Engine RPMs on the 2004 SE with 5-speed automatic

[RonSteinbach]

Approximately 2,000 RPMs at 55 mph, and about 2,200 at 60 mph (until you step on the gas)!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The RPM you recored at 55-60 mph is about 450 more than the Acura TL Type S at that road speed. I wonder why the Nissan people selected this more aggressive gearing when it increases wear and reduces fuel economy and yet The Maxima has about 28lbs more torque than the Acura?

[r32guy]

Who knows? Why do you think, in 1969, you could order a Plymouth Roadrunner with your choice of 3.23, 3.54, 3.73, 3.91 or 4.10 geared rear ends. Differnt strokes for different folks. The 3.23 was better gas mileage and still quite fast. But the same engine with the 3.91-screamer baby! My guess is that market segment research would be your answer. Acura TL is for cruising. Nissan Maxima is for flying http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.
(no knock to Acura by the way, great cars http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

[RonSteinbach]

The factory brochure on the 2004 Maxima lists the following gear ratios:

5-speed A/T
1st 4.657
2nd 3.032
3rd 1.982
4th 1.341
5th 1.018
Reverse 5.114
Final drive ratio: 2.440

4-speed A/T
1st 2.785
2nd 1.545
3rd 1.000
4th 0.694
Reverse 2.272
Final drive ratio: 3.789

6-speed M/T
1st 3.153
2nd 1.944
3rd 1.392
4th 1.055
5th 0.809
6th 0.630
Reverse 3.002
Final drive ratio: 4.133

As you can see from the above, the SE drives substantially different from the SL!

Maybe someone on this board can make sense of the above numbers.

Another factor in the above numbers (I would suspect) is tire size. The SE has 18" x 7.5" wheels and the SL 17" x 7.0" wheels. The tire sizes are: P245/45VR18 and P225/55HR17.

What is interesting to me is the the SE has slightly better EPA rating than the SL: 20/28 vs. 20/27.

[limits_at_infiniti]

BMW's arent that low on the rpms at highway speeds. You don't see much people complaining about that. You cant have everything, instant power, fast and low rpms.

[RonSteinbach]

I have some more RPMs for you all. I was on the freeway this morning with concrete paving. At 60 mph, the RPMs were 2,100. At 65, 2,250, and at 70, 2,500 RPMs. I couldn't drive any faster because of heavy traffic. I was hoping to go up to 3,000 RPMs and report back on my speed. (I am guessing my speed would be 80 mph.)

[kevhen]

How is the gas mileage rated 28/20 on the auto SE and only 27/20 on the auto SL with gearing ratios like that? I assumed 5th on the SE was more efficient than the 4th on the SL but it doesn't look that way.

[kevhen]

No wonder I liked the 5 speed auto so much with gearing ratios like that!!! On my test drive it was very smooth and crisp in accelerating. Damn, couldn't they have put a 5 speed into the '03 Max's???

[Afty]

If anyone is interested, I calculated the effective ratios (transmission ratio * final drive) from the numbers above. This should let you make a more accurate comparison between the transmissions.

5-speed auto
1st 11.36
2nd 7.40
3rd 4.84
4th 3.27
5th 2.48

4-speed auto
1st 10.55
2nd 5.85
3rd 3.79
4th 2.63

6-speed manual
1st 13.03
2nd 8.03
3rd 5.75
4th 4.36
5th 3.34
6th 2.60

[limits_at_infiniti]

I believe thats a lower 5th gear ratio then the G35 what gives ?

[RonSteinbach]

Per my test tonight, 3,000 RPMs = 85 mph. Does this mean 6,000 RPMs = 160 mph?? (Obviously, there is more wind resistance.) Does anyone know what the top speed is on the 2004 Maxima SE?