I was bored at work today and turned out the shift points for the 2002 6 speed max and the estimated top speed.

2002 Maxima SE 6 speed
Gear ---- Speed
1 ------- 39.70
2 ------- 64.49
3 ------- 90.07
4 ------- 118.84
5 ------- 154.97
6 ------- 199.00

We can assume that the car can't pull 6th to the top speed cause it's too tall for the car. So that leaves us with a top speed of 155MPH. Now lets check the aerodynamic figures.

If we assume the tranny loss to be 18% top speed is 152MPH. If the loss is 15% then the top speed is 154MPH. So it would seem that the car can do about 155MPH. This would make it one of the fastest production front drive cars ever made.

Stereodude

 

how do you know this? i dont see how you figured that out. do you know the gear ratios?

 

Yeah here are the ratios:

1st -- 3.153
2nd -- 1.944
3rd -- 1.392
4th -- 1.055
5th -- 0.809
6th -- 0.630
reverse -- 3.002
final gear -- 3.812

Stereodude

 

cool.. where you find these?

 

Someone on the forums at FreshAlloy had them. I've got no idea how he came upon them. I wasn't able to find them anywhere, but I didn't look all that hard. They seem reasonable, so I've got no reason to doubt them.

Stereodude

 

EVER USE CARTEST 4.5? using these ratios, and the official specs on the 2002 maxima, and 3224 as the weight, and optimal launch methods, i get 60 in 5.89 secs, and 1/4 mile in 14.5 @ 97.9 mph, and get 21 , 27 mpg city/hwy.

 

The quarter miles seems a tad long compared the new Altima's run, but since no one has tested one yet who knows. The official gas mileage is supposed to be 22/28 I believe.

Stereodude

 

Good luck getting this thing off the line fast! Would be nice if 3rd and 4th pulled a little more in turn making the 5th a little shorter. I realize it is closer ratio but we will have to wait and see how it drives.

 

I hope 4th gear goes a little higher. I wouldn't want to make 3 shifts in the 1/4.

 

The 155 mph sounds high, did you use a cd factor? The Maxima does not appear to be very aerodynamic.

 

There is a debate amongst the 4th gen guys as to whether they run better with the shift to 4th.

I don't care if I have to shift if it'll run sub-6.0 and 14.5 stock.

 

That 6-speed is anything but close ratio.

1st is too tall, so is second . It's just a regular 5-speed with an additional overdrive.

Acura claims the TL to be close ratio when in fact it has 2 overdrives!!! On the TL, 3rd is good for 95 mph, and the 4th good for 160 mph, what the @#!*!!! and the 5th is an ultra tall overdrive that' s good for well over 200 mph in theroy.

But at least, the 6-speed Maxima has a lot better gearing than the Acura.

 

They came from me, user c5hardtop on both forums. I picked them up from someone knowlegeable... but I cannot confirm positivily that they are correct.

We discused this on the other forum... I think the top end will only be 145-149. I don't think the increases in torque at the rpm range the Max will achive top speed in are high enough over the preveous engine for it run much faster. Besides, the tires that will come on the Max are only rated for 149mph, so if the car is acutally faster that that, nissan will have to speed-limit it to 149.

 

Well, it's substantially closer than the current 5spd. The new 1st is taller than the previous, but don't forget, this is a 255 hp FWD car with 246 tq. on, I believe, the same wheels we have now. I think 1st probably needs to be a bit taller than the current 1st.

6th SHOULD BE a true tall overdrive.

 

Well not entirely true. I have a 2K1 5spd and my third and 4th pull to higher speeds than what he is showing. ie. my 4th hits about 125mph...yours should as well.

 

Yes I used a Cd of .31 which is what the car is rated at. The numbers are solid assuming that the 2001 222HP Max really would goes 143MPH. If a 222HP stick max does not goes 143, then the numbers are wrong since I had to back out the frontal area from the formulas.

