Is it worth modding an auto transmission 350z?
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 4
From: Sandy eggo
the cost to have a custom billet ravenaux gearset made and kevlar clutches for the Z tranny would be more than the price of a well built 700R with a custom bellhousing... then the torque converter. the higher the stall speed the less "streetable" it gets. valve bodies are just the same as a shift kit they just increase pressure and take away the "slip"
So this is something I have been wondering about, and I just wanted to see what you guys have to say about it. I have an 05 silver ZR with an auto transmission.
One of my friend's friends installed a twin turbo on his 350z and the transmission blew out on the first test run. I have another friend who installed an exhaust and intake on his G35 without any problems. Both owners drive autos.
While I think installing an exhaust and intake onto the engine should be fine, I am concerned with transmission issues. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesnt the weight of the car (especially the roadster) put some more strain onto the transmission? Sometimes I hear some grinding noises from the rear when I drive from a standstill and it scares me.
Does anyone have any trouble with installing superchargers or turbo kits on their auto 350Zs? Personally I am not looking for an insane hp gain, but I want to at least break 300hp.
One of my friend's friends installed a twin turbo on his 350z and the transmission blew out on the first test run. I have another friend who installed an exhaust and intake on his G35 without any problems. Both owners drive autos.
While I think installing an exhaust and intake onto the engine should be fine, I am concerned with transmission issues. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesnt the weight of the car (especially the roadster) put some more strain onto the transmission? Sometimes I hear some grinding noises from the rear when I drive from a standstill and it scares me.
Does anyone have any trouble with installing superchargers or turbo kits on their auto 350Zs? Personally I am not looking for an insane hp gain, but I want to at least break 300hp.
anywho...........ready for a real answer........we need a real question?? answer this:
1. WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR YOUR AUTO Z??? track? daily drive? occasional track? if occasional track, what kind??? autoX??? OR do you just wanna have a cool modded car cause your friends are doing it???
all you state is that "Personally I am not looking for an insane hp gain, but I want to at least break 300hp." No point in getting it unless you plan on using it...........an autoZ isnt bad at your local autoX course?? just saying....maybe you and your "friends" can have some fun on the autoX course???...
i don't know about all that, cause it sounds like you just want a peppy daily driver with the top down woo hoo.........if so, then i personally think the auto was the right choice for YOU! as a daily driver imho should be a auto.....i mean, c-mon........auto IS nice in traffic and getting around here and there..
so sure, mod away and obtain some gains that make you happy......
look into:
1. plenums spacer
2. exhaust
3. intake or minimum K&N filter
4. light weight flywheel
5. slightly better performance clutch, ie, jwt clutch at a minimum..
6. FD gearing swap..
7. slight drop and some spacers
8. fuzzy dice................
-J
National Z Club President
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From: the coolest place on earth
One of my friends this, one of my friends that..........your friends sound like morons......
anywho...........ready for a real answer........we need a real question?? answer this:
1. WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR YOUR AUTO Z??? track? daily drive? occasional track? if occasional track, what kind??? autoX??? OR do you just wanna have a cool modded car cause your friends are doing it???
all you state is that "Personally I am not looking for an insane hp gain, but I want to at least break 300hp." No point in getting it unless you plan on using it...........an autoZ isnt bad at your local autoX course?? just saying....maybe you and your "friends" can have some fun on the autoX course???...
i don't know about all that, cause it sounds like you just want a peppy daily driver with the top down woo hoo.........if so, then i personally think the auto was the right choice for YOU! as a daily driver imho should be a auto.....i mean, c-mon........auto IS nice in traffic and getting around here and there..
so sure, mod away and obtain some gains that make you happy......
look into:
1. plenums spacer
2. exhaust
3. intake or minimum K&N filter
4. light weight flywheel
5. slightly better performance clutch, ie, jwt clutch at a minimum..
6. FD gearing swap..
7. slight drop and some spacers
8. fuzzy dice................
-J
anywho...........ready for a real answer........we need a real question?? answer this:
1. WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR YOUR AUTO Z??? track? daily drive? occasional track? if occasional track, what kind??? autoX??? OR do you just wanna have a cool modded car cause your friends are doing it???
all you state is that "Personally I am not looking for an insane hp gain, but I want to at least break 300hp." No point in getting it unless you plan on using it...........an autoZ isnt bad at your local autoX course?? just saying....maybe you and your "friends" can have some fun on the autoX course???...
i don't know about all that, cause it sounds like you just want a peppy daily driver with the top down woo hoo.........if so, then i personally think the auto was the right choice for YOU! as a daily driver imho should be a auto.....i mean, c-mon........auto IS nice in traffic and getting around here and there..
so sure, mod away and obtain some gains that make you happy......
look into:
1. plenums spacer
2. exhaust
3. intake or minimum K&N filter
4. light weight flywheel
5. slightly better performance clutch, ie, jwt clutch at a minimum..
