280ZX (S130) Forums Dedicated to 79-83 ZCars

acceleration

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 10-06-2008, 06:33 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
drftrzx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Garden Grove, CA
Posts: 39
Exclamation acceleration

is just my z or is the acceleration pretty bad until 5th gear, and if it is just my z what could the problem be?
drftrzx is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 06:42 AM
  #2  
The Good Twin
 
NismoPick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
Posts: 20,639
That doesn't make much sense to me (maybe I'm reading it wrong?)...

Your car has a hard time accelerating until you get it into 5th gear? That's amazing... because the car would naturally have the HARDEST time accelerating in 5th gear (gear ratio and wind resistance). Also... You would have the same RPM range in the previous gears.

Anyway... from your question, I guess I would ask: Have you checked over everything? Have you done a tune up? Does the car pass emissions? What kind of mpg does it get? What's the timing set to?
NismoPick is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 07:33 AM
  #3  
Ruff Ryder
 
hoov100's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: palm desert
Posts: 6,140
if its not accelerating good until 5'th then where looking at a 1.87:1 gear ratio?

setting them land speed records one day at a time?




alright, but it probable needs a tune-up fluids change and compression check.
hoov100 is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 08:52 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
iestyn.lewis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Norcross, GA
Posts: 59
Have you timed it or does it just feel sluggish? What are you used to? My daily driver is a Civic, and I find that on the weekends I have to get used to the Z again, which pulls in the 2000-3000 rpm range. In the Z, I shift up at about 3000, whereas if I'm pushing the Civic, it's more like 4000-5000.

Once you're up in 5th, I know what you mean, it does feel like it accelerates better - maybe because you're not trying to get from 0 to 50 in a hurry, but just from 50-70, right in the engine's 2500-3500 rpm sweet spot.

Bear in mind, too, that if you have a non-turbo, it's not really a beast of an engine. I did all the standard lightening mods to mine (remove a/c, cruise, rear wiper, spare tire), and that felt like it did some good. Bumpers will be next. Since all we have is seat-of-the pants, it's hard to say.

You could time your 0-50 or 0-60 time and compare it with the original specs...
iestyn.lewis is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 10:15 AM
  #5  
NisTuner
 
duowing's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 2,800
My car feels slow...but I've already gotten used to 10psi...
duowing is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 10:33 AM
  #6  
Ruff Ryder
 
hoov100's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: palm desert
Posts: 6,140
Originally Posted by iestyn.lewis
Have you timed it or does it just feel sluggish? What are you used to? My daily driver is a Civic, and I find that on the weekends I have to get used to the Z again, which pulls in the 2000-3000 rpm range. In the Z, I shift up at about 3000, whereas if I'm pushing the Civic, it's more like 4000-5000.
you should be informed that the power curve for a stock z is in the 5.5-6kRPM range and that redline on a civic is like almost 8k, whereas redline on the L series is like 6.5kRPMS.
hoov100 is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 12:01 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
iestyn.lewis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Norcross, GA
Posts: 59
Originally Posted by hoov100
you should be informed that the power curve for a stock z is in the 5.5-6kRPM range and that redline on a civic is like almost 8k, whereas redline on the L series is like 6.5kRPMS.
You're right, here's the first curve I could find (off an older carbed engine, but, you know... ) http://datsunzgarage.com/dyno/

Being an old fart, though (comparatively), there's no way I'm going to run either of my engines anywhere near those rpms... I guess to me it feels like it pulls well around 2.5-3.5K, probably because lower than that it's chugging, and higher than that and I upshift....
iestyn.lewis is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 12:27 PM
  #8  
Ruff Ryder
 
hoov100's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: palm desert
Posts: 6,140
hmm, check you timing, spark and compression. but since when did age have to deal with driving a car?
hoov100 is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 03:04 PM
  #9  
lww
Head Muckraker
 
lww's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 9,221
Originally Posted by drftrzx
is just my z or is the acceleration pretty bad until 5th gear, and if it is just my z what could the problem be?
With no more information about the car, I have to conclude it's just you. Mine pulls like a monster from about 8psi to 22psi when it starts to run out of breath...
lww is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 05:23 PM
  #10  
Pr0n Addict
 
KasbeKZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: virginia
Posts: 4,617
oh i remember how to fix this. pull the floor mat down so that it's not bunched up behind the pedal
KasbeKZ is offline  
Old 10-07-2008, 07:24 AM
  #11  
Big Poppa
 
SHADY280's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Mission, British Columbia
Posts: 4,499
hahahahah i know what you mean, i got used to mine after my build, now its slow as ballz

Originally Posted by duowing
My car feels slow...but I've already gotten used to 10psi...
SHADY280 is offline  
Old 10-07-2008, 01:07 PM
  #12  
eff good grammar
 
Niku-Sama's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Deadford OR
Posts: 1,578
my car accelerates pretty quick but at the same time i am getting 17 MPG but thats almost all intown...hmm my milage dropped alot i wonder if its time for a water and air temp sensor
Niku-Sama is offline  
Old 10-08-2008, 07:20 AM
  #13  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
drftrzx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Garden Grove, CA
Posts: 39
Originally Posted by Niku-Sama
my car accelerates pretty quick but at the same time i am getting 17 MPG but thats almost all intown...hmm my milage dropped alot i wonder if its time for a water and air temp sensor
yah that sounds bad, i dont know what my mpg is but i never really have to fill up
drftrzx is offline  
Old 10-08-2008, 09:07 AM
  #14  
The Good Twin
 
NismoPick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Wild Wild West, UTAH!
Posts: 20,639
Originally Posted by drftrzx
but i never really have to fill up
It's the magical 280zx that never has to be re-fueled.
NismoPick is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
TapTap
280ZX (S130) Forums
6
09-22-2012 10:26 PM
scorpionp54
280ZX (S130) Forums
4
06-17-2010 11:48 AM
ksloan25
300ZX (Z32) Forums
10
06-01-2010 11:02 PM
TheGrimaceTab
280ZX (S130) Forums
9
09-13-2009 03:30 AM
pconno4
280ZX Performance / Technical
7
05-02-2006 06:16 PM



Quick Reply: acceleration



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:04 PM.