanna see short gears hop in my prelude. Rolling down the highway at 120 km/h I'm sitting at 3900 rpm lol the gearing in the cruze is short but it's not as short as some


92 prelude siR, jdm h22a, all jdm as fük!


----------



## LucyCruze (Jul 1, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> I had done my research on the car, but not that extensively as to know the ins and outs of the transmission. Was very pressed for time to make a purchase before I left state for my last year of college. The car drove well, and it does drive well, its just a minor nitpick I've noticed after a few long roadtrips. I wasn't suggesting that the thing needs to zip past everything, but when I try to take it past 70 to make a pass it stalls because the transmission tries to downshift to 5th but can't.


I'm not really sure what you mean by it "stalls"... are you referring to like a second or two that you're just not getting much power, by any chance...?


----------



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Just talked to Vince, most likely going to just order the Trifecta tune which should help alot with performance.

But by stalling I meant while I'm on the highway around 70 mph and I go for a bit more power to pass something it tries to downshift to 5th then stays at 5,000 rpms with no change in speed or upshifting back up until I back off. So I really have been gaining nothing. The only way to make that pass is just gradually getting by in 6th gear. Even using DSC to get it to 5th yields the same results.


----------



## Aeroscout977 (Nov 25, 2010)

bartonmd said:


> So... Let me get this straight... *You know more about how the car is supposed to work than the people who designed it...*


I don't see where he claimed this. Seems like he was just giving his opinion. Maybe this is first time experiencing this? I mean engineers also put fuel cells on the outside of frame rails, Mazda put a 1.1 rotary in a 26 person bus, Oldsmobile Diesel.... I mean we could go on and on when it comes to engineering blunders. I don't disagree with you on the subject but engineers are not without fault from time to time.


----------



## Dayhoff35 (Sep 7, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Just talked to Vince, most likely going to just order the Trifecta tune which should help alot with performance.
> 
> But by stalling I meant while I'm on the highway around 70 mph and I go for a bit more power to pass something it tries to downshift to 5th then stays at 5,000 rpms with no change in speed or upshifting back up until I back off. So I really have been gaining nothing. The only way to make that pass is just gradually getting by in 6th gear. Even using DSC to get it to 5th yields the same results.


you wont be disapointed in the tune i felt the results of one i did yesterday and it was a very good gain and should ride smoother as well.


----------



## bartonmd (Jun 30, 2011)

JDM-USDM Love said:


> I don't see where he claimed this. Seems like he was just giving his opinion. Maybe this is first time experiencing this? I mean engineers also put fuel cells on the outside of frame rails, Mazda put a 1.1 rotary in a 26 person bus, Oldsmobile Diesel.... I mean we could go on and on when it comes to engineering blunders. I don't disagree with you on the subject but engineers are not without fault from time to time.


Yes, I'm aware of most of those instances over the years... Things like gear ratios in the transmission of a car built for a mix between fuel mileage and drive-ability, in this day and age, aren't typically botched bad enough to get gears made to change the ratios...

What he's talking about is a tuning issue, anyway, except he doesn't like the way first gear is... It's not that it doesn't work well, but he just doesn't like first gear being so deep... First gear is deep so you don't have to use a bunch of throttle to start off on a hill, while at the same time, having a very tight converter match for fuel efficiency....

Mike


----------



## nosro (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm not sure how you are passing. The transmission will behave differently if you ease into the throttle versus mashing the throttle quickly to the floor.

Easing into the throttle gently will tend to hold higher gears. Mashing the throttle quickly will cause the transmission to find the lowest gear possible as quickly as possible.


----------



## Crewz (Jul 12, 2011)

If you want more passing power at 70 MPH, I would get a different car. These cars don't have much passing power at those speeds. I think the reason you're having a "stalling" feeling trying to pass at 70 MPH is cause the car just doesn't have much power to push it at those speeds even when the tranny down shifts into a higher gear. These cars perform better at lower RPMs. At those RPMs it's kinda sluggish.

I know what you're talking about. I tried merging onto the freeway at those speeds once to "hurry up" and get in the fast lane, but the car was slow to do so. They just lack power in the upper RPM / powerband. The tune should help.


----------



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Well I just ordered the Trifecta tune.

