just curious as of what there top speed is, also 1/4 mile if you know

My top speed so far was 110. My adrenaline was rushing too. I was scared to death it was on an open highway in '99 when I first got the car. I havent tested it since.

I've done 130+ with my 86 SE....scared me ****less because of the suspension, but she can get going....now if I can figure out my idling problem thats make my car go putt putt putt putt.....lol.
I still yet to do a quarter mile with my car though. I would like to see what kind of performance I'm getting.

S

I've also got mine around 130, or at least that's what the speedometer said. The engine has a governor that I believe is supposed to shut off the fuel at 127 mph. The speedometers in these cars generally read higher than you're really going.

As for 1/4 mile, the car runs somewhere between 17-18 seconds stock. I've heard people got their Max's in the low 16's though. I can't recall if anyone got a 2nd gen in the 15's without a turbo or nitrous.

-C-

Yeah teh speedometers are like well atleast mine is like 5 mph off alittle less than that but I rounded up. My speedo said 115 but I knew about my 5 mph off thing so I just say 110. I dont kow who at Nissan Calculated our speedos but they didnt do a good job, lol.

Hmmmm...

When I first got my car, it seem to top out at 90MPH,
it felt like it had more, but it just stopped at 90.

I have done a few repairs but haven't tried the top
speed thing since I've done the repairs.

Also, my car came up from California, does anyone know
what "restrictions" the Cali cars have that others don't?

Thanks!
Scott

Ah cali spec. yeah more emmissions. Your ecu is probably programmed for that. Maybe get a non cali spec ecu and it might make a diff. I still dont see how these guys can get theirs up to 130. The speedo stops at 125. They must have had a looong stretch to get it that high because when I got to 115 on my speedo it was really slowly increasing speed after that. So I shut it down, Didnt want to take my chances of getting caught in the middle of the day by 5-0

Highly unlikely that anyone has gotten a stock 2nd gen max over 125, unless they were going slightly downhill. The Z31 NA have trouble getting to 130 and they're a lot more aerodynamic than the maxima. Also, I doubt there is a fuel cutoff being that the Z31 NA didn't have one, why would the max get one.

BTW, the only 1/4 mile times I've seen on the max are 16.7 & 16.9.

Well, when the needle is way past 125, correct me if I'm wrong, but that would mean I was going faster than 125, possibly around 130? And it was a level straightaway, not downhill.

I'm not 100% sure about the fuel cutoff thing, but I read it somewhere on the board before.

Also, the 2nd gen Max doesn't run in the 16's stock. The automatic runs a 17.8 sec. 1/4 mile stock and the manual runs around 17.3s. The only way you can get into the 16's with a 2nd gen is if you do some aftermarket mods.

Here's a link to the peformance testing that Motor Trend has done on the Nissan Maxima over the years: http://home.earthlink.net/~maxfaq/history.htm

The test is for an '88 with an auto. The 0-60 time is 10.3 seconds, 1/4 mile is 17.8 at 78 mph. Even a 3rd gen with a manual transmission ran the 1/4 mile at 17.3 seconds, so I can't see a stock 2nd gen getting into the 16's without considerable peformance upgrades.

-C-

On auto's there is a fuel cut-off (consi...but on the 5-speed manuals, there isn't. There is though a rev limiter at about 6500-7000rpm (I'm not sure because I only run my engine up to almost redline, and never past it). As for my top speed, I've gotten there, and there was very slight decline. I totally agree about the stock 2nd gen going over 125...its very hard to do. My car has mods done to it though, 3rd gen tranny, which has a shorter gear ratios compared to the 2nd gen version (in comparison, at 75, my old tranny in 5th had the engine at 2500 rpm, the 3rd gen tranny it now at 3000 rpm. I also run a cone intake, and 2.25" exhaust piping from the cat-back. So I don't see too many problems getting up to that speed now.

S

That's assuming the speedometer is correct. Use what your tach was reading as a more accurate measurement.

Yes, the Max does run 16's stock. Do a little more research first. You found a site that tested two slugamatics. That 3rd gen was an auto not a 5-sp. Here is a site that has two more test, and is where I got my data. http://www.missouri.edu/~apcb20/times.html

Do you mean speed limiter and rev limiter or just a rev limiter. All Z31's came with a rev limiter but only the turbo's came with a speed limiter, so I didn't know what applied to the Max.

