Q45 Transmission question

[new2003Qowner]

I am new to the forum. I am not certain if I am posting this to the correct forum, but hopefully someone will help me get to the right place.

I do a lot of driving around town in stop and go traffic. I love the ride in my Q. I roll down all the windows and open the sun roof, it is grand… but

It gets boring going from stop light to stop light every block or two. I dream about the weekends when I can take the Q out to the beach roads and into the canyons. One day I remembered that the Q has a manual shift mode. Now the driving around town is a lot more fun. I can feel the engine and the power and I am in control. I love it…..

My question is, am I mis-using / abusing the transmission? I love driving the car in the manual mode around town and it is becoming a habit driving this way. I start at the stop sign in 1st gear, shift to 2nd when the tach gets up to 3.5k – 4k and move on to the next light averaging 2.7k (30mph). Occasionally the traffic clears and I can get to 40mph and so I shift into 3rd. If the traffic slows back down I will down shift from 3rd back to 2nd. When I get to the next light I normally just brake to a stop and shift back to 1st. No reason to use the engine/transmission to brake.

Again, my driving is not overly aggressive. I don’t try and beat other cars off the intersection (maybe just keep up with the BMW so he doesn’t get the wrong idea). I do enjoy feeling the power.

I would like to hear opinions about what I am doing to the transmission? Is this just normal wear and tear or am I going to have a big bill soon if I keep it up? Does this match what the transmission was made to do? Is the manual shift just a gimmick that is useful for special circumstances like when you are in mud, sand, snow and need to control the power to the wheels. Or can I continue to have fun around town?

The Q45 is a 2003 with 18inch wheels.

Thanks……………

[Q451990]

I don't know much about the manu/matic transmission internals - but my guess is that you're just signaling the transmission control unit to shift when you want it to, rather than working with what's mapped in it's system. Given that the TCU is actually shifting the transmission, you should be fine.

Post some pics in our member's rides section!

Also, you've got 70K(?) of powertrain warranty to destroy the first transmission

Welcome to NICO!!!

Heath

[new2003Qowner]

thanks Heath,

that's encouraging news.i like your point of view.

[PalmerWMD]

Your 5 speed Auto has a Manumatic feature for just this exact reason---> to give the driver extra control and feel at his convience.

This is not like the old style trannies, that would suffer pressure issues with constant manual shifting, but a real manumatic.

The computer will prevent rev mismatching.

So use it as you please.

Fred..

[maxnix]

Only issue with the newer sealed transmissions I have heard about is how to accomplish regular flushing of the fluid.

[PalmerWMD]

PS: Moved to Infiniti general.PS#2: Welcome!..:jazz:

Fred..

[elwesso]

Id say youd be fine...

Fred or someone... Would there be any dangers (if any) of shifting our G50 transmission manually occasionally...

[Q45tech]

The newer transmission still have the two rubber hoses to the in rad heat exchanger so BG Machine flushing is absolutely the same........except you have to add the chemical flush and post flush conditioners differently since no dip stick tube to place a funnel.

[Aus94Q45]

Are the new transmissions the same on the FX and G -- sealed? Also, how do you clean or change the screen?

[PalmerWMD]

Id say youd be fine...

Fred or someone... Would there be any dangers (if any) of shifting our G50 transmission manually occasionally...

G50 transmission NOT 2k3 Q45 transmission:

Not if only occasionally it poses no danger, it is not a Manumatic though and not desigend for routine use of shifting.

And it depends on the shift too. I often shift to 3rd ( and hold) for in town driving ( even tho less now that I ahve the 4.08).And this poses no danger of any kind actually it is lilekly to reduce wear as both engine and transmission lug less like this.

On a G50 transmission starting in 1st and holding it a bit longer is somehting aslo done.There are some arguments about the G50 transmission's ability to stabnd up to a lot of manual shifting and perhaps Dennis will chime in with the end-all info, but I think the consesus is that it depends on the shift you execute.

On an early G50 with 2nd gear start I used to do it as I pleased ( but had a nwere transmission anyway) on later G50's I only shift into "3" in town.

Fred..

[Q45tech]

The newer transmission still have the two rubber hoses to the in rad heat exchanger so BG Machine flushing is absolutely the same........except you have to add the chemical flush and post flush conditioners differently since no dip stick tube to place a funnel.

