What goes best, auto or manual?

[B0oStEr]

I've owned a stock R32 gtst manual for two years and I've always believed it performs ok for a well maintained stocker but a few weeks ago I bought an auto of the same model for my son. This car has no visible mods either but seems to build boost much more easily and quite frankly I think if we lined them up it would leave my manual in it's dust or at least I'd have to abuse the clutch to keep up.

I've always been a diehard manual enthusiast with a disstain for slush boxes but I have to admit there is an advantage in the way the auto shifts up without missing a beat or dropping 1psi of boost and with the auto the Rb20 feels quite a bit torqier in the bottom end.

Is the reason it builds boost so easily because the torque converter allows it to build revs against less load or could the auto use a different turbo as others have suggested occurs in later models?

If this is not what others have experienced maybe it could be explained by differences in output between the two cars.

It might be time to book a dyno just to see and also to set a benchmark before I fit my Hybrid I/C and 3"turboback.

[Slide]

My auto 33 has left every manual for dead that i have raced

the biggest advantage i have found is that whilst manual drivers are shiftin im still boostin

at the line i stall it up a bit but not so much as to loose traction.

when they dump it they are spinning while i am gone.

id say that there are advantages and disadvantages

i would still rather a manual

[Sarkis]

I have a Auto R33, and I chop most manual skylines...

As Slide said, I have also found the biggest advantage is is while they change gears, im still boosting,and have faster short shifts.

But, I would still prefer a manual

[funkymonkey]

in that case you'd both get your arses handed to you by a manual running a misfiring system. Its a very cheap ($200?) plugin that cuts the ignition when you're off the throttle while changing gears, but still keeps the fuel flowing. it keeps the turbo spooling as there's exhaust gases going around, so when you're back on the throttle, you don't have to spool up again. Only problem is if you have a cat it f**ks it, and if you don't then it basically makes popping noises like rally cars when you change gears.

[xr8eater]

the R32 auto is a bit of a freak in terms of off the line power a cat back will make a huge diffrence

[GTR-Ben]

I find you will only be beaten by an Auto if you don't know how to drive your manual

There was a reason the GTR didn't come out auto.. auto is horrible.

[tang0]

this is basically an anti lag system you are talking about ....

didnt realise they were so cheap !

cant do the exhaust turbine much good tho ...

in that case you'd both get your arses handed to you by a manual running a misfiring system. Its a very cheap ($200?) plugin that cuts the ignition when you're off the throttle while changing gears, but still keeps the fuel flowing. it keeps the turbo spooling as there's exhaust gases going around, so when you're back on the throttle, you don't have to spool up again. Only problem is if you have a cat it f**ks it, and if you don't then it basically makes popping noises like rally cars when you change gears.

[JAPCAB]

your auto is chopping manual drivers because they are shit at manual! Your auto wont make the slightest bit of difference when i flat change

[JCMarshall_Law]

Try put an auto around a race track, thats where they really start to suck. Go the manuals!

[4door_Sleeper]

I find you will only be beaten by an Auto if you don't know how to drive your manual

There was a reason the GTR didn't come out auto.. auto is horrible.

The reason the GTR came out ONLY with a manual is because it is set up for track and competition work. If it was built only for the drags I am sure it would have been an auto.

Flat shifting a manual isn’t good for its longevity unless you spend the BIG bucks for a new gear set.

The auto also benefits from a torque converter, so off the line it instantly has more torque than a manual, and you know what they say - "KW are good for those who like to talk, but its torque that wins races"

Another advantage of the auto is its cheep cost to modify. I have 200rwkw and the cost to add a shift kit was about $300, and I doubt you could flat shift any quicker than my auto shifts. A second hand tranny costs $200 if you ever need one where as I know of many guys who are on their 3rd or 4th clutch (some of which cost thousands).

For daily driving an auto is much better, for a monster motor the auto makes it quite driveable, but I agree for track work the auto wont cut the mustard. (However for the dollars some spend on clutches and gear sets in track cars, a nice 6 speed tiptronic might be the way to go)

[GTR-Ben]

People always say that when they are stuck with an Auto. Fact is a manual is much more fun to drive, no matter what.

Auto, good for a long cruise when you don't want to move much/relax.

If Auto's were so great.. I wouldn't have covered dozens of skylines to manual for people. The Nissan Autos are not reliable, the drivetrain loss is quite bad, they are a lot heavier.

I have driven the new R34 Tiptronic setups... still no match for a manual. I think you would need a Ferrari setup or the new VW to get a nice shift.

[4door_Sleeper]

You convert autos to manuals because BOY RACERS believe the dribble you posted above. The autos are reliable (yes we can both site cases where an auto

OR manual let go at some low KW or Km.)

Drivetrain loss is only a few KW more than a manual. But also consider the advantage of knowing your shift points are going to be at the optimal point rather thn being driven well past the top of the torque curve as is all to common with inexperienced drivers.

I agree OLD autos AKA Torqueflight, Powerglide (Holden, ford Chrysler) were slush boxes that drained power and weighed a tonn, but the newer autos are in a different league.

