Sounds like you're trying to make yourself feel better about buying an automatic to me...

 

You know what man, I drove both a stock Auto, and a stock Manual... SAME CAR, so there are no variables as to which one had more horsepower...

The auto car, couldn't contend at all with the 5 spd....

 

I think one of the biggest set backs with the Auto is the Final Gear ratio is to high. Isnt it like 3.73 or something?

 

3.9, but you get torque multiplication with an automatic transmission.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/torque-converter.htm

 

Yea all of my dads Turbo 350s and 400s (for his V8s) have crazy stalls and sh*t. Interesting though. So would that mean that an automatic would have more torque? Or the converter evens it out?

 

If you read page 4 of the How Stuff Works article, it says that torque multiplication only happens while the engine is turning much faster than the transmission. This is what helps an automatic launch hard even with taller gears than a manual car might have. On the other hand, any slip in the converter is wasted power, which is why an automatic "soaks up" more power than a manual and reads lower on a chassis dyno.

 

Im aware of that, so that means that the automatic has to be at a higher RPM to match the torque of the manual at a different RPM? I mean auto "soaking up HP" is a simple enough reason for me not to like a car with one (beside preference). I know the V-8s run em, because they shift like animals, their strong, and whats a few horses when your making like 400lbs of torue

 

It means that the automatic gets some free help from the torque converter at lower rpm, so it doesn't need as much gear to get rolling quickly. Your question was about the taller gearing in the automatic, and I'm explaining why the 3.9:1 gearing isn't really what's holding the automatic back.

The main benefit of using an automatic is that you'll never miss a shift (unless you're shifting it manually, which sort of defeats the purpose), and you don't have to lift the throttle or waste time working the clutch. Automatics are typically faster at the drag strip as a result, especially as E.T. drops. They're also easier to launch and a lot easier on the drivetrain than a manual.

 

I've ridden in and driven both manual and auto FDs. The BIG difference is in the initial launch. The manuals just **** AND GET, no doubt about it. It IS almost depressing to go back to an auto, but only for that! Once you are rolling and going thru the gears, I've noticed that the 5 speed almost seems SLOWER in the 80 to 120 range.....maybe it is just me, but it sure seems that way. In the auto you just plant your foot, wait that admittedly seemingly INTERMINABLE first second or so, but then you are off like a scalded cat, the boost stays on hard, the acceleration is SO seemless.
With the manual you get a HARD shove in the back when you take off from a dead stop, but then you are off the gas, shift...another hard shove, off the gas, shift....not quite so hard a shove now.....etc, etc.
I'd really like to drive an auto that had a lower final drive ratio like a 4.10 or so....I will bet that would be kick ***, too!

 

(Sounds like you're trying to make yourself feel better about buying an automatic to me...)

yeah thats what im doing ive spent more then enough money to make it a manual if i wanted to but ny traffic sucks one. two i dont need to impress anyone with a 5spd fd. they are both pretty cars and with some extra money you can make the auto fd launch just as hard as a 5spd. granted you have the better postion from a stock point. but when you start messing with the gears and changing the stall speed it all evens out in the end. so no i dont care if my car is an auto i still turn heads and beat many many new high priced mommy and daddy bought cars.the best is when i blow past a saleen and im in a whopping 217lb torque 330 horsepower jap car. and once i change my gears to 4.33 ill be even faster. so i have to power brake ill take it to bet vette's. then again i get more attention then a new vette any way. again it all comes down to personal choice and either way you look at it they are both great automobiles.

 

where are you gettin 330 HP? I'd like to see proof of this....

 

its not too difficult an upgraded intercooler street ported motor full open exhaust (catback mp dd) upgraded ignition higher boost levels (fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator) upgraded tranny which adds no horse power i know but for the added peace of mind. so maybe your right not so 330 more like 310-315. intercooler is a smic was told i would get to much lag with the fmic. plus i like to look at the idiots that look at my car and say its the non turbo version. lol i love people like that.

 

so what exactly do you have done to your tranny? do you have an ET time at the track?