And the pricier synthetic ATF adds $60 to the $129 flush [with DEX ATF] same as the Lexus flush cost with Toyota V ATF.

$180 per year x 6= $1080 compared to $4,000 for a transmission replacement.........if you are lucky enough to prolong the life to 12 years still on half price.

[PalmerWMD]

Dennis: Correct me plz if I am wrong but a transmission cooler even on the new trannies would be a good idea, yes?

Fred..

[elwesso]

[Edit by Fred:His reply is for G50 trannies only, not about the original posters transmission, so original poster plz dont get confused:]

Thats the same thing I do...

I actually always shift into 3rd gear and it lives there until I get to a place where I am over 50MPH for a while.. The car just seems to run better, and gas mileage suprisingly isnt affected at all (not noticeable to me)..

I could see constant downshifting (like when coming to a stop) but I dont think that HOLDING the shifts longer will hurt anything... The downshifting I think would hurt it most...

[Jesda]

Wes edited his post and caused mine to not make sense. Starting over!

At every intersection, I shift into first, then second, then third. Then at a full stop I go back to first. I keep it in 3rd unless I'm settled on the interstate.

[szh]

I had my transmission on my 2003 M45 flushed at 7500 miles (I have posted about my crazy "early-all-fluid-change" thoughts before! ). It was indeed more expensive for a number of reasons. The new Nissan J fluid is substantially more expensive than the old and using so many quarts for the flush does cost some money.

But, the bottom line is that the flush can be done on the newer transmissions, fortunately. It is not as permanently "sealed" as was thought.

Z

[Q45tech]

The newer transmission still have the two rubber hoses to the in rad heat exchanger so BG Machine flushing is absolutely the same........except you have to add the chemical flush and post flush conditioners differently since no dip stick tube to place a funnel.

And the pricier synthetic ATF adds $60 to the $129 flush [with DEX ATF] same as the Lexus flush cost with Toyota V ATF.

$180 per year x 6= $1080 compared to $4,000 for a transmission replacement.........if you are lucky enough to prolong the life to 12 years still on half price.

[maxnix]

So the flushing is the only way to ascertain the condition of the fluid in the new transmissions! Now that is progress!

[Jesda]

So the flushing is the only way to ascertain the condition of the fluid in the new transmissions! Now that is progress!

Yeah no kidding. These things better be built to last 200k with a beating.

[Altiman94]

I dont see why you guys shift manually when you bought an automatic so you dont have to shift. In my auto cougar I just leave it in drive the entire time. If I feel like shifting I take out my 240 where I have a true 5 speed manual.

[Aus94Q45]

Interesting in that the local Infininty shop had stopped flushing when I last checked. Told that it was not a good idea -- pan drop and filter sceen clean only.

I suspect that if you flush from the beginning, its not so dangerous (ie. it stays clean). However, as we have discussed, one waits until 75K -- 100K mi. for the first flush you are asking for trouble.

[PalmerWMD]

Interesting in that the local Infininty shop had stopped flushing when I last checked. Told that it was not a good idea -- pan drop and filter sceen clean only.

I suspect that if you flush from the beginning, its not so dangerous (ie. it stays clean). However, as we have discussed, one waits until 75K -- 100K mi. for the first flush you are asking for trouble.

they are confused.Even if dirty transmission, is pretty safe as long as you drop pan and clean first, so you dont run dirt thru the system.

FRed..

[3Q Jay]

........except you have to add the chemical flush and post flush conditioners differently since no dip stick tube to place a funnel.

Well, I can't speak for the new Q or the M, but the RE5R05A in my G DOES have a fill tube, it just came from the factory with a plug in the fill end and no dipstick proper. For the G35 guys [like there are any reading], if you have an early one like mine, you can now get the stick from Joe... p/n 31086-CD100...$8.60.

[Jesda]

How odd... to not have one from the factory. But good to know its available.

[3Q Jay]

yeh. starting with the 2003.5 [actually i think its starting s/n 30001], they come with the dipstick.

[Jason B]

Here's a cool picture of the transmission.



A note on manual shifting. You don't not have to shift it down to first when you stop.

Say you are in 2nd for ex. in manual mode and come to a stop sign. When you come to a complete stop, it still shows 2, and not 1. But when you start out, you can feel it starts in 1st, then goes to 2nd, but won't go PAST 2nd. Same for 3rd and 4th.