Honda / Acura

Honda / Acura K20 6-Speed (Civic Type R EP3, 2001) gear ratios

The Honda / Acura K20 6-Speed (Civic Type R EP3, 2001) is a six-speed manual gearbox.

First gear is 3.266:1 and 6th is 0.78:1. Divide one by the other and the overall spread is 4.19:1. That is a middling spread for a six-speed: enough first gear to leave a junction without drama, and a top gear that is not only for motorways.

6th is an overdrive at 0.78:1: the output shaft turns faster than the input shaft. Two of the six gears are overdrives. No gear is exactly 1.00:1, so there is no direct drive.

The biggest step is 1st to 2nd, where the ratio drops 35%. The smallest is 5th to 6th at 20%. On each upshift the revs drop by the same percentage as the ratio.

The final drive lives in a separate diff, so the speed table shows three common ratios: 3.42, 3.73 and 4.10. With a 3.73 final drive and 225/45R17 tyres, 6th at 6,000 rpm works out at 247 km/h (153 mph), and first runs out at 59 km/h (37 mph). At 70 mph in 6th the engine turns about 2,740 rpm.

Ratios

Honda / Acura K20 6-Speed (Civic Type R EP3, 2001): ratio per gear, and how far the ratio drops from the gear before.
GearRatioStep
1st3.266:1-
2nd2.13:134.8%
3rd1.517:128.8%
4th1.212:120.1%
5th0.972:119.8%
6th0.78:119.8%

Road speed at 6,000 rpm

Road speed at 6,000 rpm on a 225/45R17 tyre (1.993 m rolling circumference), by final drive. No slip, no drivetrain losses.
Gear3.42 final drive3.73 final drive4.10 final drive
1st64 km/h 40 mph59 km/h 37 mph54 km/h 33 mph
2nd98 km/h 61 mph90 km/h 56 mph82 km/h 51 mph
3rd138 km/h 86 mph127 km/h 79 mph115 km/h 72 mph
4th173 km/h 108 mph159 km/h 99 mph144 km/h 90 mph
5th216 km/h 134 mph198 km/h 123 mph180 km/h 112 mph
6th269 km/h 167 mph247 km/h 153 mph224 km/h 139 mph

Closest gearboxes by spread

Source: Honda Japan Civic Type R press information 2001.10

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.

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