Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

I just got done with project number 1. It took about two days, but I was gone most of the 2nd, then I finished this morning after a little bit of tinkering with the vacuum lines.

I replaced my Intake Manifold with the Bored Out one I got in the classifieds a few months ago. I had it powder coated black and sanded the paint off the lettering and clearcoated it. I also added phenolic Intake Spacers/ EGR Block Off Kit, and the T/B Coolant bypass setup from Aaron, a new Knock sensor via Brian, all new gaskets (Or liquid gasket) for my valve covers, lower intake manifold, upper intake, TB, etc and a refinished valve cover I dressed up a little while back.

All I can say is WOW, this thing purrrrrrs, it's quieted down so much already (even the VTC's, somehow; and I haven't even given it an oil change yet) and the powerband is so smooooth. It feels like a completely different engine, low end power was restored a considerable amount I'm guessing from the knock sensor, while I zip tied my intake shelf open and the phenolics/bored out IM REALLY seem to help with high end; way higher numbers on the butt dyno than what I had presumed for the price of everything I got it for. I can't stop grinning when I'm driving it now, and the phenolics seemed to have given the car back that cool resonance noise coming from the intake if you have a stock box, only with the Nascar esque CAI obnoxiousness you get at the top of 2nd and 3rd gear.

Anyway, I'm really appreciative of this forum and the helpful members on it. I'm also glad to report that Aaron's products are no joke, and to reassure everyone that Brian continues to provide excellent service, and is very helpful, as always.. Not to mention everyone helping me with my trouble's along the way. Thanks everyone. I'm not usually one to join in with the love/hate fest threads that people love to post so much, but getting this part of the project done on my car and having everyone help along the way restored my faith in humanity and that there are people out there who believe in what they're doing and not just here to rip you off like everyone else. It seems 3rd gens in specific have an extremely loyal following and it shows when they start businesses.

edit: Took these today, (8/11) after painting the CAI and breather tube black and the detail.












Next on the hit list:

5-Spd Swap + Bunch of Goodies transmission related
Bushings, Sway Bars, and Blehmco oh my

mikekantor

iTrader: (5)

Next on the hit list for you should be: hood struts

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

how snug is the FSB with the spacers on there?

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

Hah, yeah I know... I usually just use vice grips.

It has about a half inch of clearance in the tightest area.

xx-Marshall-xx

iTrader: (15)

damn nice pearl, I should be done replacing my injectors today

1 1/2 hours to get half way of taking my spacer kit off
I put RTV on the Lower plenum, I am deff going to put the paper gasket on the bottom this time. Your max is gettin to look Real nice now! Im jealous

aminus21

iTrader: (14)

nice work..Looks very clean

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

Yeah, did you end up getting the injector out of the rail nicely? I ohmed all of mine and they were all about 12 so I left them for now, but it was tempting to want to replace them all since I was already down there. But oh well.

Thanks btw.

Thanks, I really love it.

burhan92SE

very clean man...keep up the good work

sleepyvg30e

iTrader: (1)

very beautiful engine man looks great how much time and money did u spend on that? also where did you get that battery plate that says maxima ive never seen that before

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

I like to accumulate parts in my room over months and months until I put things on, so a lot of "time" went into it. But not too much money. I got the Bored out Manifold for $50, and then another $30 to get it powder coated black, I took the valve cover off of my parts car and had it sand blasted for $10, then did the work on that myself ($10 for spraypaint/clear) then sanded off the lettering on both with some left over sandpaper. The strut bar was around $20 on ebay as was the CAI. Then I just sanded/polished the bar, and painted the intake tube and the breather tube that runs atop the intake manifold. The maxima tie down brace I believe is still available in the Maxima general forum, someone made a batch and sold them for $15. So it looks like around $155 for parts over around 4 months (Not counting phenolic intake spacers or knock sensor; $155+70) and several days prepping and installing everything.

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

What is your reasoning behind zip tying the 'intake shelf' open?

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

Well, the VE-5 IM is a variable intake, so the shelf either blocks or allows air to go through it. I don't have my 5-spd installed yet, so I don't have a 5-spd ECU/Vacuum canister to hook up the power valve on the IM. I do notice if I leave it open it will have a different audible noise from around 5500rpms up to redline, and seems to pull slightly harder. If I keep it closed I don't hear the noise, and high end doesn't feel quite the same, but low end has a bit more grunt. I'm going to hook it up right once I get the 5-spd ECU.

MaximaN00b

what is that... to the left of your engine bay.. looks like a cluster of fuel lines?? Curious.

And btw, looks damn good!!
Im jealous, i wish i wasnt so lazy.. Id do the same for mine. But alas, I wait for a problem to come. lol

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

The things to the left of the engine are ABS lines. I'm thinking about painting it the dark gun metal color so it doesn't stand out so much.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

do you need a new cap for your windshield washer tank mang? i have a spare

ibyou'dpaintitblackandsandthelettering

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

that is a clean engine bay

don't mind me I'm just here for the pics

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

Yeah, I do need a new cap, and a radiator coolant res, mine has a hole in the top. How much do you want for it shipped to 32086? My Parts car's windshield washer tank was crushed so I never saw the cap. Haha, yeah, I'll probably sand it down and paint it black. I need a pretty oil cap too!

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

WW cap i have, oil cap i have... I'm strictly non-ABS so you'll have to get the coolant reservoir somewhere else though.
FOURRRR DAHHHHLERS each and FOURRRR DAHHHHLERS for shipping!!!!!1





ie $12.


disclaimer: "FOURRRR DAHHHHLERS" is an inside joke.

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

Sounds good. What kind of oil cap is it? If it's stock I don't need it, I'm trying to find a cool looking mad tyte JDM cap or something. Black, Bronze, or Gun metal

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

stock...... duplicolor tinted chrome paint does wonders

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

schweet stuff. sadly that would look stupid as hell on a VG.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Naw, the vg engine can look nice with some paint in the right places, imo of course

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

well, the cap i meant. the way it's got an oil filler neck causes a spiffy cap to look out-of-place. if i ever make a custom IM i'm going to try and thread the oil filler directly into the valve cover, and put it on the front cover like the VE is. perhaps snapping the neck off, cutting the threaded portion off the end of the neck, and welding just that part onto the cover would work.

Pearl93VE

iTrader: (14)

As always, I love your bay. And that is exactly the type of oil cap I'm looking for, maybe something like Duckman is selling over in his part out thread too. I still have some touch ups to do here and there to get it looking just how I want it. It's also hard to keep that white paint clean, I wish I had a dark engine bay.

Hah, it's not so much the color that I want, but the design. I've become quite handy with duplicolor so painting my stock one has definitely crossed my mind.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

where'd you get that one anyways, greeny?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Fleabay...