The GM C6 Z51 6-Speed Transaxle (2006–09, 3.42 diff) is a six-speed manual transaxle.
First gear is 2.97:1 and 6th is 0.57:1. Divide one by the other and the overall spread is 5.21:1. That is a wide spread: a short first to get the car moving and a tall top to bring cruise revs down.
6th is an overdrive at 0.57:1: the output shaft turns faster than the input shaft. Two of the six gears are overdrives. 4th is direct drive at 1.00:1.
The biggest step is 2nd to 3rd, where the ratio drops 31%. The smallest is 5th to 6th at 20%. On each upshift the revs drop by the same percentage as the ratio.
It is a transaxle, so the final drive sits in the same case: 3.42:1 as listed here. The speed table uses that figure and nothing else. With a 3.42 final drive and 225/45R17 tyres, 6th at 6,000 rpm works out at 368 km/h (229 mph), and first runs out at 71 km/h (44 mph). That is how tall the gear is, not a top speed. Drag and power decide that. At 70 mph in 6th the engine turns about 1,840 rpm.
Ratios
GM C6 Z51 6-Speed Transaxle (2006–09, 3.42 diff): ratio per gear, and how far the ratio drops from the gear before.
Gear
Ratio
Step
1st
2.97:1
-
2nd
2.07:1
30.3%
3rd
1.43:1
30.9%
4th
1.00:1
30.1%
5th
0.71:1
29.0%
6th
0.57:1
19.7%
Final drive
3.42:1
Road speed at 6,000 rpm
Road speed at 6,000 rpm on a 225/45R17 tyre (1.993 m rolling circumference), with the listed 3.42 final drive. No slip, no drivetrain losses.
Results are theoretical: stock ratio specs, your inputs, no drivetrain losses. Verify with your drivetrain supplier before spending real money.
Swapping the engine as well? StandaloneHQ counts the inputs and outputs the new engine needs and shortlists the wire-in ECUs that fit: ECU Pinout Planner.
BoxSelector crunches gear ratios, tyre sizes, and RPM figures to give you useful speed and cruise data for your build. The results are theoretical, based on stock ratio specs and your inputs, and assume perfect mechanical conditions, zero drivetrain losses, and a world without speed bumps, traction limits, or your right foot getting sweaty. Real-world results will vary. Probably a lot for automatics.
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Gear ratios may have changed, and manufacturers love to quietly update things.
We've done our best to source accurate ratio data from factory specs and reputable technical references. Some ratios (particularly on production variants with running changes) may differ from the figures listed here. Always verify critical specs against your actual unit or a current manufacturer source before committing to anything expensive.
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