I picked up a 350z about two years ago and started mildy restoring it. My time, it shrinks as I get older and my life presents other distractions. For that reason, the Z is in great shape and only requires a bit of work. It's wonderful as I've had more high maintenance track toys in the past. This one, it's maintenance load is light. Except for one thing, worn synchronizers in 3rd and 5th.
It's a pretty common problem on early 350z's. It took Nissan quite a few tries to get to the CD009 transmission design that fixes the problem. I don't have that transmission. I may one day, but not today. Which brings up my point.
I find that I have to be in complete sync with the car to not grind the 2nd to 3rd shift when commuting. I find it very interesting from a philosophical sense. Some examples:
1. Driving the Z to work. I'm late. The kids were hard to get out of the door today requiring much hand-holding, hugs, some crying, in other words a stressful morning. That day? I'm grinding every shift to 3rd until I'm halfway to work and have calmed myself with some podcasts or music.
2. The wife and kids go out the door like Snow White leaving with the dwarfs for a pleasant day of pick axing wealth from the mines. They leave with the grace of a deer fleeing across a field. Not a whiff of discontent. That day, the Z's trans has butter in the gearbox. Not a grind in site.
Those are two easy examples. One that isn't so cut and dry is when I'm going to visit a friend who I haven't seen in awhile. The grinds are there but maybe every third shift. That's when I realize, I'm not exactly stressed but not at ease either. It's truly a mood ring of a transmission.
Have any of you had a similar experience with a mechanical object like this? Something that isn't alive shouldn't be able to read your mood in this way. Oddly enough, it does. I feel like it's an indicator of a relationship forming. One I wasn't aware of initially but now can't deny.