6. FD gearing swap..
7. slight drop and some spacers
8. fuzzy dice................
-J
http://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread/162939
Turbochargers for Automatics
Many people wonder if it's a good idea to put a turbocharger on a car with an automatic transmission. They've heard horror stories that it will mess up the transmission in no time.
A great many turbocharged performance cars have automatic transmissions in them. The old school Buick Grand National and GNX only came with automatics and they were plenty fast. Audi puts out a number of turbocharged cars with automatic transmission, and so does Porsche. In fact, many high-horsepower cars on the road today come with an automatic transmission including Jaguar, Bentley, Corvette, Infiniti, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and many others. The Bentley is particularly noteworthy because it's 412-cubic inch turbocharged V8 slams well over 600 ft./lbs. of torque through an automatic transmission.
Many people are under the misconception that automatics are weak, when the fact is that their basic mechanical elements are strong, and in some cases, stronger than a manual transmission. Automatics use planetary gear sets instead of meshing only two gears at a time as a manual transmission does. Planetary gear sets are actually made up of six gears that are in constant contact with each other. This eliminates the need for synchronizers, and for meshing and un-meshing the gears when a shift is required. Additionally, because torque is absorbed through multiple gear contact areas, a planetary gear set can be made smaller and lighter than standard transmission gears and still maintain very high levels of strength.
The thing that kills automatic transmissions is heat. Heat is generated from a number of sources in the transmission. The multiple clutch packs (usually four clutch plates in two separate packs) in automatic transmissions generate a lot of this heat, and because they are designed to slip to provide comfortable, smooth shifts, they can wear prematurely when a lot of power is put through them. The cure for this is to install a shift kit to increase the hydraulic pressure applied to these clutches to allow them to hold more firmly and to slip less. The transmission will shift harder, and more noticeably, but will generate less heat and last longer under high power abuse. A good transmission oil cooler will also be a big help in allowing an automatic to live under abusive conditions.
One more thing in the automatic's favor is shift speed. No matter what anybody tells you, an automatic shifts faster than any manual, no matter who is rowing the gears. Additionally, power flow is not interrupted like it is when you step on the clutch in a manual equipped car. Sure, some people can shift manuals without hitting the clutch, but those gearboxes won't last long under all that abuse.
You may have noticed if you follow import drag racing that some teams are switching over to automatics in their mega-horsepower race cars. The reasons are pretty simple, less breakage, more tunability, and more consistent performance. Sure, manual transmissions are fun to drive, but automatics are up to performance applications with the proper preparation.
Many people wonder if it's a good idea to put a turbocharger on a car with an automatic transmission. They've heard horror stories that it will mess up the transmission in no time.
A great many turbocharged performance cars have automatic transmissions in them. The old school Buick Grand National and GNX only came with automatics and they were plenty fast. Audi puts out a number of turbocharged cars with automatic transmission, and so does Porsche. In fact, many high-horsepower cars on the road today come with an automatic transmission including Jaguar, Bentley, Corvette, Infiniti, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and many others. The Bentley is particularly noteworthy because it's 412-cubic inch turbocharged V8 slams well over 600 ft./lbs. of torque through an automatic transmission.
Many people are under the misconception that automatics are weak, when the fact is that their basic mechanical elements are strong, and in some cases, stronger than a manual transmission. Automatics use planetary gear sets instead of meshing only two gears at a time as a manual transmission does. Planetary gear sets are actually made up of six gears that are in constant contact with each other. This eliminates the need for synchronizers, and for meshing and un-meshing the gears when a shift is required. Additionally, because torque is absorbed through multiple gear contact areas, a planetary gear set can be made smaller and lighter than standard transmission gears and still maintain very high levels of strength.
The thing that kills automatic transmissions is heat. Heat is generated from a number of sources in the transmission. The multiple clutch packs (usually four clutch plates in two separate packs) in automatic transmissions generate a lot of this heat, and because they are designed to slip to provide comfortable, smooth shifts, they can wear prematurely when a lot of power is put through them. The cure for this is to install a shift kit to increase the hydraulic pressure applied to these clutches to allow them to hold more firmly and to slip less. The transmission will shift harder, and more noticeably, but will generate less heat and last longer under high power abuse. A good transmission oil cooler will also be a big help in allowing an automatic to live under abusive conditions.
