Brabham Edition Q45a Question

[Infinitiguy19]

Can some one explain this picture to me:In the center there is a button that says A/T, What does the power and comfort setting mean? And do they work or make a difference?



Modified by ppastos at 9:31 PM 9/26/2008

[Rex]

Sounds like you asking about an active (act-sus) controller, but the picture looks like the Automatic Transmission switch in my Lexus

[Infinitiguy19]

No I meant the transmission switch.

Does it make a difference in the Lexus

Thanks for the response.

[qship96]

The power/comfort AT switch,when set to {power}, allows the engine to rev up to a higher RPM before the transmission upshifts-giving a peppier feel when driving using part throttle acceleration.

[Infinitiguy19]

Wow how did you know that?

Do you know anything else about the car?

Is it available?

[maxnix]

A guy on here named Ryan had it a couple of years ago, but he sold it before he really started restoring it to street specs as it had been raced for a while.

Since the modifications were done by Stillen, and I think the base car was a1992, it probably switches between a 1st gear start and 2nd, maybe with different shift programs.

Like I always say, it's in the previous posts.

[qship96]

The power/comfort switching transmission was never an option on the 90-96 Q45,but is popular on many other cars,especially toyota products.

I am not sure if the Brabham edition Q came with this option, or some owner modified it, or whether the owner put that switch in there for another reason alltogether? There is a reprint of a magazine road test article floating around{maybe on q45.org} going over the brabham edition Q in detail-look over there if interested in learning more on that special edition car.

[Infinitiguy19]

A guy on here named Ryan had it a couple of years ago, but he sold it before he really started restoring it to street specs as it had been raced for a while.

Since the modifications were done by Stillen, and I think the base car was a 1992, it probably switches between a 1st gear start and 2nd, maybe with different shift programs.

Like I always say, it's in the previous posts.

Yea I called Stillen trying to find any sort of useful parts and came up with nothing.

But I never thought of that he probably has a JWT ECU (can't recall from memory but I read his magazine writeup) with a switch that would be a sick mod to do.

What a shame he sold it.

[maxnix]

It had the TCU, FSTB, Brembo front brakes, and a few other things that never made it into production.

[qship96]

That Brabham Q was in pretty bad condition both cosmetically and mechanically tired from years of use as strictly a track car.....all the go fast mods on it were pretty basic and have been duplicated by many owners on this board{intake,exhaust,ecu,tcu,suspension,etc....there were no real internal motor modifications,just your typical bolt ons}

[Infinitiguy19]

Really well I would like to duplicate that switch at least maybe one for the NICO ECU. It looks so OEM the I mean that is the perfect Q45.

Maybe could have been called the Holy Grail for the Q45 if it was still in good shape.

[maxnix]

It was fine for its day. But it can be exceeded on a restored G50 today with updated technology.

[Infinitiguy19]

Yea but all that eye candy

You can't get whats on OR was on (who knows) that car today.

You have to make the RSB if possible

Can't find the great wheels.

The wood interior, Is not avalible unless you go to pick and pulls, And who know the condition or if it breaks coming off.

The TCU and ECU are avalible still today but at some serious $$$$$$$

Who knows what else

[MinisterofDOOM]

The Power/Comfort switch is identical to the one that controls the automatic transmission's shift points in my Maxima.On Power mode, shifts are made right before redline. Normal mode uses the normal settings, and Comfort mode shifts earlier for smoother shifts.

[Infinitiguy19]

Wow that sweet I wouldn't expect that on a Maxima though, But I am continually surprised by Nissan

[RocKrawler]

Is nobody else disgusted by that picture? I mean, who lets their car get that dirty... looks like cockroach crap stuck to the display and some kind of smegma in all the cracks, then a rainbow wrapper stuffed behind the hole in the dash at the bottom left - buy a small paint brush and some simple green and clean your S#!T dude... I need to go wash my hands now.

[Infinitiguy19]

All cars get that way overtime, That car has seen many owners for the amount of miles on it.

Plus I am starting to care more about the drive train OF MY CAR than the interior and now not many girls like that.

The exterior is great though ON MY CAR.
Modified by ppastos at 9:19 PM 9/28/2008

[maxnix]

The exterior is great though.

Well, maybe was. You havent' seen a picture of it within the last 4 years. Pretty sad.

[Infinitiguy19]

I meant my car, I have see a picture of it and its a damn shame what can happen to a great car.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Wow that sweet I wouldn't expect that on a Maxima though, But I am continually surprised by Nissan

Actually, even the old KA24DE powered Stanza (Altima predecessor) had the switch, since it shared the Maxima's RE4F02A automatic.

