Auto or Manual?

SkylineDave

SkylineDave

Well-Known Forum User
Tell me what you all think - is it better to have a manual box or an auto? Mine's an auto and I can't help feel I'm losing 1.5 secs 0-60 thanks to it! (cheers 'box!) And what do you auto-owners do to get the best off-the-lights launch? Not that I'm a boy racer or anything... ;)
 
1. The auto box on an import Z32 is proving to be a weak link component. In early stages of the failing condition, internal slippage may be losing lots of performance.
2. The manual box gives the driver more control in a variety of driving conditions - an auto box can be positively dangerous in some circumstances, e.g. kick-down in mid corner.
3. An auto box will sap more horsepower from the precious few reaching the rear wheels.
4. However, for drag style starts, an auto box is easier to launch and will give more consistent results. In a straightline race situation, an auto box will be more consistent. I've always used a two footed technique with autos, holding the car on the footbrake and building a little bit of stall speed rpm before launch.
5. Not everyone who has a manual box drives it like they mean it, so the advantage on absolute performance can be easily lost.
6. You can't easily or safely spin up the turbos from idle with the auto in gear.......(not that I'm suggesting you would do it out of gear and then drop it into drive!). A manual box gives you this option with a bit more safety.

On balance, for me, a manual box will always be the first choice in a road-going performance car. Having said that, my old drag race 280ZX ran a (much modified) Art Carr GM Turbo 400 auto and launched hard and ran consistent low 9 second quarters.....
 
Some interesting stuff there. I think the main reason I ask is because, according to a brochure I have on this car, it says that the manual TTs are about 5.6 secs, while the auto TT is 7.4. Imagine how ****ed off I was after buying an auto thinking I could have scooby-thrashing performance only to find I can just about beat a Renault 5 GTT!!! Grrr.

I can also agree wholeheartedly about the dangers of the auto box. The number of times I've forgotten that the road's wet, gone to overtake someone and found myself sliding at a 30 degree angle at 40mph. I think I spend more money on new pants than petrol with that car.
 
I can't find a road test report to verify your auto 0-60 time, but it seems unlikely that it would be that slow. That would put it behind a Z32 NA (6.7 in US SWB trim) and the old Z31 turbo (7.0)!
 
True, true. Think I'll have to wait for the roads to dry out, then have a go myself. Mine's pretty standard at the moment, except for a s/s exhaust that makes it sound like a gorgeous V8!!! Will take spare pants with me. ;)
 
I just thought i pop in here , love your car Mike , it sure is a nice colour,,great on sunday,wasn`t it,,,,i would like one but funds at the moment won`t allow,,anyway SkylineDave Hi ,,,i`ve got a jap auto and at the moment ,,,after sundays little drive home with the lads ,,Uhmm,,i`d say the 0-60 was around the 6secs,,,,cause there was three of us at the lights and we pulled away hard and were doing 100mph in a very short length of road , i know cause i looked down and smiled,,and there was a manual with us, and you could tell the difference between us,, but the zx 2+2 is heavy but with the auto it just acelerates with no dip in power,,!...I`m well chuffed with mine,,,when it goes and finds it feet ,,just hang on ,,plus you have both hands on the wheel to catch it if it does step out of line ,,just protect the auto g/box as much as you can ,,bigger transmission cooler,,good fluid,,and i`ve just found an ALC(auto line controller) that keeps the pressures up in the transmission ,,,so less slip, less friction ,g/box holds together longer ?,,well hope fully.

Mike /anyone ,where do these go/connect to ,and are they easy to fit? :confused:
 
Hi JonnyD. Thanks for that. Sounds better than 7.4 anyway! I guess with only having four gears the first gear is a lot longer than the 5-gear manual. Will have to try a proper launching start like Mike suggested. Do you use 1 and 2, or D and overdrive? And traction? So confusing these Japanese supercars... :D
 
On the JDM cars, select "Power" for best performance, although this will auto-select when you are trying hard. The gear selector does not lend itself to manual shifting, but you will gain some control by practicing with using it. Take care not to select past "D" into neutral in the heat of the moment!
If only someone did a reverse pattern selector with ratchet shifting like those available for U.S. boxes. The boxes would benefit from reprogramming the valve body for firmer shifting and a higher stall speed torque convertor - if only parts were readily available.
The ALC will help with the firmer shifting - I have no details, but the Japanese site Taka Kaira has English language instruction sheets on many devices available for download. You may have to search this very big site a bit!
 
Hi skyline ,,look ,,Before you do any fast starts ,,two foot starts ,,,read this!!!....
You will here this many times over , but the auto box is the weak point in a 300TT(Z32),,,BUT with the right bits put on the car/transmission ,,you should be able to have fun with it ,,,So check to see if the fluid is good ie.smells good not burnt,and if its brown ,,change NOW!,,,Better still if in doubt change it , ANYWAY with the filter(from Mike(mjp)).
Then make sure you have a oil cooler upfront under nose panel between headlights,,,easy to remove (AIRFILTER DOWN THERE AS WELL)if there is only one ,oil cooler , thats going to be for the engine , ,,,,,and ,,,,you then need to buy an upgrade oil cooler kit etc for the transmission,,,,cause there should be two down there (model/history lesson if you need it),,,If you don`t put a cooler on the transmission , it will break,,cause you will cook the fluid etc,etc.The stock jap cooler in the rad is crap!!!
So with the fluid changed and a good trasmission cooler upfront we are ready,,,,!
All i do is flick the "power" switch ON and go for it , let the car sought it out,,cause it will and with both hands to control the car,,you will be quicker hopefully than shifting from 1, 2 then into D,,and no risk then of going into "Neutral" as Mike says,, !!!,,,,but,,,
Mate this is my opinion, and this is what i have done with mine, and touch wood , its ok and the box is shifting well so i`m very happy with it,,,i`m thinking of now fitting a ALC to the transmission ,,,funds allowing,,,cheers !:cool:
 
Hi,
Nissan did quote 5.9 secs for the manual car and 7.5secs for the auto, in their 1992 literature.The auto car was never officially timed by motoring magazines of the day, in this country, only the manual car, which recorded 5.6secs by "Autocar" magazine.
There was a suspicion that the road test car was producing more than the claimed HP though!(later mentioned in an article)
Nissan quoted 6.7secs for the Z31 turbo, although only "What Car" magazine got close to this with 6.8secs on the facelift car, with Autocar recording 7.0secs.
Cheerz,
JEZ
 
my friend lent me his z32 twin turbo import took it down the m27 hit 150 mph this cars amazing took it up 2 160mph and still it seemed too want more need 2 get that car on a race track see if it will top 180 ps anyone know what the avg speed is for a twin turbo???
 
Yeah,, tell me about the dangers of auto boxes downshifting in mid corner!:eek: M11 roundabout at Harlow this morning full left lock and just caught the thing,,,,,,scary guys! By the way thanks to Ken at ZXS, my baby has heat again ! Take care all,,and by the way I have an unofficial time of 7.9 for my Z31 2+2 na, some basic perf parts but nothing wild.:D
 
As someone said earlier, there were no official tests on the UK spec auto. What-Car also got 5.6 0-60 from a manual car, testing against GTO/Supra/Pork968 Oct 1993 (only the Supra was faster, the ZX stuffed the others:D )

There is some suggestion (on US sites) that the auto is quicker to 100 than the manual. If this is the case, then 0-60 cannot be too far behind the manual.

All in all, Nissan have done a good job with the auto, as IMO it semms virtually as quick. I have a stock (apart from induction filter) auto and have come off well against GTO tts, Jag XKR supercharged etc......

Richard;)
 
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