The auto's should have both a speed limiter at about 127mph and a rev limiter. I know the SE's only have the rev-limiter. Still, I would definately like to get out and get a quarter mile time for my car before I do anything big...like boost or N2O. Another thing I was going to point about. You were saying the z31 NA has trouble getting upto 130. Could it be possible that since its rear wheel drive, that it could have a good amount of power loss going out the the driveline, differential and axles? In comparison to the maxima where there isn't a driveline, and the distance from the crank to the wheels is considerably less. Wouldn't that play a good factor in it?

Since when the hell does a tachometer tell you how fast you're going? I could have swore that's why that put a speedometer in the car. You're going to have to get me the manual on how to translate from engine speed to the car's velocity.

Also, only 10% of 2nd gen Maximas were equipped with a standard transmission, 90% of them have automatics, so saying that a Maxima runs 16's stock doesn't apply to the majority of 2nd gen owners.

-C-

Ok, I'll try to explain this so even you can understand and no manual is needed. At a certain rpm you can calculate your speed based on your rear end, gear ratios and tire size. Do a search and you'll find tons of these 'speed calculators' on the net. If you want I can hold your hand while you do it.

Where did you get that number, since the SE only came with a 5-sp, and I don't think everyone that got an GXE got an auto. Let's see, 2 articles say sub 17's and one says over 17. Hmmm, unless you know for a fact that both of those test under 17 were with a 5-sp, then I can say that the Max could run 16's stock, auto or 5-sp.

Well, if you want to sit there and try and perform mathematical calculations at 130 mph, you go ahead and do that, I'll stick with the speedometer.

Also, the SE didn't just come with a 5 speed, they did offer an automatic, in fact Avalon42 had an SE with an automatic, so you're dead wrong about that. And you're also wrong about the GXE too, it only came with an automatic, there wasn't a 5 speed offered for it.

Hey, I'd be the first one to tell everybody that my car runs 16's in the quarter mile, but the fact is, it doesn't even come close and I'd get laughed at if I did tell people that. My BMW ran mid to high 16's in the 1/4 mile, and it had a lot more punch than my Maxima does. And I also had an Eagle Talon TSi that ran the 1/4 mile in the 15's and there's no way I would only be a second behind it in my Maxima. I think the 2nd gen Maxima is awesome, which is why I drive it, but it's a 3000 lb boxy car, with a measly 125 hp at the front wheels, I don't expect it to run 16's in the 1/4 mile, nor am I embarrassed that it doesn't.

-C-

I agree with Rusty, there is no way a 2nd gen unless it is modded will go over 125mph. The auto's are mechanically limited because they won't do a 3-4 upshift at WOT. Therefore you have to either let up on the gas pedal or accelerate in 3rd. Also since I've had my car on the dyno the rpm/mph ratio of an auto with stock tires is 53. So turning 6000rpm in 3rd gear is only 113mph. There isn't enough power in 3rd gear because you'd be deep into the redline. Our speedo's are off too, I remember seeing those radar setups that display your speed and it said I was going like 63mph when the speed read 65mph. So I doubled back and past it going an indicated 95mph, the display showed only 88-89mph.

You're right, I'm wrong, recall the info wrong.

How hard is it to look to the right of the speedo. Sorry, your having such a hard time understanding this. I'm saying just use the tach as a reference to see if the speedo is somewhat accurate. Why would you just 'stick with the speedometer', since you said in your first post that it is generally off? You said the speedo is generally off but seem to imply that yours was pretty accurate over 125, pick one side or the other.

If a Z31 NA can run low 16's then it seems entirely possible that a Max can break 17. It's at least 100lbs lighter although the gearing is more spaced out which hurts acceleration. I'm using as a reference the stock 86 NA that I had, with 180k miles on it, that ran a 16.3 @ 83.

