I know some people have been talking about a "clunk" when using Manumatic and shifting at high RPMs from 2-3 or 3-4.

I was just wondering if anyone had an official Nissan response to this, a tranny replacement or is it normal and nothing to worry about?

 

Check the ATF level... could be that man. If not, take it to Nissan. If the rep doesn't wanna replace/fix it, make the test drive more and more "spirited" until he agrees to help you

 

I don't have a Nissan response to this but I get a soft clunk when shifting in high RPMs. As long as it isn't really loud or violent I'm told that it is normal. Usually happens when going from 3-4 and from 4-5 at high RPMs. Sometimes I might experience it going from 2-3 if my speed is high enough. I can feel the gears changing from 1-2 and 2-3 when I am aggressively driving but I don't know if I would call it a clunk. In the 5AT, 4th and 5th gears are full lock-up gears. I'm not sure but I've heard that 3rd is only a partial lock-up. In 4th and 5th the fans are phsyically connected together, similar to the plates in the 6MT, there is no slippage while they are locked. The 5AT can shift almost as fast as the sequential shifters. The jolt or clunk you feel is the shock of the gears changing. The sequential shifters have a similar clunk in their fastest shift modes.

If you are really concerned, take it back to the dealer and have them check it out. It couldn't hurt anything and you have peace of mind.

Just for reference here are some shift speeds:

Ferrari F1 (Automatic Mode, Sport Setting): 150 milliseconds
Porsche Tiptronic S (Manual Mode, Sport Profile): 200 milliseconds (auto mode ~200ms speeds vary depending on sensors)
Average Human Eyeblink: ~300 milliseconds
Professional NASCAR Driver: ~0.8 sec

The Nissan 5AT is similar to the Porsche Tiptronic S.

 

The ATF level in the Z is pretty hard to check. It is "fill-for-life". Under normal conditions it shouldn't have to be replaced. The ATF has to be serviced at a Nissan service center. The fluid needed for the 5AT is Nissan proprietory.

 

I am getting a metal on metal rattle/clunk when i put the car in reverse and accelerate or i accelerate in first gear fairly heavily. Anyone know what it could be?

 

Is your car an MT or AT? If you have an AT, are you dropping the car in gear from Neutral to Drive or Reverse or doing the same while you are still moving? If you Neutral drop or reverse the driveshaft direction instantly while moving you will get a nasty clunk or rattle. If you do it at a high enough RPM you can damage your transmission. If that is what you are doing don't do it anymore. If you still have a metal on metal rattle/clunk whether you have an AT or MT, you should get it checked out. Neither transmission should be making that noise.

 

Yeah its an auto. Im dropping it off tomorrow. Im pretty good about making sure i am at a complete stop when going from reverse to drive. I heard it may be axles or the tranny. Dunno.