A&Q about 350Z
Q:
its a trim level on the new Honda Insight. What does it mean? is it a auto? manual? triptronic? what?
thanx for any help here
A:
Paging Resident Tech Guru...
A:
It's an "or what". The CVT transmission idea forgoes a set number of gear ratios (like 4 or 5 speed trannies) and instead is cleverly designed to create a continously variable ratio, meaning it never shifts from one distinct ratio to another like all other transmission designs. I could go on trying to explain it here, but there's already a great page that does so right
. Hope this helps, peace.
A:
Dude that's weird, what are you psychic??
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wow, that's cool. So its like a super-auto transmission, but only for less torquey cars. like the Insight, lol! So am I correct in saying that there is no clutch pedal, and shifting is not required? If so, then I just might get one of those Insights.
btw- thanx much, resident tech guru, that helped alot.
A:
I believe all CVTs drive as automatic transmissions. I don't think the Insight has its CVT out yet, because they make such a big deal out of the recommended shift points that are indicated on the gauges.
Nope. Just your run-of-the-mill stalker.
A:
Yep, its basically just an automatic transmission that always keeps a perfect gear ratio. It's awesome, but they haven't been able to implement it in anything with a decent amount of torque. So right now it's really just in economy cars.
I didn't know the insight had it...but I do know the toyota echo has it.
A:
My wife has a 2001 ECHO, and it doesn't have a CVT. Do you mean in America, Asia or Europe?
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The American Echo is not offered with a CVT. The only modern CVTs sold in the US have been in the Insight, Prius, and Subaru Justy.
Newer CVT designs allow for more torquey engines. They will be arriving in just a couple of years.
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Prius! You're right, that's what I meant, I was thinking of the prius when I put echo. The echo doesn't have it.
Sorry...slight mixup
A:
Don't forget the Honda HX CVT... they've been around quite a while longer than the Insights. I'm sure the Insight looked back to the HX CVT when in the design stages.
My question is that if torque is the problem, why don't they just build a motor with an incredibly short stroke, and a bulletproof valvetrain, and rev it out to 15k rpm... then equip it with a CVT. Sure it won't take a lot of torque, but you don't need torque when you can rev to 15 grand.
A:
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Lots of reasons....
A) They don't have internals that are built for steady driving at 15000 rps...nothing can withstand that. Not to mention that it'd be loud as hell. Think about it...you'd be cruising on the highway at 15000 rpms.
B) It'd be waaaaay too expensive even if things like that existed.
C) Again, it'd be soo loud.
D) That many rpms would kill fuel mileage...you know how much gas you'd need for all that air?
And there are your reasons..
A:
:shrug: Then how about where race applications?
Where fuel, noise, and cost don't mean jack. (well fuel sort of)
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Well.....that'd be a good idea, but they still can't do it, since they don't have stuff that can spin at 15k rpm constantly.
Anyway I'd be willing to bet if it can't handle torque very well, it wouldn't be able to handle high horsepower levels very well either...its probably just not as big of a problem. I don't know though, I haven't really looked into cvts in too much detail yet.
Either way though...
A:
Don't Indy Cars and F1's rev to 14-15k? And rotaries as well?