Saw in an earlier thread that the auto box runs the car at 70mph at 2600rpm. My car is away at the moment so I can't check but happy to accept that.

 

So the question is can I make the car any more long-legged ? I was out in my wife's 118d BMW and at 70mph the engine is almost just ticking over and as such I'm guessing is therefore more economical ?

 

Can you change ratios in an auto ?

 

Alternatively, provided the mating plate can be fabricated and the input shaft matches, are there other gearboxes available ?

 

I saw an article (which annoyingly I can't seem to find again) where the gear lever was eliminated and replaced by a solenoid mechanism in the transmission tunnel that created a SAW setup. I take this to mean that you could have a level-less centre console a-la current high end cars and thus creating options ?

 

It's not on my list of priorities but any thoughts would be welcome.

 

Mark

At what cost though. Changing the final drive to be taller would be the cheapest option providing there is a taller gear available than 3.69. though that might hinder driving only being a 4 speed.

Are you thinking of this?

 

http://www.ess-racing.com/

 

BTW - Fuel economy is not usually considered important when owning a Z32!

Good points. I guess it was thoughts around 'modernising' the car.

 

I spoke to the ESS guy and he said he's not offering the kit anymore as some parts are no longer.

Don't forget the 300zx auto 'box is old-tech now - and only has 4 gears; hence can't really be compared to today's 7, 8 or 9 speed offerings.

 

I'd leave it alone though; it's still not a bad 'box considering how far we've come in 25 years. 3000 rpm at around 90-ish isn't exactly uncivilised. Especially when most older cars were 4-speed manuals, 70mph came at around 4000rpm...:wink:

Firstly you can not compare a modern automatic coupled to a Deisel engine to a 25+ year old box design and a petrol engine.

 

The BMW has a rev limit of what? 5.5k the Z more like 7.5. If you were at 2.5k you’d be nearly half way though the Deisels Rev range.

 

The z32 TT has tall gears anyway, a number of a theoretical top speed on the Auto is something like 210mph, not that you’d get there. Would such labour on the engine be any good for it? Certainly should you merely exchange the overdrive gear, the kick down to a stock “third” would be interesting, when it eventually engaged. If you went to move out on the overtake it would be crap.

 

You could look at installing a box from a more modern car, but the custom work and electrical adjustments would make it very expensive. Not a goer imo.

Options of automatic Z gearbox:

 

 

;)