Whats the best perfromence mod for your first?
01-20-2001 | 05:32 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 179
Hey guys, I am ready yo start make my max a little fast but not to much from what I hear about how much you guys cap on automatics. Anyways I want to do a performence upgrade but am not to sure what to do, and what I can do. Will some one help me out and let me know what is a good idea to do first and how much it will do, the cost and best place to get it. I have heard things about y pipes but I dont really kno what they do. I have heard things about a CAI but, I dont really know what that is. Also what is a ECU upgrade? Thanks in advance to who ever can give me some input and help me out.
Max99
Max99
01-20-2001 | 06:35 PM
#2
I would go w/ the Y-pipe. You can get one from Stillen or Cattman. The y-pipe free's up about 10-15 hps I think. I'm not sure how much hps it gives, but it's around there I think. It gets rid of the 2 pre-cats. Don't get the Stillen's from Stillen. Your local shop can get a better price than them, or you can order from Phuong. Cattman, you have to order from his website.
01-20-2001 | 06:41 PM
#3
You can do a lot to your Maxima
even if it is an AT. You can find out where to buy these parts at my <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/jgadlage/applications.html">Applications Page</A>. You can find out about other modifications you can do to your Maxima if you go to my <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/jgadlage/mods.html">Modifications page</A>. Here are some explinations on each of the parts that you were wondering about.
COLD AIR INTAKE SYSTEM
Available through Place Racing or Cattman Performance, this device will use cooler air from your fenderwell instead of the hot engine air in your engine compartment. This kit relocates your conical type airfilter (JWT Popcharger, K&N, or TPR airfilter) to the inside of your drivers side fenderwell where your engine can get a fresh supply of colder more densely packed air. Keep in mind that you will have to cut out a 3" hole to route the tubing into your fenderwell. This will in no way effect the structural integrity of your Maxima, it is only sheetmetal that you are cutting not the frame. I personally have never experienced water being sucked up by my CAI because the fenderlining in the fenderwell stops water from getting near my CAI. The CAI has been designed to locate the airfilter fairly high up in the fenderwell so water would have to get pretty high in order to reach it. Bottom line is that there is a slim to none chance that you will damage your engine by your CAI sucking up water. Each Pop kit comes with mounting brackets, tubing, a conical airfilter, instructions, while each Non-pop kit comes with mounting brackets, tubing, and instructions for those who already have an aftermarket K&N or JWT Popcharger airfilter. Cost is about $225
Y-pipe
A fellow Maxima enthusiast named Brian Catts is making mandel bent y-pipes that will greatly increase airflow out of the exhaust system over stock. To date this part is for cars that run mainly OFF-ROAD or in other words this isn't for street use because the pre-cats have been eliminated. However, an emission test of a car in CA revealed that this part will pass emissions tests with a little bit of warm-up time for the main catalytic converter. The pipes are made up with mandrel bends, and the Y junction provides a very smooth transition, minimizing the angle joining the downpipes. A stainless steel flex pipe (similar to the original) is incorporated in the design. Each Y-Pipe will have the option of a beautiful silver ceramic-metallic Jet-Hot coating, GUARANTEED AGAINST RUST FOR LIFE by Jet-Hot. The Y-Pipe is a bolt-up replacement for the stock part, requiring no cutting, welding or alterations of any kind. You're protected against defects for two years. Installation instructions and the two crushable O-gaskets that bolt to the manifolds, are included. It has been observered that anyone who is reasonably competent with a wrench can swap the pipes in 30-90 minutes.
ECU upgrade-
This is an upgrade that takes your Maxima's brain (central computer or "ECU") and reprograms it for greater performance depending on what modifications you have already done. This modification will need to be done if you change the setup for which the ECU was reprogrammed. EX If you have your ECU upgraded then you change your cams, upgrade your heads, etc). Not to say that these mods (cams, heads) are available but I am giving an example of how it works from experience with American V8 muscle cars (Mustangs, Camaros).
