Now that you've had it a while...

TheHolyGhost · Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:48 pm

I doubt the AWD will make much difference. There is more drivetrain loss when distributing to all wheels, but you're still carrying the weight of the components around whether they're on or off. AWD will be better the FWD if you have enough power to require that extra traction, otherwise I think it's really moot.

Hawkzilla · Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:57 pm

If anything it feels slightly faster in FWD mode, but you're prob right that it doesn't make a dif. I should have test drove the stick, but AWD was a must so I need to just let it go. lol

gaww · Wed Jun 09, 2010 4:54 pm

Tried several options form dead stop:

1. Turning traction control off - no impact - still really slow up to 15mph.

2. Starting in 1st Manual mode - ditto.

It looks like only a modification of some other control component would possibly help. It may be that Suzuki has set it up this way to protect the CVT from max loads (which would be from a dead stop + high rpm). Hope this is not a harbinger of a fragile CVT.

As for putting a turbo on it someday - be very careful, as it may take out the CVT.

Flyby · Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:04 pm

gaww wrote:Tried several options form dead stop:

1. Turning traction control off - no impact - still really slow up to 15mph.

2. Starting in 1st Manual mode - ditto.

It looks like only a modification of some other control component would possibly help. It may be that Suzuki has set it up this way to protect the CVT from max loads (which would be from a dead stop + high rpm). Hope this is not a harbinger of a fragile CVT.

As for putting a turbo on it someday - be very careful, as it may take out the CVT.

I think for the same reason the CVT is down on power compared to the FWD is the same reason not to turbo the CVT: speculate as too fragile. I'd rather see a turbo AWD with a traditional tranny or maybe a Porsche-like dual clutch sequential manual with paddle shifters. Not that Ican afford a Porsche, let alone a Nisaan GTR. But both have excellent trannies. Maybe Suzuki could buy the Evolution sequential tranny, then turbo that excellent 2.4 engine (with direct injection fueling).

Flyby out

TheHolyGhost · Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:28 am

It'd be scary if the tranny can't handle another 5 hp. That's a pretty small margin for the tranny. It would be nice if they left a little more cushion than that.

Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:30 am

The tranny can handle an extra 5hp. I'm sure it could even handle a little boost. I wouldn't be scared unless you started pushing an extra 30+ which won't happen without significant modification.

Senegal · Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:32 am

here's the info sheet from Jatco, the CVT manufacturer for Kizashi....I think all the other cars that use this CVT as well have about the same or less power.

http://www.jatco.co.jp/ENGLISH/CVT/JF011E.html

Nissan uses Jatco CVT as well...I think couple of years back they had issues with them with costly replacement (4-5k), and they made a warranty just for the CVT which is now 12yrs/120,000 miles to protect the owners

TheHolyGhost · Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:44 am

Moto wrote:The tranny can handle an extra 5hp. I'm sure it could even handle a little boost. I wouldn't be scared unless you started pushing an extra 30+ which won't happen without significant modification.

I believe that it can. I was just surprised that that seems to be the reason that the engine was detuned.

Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:53 am

Good info on the CVT I hadn't seen that yet.

gaww · Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:49 pm

Senegal wrote:here's the info sheet from Jatco, the CVT manufacturer for Kizashi....I think all the other cars that use this CVT as well have about the same or less power.

http://www.jatco.co.jp/ENGLISH/CVT/JF011E.html

Nissan uses Jatco CVT as well...I think couple of years back they had issues with them with costly replacement (4-5k), and they made a warranty just for the CVT which is now 12yrs/120,000 miles to protect the owners

Great post. My Morano had the largest CVT from them, and had good off the line response. It also had the 120,000 mile extended warranty.

Now the bad news. Nissan service told me that they did not have many problems with the Maximas and Moranos, but had many problems with the medium car CVT's - the same CVT in the Kizashi unfortunately.

Given this, anything that adds significant horsepower and torque to the engine (30-40 or more) could pose a real risk. We have to hope that JATCO had worked out the problems with their medium sized CVTs (up to 2.5 liters) before Suzuki started putting them in the Kizashi.

In any case, this really appears to be the reason they apparently de-tuned the Kizashi - to minimize max loads at full throttle start-up from below 15 mph.