question about my 02 protege

just bought it today, woohoo, anyways,it a semi automatic, with manual gear shifting, i drove it today, trying to see how fast it can pick up speed, i shifted the manuel, from geart 1 through 4, but it seems like the car cannot pick up speed fast, i even floored the gas pedal and it feels like the car picks up speed slow, if i just gas on regualr drive, it seem to pick up a little faster, is this just how 02 proteges are? or is this car just slow picking up, rps go up to about 5 but it picks up kinda slow

What shift points are you using in manual? If you are winding it ouit to max rpm you are probably off the best torque range for performance.

Clifton

What shift points are you using in manual? If you are winding it ouit to max rpm you are probably off the best torque range for performance.

Clifton

if im in manual, every time rpm goes past 3, i shift up. but im not driving manual as much, i seem to get more power just putting it in drive..maybe i need a tune up?? what are the things you replace in tune ups? or a good tune up place??

If you are shifting at 3 k rpm you are shifting below the power band. Try checking the automatic point rpm for each shift. Next try to duplicate the same shift points manually. I suspect the acceleration times will be very close with either method, it depends on how accurate you are in your shifting and recording the rpm. I have never owned a sport shifter but I think the main reason to use one is to control exactly when and at what rpm you wish to shift. Many magazines find that just letting the automatic do it's thing produces better performance than if the shifting is done manually. New car computes are pretty smart and it's hard to do better manually.

A tune up will not change what you are noticing. New plugs and air cleaner every 30 k miles are about the the only tune up items required in a 2002. Other items need checking but usually no maintenance is required

Clifton

heres what ive notice, a little more power, or jerk if i lift off the gas pedal just before i shift, and then accelerate again, i can feel a power jerk, is this how you should use to shift on a semi- quto? will this hurt my car if i keep doing it?. iif i shift like this i can feel the power jerk , compared to gasing it in drive mode..

Any hard jerks or sudden changes cannot be good for the transmission. When you do what you describe the engine speed isn't matching the car speed causing the car to jerk when shifting. That's what happens with new electronic controlled and locked up torque-converter transmissions. Remember, there are no more $200-$300 major transmission repairs. You are lucky to get out for less than $2,000. These are just my thoughts, I wouldn't do that to my car.

Clifton