was this the first major mod for any of you? I only have a JWT pop charger and a midpipe. (best time 14.8 @92MPH) The reason I am asking is I am wondering if I am still going to see results from the VI I just bought even though I am yet to install a Y pipe?
I am sure there is not as much difference as with having a y pipe, but will it be noticable with my factory one? Thanks for any help.

Davy

 

The only thing I had when I got mine was a frankencar. If you've redlined your max before, you will notice a difference when you get the VI. 5000 RPM and up will never be the same.

 

I would imagine that the VI and y pipe are a great pair though.

 

The MEVI will not give you significant gains in the 1/4 mile. The y-pipe will be much more dramatic in that measure of performance. If you want significant gains in the 1/4 mile get Y and JWT ECU, that way you have the option of adding MEVI at a later time for even more power. Now that I've had both, if I had it to do over again I'd get the Y-pipe and ECU first and MEVI later.

 

Would it be safe to say that a Y-pipe and an ECU are the two best HP upgrades that you can do for your max while staying N/A? Then followed by an MEVI and maybe an intake?

 

That's not completely true. I gained .3 seconds on the 1/4 mile with the VI....BEFORE I was boosted.

I have timeslips with similar 60' times to prove it.

.3 seconds is quite a bit in the 1/4 mile for one bolt-on mod. About equivalent to the Y-Pipe.

IanS

 

I think it has more to do with you being an automatic, the autos seem to gain more with the MEVI in the 1/4 than 5spds do. On the whole, 5spds haven't gained much if anything time-wise with the MEVI. I gained a little bit of MPH, about 1mph higher consistently, but I didn't gain any ET.

 

Ah - you didn't specifically say that - I have no experience with the 5spd.

<but I will soon>

 

Whoa so if the MEVI didnt improve your ET at all then you technically ran you 13.9 with just and intake, Y-pipe and slicks right? You must be one hell of a driver

 

Who knows... 'technically' I ran with the MEVI but I suspect the same time would have been possible without it. On street tires my best runs were without MEVI, not with.

 

well I am getting this because of oppertunity. I got the chance to purchase one, so I did, cause who knows how long these are gonna be around. I am going Turbo this summer so I am hesitant about buying a Y pipe and ECU. Next I am planning to get a test pipe and 3" greddy cat back. (trying to buy mods that will benifit me when I go turbo) If anything I may get a budget Y pipe cause they are not that expensive, and I should not have a hard time selling it n a couple months. What other mods would you guys do to prepare for turbo?

 

That's sound reasoning, if you are planning on getting a turbo it will make your ECU and Y-pipe obsolete. What kit are you thinking of getting though, because Hal's kit comes with exhaust from the turbo back, so even exhaust wouldn't be necessary if you were getting his.

 

I can't see how you can not gain anything in the 1/4. I mean you have more HP from 4800 to redline. more HP means you can actually shift at redline when racing instead of at 6k like I did when I ran a 14.8 with only a popcharger. Shifting at redline will allow you to be in a better part of the power band when the next gear is engaged. This seems to make sense but maybe it does not hold water at the track. I'll have to see.

 

So why did you buy it if the gains are minimal? Or did you not know that at the time?

 

Wow, I was just about to spend a lot of money buying a MEVI... I think you just changed my mind... Why do you think the ECU did more? Doesnt the MEVI add more hp and high end is really important?

 

I am buying the piping and intercooler from these guys http://www.pfispeed.com/images/Produ...it%20-%201.JPG
and I am haveing the rest built by these guys http://www.turborepair.com/

 

I lost a significant amount of torque with the mevi, my peak tq went from 189ft-lb to 172 ft-lb. The 1/4 is just long enough for me that the gains offset the losses and the net result is zero. In a longer race the MEVI wins.

Smith.. I thought the gains would be dramatic, based on iansw and other's gains that they'd seen, but they were mostly automatics, and something about their gearing seems to make it much better for them than for 5spd guys.

My best runs in various states of tune (not including my best trap speeds):
14.8 @ 92.6 stock
14.46 @ 96.5 ypipe
14.41 @ 96.7 intake/ypipe
14.45 @ 96.8 i/y/mevi
all street tires.

My traps were CONSISTENTLY higher with MEVI, but I did have some occasions without it that I trapped almost as high as with it.

 

The combination of ECU and MEVI is worth more than the sum of its parts... together they are phenomenal. Separately they don't do as much. Adding the ECU is like adding a y pipe, good gains throughout. Adding the MEVI is something totally different. It changes the character of the car from a midrange digger to a high rpm ripper, but you do lose some midrange.

