350Z Automatic Performance
05-23-2011, 04:58 PM
#21
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I was using the semi-automatic when i got the time, so it wasn't on D ^^
Ok, i will try your method see whether it improves the time, thanks
05-23-2011, 04:59 PM
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05-23-2011, 09:11 PM
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Manufacture claimed 0-60 times are very hard to obtain. Not only are the conditions pretty much perfect but they have experienced drivers. Most people with 6MT are not going to get that close to the claimed 0-60 time, and in most cases the auto will be just as fast because of this.
The most important part of a 0-60 time is the launch. That is why 0-60 times are not very good for measuring a cars true acceleration capability, that is where the 5-60 times come in. But for a good launch you need the proper amount of wheel spin, not too much, not too little. Good grippy pavement and grippy tires, but at the same time you don't want too much grip to bog down the engine if your revs aren't high enough at launch. Launching is really an science, it takes lots of practice to get good at them and even then you won't get it perfect every time due to all the variables.
For the auto in stock form, all you can really do is hold the brake lightly, just enough to keep the car from moving and get on the acclerator, the instant you hear/feel the rears start to spin let off the brake and go full throttle instantly. Timing is critical... I prefer to use manual mode and shift slightly later than the auto does. Not sure if it helps much but it feels better.
If you want a fast auto you need a good valve body upgrade and torque converter upgrade with higher stall. These will help you get much better launches and faster shifts.
Or you can just accept the fact your not a professional racing driver and you won't achieve the manufacture claimed 0-60. Your lucky if you get within a second of it really...
The most important part of a 0-60 time is the launch. That is why 0-60 times are not very good for measuring a cars true acceleration capability, that is where the 5-60 times come in. But for a good launch you need the proper amount of wheel spin, not too much, not too little. Good grippy pavement and grippy tires, but at the same time you don't want too much grip to bog down the engine if your revs aren't high enough at launch. Launching is really an science, it takes lots of practice to get good at them and even then you won't get it perfect every time due to all the variables.
For the auto in stock form, all you can really do is hold the brake lightly, just enough to keep the car from moving and get on the acclerator, the instant you hear/feel the rears start to spin let off the brake and go full throttle instantly. Timing is critical... I prefer to use manual mode and shift slightly later than the auto does. Not sure if it helps much but it feels better.
If you want a fast auto you need a good valve body upgrade and torque converter upgrade with higher stall. These will help you get much better launches and faster shifts.
Or you can just accept the fact your not a professional racing driver and you won't achieve the manufacture claimed 0-60. Your lucky if you get within a second of it really...
05-24-2011, 06:12 AM
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Manufacture claimed 0-60 times are very hard to obtain. Not only are the conditions pretty much perfect but they have experienced drivers. Most people with 6MT are not going to get that close to the claimed 0-60 time, and in most cases the auto will be just as fast because of this.
The most important part of a 0-60 time is the launch. That is why 0-60 times are not very good for measuring a cars true acceleration capability, that is where the 5-60 times come in. But for a good launch you need the proper amount of wheel spin, not too much, not too little. Good grippy pavement and grippy tires, but at the same time you don't want too much grip to bog down the engine if your revs aren't high enough at launch. Launching is really an science, it takes lots of practice to get good at them and even then you won't get it perfect every time due to all the variables.
For the auto in stock form, all you can really do is hold the brake lightly, just enough to keep the car from moving and get on the acclerator, the instant you hear/feel the rears start to spin let off the brake and go full throttle instantly. Timing is critical... I prefer to use manual mode and shift slightly later than the auto does. Not sure if it helps much but it feels better.
If you want a fast auto you need a good valve body upgrade and torque converter upgrade with higher stall. These will help you get much better launches and faster shifts.
Or you can just accept the fact your not a professional racing driver and you won't achieve the manufacture claimed 0-60. Your lucky if you get within a second of it really...
The most important part of a 0-60 time is the launch. That is why 0-60 times are not very good for measuring a cars true acceleration capability, that is where the 5-60 times come in. But for a good launch you need the proper amount of wheel spin, not too much, not too little. Good grippy pavement and grippy tires, but at the same time you don't want too much grip to bog down the engine if your revs aren't high enough at launch. Launching is really an science, it takes lots of practice to get good at them and even then you won't get it perfect every time due to all the variables.