Also, in anticipation of getting it I switched to 91 / 93 octane. Those 70 MPH passing problems actually disappeared with the fuel switch... I had to get past a truck and it had no problem motoring past it before I knew it the thing was at 85! Must be that 87 knock timing stuff retarding it or something


----------



## Dayhoff35 (Sep 7, 2011)

what my deal wasnt good enough for you lol, but like i said the timing tables on 87 are really tuned down to prevent knock, once it detects that there is no knock it should try to switch to the high octane tables.


----------



## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I know exactly what you mean Dayhoff, i have the same problem, and i just have to use the "triptonic" and downshift it myself. I also feel the gear ratios are way out of place on it. But like it was mentioned, it wasn't made for speed.

TUNE IT TUNE IT TUNE IT!


----------



## amad35 (Apr 25, 2012)

I used very good calculator from cargister sites.


----------



## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

Trifecta will be the best bet for now but I don't see anyone changing the ratios around. I would love to see my cruze with a bit more passing power lol but just too much work at The end of the day ......


----------



## Beaker (Mar 21, 2012)

2700 rpm at 70 is about right traditionally for a small four cylinder. When I had my 2.4L Cobalt SS with the 5-speed, 78 mph was right at 3k rpm. 

That said, this is why I bought the Eco Manual. 70 mph is 2200 rpm.


----------



## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

Very glad I have an ECO Manual. No problems passing hard at 70 or above. Just pick the right gear and go. This has got to be one of the easiest maunual transmissions I have ever driven. Much lighter clutch / shifter compared to my 04 GTO. Way less torque though.


----------



## Beaker (Mar 21, 2012)

I hate the clutch. I want something heavier. But then I hated the stock clutch on my 06 GTO too. But not going to replace a clutch on a brand new car because it isn't heavy enough. Will drive it till it dies.


----------



## amad35 (Apr 25, 2012)

Nice and powerful gear calculator is on cargister sites 

Gear Ratio Calculator - Cargister


----------



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

CHEVYCRUZE RS said:


> Trifecta will be the best bet for now but I don't see anyone changing the ratios around. I would love to see my cruze with a bit more passing power lol but just too much work at The end of the day ......


Car has no problems with passing power with Trifecta. Pulls all the way to 100+. You will see. But yeah this thread was really because our cars spin at 2500 RPMs at 65 mph. **** gets loud once I go faster.... blah. Can I get an taller overdrive gear? -_-


----------



## Beaker (Mar 21, 2012)

With money anything is possible.


----------



## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

> Can I get an taller overdrive gear? -_-


Sure, buy an Eco. Or go to extravagant measures to put a 2012 ECO AT (with taller final drive) into your car.

But people like me didn't like the ECO MT because it's underpowered on the highway in 6th without downshifting. 

Civics/Integras scream at 4000 RPM at 80 - the LT is very well-mannered and quiet on the highway for a small 4 cylinder IMO. My mother's 4-cylinder Accord is louder on the highway than my car.


----------



## Big Tom (Mar 8, 2011)

bartonmd said:


> Yes, I'm aware of most of those instances over the years... Things like gear ratios in the transmission of a car built for a mix between fuel mileage and drive-ability, in this day and age, aren't typically botched bad enough to get gears made to change the ratios...
> 
> What he's talking about is a tuning issue, anyway, except he doesn't like the way first gear is... It's not that it doesn't work well, but he just doesn't like first gear being so deep... First gear is deep so you don't have to use a bunch of throttle to start off on a hill, while at the same time, having a very tight converter match for fuel efficiency....
> 
> Mike


GM changed the ratio after the first year, guess they didn't really test the car for 4 million miles like they said.


----------



## blk88verde (Apr 30, 2011)

I am really liking how slow my ECO 6M revs are on the Highway in top gear. I don't mind shifting to pass - but that is pretty much a non issue with the Trifecta tune. My wife's new 2012 Honda CR-V LX AWD 5A turns pretty slow in top gear too. I heard Honda revised ratios for better fuel economy too.


----------



## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

blk88verde said:


> I am really liking how slow my ECO revs are on the Highway in top gear. I don't mind shifting to pass - but that is pretty much a non issue with the Trifecta tune. My wife's new 2012 Honda CR-V turns pretty slow in top gear too. I heard Honda revised ratios for better fuel economy too.


GM can do it because their little 1.4L Turbo motor puts down 100% of its torque at 1850 RPM, lol. Torque wasn't ever really a word associated with Honda's cars.


----------