 

no i dont have an et at the track yet. my tranny had all the internernal stuff done. i will find out all the tech stuff if you like. but i believe all the lines were made alittle sider to flow the tranny fluid better and the valves were worked or whatever they are called. i dont know much about trannies. but i was told y max hp the the tranny is capable of was increased by alot. granted that is word of mouth and could be a bunch of crap. also i know my stall speed/ torque converter is still the same too much to have upgraded to gain 5/10 of a second. 4.33 will give me the same amount. either way i still eat saleens you should be happy about that.

 

i would like to get toi the track but they closed down the tracks by me i have to get to english town but work and school prevents me right now. when i get one i will opost it plus a link for a video from my dig cam.

 

does anyone know the 0-60 time for both the manual fd3s and the auto fd3s?
I just need the info in order to see how my auto fd stacks up.
I figure on trying it with a buddy in the car and a stopwatch.With 3 mods and a boost controller and the added weight of a person I think things will even out.That way I can compare my times with the official times. also 0-100 times would be great as well.

 

I have personally seen a Stock 5 Spd FD with a very good driver hit a 13.2 ....

An auto, well everyone I have seen has been in the mid to high 15's at best

 

i thought the auto fd ran low to mid 14's. heck car and driver ran a 14.5 in the auto.

 

Are you just making this up as you go? No specifics on the modifications (boost level, brands of components, dyno numbers), and no details on the transmission other than that the internals were upgraded, and you have no idea what they did. Who did the work?

 

Im REALLY interested to see what exact modifications where done, I mean if you are going to "Beef" up the tranny why not raise the stall on the TC? That seems like the logical first step....

 

a local guy hit 13.00 on 8psi with stock tubos and exhaust thats the best i personaly have seen a basicly stock fd run
as for the auto well i never ran mine so i couldnt tell you because when i fix it ( my turbos took a **** ) im going manual!

 

http://www.iluvmyrx7.com/3rdgen/arti...mt-0594-07.jpg

From this article: 5.4s vs. 6.0s

...though times vary from review to review, of course.

 

thanx gideon for the information.I really appreciate it.Well everyone after being in a six speed rx8 and seeing that initial takeoff was better than my auto fd with 3 power modifications.I must have a 5 speed.I can do one of two things sell the car and then buy a 5 speed or I can go through a auto to 5 speed swap.Right now its pretty much a crapshoot either way I look at it.In order to sell the car I have to replace the air pump,I also have to figure out and fix the unstable idle,replace the brake rotors not to mention pay the 500 dollar deductible in order to fix the friggin hail damage that my car just received.Not to mention that I have done some work to the car.New injectors,all new vacuum lines,new solenoids,new intercooler couplers,and whole bunch of other crap.I just dont know what to do.Can anyone direct me to a good place to have the auto to 5 speed swap done?

 

For example...

5.5 for the manual in the April 1992 Road & Track test...
http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/m...k_article4.jpg

5.24 for the manual in the September 1992 Sports Car International test...
http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/m...tional_1.6.jpg

5.3 for the manual in the July 1993 Motor Trend test...
http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/m...ticle01.10.jpg

5.3 for the manual in the August 1993 Motor Trend test...
http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/m...ticle02.12.jpg

 

to answer your tranny question i can find out exactly what they upgraded. i dropped off my car tranny was all chewed up. the mechanic staria transmission(was told to go there from another auto fd owner) they upgraded the tranny. the stall converter upgrade is alot of extra cash and when rent is due the choice is easy. the other mods i have is a smic m2, ss mp dp(these were the ebay brand tried it worked well) apex ni cat back want to change. custom made intake with k&n filters. air pump removed air conditioner removed
changed the pulley because of the missing air pump. msd ignition. all the ic piping greddy elbow. greddy bov. weapon r fuel pressure regulator. walboro 255 lph fuel pump. and apex afc2 and avr. plus the street ported motor done by s&j racing. and i want 4.33 gears. and again i cant get to a track anytime soon because they closed the tracks down over here and i cant get to english town right away.