AceO

Hi guys

Those of you with 5 spd (esp a 97 SE), what kinda rpm you running while cruising on flat road at ~70 mph (in the 5th presumably)? I get about 2900 rpm, it seems high compared to auto. The car does run smooth and fine, just having no reference point makes me wonder what's normal for 5 spd.

Thanks.

rome06

iTrader: (1)

sounds normal.....i think at 3000 in 5th gear ur at 80 but idk for sure

Terran

iTrader: (6)

Sounds about right. Makes ya want a 6th gear doesn't it?

AceO

cool..thnx

AceO

yeah, 6th would be nice...maybe in a few yrs, 2K2/3 SE 6-speed

Bobo

I believe at 70 mph I'm about bang on 2950 in 5th gear. That's almost 113 kmh by the way, not 110, AceO (don't say that too fast if you've had a few too many, lol). I'm still running stock 15" sawblades with the original tires. Aftermarket wheels and wider tires can throw your odometer off and it could be reading high. Consequently 70 mph on the odometer, may be actually less - say 67 or whatever.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

You can take apart an Altima transmission and swap its gears for yours. They have shorter 1,2,3 and taller 5...perfect for both fast launches and highway cruising. The housings are slightly different but otherwise they seem to be identical, right down to the model number (RSF50A). I am considering doing this at some point in the future.

http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_...nsmissions.htm

maximazation

iTrader: (11)

i like our short ratio 5 speed, when cruising on the freeway at 70 or so in 5th gear, when someone tries to highway race and i know i'll be able to beat him, no point to downshift, 5th gear is still pretty good, comparable tp 4th.

Akumachan

iTrader: (12)

am i missing something here? 5th gear sucks! takes like 2 years to go from 80 to 90 in 5th... maybe just my car, but it still gets up to 60 in about 6.5, so im guessing my car is fine.

Linkage23

iTrader: (2)

At 70 mph in 5th gear I'm definitely at about 3100 RPM...this seems high but I love how it pulls and anything over 100 miles I'm still getting over 22 mpg...not to mention I have over 165,000 miles on my beast.

4GChamp5Spd

iTrader: (1)

Yeah its stick shift... why wouldn't you want to down shift? Its fun. Hahaha I'd like that altima mod.

larryseibel

iTrader: (8)

shoot...if someone wants to race at 70mph i downshift to 3rd. 3rd pulls hard to almost 100mph! 4th is good to well over 125!

Akumachan

iTrader: (12)

there ya go... trying to race in 5th gear... thats like watching a bunch of 90 year old men run a marathon... pointless

Skiptronic

That's weird at 3000 rpm I'm hitting 90. Don't know what gear I'm in though.

Akumachan

iTrader: (12)

well, if you dont know what gear your in, then i certainly hope its an automatic, and therefore, irrelevant.

chenzarino

iTrader: (2)

My Auto is around 25-2600rpm's at 70.

recardeeps222

iTrader: (2)

2800 at 70 in 5th gear w/ 235/40/18

2 Da Max

iTrader: (2)

6500 @ 12mph

Skiptronic

It's fourth.

Frank Fontaine

You hit the nail on the head. Most people here don't understand the 6-speed tranny. It's just like having a smart key where you press a button to start. Every new car has it.

I don't think Nissan even bothers publishing their gear ratios anymore, their audience doesn't really understand them. Anyway, if you look at many 6-spds, what was done is the engineers took the spread of the ratios of the old 5-spd and applied them to a 6-spd spectrum. Don't believe me? Why in the world does Mercedes Benz now have a 7-spd auto? Do you think 5,6,7 just keep getting taller so it's only doing 300 rpm at 80 mph!!??

With the Maxima getting around 27-28-29 on the highway, and like the poster said it takes forever to accelerate in 5th, why would you want lower rpms at 70 mph?

maximazation

iTrader: (11)

i think a 5th gear pull is almost as good as a 4th gear pull around freeway speeds, but when im going to TRY to beat someone, i WILL downshift

Loe max

iTrader: (6)

Mine is 8,500rpms @-14mph, Its crazy and I even have stock tires

Loe max

iTrader: (6)

Also

MPH=(engine RPM X Tire Radius) / (Final Gear Ratio X 168)

Do the math, tell me what you come up with. Otherwise, scroll down a few 10 pages and you'll find the math that was already done on 215/60R15 tires.

Frank Fontaine

You should put some 245/70-22 on a 5" wide rim, that way even though your car will be slower, it will make your clear lenses look really sweet and you wont have any wheel gap. Just remember, your 5 will now = 6, and R will be 7.

VQuick

iTrader: (17)

Where to begin...

6th gear in a 2002 Maxima is definitely taller than 5th gear in a 1995-2001 Maxima, and that's what's relevant here. Not MB's 7-speed autos.

4th gen 5th gear is 0.795 x final drive ratio of 3.823 = 3.039
5.5 gen 6th gear is 0.630 x final drive ratio of 3.812 = 2.402

That is a HUGE difference. The 6 speed guys are in the low 2000s at 70 MPH.

I get 29 MPG but why wouldn't you want to get better mileage, in any situation? Higher MPG is always better. If your argument is that 29 MPG is "good enough", that's not an argument at all but only your opinion.

Concerning power in 5th gear, why the hell do you need power in 5th? If you're trying to get to 140 MPH you need it but otherwise you should be in 4th. 4th gear pulls harder than 5th up to 115 MPH (per SteVTEC's graph) so unless you routinely drive over 115 MPH you do not need such a short 5th. Most of us don't ever drive that fast, and those who do only drive that fast a fraction of the time that they cruise at 70 or 80 (I hope); thus my point that a taller 5th gear would be really nice.

larryseibel

iTrader: (8)

i didnt say anything about 5th gear. what are you talking about?

AceO

my thoughts exactly

TriniRicanPapi

Can anyone tell me an estimated difference in 0 to 60 time between a auto and manual Maxima of the same year?

Bobo

What's this got to do with this thread? When I bought my 95SE I read 6.6 or 6.7 for a 5-speed. I have also read in the low 7 second range, so who knows? An automatic is about a full second slower to 60 mph.