One thing I hate about my Z
 

Love the car overall but, the nanny or granny 1st gear can get on ones nerves. Years ago I drove a dump truck for a construction company. Never used 1st gear unless I had a full load and needed the extra torque to get moving.
1st gear on the Z reminds me of that experience so I ask the following three questions please.
1) Anyone have this problem or is it exclusive to 2019 Z gear ratios ?
2) Anyone out there start out in 2nd gear ?
3) Does anyone find it difficult to get a smooth shift from 1st to 2nd gear ?
I have gotten used to the 1-2 shift but it does take some finesse ...

The only thing I hate is the wife can't ride in my lap going down the interstate.

The Z historically has a trickier launch. Once you master it. You will be rewarded.

I'm no expert, but on my 2018 nismo it feels like you need to be above like 5k rpm and accelerating to smoothly transition from 1st to 2nd, at which point the engine is screaming. It's a pretty terrible ratio for stop and go traffic, but probably better on the track for quick launches.

The manual is deliberately close-ratio: ~3.8:1 1st and ~2.3:1 2nd.

The automatic ratios, otoh, are significantly different: ~4.9:1 1st and ~3.1:1 2nd.

1 to 2 is what it is. Same with the clutch motion. Better transmission fluid and some break-in makes both better, but it will never be like other cars. It can be a bit frustrating. Even if you're not racing anyone you kinda go out of your way to do a slow shift in order to be smooth, and it probably instills some self-doubt about how well you can drive. But really, it's the car. I've had mechanics stall my Z.

I've avoided forcing the gear into first unless it's a dead-stop, so second gets used a lot on slow rolls. Shorter final made it an easier go-to.

IMO you just grow to like it.The notchy, borderline clunky feel of the shift action makes many other street car transmissions feel a bit numb in comparison — not worse, but like something is arbitrarily missing.

it is the on and off nature of the clutch. It is difficult to modulate the engagement. I too get a bit nervous when stuck on the steep incline with car behind me.

Getting a RJM clutch pedal helped smooth things out a bit. Also had my tuner bump my idle up ab 50 rpm.

Now my biggest issue is shifting neutral to 1st. I think a lot of that is geometry though - I have very long legs and it's a very small car.

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I have never considered the 370Z as a very small car but then I only have a 32" inside leg.

Wow, all of your posts mirror what I feel. I guess I have to work on my shifts and live with the 1st gear screaming starts. As I mentioned it just seems like the car wants a slow shift 1st to 2nd but with a bit of gas / clutch modulation you can get smooth shifts. Thank you all, I am learning a lot on this forum !!!

Here's my take.

1 - 2 gear on start up: Shift at 2 -2,200 rpm, clutch, shift, hold the clutch in for a second or two extra and release.

Once my girl warms up to me pushing her buttons (engine temp goes up) 1 - 2 gear is carried out at 2,500 - 3,000 rpm and the clutch is not held down as for long. The car transmission is different from say a Civics or Audi, why? "CUZ RACE CAR"

Practice, practice, practice. A perfectly smooth 1-2 shift will require a slight pause while the clutch is in and some minor clutch slipping at lower RPMs. Use SRM, if you have it, to learn how the car wants to shift and pay close attention to speed and RPMs in each gear. Then turn SRM off and practice.

sounds and feels like most standard sports cars.

I have discovered after a few years that you can have a 1-2 smooth transition if your rpm is above 3k. If it's bellow 3k, and you want to transition without the engine screaming, release the clutch very VERY slowly, that's how I do it.

i find a bit of throttle while you're releasing the clutch helps on the 1-2. all manual transmissions really, but especially this one.

i tell people when i let them drive my car, 'you kinda have to keep your foot in the gas'.

i think if the strange lag in the throttle was lessened, it would be easier to shift smoothly.

I hated it too. You get used to it. You can always rev it to 5,000 - 6000 RPM’s and just dump the clutch. You won’t be in first long enough to bother you. :eek:

Thank all of you for your advise. Yes I have been doing most of what you all say to do on the 1st to 2nd shift and I get a clean shift about 50% of the time. Going to 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th is easy as pie. I will just keep working on it. Just needed to be sure my car was preforming as designed and you all let me know it is. I thank all of you for responding.

First thing I noticed after my tune was the shifts between 1st and 2nd became much smoother due to no throttle lag. Maybe a coincidence, don’t know, don’t care. It’s smoother through ALL gears now.

