Low end power
 

I drove an RX-7 yesterday. 87(GXL), automatic transmission with 90k miles. Now the only problem, keep in mind I've never driven an RX7 before and have no idea if this was normal or just something with this car, but below about 3500 rpm it had NO power whatsoever. From a dead stop I could floor it and the 91 Lumina I normally drive would beat it down the distance of one block. After it, RX7, got rev'd up to about 3500-4000 it had loads of power waiting. (Or felt that way)

So my question is: I've read elsewhere that the rx7 doesn't really have power below 2k rpm. So was this trait just accentuated by the automatic transmission? Or was this normal for the rx7?

Any help you guys could offer would be wonderful.

(I did do a search but couldn't find an answer, my apologies if this is a common knowledge issue and I'm just stupid.)

Power problem
 

I drove an RX-7 yesterday. 87(GXL), automatic transmission with 90k miles. Now the only problem, keep in mind I've never driven an RX7 before and have no idea if this was normal or just something with this car, but below about 3500 rpm it had NO power whatsoever. From a dead stop I could floor it and the 91 Lumina I normally drive would beat it down the distance of one block. After it, RX7, got rev'd up to about 3500-4000 it had loads of power waiting. (Or felt that way)

So my question is: I've read elsewhere that the rx7 doesn't really have power below 2k rpm. So was this trait just accentuated by the automatic transmission? Or was this normal for the rx7?

Any help you guys could offer would be wonderful.

(I did do a search but couldn't find an answer, my apologies if this is a common knowledge issue and I'm just stupid.)

Power in the low end
 

I drove an RX-7 yesterday. 87(GXL), automatic transmission with 90k miles. Now the only problem, keep in mind I've never driven an RX7 before and have no idea if this was normal or just something with this car, but below about 3500 rpm it had NO power whatsoever. From a dead stop I could floor it and the 91 Lumina I normally drive would beat it down the distance of one block. After it, RX7, got rev'd up to about 3500-4000 it had loads of power waiting. (Or felt that way)

So my question is: I've read elsewhere that the rx7 doesn't really have power below 2k rpm. So was this trait just accentuated by the automatic transmission? Or was this normal for the rx7?

Any help you guys could offer would be wonderful.

(I did do a search but couldn't find an answer, my apologies if this is a common knowledge issue and I'm just stupid.)

You pretty much got it, "So was this trait just accentuated by the automatic transmission?" below 3k you don't really have much power, especially not torque... which is what you need MORE of with an automatic transmission because you need to spin both the torque convertor AND the wheels. In a manual rx7 you'd notice that starting out at 2k you'll slug up to 3k and from there it feels like a car... but you rarely shift into below 3k except when starting out.

--Gary

Ah... so with a manual I'd get a lot faster jump off the starting blocks?

yes, auto 7s are slower than a ford taurus, fuck it, if you HAVE to buy an automatic, get the parts for a manual transmission swap as well (do a search, there a few good threads on it, and what you need) the thign is the auto transmissions are also really prove to breaking or just plain crapping out from what i've seen, making an automatic rx7 was a bad idea, or a poorly prepared one

Yay! I was praying to god that this car didn't drive like shit, and that it was truly the automatic. Thanks, and I'll keep looking for a manual around here.

the automatics that came on the turboII's are awesome. I know some guy puttin down 390 on it, and it takes it just well. But unfortunatly I had bought an s5 auto as one of my first cars. And it was the slowest thing I have ever owned in my life...
I got beat by my friends saturn with 6 people in it... this was back in 99. But let me tell you that you want to get as far away from the aspec auto. Good thing my parents paid for a turbo motor rebuild and tranny swap....do the same and youll enjoy it.

Also, the automatic transmissions shift before the engine is truly well into it's power band. I think they normally shift around 5k or 6k, when the engine is still making good power (stock) until 6500 RPM or so, and (modded) often up to 7500-8000 RPM.

-=Russ=-

the s5 auto, have a hold feature, this lets you select a gear much like tiptronic. You can upshift early, start off in a certain gear, and shift w.e you want... Great concept only thing they lack in is the ability to get the power to the ground.

My first RX-7 was a slushbox. After the tranny broke, I got a 5sp, and couldn't belive the difference. Grannymobile vs sports car, seriously.