COLD AIR INTAKE SYSTEM
Available through Place Racing or Cattman Performance, this device will use cooler air from your fenderwell instead of the hot engine air in your engine compartment. This kit relocates your conical type airfilter (JWT Popcharger, K&N, or TPR airfilter) to the inside of your drivers side fenderwell where your engine can get a fresh supply of colder more densely packed air. Keep in mind that you will have to cut out a 3" hole to route the tubing into your fenderwell. This will in no way effect the structural integrity of your Maxima, it is only sheetmetal that you are cutting not the frame. I personally have never experienced water being sucked up by my CAI because the fenderlining in the fenderwell stops water from getting near my CAI. The CAI has been designed to locate the airfilter fairly high up in the fenderwell so water would have to get pretty high in order to reach it. Bottom line is that there is a slim to none chance that you will damage your engine by your CAI sucking up water. Each Pop kit comes with mounting brackets, tubing, a conical airfilter, instructions, while each Non-pop kit comes with mounting brackets, tubing, and instructions for those who already have an aftermarket K&N or JWT Popcharger airfilter. Cost is about $225
Y-pipe
A fellow Maxima enthusiast named Brian Catts is making mandel bent y-pipes that will greatly increase airflow out of the exhaust system over stock. To date this part is for cars that run mainly OFF-ROAD or in other words this isn't for street use because the pre-cats have been eliminated. However, an emission test of a car in CA revealed that this part will pass emissions tests with a little bit of warm-up time for the main catalytic converter. The pipes are made up with mandrel bends, and the Y junction provides a very smooth transition, minimizing the angle joining the downpipes. A stainless steel flex pipe (similar to the original) is incorporated in the design. Each Y-Pipe will have the option of a beautiful silver ceramic-metallic Jet-Hot coating, GUARANTEED AGAINST RUST FOR LIFE by Jet-Hot. The Y-Pipe is a bolt-up replacement for the stock part, requiring no cutting, welding or alterations of any kind. You're protected against defects for two years. Installation instructions and the two crushable O-gaskets that bolt to the manifolds, are included. It has been observered that anyone who is reasonably competent with a wrench can swap the pipes in 30-90 minutes.
ECU upgrade-
This is an upgrade that takes your Maxima's brain (central computer or "ECU") and reprograms it for greater performance depending on what modifications you have already done. This modification will need to be done if you change the setup for which the ECU was reprogrammed. EX If you have your ECU upgraded then you change your cams, upgrade your heads, etc). Not to say that these mods (cams, heads) are available but I am giving an example of how it works from experience with American V8 muscle cars (Mustangs, Camaros).
01-21-2001 | 10:39 AM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,701
I don't have a Y pipe but am considering one and have doen some research on the sound/quality/warranty differences. I'd recommend doing a search for "y pipe" and perusing the same so you can make an informed decision. Most common noise complaints are "hissing" noise(s)...
01-21-2001 | 12:02 PM
#6
Looks like nobody mentioned the prices for these mods, so I'll hook you up just in case you didn't know. And be advised, these are estimates, but close ones.
Y-pipe: $400+ good for about 20hp at the wheels in
conjunction w/ an intake of some sort. Stillen's
makes a "weed wacker" type sound, not extremely
loud but noticable. I, personally don't mind it
Cattman's is pretty much silent I hear.
CAI : $220+- good for about 7hp. Has a nice sound to it.
JWT/Stillen
Intakes: $120+- good for about 3-5hp. Big difference in
sound but it's also worth it.
ECU : This one depends on where you get it from.
Anywhere from $200-400+, but great power I hear.
Somewhere around 10-20% increase.
FSTB : $120-200 A must for Max's. Stillen, Courtesy
Nissan and some others make em. All do the same
thing. Connects the cars frame in the front
resulting in less flex = better stability in turns
RSB : $130-220 Even better than the FSTB in reference
to stability. Eliminates almost all of the cars
body roll by stiffining the cars rear suspension,
in my terms. In conjunction w/the FSTB, get
ready to take corners at ridiculous speeds.
Both Stillen and Addco make em for the Max
Cat
Converters: $200+- Eh, every little bit counts. 5hp
There's several more but this post is long enough as it is. For more answers, use the search function, or go to the main site; Maxima.org
Y-pipe: $400+ good for about 20hp at the wheels in
conjunction w/ an intake of some sort. Stillen's
makes a "weed wacker" type sound, not extremely
loud but noticable. I, personally don't mind it
Cattman's is pretty much silent I hear.
CAI : $220+- good for about 7hp. Has a nice sound to it.
JWT/Stillen
Intakes: $120+- good for about 3-5hp. Big difference in
sound but it's also worth it.
ECU : This one depends on where you get it from.
Anywhere from $200-400+, but great power I hear.
Somewhere around 10-20% increase.
FSTB : $120-200 A must for Max's. Stillen, Courtesy
Nissan and some others make em. All do the same
thing. Connects the cars frame in the front
resulting in less flex = better stability in turns
RSB : $130-220 Even better than the FSTB in reference
to stability. Eliminates almost all of the cars
body roll by stiffining the cars rear suspension,
in my terms. In conjunction w/the FSTB, get
ready to take corners at ridiculous speeds.
Both Stillen and Addco make em for the Max
Cat
Converters: $200+- Eh, every little bit counts. 5hp
There's several more but this post is long enough as it is. For more answers, use the search function, or go to the main site; Maxima.org
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