This is something I've wondered for a while. Having driven a Civic EX (which by the way has slightly longer gears even than an LS) I found myself wondering exactly how bad an LS transmission is for 1/4 mile times. Honestly my 1.6 single jingle with EX transmission didn't feel terribly long.

Compared to after I did my LS/VTEC swap, now I have 200whp with a B16 trans. I'm no stranger to the B16's super short gears and high RPM highway driving, but I find myself longing for the days that my eardrums weren't buzzing from 4.5k RPMs constantly.

Bottom line: Has anyone actually done a back-to-back LS vs B16 transmission 1/4 mile comparison? Same or at least similar engine/mods/car weight? How bad is the LS in the 1/4 mile REALLY?

 

Maybe it’s different because I’m in Canada we didn’t get an ex..but I was under the understanding that sohc ex trans had the same gears as a z6 si trans? Could easily be wrong...

LS trans will likely fall out of vtec between gears, b16 trans some ppl don’t like for 1/4 mile depending on your redline u might bounce off the limiter in 4th a few times on the big end or have to shift to 5th. A nice compromise is b16 trans with LS 5th for hwy

 

I did that swap. Using a B16 trans with a 4.9FD and after sonic the math, thought that the LS 5th gear would work. It was completely awful and three the car out of the powerband.

Now, I'm no drag racer, so I understand that you must not leave 4th gear, but as a matter of keeping the torque multiplier high, the LS 5th was a bad idea.

My impression is more detailed in my build I completed a few years ago. I went to a GS-R 5th gear.

https://honda-tech.com/forums/all-mo...2458563/page7/

 

Look in the stickies and I have a thread about gearing affects on the 1/4 mile. It is with a D series. AFAIK nobody else has done anything similar (and published it) with any engine. LS 5th is horrible in anything but an LS trans.

 

Basically. Lesson learned the hard way, and glad I don't drag race.