[funkymonkey]

ever tried to heel-toe an auto? it maybe beneficial in a straight line drag, but wake up dude, what percentage of your driving experience consists of straight lines.

As for the anti-lag system, yeah I have this setup using a Bee-R rev limiter (which is cheap as chips for what it allows you to do, its not just a rice product that helps you spit flames), and my turbo is a sleeve type, which means that it can take a fair bit of punishment

[VL-TRBO-RB20]

i just blew up my auto anf fark its a c*unt when you loose reverse!!!

manual from now on!

[knore]

Anywhere on the street an auto with the same mods will beat a manual.

Ive proven it and so has many other auto owners many times before.

Track/drifting etc is a different story.

Realistically a manual will beat an auto around the track mainly because autos tend to get fairly hot when selecting gears etc. This assumes the auto doesnt have a big trans cooler.

But how often do we all really race on a track?

So lets not make this about how this will beat this on the track.

Its just funny because everyone talks about how shit autos are etc when they've never actually owned a skyline auto. I have one, and i have a mate who has literally identicle mods but his is a year older and manual.. i see him nearly every day and to this day have never been beaten at any speed on any street.

Thats just one example too, ive lost count of the times ive beaten a manual and they've asked what ive got .. soon as i say auto they are like WHAT!?

And dont tell me you can change gears as fast as an auto or all the people ive beaten cant drive manuals cos thats just stupid.

Its a cold hard fact that the R041A autos are fast, as weird as it sounds.. Its true :uh-huh:

Check ZOOM magazine issue 82... MV autos recently have been putting R041A Jatco autos into XR6Ts because they are stronger than the borg warner autos

That said i still prefer manual mainly because i like to be in control of everything.

And for the record i can drive manual pretty well.

[Slide]

Try put an auto around a race track, thats where they really start to suck. Go the manuals!

I can just as easily drop it down and up gear in my auto .Id bet i would probably shift faster aswell as stay on boost

If you know the points that an auto actually likes to change most of the time it can be replicated probably giving you an advantage on the track but who could say

i can shift like a manual while driving and confuse the shit out of people when they find out it has always been auto

ever tried getting close to boost in second then drop it in first, its like a surge of energy or somethin it just kicks so far sideways but you have to put it up a gear before rev limiter, probably bad for it just like revin in nuetral and dumpin in first bust a new transmission is not going to stop me from doing it.

[PHATR32]

funky monkey: were do you get these $200 plugin module things???

steve

[Slide]

Anyone heard of this

i just did a quick search

Manual valve bodiesManual valve bodies replace the automatic transmission's valve bodies with a manually controlled one. It is similar to using an AutoStick or Tiptronic except that it does not automatically upshift or downshift if you forget. These are for the truly dedicated. Ean Orsel wrote that with the shift kit for the A-413 three-speed automatic...

The stock gears, as indicated are PRND21 from front to back. The shift kit makes it PRN123 from front to back, and putting it in 3rd makes the tranny go into 3rd. Unlike 'Drive' starts in 1st, and climbs "Automatically" to 3rd. Whatever gear you pick, it goes there and stays, like a manual.

Jeff Chojnacki noted that faster shifts are better for automatics and slower shifts are better for manuals, and to Ean Orsel's message about shift kits:

[there is no automatic upshift] Except in 1st gear. 1st will neutralize when you take your foot of the gas. Also it will neutralize if you shift into 1st gear at high speed. Kind of a safety feature.

[nedb]

I have an R32 auto and after driving so many different cars with auto gearboxes, due to work, the first thing I was gonna do on my 32 was convert it to manual.

But after the first drive in it I was so impressed. It felt like none of the other automatics I’ve ever driven, so I decided to keep it. I was always against autos as well.

Performance wise, auto skylines will beat the simillar power manual down the quarter, but biggest disadvantage of autos is they are definitively not made for the track work. Overall the autos are great.

Also, the auto computer is great with its self learning capability and with the POWER and HOLD buttons you still have a lot of control of the Skyline’s auto box.

So if you ask me which one do I prefer more, well probably manual coz I like to be in total control but when it comes down to the cost (clutches & gearboxes) and convenience of the auto over the manual I’m willing to sacriface a bit of control and I’ll stick with auto.

Sometimes I do wish I had a manual but I’m sure most of the manual guys sometimes wish they had an auto box.

knore - Where did you get the shift kit for $300? A place here in Syd wants $1100 to install one for me.

edit: Also the more torque down low comes from the extra timing. 20 degres compared to 15 on the manual.

[JAPCAB]

In my opinion the only thing that comes close to manual is sequential like on the M3's or ferrari, which is basically manual because it has a hydraulic clutch. Isn't it proven on the nissan specs that the auto is slower? WIth manual there are a lot of crap drivers but if i need to change quick i wont hesitate to flat change.

However, i'm really keen to sit in a auto and see for myself! my mate had a r33 gts which was converted to a turbo and the auto gearbox was crap - it seemed to ease into the next gear, whereas a manual u thump it into the next gear.

Sydneykid - perhaps you can give us your opinion!!!