So I just installed an automatic transmission drop resistor into my Infiniti G20. This car has a wonderfully grunt-ed 2.0 ltr Nissan SR20DE. Despite the low end punch this motor has, the transmission is unfortunately designed more for a sunday cruise rather than a spirited toss about the cones. While I would litterally PUNCH A NUN to get my hands on a Nissan LSD equiped 5 speed H-pattern, I am too financially …umm…frugal…yeah frugal to afford one right now, not to mentionI wouldnt be able to justify purchasing the tools needed, nor can I afford the time off as DD that would be involved. So I did some searching at G20.net and was able to find a mod people were performing to boost line pressure in the tranny to produce firmer shifts…next best thing right?
Shown here is a very rough sketch of the mod. The top diagram is the stock setting, basically the “C” represents the stock “Comfort” resistor, rated at 11 Ohms. In theory, I could just wire in a switch that would bypass this resistor all together, resulting in 100% or full line pressure in the trans. But that trips the Check Engine Light, which requires some fooling about with the ECU to turn off. Also, full line press. is apparently the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to switch the gears. So off I go to the local radio shack, where I procured some 1500 Ohm resistors, and a single pole double throw toggle switch, and some 14g wire. My modified setup is the other diagram, where the toggle switches back and forth between the Comfort setting and the higher ohm resistor, or the “S” for Sport setting(Clever huh??). The switch can be flipped at any time, and doesn’t trip the CEL.
The new setting doesn’t chirp the tires between shifts, but its notably faster between shifts, and the trans is more willing to downshift without having to hold the fun pedal down for eternity. I simply mounted the switch behind the fuse panel, and I can turn on the fun whenever I want, but more importantly, I can tame the beast by switching back to stock whenever I have the Mrs. or my little niece and nephew with me.
