One for more experienced Z ers. Appreciate the benefit of experience.

 

Had my Z for nearly 3 weeks now and just terrified myself driving 250 miles up the M6 from Manchester to Scotland in torrential rain tonight with those wonderful headlights. With 18" wheels 245's front and 265's rear the Z turns into a jet ski when it hits standing water at anything over 65/70 - even with good tread. Boy but was my nipper-offer working overtime. I felt like I was steering it with my buttocks sometimes. Is this normal?

 

Also I thought that the auto box was 4 speed with 4th gear the overdrive. When doing 70ish and cruising up an incline on light throttle the transmission seems to change down and up (hunting I think you call it) like it can't make its mind up. The revs rise around 250 then drop back again as it changes back yet if I switch out the overdrive it changes down a much greater degree. Is there a torque converter lock up or something going on that lets go when you increase throttle a little? The handbook says nothing about this.

 

Finally some have said that they only get 250 miles between fill ups. I was worried sick thinking I was burning the 16 gallon tank in around 300 miles even driving light foot but I found that when the low fuel light comes on you can only get around 55 - 60 litres in that means there's at least 12 left - nearly 3 gallons! So not as bad as I thought.

 

In daylight you can't beat a Z for smiles per gallon : )

 

Hi Will,

 

My Z does the same thing in heavy rain. I am running on standard rims but at around 65+ the car turns into a 300 hp surf board.

 

Have to drive very tentitivly on the A12 between Chelmsford and Colchester in heavy rain.

 

Pity our roads are so crap, I have been told that some autobahns in Europe have much better drainage in heavy rain situations.

 

Another Dave ;-)

 

Welcome to the sideways club....how ironic is my Username....

 

 

 

I have to say I've experienced this problem a lot more with my Falcons, my Bridgstones (S02s) seam much better for the wet. (And superb for the dry!)

 

It's worth checking out tyre pressures. I have 265/35 18s on rear but was getting terrible aquaplaning. Wheels were spinning on kickdown at 90. I found one wheel had low pressure - stuck up to 2 bar and it improved beyond recognition.

 

On the 'box question - yes, there's a lock up situation going on ! Whichever is the highest current gear (3rd or 4th depending on whether overdrive is selected) will lock up provided there isn't excessive torque going through.

 

Dave