For the auto in stock form, all you can really do is hold the brake lightly, just enough to keep the car from moving and get on the acclerator, the instant you hear/feel the rears start to spin let off the brake and go full throttle instantly. Timing is critical... I prefer to use manual mode and shift slightly later than the auto does. Not sure if it helps much but it feels better.
If you want a fast auto you need a good valve body upgrade and torque converter upgrade with higher stall. These will help you get much better launches and faster shifts.
Or you can just accept the fact your not a professional racing driver and you won't achieve the manufacture claimed 0-60. Your lucky if you get within a second of it really...
05-25-2011, 09:02 PM
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Come to think of it i'm not really sure pulling the fuse helps that much. But I am on wider and grippier than stock tires, so its a lot harder to do a burnout on my 5AT Z than it probably is on one with stock tires.
Due to the stock torque converter though its much easier to do a burnout in a manual, assuming you can get the foot work down.
05-25-2011, 10:45 PM
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Yeah thats pretty much the case. The only reason to pull the fuse is to do burnouts. Although i've done them without pulling it. Wet surfaces really help... I think the main problem is to overcome the resistance at the stock stall speed, then you can burn out at 6K RPM's at a standstill all you want... But it's not nice on the torque converter at all and you can burn them up quickly doing that. One of the most common mistakes people do with a burnout is applying too much brake pressure, you don't need much to keep the car from moving.
Come to think of it i'm not really sure pulling the fuse helps that much. But I am on wider and grippier than stock tires, so its a lot harder to do a burnout on my 5AT Z than it probably is on one with stock tires.
Due to the stock torque converter though its much easier to do a burnout in a manual, assuming you can get the foot work down.
Come to think of it i'm not really sure pulling the fuse helps that much. But I am on wider and grippier than stock tires, so its a lot harder to do a burnout on my 5AT Z than it probably is on one with stock tires.
Due to the stock torque converter though its much easier to do a burnout in a manual, assuming you can get the foot work down.
05-28-2011, 11:22 AM
#31
I would probably focus more on your 1/4 mile time, that'll be the better judge of how quick your car is. car and driver got there hr 350 m/t to hit 0-60 in 5.2 seconds i'm sure with the same conditions and skilled driver the 5a hr can post the same time. compared to other car manufactures are 5a don't lose much of there grunt when put against the manuals.
05-29-2011, 03:08 AM
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^ Yeah, it's one of the things I started to notice as I got more and more into cars. The Manual almost always has more HP and/or TQ with more agressive gearing. Sometimes they're completely different motors.
05-29-2011, 09:17 AM
#33
I agree, just look at the specs of the new honda accord v6, the m/t traps about 3-5 more mph compared to the automatic. and magazine zero 60 times are 5.5 -5.8 fore the manual and 6.2 -6.5 fore the a/t. those are huge differences. I'm so happy nissan didn't give us a power robbing a/t transmission.
not this crap again...
05-30-2011, 01:37 PM
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I agree, just look at the specs of the new honda accord v6, the m/t traps about 3-5 more mph compared to the automatic. and magazine zero 60 times are 5.5 -5.8 fore the manual and 6.2 -6.5 fore the a/t. those are huge differences. I'm so happy nissan didn't give us a power robbing a/t transmission.
07-17-2011, 11:29 AM
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I have an 03 auto stock with steel chromed rims. Dont know the 0-60
time. I ran 9.32 in the 1/8 mile at countyline dragstrip. I think I could do slightly
better but not much more. Next I will get 1/4 mile time. Not so into racing
just an occassional hobby.
time. I ran 9.32 in the 1/8 mile at countyline dragstrip. I think I could do slightly
better but not much more. Next I will get 1/4 mile time. Not so into racing
just an occassional hobby.
