So what happens if you red line using the paddles? Does it shift up by itself when you go over? Never driven an auto w/ manual option.

No, it'll just sit on the rev limiter and bounce off it. The only time it shifts for you in M-mode is it will downshift for you if you let the revs get way too low, as in low enough to lug out the engine, way way underneath the powerband. As long as you're staying on top of things and staying up in the useful RPM range, it acts like a DCT or auto-sequential would.

On that note, does the engine brake well using compression to slow down like a manual coming to a stop. Hate the coasting of most automatics where man will slow down till it sputteres. I don't use trans to actively brake shifting down but let it assist gently and work it a long w/ brakes. Know what I mean?

Yes, the 7AT engine brakes. Mostly, any auto would do so if it were in the right gear, the hard part is making them stay in the right gear.

At low road speeds, I find anything approaching 1500ish RPM's on coast down or braking is where it likes to automatically down shift. I just flick down as i drop below 1800, and find it to be in the right gear with limited rev matching 90% of the time.

In parking lots or very slow roads (< 30 mph), I usually just keep in in D for ease, otherwise I'm just lumping around in 3rd and dancing between that 2nd and 4th.

It would be nice to turn off the automatic downshift feature, but overall, I'd say the 7AT is a soli 9.5/10 on performance and predictability.

Speaking of the 7AT I installed a trans cooler yesterday (ill be doing a DIY) but in the mean time does anyone know where to purchase the fitting for the tranny pan so I can add fluid at home insted of having to go to the dealer?

You don't need a "fitting" really, you just need a small-diameter plastic tube (they have rolls of it at hardware stores, buy a few sizes), to stick into the fill hole, and a way to adapt that small-diameter tube to your fluid pump (e.g. using some slightly-larger silicone hose that fits over it snugly or whatever).

The the thing that forces most to the dealer is the temperature issue, because only the dealer can read the official internal temperature of the TCM. Be sure to read up in the service manual about it. You can approximate it with an IR thermo though, details here:

http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...ml#post2318288

nice! this may be my next mod. can definitely feel when the tranny is being pushed too hard.

what kit did you buy or did you piece together one?

think you're supposed to add the ATF to the radiator core prior to install to avoid having to go to the dealer.

If you pre-fill the new cooler (and the lines, with them pointed up in the air - 4 hands helps a lot!) and then swap all the connections around quickly, the level will be "close enough" to drive around for a while and not worry too much. However, even on the street (at least in Texas weather) that fluid looks/smells horrible after ~20K miles, so it's a good excuse to go swap all the fluid shortly afterwards anyways (either at the dealer, or DIY).

GTM has a chart at the bottom of their fluid swap PDF about fluid temps vs change intervals: http://www.gtmotorsports.com/Manuals..._Procedure.pdf . I haven't (yet!) had live trans temps to look at, but I'd guess in hot weather even street cars are bumping into that 215 range, and track cars probably go quite a bit higher without add-on cooling.