Nissan Mistral automatic gearbox question

[Yakkerman]

Hi all ...

I have a 1998 Mistral with auto gearbox. Not really driven a vehicle with an auto box before so nothing to guage this question against ..

How quickly should the gearbox change down through the gears under normal driving. Reason i ask is that it seems to change a little slowly and wont get into the lowest gear until around 55mph ..

I realise its a big engine so probably might take some wellie before it changes down through the gears. Im not a fast driver but as i said it seems to go through the gears rather slowly. When it does change it can be slowish ... should it be a very positive quick change ?

How often should the transmission fluid be changed. It seems fairly clear on the dipstick but still could be a few years old i guess

other than this the box is nice and smooth and very quiet .. so all seems well on that front .. 4WD options all work fine ..

thanks ..

 

[briggie]

Hi all ...

I have a 1998 Mistral with auto gearbox. Not really driven a vehicle with an auto box before so nothing to guage this question against ..

How quickly should the gearbox change down through the gears under normal driving. Reason i ask is that it seems to change a little slowly and wont get into the lowest gear until around 55mph ..

I realise its a big engine so probably might take some wellie before it changes down through the gears. Im not a fast driver but as i said it seems to go through the gears rather slowly. When it does change it can be slowish ... should it be a very positive quick change ?

How often should the transmission fluid be changed. It seems fairly clear on the dipstick but still could be a few years old i guess

other than this the box is nice and smooth and very quiet .. so all seems well on that front .. 4WD options all work fine ..

thanks ..

you can change up easily by just taking your foot off the gas pedal , or to change down quickly use kickdown ( not reccomened ).... or simply put the selector in 2nd instead of drive

 

[Yakkerman]

you can change up easily by just taking your foot off the gas pedal , or to change down quickly use kickdown ( not reccomened ).... or simply put the selector in 2nd instead of drive

thanks for that ... ill give the foot off pedal method a try tomorrow .. not bothered about the kickdown .... just wanted to get into lower gears quicker ..

How often should the fluid be changed ?

thanks ..

 

[briggie]

thanks for that ... ill give the foot off pedal method a try tomorrow .. not bothered about the kickdown .... just wanted to get into lower gears quicker ..

How often should the fluid be changed ?

thanks ..

dunno mate , but im sure someone will know , i guess as often as possible , but heres the a/t section of the manual anyway

http://bebrs.pie-dabas.net/Webs/Terrano/R20/at.pdf

 

[Yakkerman]

cheers ....

 

[robobone]

just check you AT button as this alters timing of gears changing best for normal driving on middle i think been a long time since i owned a mistral

 

[macabethiel]

auto gear change

Hi all ...

I have a 1998 Mistral with auto gearbox. Not really driven a vehicle with an auto box before so nothing to guage this question against ..

How quickly should the gearbox change down through the gears under normal driving. Reason i ask is that it seems to change a little slowly and wont get into the lowest gear until around 55mph ..

I realise its a big engine so probably might take some wellie before it changes down through the gears. Im not a fast driver but as i said it seems to go through the gears rather slowly. When it does change it can be slowish ... should it be a very positive quick change ?

How often should the transmission fluid be changed. It seems fairly clear on the dipstick but still could be a few years old i guess

other than this the box is nice and smooth and very quiet .. so all seems well on that front .. 4WD options all work fine ..

thanks ..

Not sure if yours is a diesel if it is the characteristics are quite different from a petrol engine. The gearbox change points respond to load and engine torque as primary factors unless you invoke kickdown switch or manual lever selection.

Due to huge torque with diesel especially lower down the rev range they tend to change up sooner and down later. Its more economical that way and actually its quicker. Lots of revs in a lower gear do not mean you are going any quicker just sounds like it. Only time you might need to overide the automatic decisions are on long downhill decents and in adverse weather.

I have been driving auto gearboxes for 45 years right from the early 2 speed Vauxhall Powerglide units, original Mini Borg-ward 4 speed boxes to the latest generation 7 speed Mercedes boxes. The best auto ever made in my opinion was the GM Strasbourgh 4 speed automatic that was developed in the late 70 s and was so good Rolls Royce had a version they built themselves under licence from GM.

I currently own three automatics a BMW Mini Cooper CVT that I do not really like but I could not afford the Cooper S fitted with the beamer auto box, a R129 Mercedes that has a 4 speed auto and a Terrano R3mR 2.7 TD auto.

Out of the three I like the Terrano the most as it is such a nice box my only criticism is it could change into final top gear a little sooner rather than wait until its doing 60 mph. That said if you switch out the o/d its spot on and has plenty of torque for town driving.

 

[ourkid]

I've found "feathering" the pedal rather than pushing down too much drastically improves momentum,I like to use the hold function as much as i can,only switching out when pulling away,but even then,never floor it as (mentioned above),this just gives loads of revs and little speed:thumbs