So here is my conversation with IPT

----- Original Message -----
To: <sales@importperformancetrans.com>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:44 AM
Subject: Question about AW55-50/51SN....


I have this transmission made by Aisin Warner and it sux. I need help.
This is my second transmission since I purchased my Nissan Maxima in
2004. I currently have 18k miles on this transmission and the first one
got 52k miles. I am having shifting issues. Shifts late from 2nd to
3rd and early from 3rd to 4th. This is the FWD 5speed offered from
Nissan. I have taken this thing into several shops to have electrical
diagnostics done and everything checked on it. Nissan had it for almost
a week and couldn't figure out the problem. I know what the problem is,
the transmission is weak. Max torque rating is 245ft lbs, and my car
puts out 255ft lbs stock. There is a problem. Anyways I did a lot of
research and found that this tranny has been failing across the board
with many different car companies and no one has a fix for it yet. I
purchased some parts from Sonnax, and had them installed by a local
shop. Found that the parts they got out were in good shape and there
was no change in the operation of the transmission. I am not an expert
at transmissions just know this combination isn't right and I want it
fixed or a fix. I have read only good things about your company and
that is why I am writing. Can you help me? If you can, I am sure I
will be able to get a car to your location for fitments and what not. I
am all over the net on car forums and can tell you that for this
transmission you will hit a big business boom. There are 42 guys and
counting alone on one forum that have transmission failures and issues
they want answers to. I know with this tranny we would like to have the
option of adding a transmission cooler, or bigger more efficient heat
sink to reduce temps, maybe a torque converter upgrade option, and
definitely a valve body rebuild. Actually a whole new valve body with
bigger/better solenoids. I am willing to bet there is very little
difference between the RWD and FWD 5speed trannys Nissan has. I can get
you the Service manual on this tranny if you need it. I have it on my
computer so easy transfer. Thanx for listening, Patrick


Patrick,

We can most definitely make the transmission much stronger,rework the valve body to behave more the way it should,re-stalling and upgrading torque converters are also not a problem.

As you are aware these transmissions have their limitations,we will vastly improve it,but making it "PERFECT" is beyond it's design parameters.

If you have any questions about the build please feel free to give me a call here at the shop 1-866-82-TRANS (toll free)

Ty

This is the first step. Getting someone to listen and be willing to help. I will be calling these guys as soon as I get home. I will also have them send me a detailed list of what they can do for us and what kind of hp/tq beating it will be able to withstand. Ohh and warrenty information too. After I get all of this maybe I can talk them into doing a group buy or giving us a Maxima.org discount.

 

Keep us posted.. I'm a 5spd auto guy myself and I run nitrous so I might be interested...

 

Subscribed.

 

Subscribed

 

sweet. keep us updated..

 

will watch

but really to go all out...

Trans go kit (has some nice parts in it)
cyro freeze all parts
high stall TC
xmod Valve body

have to look tho and make sure they all do parts for the 5sp auto

 

I spoke with those guys years ago and they said the same thing. I haven't had the chance to work with them however since they're in NJ. Hopefully someone will finally work with them.

 

Here's some info I have on tranny parts and upgrades. The first is on the place who rebuilt my Tourqe converter to add 300 more stalls (he can do more but I felt 300 was enough)



The next pictures are of the master rebuild kit documentation:

 

More, including a diagram for a transmission cooler:

 

Chern to the rescue

 

The question is, Chern,

Have you noticed any improvements in shifting and accelleration as a result of the upgrades?

You know, I noticed my car pulls alot harder while cruising when I press the gas 70% as opposed to flooring it.

 

driving a turbo car is not about flooring...its about gradually entering into it.

 

Im in NY. Id be down to work with them. As long as they are good people offcouse.

 

Yes I do also, I don't hammer it down because with an automatic the boost holds till you let off creating a very fast amount of power and torque to a point you will feel vibration, so you really have to feel how the engine/tranny is responding. When I'm on the track I actually prefer manual matic mode because I can control the power better through the bands for smooth shifts and hold the car longer in 3rd and 4th gear for Max TQ through the 1/4 mile...

 

subscribed

 

WHAT??? Then blow up your motor shortly after...
PM a link to a vid of a turbo car not going full throttle thru all gears or at least pedaling 1-2 then WOT 3-4, then ill believe that statement.

 

Oh it can be done but it's not optimal for the life of any turbo, especially daily drivers!!!

 

Most guys have so much power that going full throttle they can't even gain traction.

Even in my 3.0 I noticed a better power band gradually entering into WOT...the car reacts better. Remember just flooring the car from the line opens the TB valve wide open the MAF reads LARGE intake coming and the engine dumps fuel and at 1,500-2,000 rpms and thats useless.