[Infinitiguy19]

Yea, I read the Maxima Manual (actually skimmed it) and its a sweey little car.

Its like a poor mans Q45 (no offense) it has a lot of the feature of a Q45 (lighted Key hole.....) but its 2 feet shorter and front wheel drive.

Its like the M30 I guess.

[silver2k2]

Yeah I had a stanza, great car sold at 202k and the new owner says its still running strong

[Infinitiguy19]

Yea all all cars can last a long time if taken care of properly foreign or domestic.

At least a 3000 mile oil change will go a long way.

[elwesso]

The brabham Q was OK for what it was. The cool thing they did was put TCS on an active car which was not available in 90-93.. Kinda disappointing the paint job on the car didnt include the door jambs or under the hood.

Really the only thing special about the car outside of what I mentioned was the custom interior (all leather, even the dash), the impul body kit, and the impul exhaust.. They spent a lot of money on it in 1992, pretty baller stuff IMO..

Last I heard the car was rear ended somewhere in Phoenix.

[Infinitiguy19]

Actually, even the old KA24DE powered Stanza (Altima predecessor) had the switch, since it shared the Maxima's RE4F02A automatic.

Hey does the Maxima have a kickdown switch?

If not then I think I know why the maxima has the switch and the Q45 has the kickdown switch:

Q45

The Q45 is a more luxury car that doesn't require you to flip a switch all you have to do is "drop the hammer" to get the same effect of a Sport/Comfort switch.

Maxima

Nissan unlike Infiniti wanted to save money or maybe another reason... But instead they used a switch which had the same effect as a kickdown switch but looked cooler.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The A/T mode switch for the Maxima/Stanza/etc. is not a replacement for the kickdown switch as it serves exactly the opposite purpose. The kickdown switch is specifically for aggressive throttle situations. The A/T mode switch is for everything BUT aggressive throttle situations.

The Maxima has both. All the A/T mode switch does is set the RPM range in which the trans will shift during normal driving. Aggressive throttle will override that and force a downshift if "safe", just as with the Q.

To my knowledge, the "kickdown" function is universal to all modern automatic transmissions. It's not really a blend of luxury and sport, but rather a necessary function of an inferior system that leaves the driver with too little control (can you tell I hate automatic transmissions yet?).

Nissan unlike Infiniti wanted to save money or maybe another reason... But instead they used a switch which had the same effect as a kickdown switch but looked cooler.

Most certainly not the case.

The Maxima at that time was a spare-nothing flagship. It had it's own emblem (emblems if you count prior models) and was in a way it's own entity. Nissan was ABSOLUTELY NOT looking to cut costs in the car. I can say this with total certainty because of the fact that Nissan developed an ENTIRE NEW ENGINE (though derived from the VG) JUST for THREE YEARS in ONE TRIM LEVEL the Maxima. JUST for the Maxima SE, Nissan developed the VE so that they could fit a DOHC V6 under the hood. The engine had no other purpose. You don't do things like that if you're looking to cut costs or corners.

Aside from that, lack of kickdown function isn't exactly a cost-cutting measure, anyway.

[Infinitiguy19]

Wow thanks for clarifying.

Couldn't have been more off.

What did the emblem look like?

[Kiven422]

90-94 Maxima has by far the worst automatic transmission in the world.... for aggressive driving that is. I mean those things can go out in as little as 2 months.

It was Nissan's first FWD V6 transmission... will last forever for any regular driver.

Pointless switch for that car the way I see it.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Even for "regular" driving it was pretty disappointing. The Quest/Villager was notorious for transmission failures. The Maxima was as well. Too late, people realized that a larger external trans cooler can go a long way toward prolonging life. Unfortunately most people didn't realize the trans was questionable in the first place until it failed on them.

What did the emblem look like?

I can't find any good pictures of the original Maxima emblem. It was a hood ornament on the 2nd gens. A black rectangle with Maxima written in gold text in the distinctive font that has stuck to this day.You can kind of sort of see it here, but not really:http://www.maximaclub.org/download/1986-1.jpg

There was also the 4DSC logo, which was an awesome touch. Nissan has brought it back for '09 but the new font and look lacks the strange goofiness that made the original so awesome.

[Jesda]

Did the Maxima have a 30k ATF drain interval like the Q? I'm guessing a lot of people kind of ignored the manual and neglected to do that.