3rd gen 2zr swap with 6 speed

[CrankyOldMan]

Congrats! So glad you've got it back on the road and were able to work out all the details. It's good to get feedback on the EC60 vs the C50 since I've been considering sourcing one for my 2ZR daily driver. Seems like a lot of work for minimal gains, possibly even a net loss.

[stidnam]

Yeah pretty happy with it so far and still kind of surprised that everything worked with no error codes popping up.

Regarding the EC60 box. Here's my list of pros and cons for anyone considering one, and I'd strongly suggest driving a Scion IM/Corolla before committing.

Pros
- Good shift feel
- Easily accessible in Australia
- Quaife diff available
- The only 6 speed box that's going to bolt into a Yaris without modification to the chassis rail
- Perfectly fine for every day driving
- It's not an automatic LOL

Cons
- Requires custom or GRMN shifter cables
- Requires GRMN gearbox mount
- Short first gear (I find myself changing at around 20 - 25km/h)
- Concentric slave cylinder - which can actually be a positive for pedal feel
- High clutch engagement point
- Limited to no heavy duty clutch options
- Limited aftermarket flywheel options
- 6th gear ratio isn't really any better than the 5th gear ratio in a 5 speed box. You're just getting one extra gear jammed in the mix.
- No short shifter options or upgrades for the shifter cage

I do know about the MWR options for clutches and flywheels. Though expensive options for Australia and I'd rather try and use the OuterPlus flywheel from Japan vs the MWR option. Though I wasn't about to drop $1000 on a flywheel :)

[CrankyOldMan]

That's some good solid feedback on the 6-speed. I discovered the same thing when researching gear ratios for my custom 5-speed build (almost a decade ago?!?) and decided that it wasn't worth the hassle of notching the frame. That said, Project 2ZR Vios has that done and the 6-speed is absolutely worth it on the track.

That's a lot of weight to ship all the way around the world, for sure. I live only a few hours away from MWR and basically get overnight shipping for the price of 3-day ground. =)

[stidnam]

I did some research last night into the ratios and interesting to see that the Lotus EC60 runs a 4.3x final drive with slightly different ratios on 4th, 5th, and 6th I believe. However the first few gears are the same. This is in comparison to the Corolla's final drive of 4.5x (can't remember the exact last number).

I think I would have preferred the 4.3 final drive in the Yaris. Ashame.

The other thing to note though is that in theory, any upgrades for the Lotus Elise S3 gearbox should equally apply to the EC60. Gearsets etc...however everything I've seen has been extremely expensive.

[RagnaCaT]

Originally Posted by stidnam

I did some research last night into the ratios and interesting to see that the Lotus EC60 runs a 4.3x final drive with slightly different ratios on 4th, 5th, and 6th I believe. However the first few gears are the same. This is in comparison to the Corolla's final drive of 4.5x (can't remember the exact last number).

I think I would have preferred the 4.3 final drive in the Yaris. Ashame.

The other thing to note though is that in theory, any upgrades for the Lotus Elise S3 gearbox should equally apply to the EC60. Gearsets etc...however everything I've seen has been extremely expensive.

Hi, it's been a while since I have posted but wanted to ask about that EC60 is that that newer 6 Speed? Currently I'm working on a celica C60 transmission dropping the internals into a Yaris gearbox.

[stidnam]

Yes, it's the newer generation 6 speed when compared to the C60. It does however have a really short first gear. First and second ratios could have been a bit longer. There are a number of variations of the box with difference ratios, but we only got the one here in Aus.

[saikouguy]

Is it possible to swap bellhousings on the EC and C series boxes? It'll be a great option if they can as you mentioned it being smaller and probably more plentiful

[stidnam]

Originally Posted by saikouguy

Is it possible to swap bellhousings on the EC and C series boxes? It'll be a great option if they can as you mentioned it being smaller and probably more plentiful

Doubtful. What are looking to do? swap the EC box onto a 1NZ or 2NZ? If you want to upgrade the box on a stock Yaris, I'd look into gutting the existing box to replace it with different gearing and an LSD as well. The EC box isn't really worth it. Ratios are not great.