Well, let's see, I leave the job site today in my fantastic 280zx and I stop at a traffic light. I take off with about half the gas pedal...just before she shifts into second the tranny says HEY...I am gonna slip now!!! So the car revs to about 4,500rpm then hits second violently and slides the rear of the car a little with some loud tire chirps...after I got over being pissed about the tranny slippin I said hey...I just barked second pretty hard...and it was kinda cool!!! Well it seems like the lack of power is the tranny...it has to be...the engine revs freely, I can feel that it wants to do more but it has the turd of an automatic tranny killing it...man I can't wait for the Turbo 5 speed!!!!

So anyway, I bought a trans filter kit for it cause I knew it was leaking, from the pan, the kit came with a metal filter and a real thick 17 hole rubber gasket. I will be putting it all in Sunday and hopefully it will perform a little better cause I bet the filter that is in it is worn out...I know the gasket is. The pan is the only source of fluid leaking, from the tranny anyway...the engine oil pan and rear end are next on the list...damn leaky ******! Good thing I keep up on checking fluid levels. If anyone needs a pic of the tranny filter kit let me know...those filters need changing too guys and gals.

 

I have to say, the first time I ever drove a Z was an automatic and it was quite discouraging. I had the privelage of driving my grandmother (original owner) 83 auto during a move and while the car handled great it was a slow *****. The next time I drove one, on a test drive, was a manual trans 81. That one changed my mind as the car had considerable more initial pickup. That test drive was what led me to finally buy one of my own. The auto drivers will often argue that there isnt a performance difference due to the longer gears. Which its true to a point. Eventually the longer gears of the auto make up for the lack of initial pickup (less shifting and quicker shifting)...but the auto is still so boring compared to the manual

 

^^^ and on top of that, there is a greater loss of power through the drivetrain w/ an auto.

 

humm. why would nissan do such a poor match? hell. i know they had to of test drove the car bfore they mass produced it.

 

It's not a poor design... car makers need to market to a variety of drivers. There are obviously more 5speeds than autos, but ya gotta have the option out there.

Buick GN's are all autos... those suckers haul ***.

 

yeah not all autos are a drawback in the performance department (the Z's just happens to be one of the ones that really blows). I dont like them because it just takes away from the experience in my opinion. I like having to use a clutch pedal and shifting the gears myself and being able to do it when I want. Just something I'm fond of I guess, especially during spirited driving Besides, most cars have a mind of their own as it is...no need for the transmission to have to think for itself as well

 

I agree 100%...I have driven my friends 1980 2+2 N/A which is a 5 speed and it is a lesser engine what with the different block and head but it is much faster feeling than my auto...but this will change soon enough. I also agree the auto is boring...which is why I shift it manualy and get on it as much as possible

 

WARNING!

It is a well known and documented fact that changing the fluid in a tranny that is already slipping has about a 50/50 shot of making the problem MUCH WORSE!

Once you have accrued enough damage to an auto tranny for it to exhibit bad behavior, the nasty, gummy fluid is sometimes the only thing "keeping it together". I saw plenty of cars drive into shops over the years under their own power with slipping tranny's that had to be towed home after changing the fluid!

Just so you know:

It's either gonna help, or it will be the final nail in the coffin.

Good luck!

Rod.

 

that is very true rod, listen to him, he knows!! also the nissan auto is bulletproof, my buddy drags his 15psi turbo z to 11 seconds in the quarter with an auto, he went in and modified and adjusted to make it a little better, but said it was not much cause the autos are basic. for an auto that thing is nuts. he said its better for drag cause its 3 nicely spread gears that shift quick. he also has a stock converter too. no stall speed

 

good point, rod. i have found int he past, that nissan/datsun auto transmissions were not "strong"--shifted slowly, took more time than tryuing to start a turbo with a bad ecu.
auto trans are not as efficient as manual--there is a great lag in performance between auto and manual trans--always noticeable when atempting cornering on windy roads--very frustrating lags. i will ALWAYS choose manual over auto trans for that reason--no difference on long runs on the freeway--for that, either will do..

 

I replaced a Auto filter in a 93 Lumina. 256K on orig trany filter. Boy was this car buckin before i changed the filter. Ti bucked so bad. it ate up the motor mounts for lunch.

 

Well I hope it does hold together...at least till I get the manual tranny. On the slipping issues, it has not done it alot or very often but I think I am catching it early as I make sure to put fluid in it just before or right as it starts slipping. We will see tomorrow when I change the filter.

 

Yeah good point. I had the same problem, when my Firebird's tranny(automatic 350) started slipping. I barely made it home. And my grandpa, and dad, at the time. Suggested I get a new filter for it. And we also noticed chunks of stuff in the tranny pan.(not a good sign) Well low and behold, after we worked on it all day. We crossed our fingers, and sure enough. The tranny acted neutral in any gear I put it in. I called in to work that night, because I was up all day with my car. I ended up limping my '81 with a warped, and cracked head for a week to work. Until my Firebird got out of the tranny shop. Halfway to work, I had to put water back into my Z. So roughly about 7 miles, he was out of water.

Anyway I do think the people are pretty much right on this. It could do more damage than good. Hope not bro', but it is highly likely. Good luck to you, and let us know what happens.

 

nothing like a little initiative to get the swap started

 

Well I listened to all of you and did the filter anyway....about 10 miles of driving and it blew a hole in the pan and the tranny locked up sending me into a slide!!! I think the driveshaft twisted and broke so I don't know what to do now!!!















































LOL J/k, I went to the place I got the car from and they said they had it rebuilt before they put it in...the leaking is because they didn't tighten the bolts all the way...so I made them put it on the lift and now no leaking or slipping

 

slipping was prolly due to the fact the fluid was low. thatll do it every time

 

I think so, I am happy it is all good now...extra $10 in my pocket.

 

My wife test drove a VW rabbit once. The guy said the car ran perfect except the tranny slipped (auto). He suggested to her that the fluid probably just needed to be changed. She got in the car to take it for a spin and couldnt even get it to move. So I jumped in and eased it out of the lot. It slipped like nothing I'd ever driven. I got out and checked the tranny fluid: nada. Thats right, the fluid was so low that it wasnt even registering on the dipstick. Needless to say we didnt even attempt to look at any other cars on that lot.