[SoCalMurano]

I have a feeling the CVT Tranny really robs the Murano of rear wheel HP VS Crank HP more than a traditional gear driven Tranny.
Anyone know if this is true?
I've only had the Murano just over a month and I gotta say I don't like the "feel" or "performance feel" of the CVT (didn't notice it that much during the test drive, probably should have)

Also under hard excelleration I watch the tach and speedo......the tach sometimes STOPS at say 4,000 RPM or so and then starts again when the speedo is still climbing.
Is this how the CVT operates?? Or is it slipping?? If its "normal" how can you tell if its slipping??

Maybe I'll get "used" to this tranny, but I doubt it.
Other than that I really like the Murano styling and interior and the 3.5 motor (bulletproof)

 

[Gonzo]

I would suspect that is normal CVT doing just what is it suppose do. Don't expect the RPMs to change as the speed does. That is the whole point of the CVT. Maintain only what is needed.

Took me a little while to get used to getting on the highway and acclerating at a constant 2,000 RPM.

 

[zebelkhan]

I have a feeling the CVT Tranny really robs the Murano of rear wheel HP VS Crank HP more than a traditional gear driven Tranny.
Anyone know if this is true?
I've only had the Murano just over a month and I gotta say I don't like the "feel" or "performance feel" of the CVT (didn't notice it that much during the test drive, probably should have)

Also under hard excelleration I watch the tach and speedo......the tach sometimes STOPS at say 4,000 RPM or so and then starts again when the speedo is still climbing.
Is this how the CVT operates?? Or is it slipping?? If its "normal" how can you tell if its slipping??

Maybe I'll get "used" to this tranny, but I doubt it.
Other than that I really like the Murano styling and interior and the 3.5 motor (bulletproof)

What you have described is normal engine and CVT combination behavior. You cannot drive this car the same way as one with regular transmission and expect the same results. You will need to modify your driving a bit.

Here is what I have discovered so far:

If you want performance feeling, drop the gear into Ds.

If you want the feeling of real acceleration when you are still in D, let the gas pedal up slightly when engine rpm gets to around 4000, then see it take off...!

 

[Tyler_Canada]

Re: Re: Anyone Ever Dyno there Murano??

If you want the feeling of real acceleration when you are still in D, let the gas pedal up slightly when engine rpm gets to around 4000, then see it take off...!

Let up very lightly (most people I've tried to get to do this can't, but I do it all the time). Try it at about 5250 RPMs and you REALLY feel it!

 

[zebelkhan]

Re: Re: Re: Anyone Ever Dyno there Murano??

Try it at about 5250 RPMs

Or when you feel the acceleration has stopped or slowed down.

 

[Gonzo]

Why is that?

 

[GMTURBO43]

I don't know how well a Murano would act on the dyno with the CVT. Generally speaking - the vehicle on the dyno is put in to D - or whatever gear is a direct 1:1 connection. Since you really can't do that with the CVT - I'd say a dyno is out of the question. Maybe.

 

[zebelkhan]

I think up to around the 4,000 RPM mark engine and CVT work together to accelerate the car. Around 4,000 RPM fuel delivery is reduced to the engine but CVT compensates by changing its gear ratio. That is when you feel the hesitation. By backing off on the gas pedal, engine is suddenly starved so computer compensates by letting fuel back in to the engine, all of a sudden you get high RPM motor with a tranny gear ratio that was meant for low RPM, and the MO takes off like a rocket...

 

[Eric L.]

I think up to around the 4,000 RPM mark engine and CVT work together to accelerate the car. Around 4,000 RPM fuel delivery is reduced to the engine but CVT compensates by changing its gear ratio. That is when you feel the hesitation. By backing off on the gas pedal, engine is suddenly starved so computer compensates by letting fuel back in to the engine, all of a sudden you get high RPM motor with a tranny gear ratio that was meant for low RPM, and the MO takes off like a rocket...

I never noticed a gas cutoff at 4000rpm. Were you referring to the difficulty in revving over 4000rpm in D at anything less than WOT? If so, I notice that too, but then I have no qualms whatsoever with flooring the gas pedal when the situation requires it.

 

[zebelkhan]

I never noticed a gas cutoff at 4000rpm. Were you referring to the difficulty in revving over 4000rpm in D at anything less than WOT? If so, I notice that too, but then I have no qualms whatsoever with flooring the gas pedal when the situation requires it.

Yes. What I said was just a guess from the way my MO behaves. Of course the fuel does not get cut off or the engine would stall. I just assumed that difficulty in revving over 4,000 rpm is due to reduced fuel delivery by the onboard computer and leaving the rest of the acceleration to be done by the CVT. Flooring the gas pedal would probably also work (as it does when you do it) but I never tried it since slight reduction in foot pressure on the pedal works for me.

 

[Tyler_Canada]

I don't believe the reason has anything to do with fuel delivery, it has to do with the CVT programming. There are a complex set of "rules" that govern when and how the ratios change. By letting off ever so slightly, I think we are tricking the computer changing the ratios faster than in other cases.

 

[Tyler_Canada]

What I've found to be the best acceleration is by doing the following:

Rev to either 3000 or 5000 RPMs (approximate torque peaks of the engine, a little higher for people with pop chargers).
Modulate throttle to hold the RPMs at those points.

It's tricky to hold the RPMs at those points, but once you learn how to do it, you accelerate quite quickly.