Minda

iTrader: (5)

Mine is 04 Touring, which should not have rev-matching, however in Manual Mode it delays shifts by half a sec of so almost all the time.

ToddFather

Interesting stuff.... I've only had my '04 Touring for a couple of months, and I experienced this the first couple of times driving in manual mode. I found this went away when I drove a little more agressively (which is pretty much what this mode is for anyway). If I am getting on the throttle a bit and wait to around 3700 to 4000 RPM to shift, it is as smooth as the other gears.

It is nice to get some info on the AT, as there aren't too many posts (other than MT owners bashing). I had already made up my mind to buy an AT car for my daily driver, and being able to choose a Z is an added bonus. It's nice to have choices. The manual mode is fun to drive and I don't miss the clutch very often, even though it would be nice on the weekends. If I do feel the need to manual shift gears with a clutch, I just hop on my Kaw ZZR 1200 and get my grins...

Suvlaki

I have been playing with the sportshift mode ever since I started this post and have found these results: When driving very non-agressively or shifting between 4000 and 4500 rpms, it kicks. However, when driving very aggressively and shifting it near redline, there is no kick.

This leads me to think that maybe it was designed to beat the **** out of it...?

Forrest80

Heres what i notice. If your in 5th gear but in Automode and you go into manual Mode you switch to 4th gear and you have no choice. Thats ok though it never bothered me.

Another thing i notice, i dont feel a super big jolt from 2-3rd. but 1-2-3 are defintly the strongest of the gears in my AT when it comes to power. 4-5th are sort of a let down for me, they are really smooth when shifting but i dunno for me 3rd seems to pull the hardest.

Im not a expert but i absoultely love 3rd gear hehe.

Is the AT smart enuff to downshift when your in 5th gear cruseing at 40mph and suddenly you decide to race the guy next to you but your too stupid to switch to manual mode cuz you forget its there (yes thats me haha). I press the pedal down all teh way some times and i tfeels like it is downshifting aproprietly but some times im not sure really whats going on.

Suvlaki

Yes. That is essentially the equivalent of pushing the "overdrive off" button on a conventional automatic. If you wanted to stay in 5th gear, you would stay in D. However, moving to sportshift mode means you'll at least want to downshift one gear, so it does it all for you to save time.

As per the manual, depress the gas pedal all the way to the floor and the A/T will do the rest. Also, the speed at which you push the gas pedal matters. If you gently slam (oximoron) the gas pedal, it may only downshift one gear where downshifting two gears may give you the better outcome. However, if you snap your foot, depressing the gas pedal all the way, it will shift accordingly and almost instantly to pull you the best.

Best way, still, to do it is not be stupid and slide it to sportshift mode.

imjdoggie

iTrader: (2)

but now I think I'm getting rid of the wife so..........................

SH82N-Z

Mine does it too and it makes me feel bad for my transmission. So What I do is that I use Tip-Tronic up 3 and convert to Automatic 3+. Also while I'm about to change gear into 3rd, I let off the gas completly, press up shift, goes to 3rd smoothly then back on gas and move the tip tronic over to Auto. Smooth 3rd and I don't have to say ouch.

Aggro_Al

You don't want to lift off the throttle on the 5AT when upshifting in manual-mode. When upshifting the 5AT you want to keep a level or accelerating throttle otherwise you get a slow or messed up shift. You also don't want to help the tranny shift either. Just choose your gear and let it do it's thing. When downshifting in manual-mode, the tranny will delay or cancel just about any shift command that will overrev the engine and it will also downshift if you are going to stall. You can downshift at anytime that doesn't cause one of the previous conditions.

Aggro_Al

See my post above.

Aggro_Al

1-2-3 should feel the strongest. They are torque multiplying gears even before you factor in the torque multiplication of the TC.

4-5 are both full lock-up gears and don't get the torque multiplication of the TC. They use a mechanical clutch just like the 6MT. 4th gear is also the 1:1 ratio gear and 5th is the overdrive gear. They weren't meant for power but for cruising and better gas mileage.

The Nissan 5AT in the Z is one of the most advanced trannies on the market and can be compared to some of the trannies on the exotics. The Z's 5AT is a real-time learning and adaptive transmission. It learns the driver's style and method of driving and constantly monitors and adjusts to it's surrounding environment and optimizes itself to the driver and situation. When the tranny is tuned to the driver and the used properly, the driver can almost just think what gear he wants to be in and the tranny will respond. If that's still not good enough the driver can temporarily override the tranny from the throttle without having to go to the shifter. Alot of 6MT drivers talk about having control over the tranny but with the 5AT it goes one step further, the driver becomes part of the tranny because the tranny learns and adapts to the driver in a sort of 'Borg' way.

phatz33

iTrader: (11)

wow Aggro_Al how do you know all this info about the AT in the Z?

SH82N-Z

He is the AK (Auto King) lol

phatz33

iTrader: (11)

haha that's a good one!

Minda

iTrader: (5)

Aggro_Al you know quite a bit on the Z AT tranny!
Just one more question - do you think running non Nissan Matic J ATF contributes to the shift harshness? I had to change (actually to fill-in) the ATF, when I have bought the car (radiator was removed) and I am running Motul syntetic ATF. I have been regularly checking for residue or darkening, and it seems as new after 3k miles.
It is nearly impossible to get Nissan Matic J ATF here in Europe, since it is not used in any car that Nissan sells in Europe.

Aggro_Al

I'm not sure what effects using the non-recommended ATF would have. I only heard of one person that didn't use the Nissan ATF and he ended up burning his torque converter but, I wouldn't be surprised if there were equivalent or superior AT Fluids out there. Not using the Matic J would probably void your warranty, though. I would check your owner's manual if it's really hard to get in Europe, they probably have an alternative that should work.

Suvlaki

Don't know much about your situation in Europe but... are you sure you can't jus' ask one of the Nissan dealers to order it for you? I mean theoretically, they should be able to order the fluid or at least an equivalent that they use in Europe.

Minda

iTrader: (5)

Guys, just some follow-up. How many of you have the JWT pop-charger and experience the thud?
Maybe it is my imagination, but I can hear pronounced pop-charger whistle just right before the trany shifts 2->3 with a thud, while when it shifts smoothly there is no whistle.
One of the local AT gurus has suggested to me that one possibility for rough (or delayed) shifts on auto is due to MAF (mass air flow sensor) input, which may mess up the shift. I've read somewhere on the forums that pop-charger may sometimes mess up with the MAF, even shut-off the engine in MT cars.

Suvlaki

I do have a pop charger and the "thud." You raise a good point but since I put on my pop charger just after break in (1200 miles,) I can't really remember if it did it before the pop charger also. Anyone out there w/o a pop charger experiencing the "thud?" I may jus' go test drive a new bone stock one and play around a bit...

PythonLaX

iTrader: (1)

I do not have a popcharger but I still experience a thud every now and then. Happened even before the K&N drop-in as well so I don't think it's a MAF problem.

spljeremy

I also do not have the popcharger (yet!) and my Z thuds while shifting into 3rd at around 4K RPMs.