One more thing in the automatic's favor is shift speed. No matter what anybody tells you, an automatic shifts faster than any manual, no matter who is rowing the gears. Additionally, power flow is not interrupted like it is when you step on the clutch in a manual equipped car. Sure, some people can shift manuals without hitting the clutch, but those gearboxes won't last long under all that abuse.
You may have noticed if you follow import drag racing that some teams are switching over to automatics in their mega-horsepower race cars. The reasons are pretty simple, less breakage, more tunability, and more consistent performance. Sure, manual transmissions are fun to drive, but automatics are up to performance applications with the proper preparation.
^ good info.......
i agree with the right application...
but when im drifting and have some mad angle on a decreasing radius turn and im having to transition as im loosing speed from the high speed entry will the automatic tranny down shift to 2nd and let me transition at my clipping point to make the next few drift corners???
its how you use it and what you use it for as well...
My daily driver is an auto.........but like i said.....its how you use it and what you use it for........
-J
i agree with the right application...
but when im drifting and have some mad angle on a decreasing radius turn and im having to transition as im loosing speed from the high speed entry will the automatic tranny down shift to 2nd and let me transition at my clipping point to make the next few drift corners???
its how you use it and what you use it for as well...
My daily driver is an auto.........but like i said.....its how you use it and what you use it for........
-J
I never saw a problem or reason to NOT mod an automatic...
There is some good pros and cons for doing it in here.
Im still amazed at the ignorance and narrow mindedness with responses like "Automatic sucks"...but I need to remember there are teenagers on these forums.
There is some good pros and cons for doing it in here.
Im still amazed at the ignorance and narrow mindedness with responses like "Automatic sucks"...but I need to remember there are teenagers on these forums.
Last edited by zerafian; Nov 16, 2009 at 07:57 AM.
Man its really a shame what has happened to this site with all the no it alls here.I have been running a s/c then twin turbo's on my 5at for over 50,000 miles with out a problem.
All you morons who say it cant be done are just ignorant idiots who know next to nothing about transmissions.As long as you get a v/b mod and a large external trans cooler you will be fine.
Please if you are going to post in a thread at least know what the *** you are talking about......and to the 6mt's anytime you want to run just remember 1 thing.....the 5at dosent loose boost between shifts like the 6mt does.
All you morons who say it cant be done are just ignorant idiots who know next to nothing about transmissions.As long as you get a v/b mod and a large external trans cooler you will be fine.
Please if you are going to post in a thread at least know what the *** you are talking about......and to the 6mt's anytime you want to run just remember 1 thing.....the 5at dosent loose boost between shifts like the 6mt does.
I don't think you can change a flywheel and a clutch on an Auto Z, sir. Unless, I'm reading your post wrong, you suggested those two as mods for his car. :\
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 469
Likes: 5
From: McDonough, GA
I got a '07 auto ..
do the valve body upgrade .. makes a big difference in the shifts (quicker / firmer)
look in the DIY section .. I wrote up how to install the transgo kit
I was going to buy a 6mt .. but traffic to work and back sucks and after a full day prepping and painting cars .. the last thing I want to do is have to kill my left leg in stop / go traffic
plus I got two other sports cars to play with if I want to drive something with three pedals
as for twin turbos, if you go that far just go ahead and get the fully built GTM tranny
do the valve body upgrade .. makes a big difference in the shifts (quicker / firmer)
look in the DIY section .. I wrote up how to install the transgo kit
I was going to buy a 6mt .. but traffic to work and back sucks and after a full day prepping and painting cars .. the last thing I want to do is have to kill my left leg in stop / go traffic
plus I got two other sports cars to play with if I want to drive something with three pedals
as for twin turbos, if you go that far just go ahead and get the fully built GTM tranny
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Chicago, IL
It's really simple though.. yeah, it's I guess you could say, "safer", to start adding on ponies to a standard transmission, you might just want to save for a new clutch to support that much power, but the same can be done for an automatic.
Search around and find out what the slipping point for the Z's automatic transmission is, when I had my tC, the magic number was around 240-250whp, and that barely held. You'll have to look into upgrading a few components such as clutch packs, valve body upgrades, torque converter, etc. but it's definitely doable.
Just think of your goals first, because there's no point in spending $5k+ to up the power if you'll never be able to use it.
I'd love a 400rwhp+ Z, but for a daily driver, it's just not worth it.