Not to hijack your thread, but I hate the Vertical outside door handles more. Yes, I’m weird... :tiphat:

should have bought the 7AT.

better all the way around.

:tiphat:

Man... that’s some stinky *** bait right there!

:stirthepot:

haha, that's one of my favourite features. i think that's also weird...

could be worse.

you could try constantly explaining to people how to open doors on a GTR :facepalm:

"see the braille? yea press in on that Helen......"

I had a similar hunch when it comes to SRM. I'm almost certain it purposely adds more rev hang as an assist to people who shift slow. It seems like you can kinda trick it with weak throttle.

But even if that's actually true, that's such a weird habit to pick up. I mean without SRM, one could argue that slipping into 2nd can help (and technically that's the principle behind everyone's advice here), but I'm pretty sure most other cars wouldn't need such a measure.

Any sports car with a little bit of power is going to require minor clutch slipping (which implies a little throttle input) at lower RPMs for a perfectly smooth shift.

The rev hang is totally appropriate at lower RPMs. If you'll pay attention, you'll notice SRM doesn't do it at higher RPMs. The RPMs drop quicker during a high RPM shift, so SRM doesn't hang as long, expecting a quicker shift because racecar. They drop slower at lower RPM shifts because the shift is generally slower and more deliberate for normal driving.

Okay so I don't know... What is SRM please ?
Still learning about the lingo on these cars...

SRM = Synchronized Rev Match, which = Heel Toe.

SRM is Synchro Rev Match. Since your car appears to be a base model, it does not have this feature (which would be located on the blank button top right of the gear shifter).

I can tell you changing your clutch line and fluid is a must in these cars.... it is soo easy to overheat in stock form, even in normal traffic. It is the best $50 you'll spend (plus installation of course). Buy the z1 clutch line and some rbf600 and have a mechanic install if you're unable.

Good info on clutch fluid and yes I have a base model so I do not have the rev matching feature. Now I hope the Hurricane does not blow or wash my Z and house away lol. I love Florida but I have been through too many weather events. Getting too old for this stuff but, that being said I do not miss 90 inches of snow a year when I lived in Pa.

Did you get your gas and water? Good luck! Hopefully it follows the northern coastal model

Gentlemen,

Change out your clutch pedal assembly for the RJMPerformance unit that is totally adjustable and can be installed by a DIYer in an hour. I put it in my 2016 Roadster myself. It will fix all of the shift issues you're experiencing.

Here's the website: https://www.rjmperformance.com/370z-...ssemblies.html

You not only have a base model but also an automatic, so that significantly impairs your ability to control your car's shifting habits. Show up to a Nissan dealer in your AT 370Z. Tell them you are considering a MT. Test drive one for free. Experience the true experience :icon17: :tup: :driving:


The AT learns (somewhat) how you drive. Pull the negative cable on the battery and hold down the brake pedal for 3-5 seconds. This will reset the ECU. Then reconnect and go drive your car. Mash the gas pedal at every opportunity for the next 50-100 miles. See if that makes a difference.

If it doesn't, get the MT :twocents: ... or maybe a tune might help (throttle lag).

FWIW, the Exedy clutch that comes on the 2018+ (Not sure if just nismos) is vastly superior to the previously stock clutch. It feels noticeably softer and more forgiving, with wider engagement range and lower rebound rate so your leg doesn’t get as tired. It was basically the reason I bought a 2018 and waited for it to be shipped from Japan instead of a discounted 2016/2017.

I remember test driving older clutches and it made the 1st to 2nd shift really hard to get right comparatively.

release the throttle pedal a bit slower/smoother, since the engine gives the most drag at 1st gear.

then gas in a tad earlier before releasing the clutch onto the 2nd gear.

it will help.


it's a sports car, don't expect it shifts like a lexus. :tiphat:

I just got mine and have only driven it to & from the dealer. The clutch was a little weird the first time I drove it. It seems to have a longer engagement travel distance. After a couple of 1-2 shifts, all is well. The clutch is very light.

:stirthepot:

:drama:

I have 2017 Nismo first thing I did was removed the clutch assist spring ... Problem solved for funky feeling clutch.

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RJM Pedal + ZSpeed Stage 2 clutch assembly + CSC Delete kit = Awesome!

Okay is it difficult to remove the clutch spring ? If not too hard I might give it a try...

Nah. It's pretty easy. There's a thread on it somewhere.