Stereodude

 

I should also point out that the numbers are have been adjusted for the deflection in tire size from the weight of the vehicle. If the tires are perfectly round then the shift points for the 2001 and 2002 are as follows. (This assumes shifting at 6500 RPM)

2001

1 ----- 39.8703409
2 ----- 70.90455219
3 ----- 103.1237591
4 ----- 138.0772858
5 ----- 163.9667769

2002

1 ----- 41.41735068
2 ----- 67.28188963
3 ----- 93.96263897
4 ----- 123.977245
5 ----- 161.6761353
6 ----- 207.612688

However I'm told that the 2001 tops out at 157 on a dyno, so I scaled down the tire size accordingly to get the numbers below

2001:

1 ----- 38.21705707
2 ----- 67.96438798
3 ----- 98.84757686
4 ----- 132.3517029
5 ----- 157.1676472

2002:

1 ----- 39.69991776
2 ----- 64.49194459
3 ----- 90.06633641
4 ----- 118.8363415
5 ----- 154.9719905
6 ----- 199.0037147

If someone can "correct" my 2001 data (if it's wrong) we should be able to get a better idea of what the 2002 does.

Stereodude

 

The Corvette C5 coupe has a of .29 (.31 vert and ht) and it is said that the has the lowest cd in America. The Max 57" high and the C5 is 48" so I might guess the Max is not as slippery.
Anyway the top end should be North of 140 which is flying in a 4 door sedan.

 

I think the bottom numbers are more accurate. I know that the 2001 5 speed will not get past 93-95 in third...maybe 97 but no way will it go over 100 mph in 3rd.

I remember a post earlier "What is the hype with the 6 speed" Oh yeah....I started it. I didn't like the fact that nissan was making a close ratio because I knew that it was going to affect the 1/4 top speed. I guess the 02 folks will have to make one more shift before the finish line.

 

Max 6sp vs Altima 5sp gearing. Altima has lower 1st, 2nd. Max has lower 3rd, 4th, 5th.

Altima
1st Gear Ratio 3.4
2nd Gear Ratio 1.955
3rd Gear Ratio 1.272
4th Gear Ratio 0.954
5th Gear Ratio 0.74
Reverse Gear Ratio 3.428

Maxima
1st Gear Ratio 3.153
2nd Gear Ratio 1.944
3rd Gear Ratio 1.392
4th Gear Ratio 1.055
5th Gear Ratio 0.809
6th Gear Ratio 0.63
Reverse Gear Ratio 3.002

 

If your MPH at shift point calculations are correct, the Altima may be a faster car in the Quarter. Since 1st and 2nd are lower... and since it can finish the Quarter in 3rd geare, whereas the Max will require a 3-4 shift.

 

95-01 maxima's all ready shift into 4th in the 1/4 mile, atleast the guys with the best times too. Another words, I don't think shifting to 4th is going to be much of a hindrence especialy when peak power stops at 5800 RPM.

 

according to car test and using those gear ratio with 255hp @5900, the car can do 152mph, it'll be in 6th gear @ 5100rpm.

 

the speed of each gear...that can't be the speed at the redline...my car can do 100 even in my 3rd gear...

 

You have a 6 speed 2002 Max SE alread? IF so give us the right numbers.

Stereodude

 

So what's the final drive ratio? This looks strangely like the 2001 Max tranny.

Stereodude

 

The 5th gens don't, and should not, shift into 4th in the 1/4. We're still pulling too hard in third.

 

If we assume the 2002 Alty has the same final drive ratio as the 2001 Max (3.812), or is similar to the 2001 Max, then here are here are the shift points.

1 ----- 37.62812187
2 ----- 65.44021194
3 ----- 100.5783132
4 ----- 134.1044176
5 ----- 172.8859653

These are probably off a little since I'm not certain of the final drive ratio, but it's a rough idea.

Stereodude

 

Are you certain about the final drive ratio? The Sentra uses the same transmission and it has a much lower ratio. That would change things a lot.