 

yes but see, I am not planning on staying at this level modhood but a couple weeks, and the MEVI makes other mods I am doing more benificial, as in your case. The MEVI will improve greatly the benifit of raising your redline with your ECU. And hel not to mention, that thing looks badazz!

 

For someone with plans such as yours, the choice is academic. Get the MEVI. With a turbo you will see peak gains of upwards for 30whp... for someone staying N/A there are choices that have to be made, do you want a highway monster or a dragstrip car. Or go all out and get both ECU and MEVI and have the best of both worlds, but it's not cheap. MEVI ~$650 all said and done, ECU is $600.

 

isn't it great to know that we can spend less that $2000 on a stock maxima 5 speed and get into the 13's?

 

After installing the SC, I gained 49hp and 40tq with the MEVI vs having it off.

Unfortunately, I never compared torque without the VI installed and then with it installed. This comparison is with the VI actuating and without only. Same dyno, nearly the same temps/humidity, and no A/F tuning between.

In 1st, I have to be VERY careful about the rev limiter, even with the VB Mod.

I almost always spin into 2nd

And hitting 5k on the freeway in 3rd gear is just insane....



IanS

 

see that is the kinda of power I am looking forward to, only in a 5 speed

 

Yeah, me too....3 more weeks....

I'm hoping I'll be over 300hp after the conversion....

 

Yeah I love mine, especially after getting my LSD and ACT.

 

Ok i think i get it now. Adding a MEVI to a 5 speed will give you gains but they are mostly in the upper end/higher RPM range, so it makes it not as effective in 1/4 mile racing since its not long enough.

 

Exactly - major fun on the freeway. (legally passing other cars on the left, of course.)

 

So in a meiv will benefit automatics in the quarter mile? Pretty interesting information. Does anyone know why exactly? Im pretty curious.

 

Gear ratios.

The Auto, having less gears, spends more time in the high RPM range.

 

I agree with everything Neal said. I too didn't note any improvement in the 1/4 mile with the MEVI. My MPHs on average were maybe .5mph faster. I was a little slower in the first 1/8 mile and then faster in the last 1/8 mile. It was pretty much a draw.

Pit a MEVI-equipped 4th gen against one without it at 70mph and the MEVI will walk away.

NOW, with my newly acquired JWT ECU my face looks like this The difference this ECU makes is mind-boggling. Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a NA car would react this well to an ECU. My car feels so much stronger from 3000rpms on. This is easily the most notable HP mod I've done to the car. I can clearly tell I'm faster with it especially when entering a gear at WOT. I'm sure Neal feels the same way.

Like Neal said, now that I've got both, I would have done the JWT ECU a long time ago. I can only imagine what the torque feels like with the US-spec manifold. If you've got to choose, get the ECU first. If you've got the means, get both. The performance of the MEVI/JWT ECU is absolutely brutal for an NA V6.



Dave

 

I have to say the MEVI makes the car all around more fun to drive. Just because there are not really any 1/4 mile gains(5-speed) does not mean it won't help you walk away from a car on the highway that normally may have walked you.

It is so nice to have the engine pulling all the way to redline. I would not shy away from this mod just because of the 1/4 reason. Like someone else said, who knows how long we are going to be able to get these. I jumped on the opportunity.

I know I have not said anything that has not already been stated, but it is soooo much fun to have the VI.

 

So Dave have you bring it to the track yet?

 

I guess meiv will be added to my mod list. I hope jwt makes a ecu for 97-99. I want stay N/A cuz my baby is a daily driver.

 

I can't really speak for 1/4 mile times because I haven't visited the track, but I second what I30tMikeD said above. The car feels much more smooth and refined now... like it should have come from the factory like this. It performs and sounds amazing all the way to the rev limiter.

 

The ECU upgrade is only available for 95-96 maximas correct? I couldn't mod my 1997 ECU right?

 

I think you can, you will just always have a CEL.

 

You can get it to work in a 97 or 98 as well, the mystery is 99. I don't think it will work in a 99 at all.

 

Neal, quick question for you. Would anything happen to the engine if I were to get the JWT ECU with the 7200 limiter, while running my wet kit of nitrous with my new MEVI???........

 

good thread!
i wonder why nobody stocks these in the usa?
they seem like they sell and perform pretty darn good!

 

Sunday, man. Sunday.


Dave