Ok rusty yes you are right you can calculate how fast a car goes just by that. Charles' statement isnt that he doesnt understand it Im sure he does hes a smart guy. Hes just saying why do it in the car. Or why waste the time. But just how you said it it does make sense but do it at a Desk sitting in the house ok. Now, What Nismo said is Correct. For me anyway, from what I have. I did mine stock. Everything Nismo said is Correct. Ive even witnessed it because at around 100-things are still going, just accelerating ever so slightly. To my speedo at 115 I stayed pretty constant after that with speed. It moved alittle but it wouldve been too long to wait for me to see it hit 125 if it did so I shut it down. Sarin and Charles do have mods, custom exhaust systems and what not. Plus I believe they have 5 speeds, big diff. (FYI Charles may have an auto Im not sure if he does or doesnt so dont hold me to it). Anyway, So on autos we are only capable of the around 115 mark where as since manuals can get into all the gears if they wanted to are possibly capable of the higher speeds. I agree our speedos are off. I think Nissan Highered someone drunk at the time to Calculate our speed relationship with the Speedometer. And yes if you do study the Tach depending on what gear you are in you can just about feel or guesstimate what speed you are at. Ive done it. After awhile of driving the same car you tend to know how fast youre going without even looking at a Speedo. Like in the Autos if you got overdrive on you know that the speedo is at about 45 mph when it shifts over. For me my speedo is off by about 5 or less mph in real life so really for me Im about 40 mph in real life. Rusty its possible for the maxima to break 17s but thatd be with mods. I remember with the stuff Ari had on his car, He barely broke 16's that was with mods so stock it couldnt happen. After adding custom cams and some other stuff to his car he guesstimated that he was either in the lower 16's or pretty close to even hitting 15's for that matter. He couldnt take it to the track because his Timing belt broke after it was changed before he could test his theory after the cams were installed. Plus the Z's were configured differently so if they were able to its because of less weight and they were more performance based. They were performance based compared to the other family car. But more mildly done than the Z's.

Actually, the tachometer is to the left of the speedometer.

Also, the first time I did a top speed run, the car didn't want to shift out of third, so I was limited in that run to around 115. That's cause I went WOT the entire time. Another run that I did recently was on a much more open stretch of road, so I wasn't flooring it the entire time and the car did go into OD, which allowed me to attain ~130 mph. Yeah, I do have a few aftermarket mods like a catback exhaust system and a K&N air filter, so that definitely helped accelerating in OD.

I said that I'm sticking with the speedometer because I don't think it's necessary to be a few miles an hour off. For Christ's sake, I'm not trying to land a spacecraft on the moon, I don't think pinpoint accuracy is that big of a deal when determining what the approximate top speed of this car is.

-C-

I know a 2nd gen that is definately in the 15 range, it not 14! (Though I haven't seen what the track time is yet). KALSC is runnin boost.

One thing in to add...the auto's a few pounds heavier than 5-speed. Plus the auto's of the time have no accleration in 1st or 2nd. I went against sonystyle's 87 GXE, he tried to pass me on the freeway, and he was already WOT, I just dropped into 3rd and I pulled away at a very high rate.

S

Not to be beating a dead horse, but since we have established the fact that the speedo is not 100% accurate, the point also should be brought up that no factory installed tach is 100% accurate, either...or there would be no reason to install an aftermarket unit.

So therefore, the process of calculating your actual speed, to compensate for a bad speedo calibration, through a conversion of an inaccurate tach reading results in inaccurate results, yet again.

I wanna apologize to Charles for sounding like jerk on Friday. After rereading my post I realized that my attitude was a little off. I was having a bad day at work and I guess I let it spill over onto the board. The only point I was trying to make was that I doubt a stock 2nd gen max would break 125. Also, I was only referring to using the tach as a reference not as a completely accurate gauge of how fast the car is going, but I think I came off sounding like the tach is the only thing that matters in determining top speed.

lol, we all have our moments don't we? Anyway speaking of top speed run, I had the speedo at 120 yesterday. A guy in an explorer tried to be bad ***. He gained on me and was riding my *** for a good quarter mile while we are doing 75. He goes to pass me, so I drop into 4th and let all hell break loose. I get to about 100 and he's already about 8 car lengths behind me trying to keep up. 110 he was 10 car length back. 120..buh bye. I didn't push further because of the fact that I was coming up at a common state trooper speed trap so I slowed down and exited the freeway. Either way that kicked ***. Enough of my off topic ramblin for the evening.

S