07-17-2011, 12:52 PM
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Look, the next gen auto transmissions are faster and better than prior transmissions, but they aren't "direct drive" yet (EXCEPT for Ferrari, BMW, and exotics using clutch-based electronic transmissions - but these aren't really autos). Clutch-based autos are basically manual trannies run by computer, and thus they have the characteristics of a quickly-shifted manual. Technically they are not automatics.
You have an inherent loss in auto transmissions because you have a torque converter at the front near the engine, which is somewhere between 5%-20% of the power depending on the car and conditions. The benefit of an auto is that you get most of your torque up front on launch, but on a manual you have to dump the clutch to get close to it.
However, the manual, when the clutch plate is engaged, will give you direct drive, with no slipping or conversion going on. Thus, non-clutch based autos will probably always have a loss associated with them. They also have a lag in the auto shift that manufacturers have been trying for years to reduce, with some success.
Thus, in order of performance (best to worst):
1) Computer-controlled manuals (SMG, F1, etc.)
2) Manual transmissions
3) Sport-shift and electronic autos with higher perf shifting
3) CVT (tied sport autos)
4) Standard autos, like your father used to drive
I would put CVT higher on the list, but it has a certain lag that you can feel and it can't hold torque the way an auto or manual can. But I have driven some CVTs that make a 4-cylinder feel like a 6.
Anyway, the bottom line is that manuals and digital manuals currently beat autos because of the ability to directly drive the wheels without any peripheral losses (besides mass and friction). Manuals are also highly dependent on the DRIVER, which is why many drivers will see similar results to an automatic.
You have an inherent loss in auto transmissions because you have a torque converter at the front near the engine, which is somewhere between 5%-20% of the power depending on the car and conditions. The benefit of an auto is that you get most of your torque up front on launch, but on a manual you have to dump the clutch to get close to it.
However, the manual, when the clutch plate is engaged, will give you direct drive, with no slipping or conversion going on. Thus, non-clutch based autos will probably always have a loss associated with them. They also have a lag in the auto shift that manufacturers have been trying for years to reduce, with some success.
Thus, in order of performance (best to worst):
1) Computer-controlled manuals (SMG, F1, etc.)
2) Manual transmissions
3) Sport-shift and electronic autos with higher perf shifting
3) CVT (tied sport autos)
4) Standard autos, like your father used to drive
I would put CVT higher on the list, but it has a certain lag that you can feel and it can't hold torque the way an auto or manual can. But I have driven some CVTs that make a 4-cylinder feel like a 6.
Anyway, the bottom line is that manuals and digital manuals currently beat autos because of the ability to directly drive the wheels without any peripheral losses (besides mass and friction). Manuals are also highly dependent on the DRIVER, which is why many drivers will see similar results to an automatic.
07-17-2011, 01:47 PM
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0-60 time is subjective to alot of variable. Manufacture posted time is most likely to be the best time out of a million tries. Or an avg. of those million tries.
10-27-2012, 07:17 AM
#39
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Great Post!
I'm happy with my 2007 HR Auto's performance. I raced in the past with M/Ts. Driver error may be one of the biggest problems with having a M/T. It is a B to loose a race because of a miss shift or broken clutch linkage. I find my auto delivers the best performance with the Traction Control System off. and the A/T in the select Manuel position. Performs great on Mountains roads. I drive to The Dragon in N.C. a few times a year. Most people watching think I have a M/T and are surprized when I tell them it's a A/T in Manuel select. With over 300 HP when I want to play I have no problem doing burn outs from a stop. I'm thinking of buying another Z just for the track, if I do it will have the M/T.
I'm happy with my 2007 HR Auto's performance. I raced in the past with M/Ts. Driver error may be one of the biggest problems with having a M/T. It is a B to loose a race because of a miss shift or broken clutch linkage. I find my auto delivers the best performance with the Traction Control System off. and the A/T in the select Manuel position. Performs great on Mountains roads. I drive to The Dragon in N.C. a few times a year. Most people watching think I have a M/T and are surprized when I tell them it's a A/T in Manuel select. With over 300 HP when I want to play I have no problem doing burn outs from a stop. I'm thinking of buying another Z just for the track, if I do it will have the M/T.
Last edited by jerseystyle; 10-30-2012 at 02:23 PM.