Like chern said its better for the turbo too...He probably lifts a little as the car shifts as well, less force on the gears.

 

I thought this wasn't possible with a sealed heat sinc tranny?

 

Just a thought but looking at this picture would it be possible to flush the transmission by bypassing the atf cooler and using the inlet and outlet hoses to flush the system while running the engine? Hose 10 would go to an empty bottle and hose 5 going into a new bottle of ATF.

 

According to Speed Force Racing, they highly recommend a transmission cooler. Have not heard any restriction for installing a tranny cooler. Where did you get the thought from?

 

Maybe you should pose this question to a transmission specialist, sounds like a power flush however I personally would not do it just based on the unknown and the cost of a tranny repair!!!

 

I remembered reading that you upgraded your trans and found the thread. So your trans before the upgrade failed but you were still able to drive it? I thought the trans would automatically go into limp mode in that situation. I also saw your pcitures, I think I would freak if I saw my car in pieces like that.

I have always thought doing such major work would never result in the car being fully reliable (the reason why I sold my last car was due to a tranny failure), I guess it helps to know a good mechanic.

 

I would like to know/see the outcome of this call the OP is gonna make, my trans is fine, but in the future it would be great to know I have actual options at my disposal and not something I have to search for

 

So I take it that it's possible to add tranny coolers to our transmissions? If so, that will be my next project to safegaurd my transmission.

 

My 3rd gear failed not the whole tranny, I still drove it around using Manual Matic mode for 4 months using just 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. As for the rebuild, transmission shops do it all the time and the guy I used did an awesome job (30 years experience with rebuilds and it looks brand new!!!). Zero issues since the rebuild!!!

 

Yes as the above diagram shows!!!

 

Hmm sounds like what im going thru now.... its a PITA not having 3rd

 

Zero issues since the rebuild?! That's great!

Kinda makes sense the 3rd gear would be the first to go cause I noticed in 3rd the tranny really "slushes" to engage which causes more heat, etc.

 

For slow street driving auto works great, for spirited driving Manual Matic is your real friend!!!

 

I have noticed this as well, Feels like the coverter goes to lock up at full throttle. Has anyone thought of a converter overide switch? it would probably f-up the computer.
I had an 82 camaro with a 700r4 auto and a hi stall lock up converter. I wired the lock solenoid to a switch on the console and brake pedal. it helped alot on the highway because I could stay locked up in any gear as opposed to just 4th in stock configuration. and when the brake was pressed it would unlock so the engine wouldnt stall at stops.
with a 383 decked out I did not need the converter to slip exept on a hot start.

any thoughts? Im gonna order a cooler soon.

 

called IPT again, talked with TY, who is sending me a detailed list with prices of what they can do for us. He said with their mods that we would be limited to 400 maybe 450Hp. I will post the email as soon as I get it.

 

look at your tranny first make sure you don't have a heat sink type cooler, some do and some don't.

 

why wouldnt a cooler work with a heat sink?

 

heat sink is just metal no fluid goes through it

 

so there is no ports for fluid to flow?

 

Glad I'm not the only one that feels this. While it's doing whatever it's doing it drops the power before it fully engages or disengages.

When I think about it, from a standing start, when I hit it, 1st and 2nd pulls hard. When it shifts to 3rd, after the actual shift it does "something" that causes a drop in power and kills my 1/4 mile time.

I know this has been discussed before but...

Whatever it is I hate it.

 

hey chern... how much does a tranny project/build up like this cost? i was talking with jeff @ maximum tunning and he was saying like 3-4k but then i herd about him and left him alone.

dude ur not the only one i'm about to sell my car for this reason its like it doesn't hold power.... before my mods.... ssim ... spacers.... headers...complete exaust i was beating my home boy with the 4sp auto we had same mods just cat back and intake... now i got all the mods stated above and he's crushing me by 1 whole car wtf? does that make sense?

 

interesting Chern keep us posted

 

dude ur not the only one i'm about to sell my car for this reason its like it doesn't hold power.... before my mods.... ssim ... spacers.... headers...complete exaust i was beating my home boy with the 4sp auto we had same mods just cat back and intake... now i got all the mods stated above and he's crushing me by 1 whole car wtf? does that make sense?[/QUOTE]

Our cars have a learning feature that you might have read about that basically tunes down your car to keep it as close to stock as it can. I highly recommend resetting your ECU at least every other week. I used to use a quick disconnect to do mine but have recently found that my OBD2 scanner allows me to reset all sensors to factory no matter if I have a DTC or not. This seems to do what disconnecting the battery does.