I got the JWT cams back in this weekend. I also put in the JWT valve springs and retainers too. I got one question. Aren't the valve springs suppose to raise the rev limiter up a bit? I have the JWT ECU with the 7200 rpm limiter. It has not change. I thought it would bump it the limiter to about at least 7500 rpm. I didn't notice any difference. I didn't really test it out. I reved the car up while the car was in park. Also I reved it up when the car was in motion by shifting it into neutral. The limiter was still at 7200 rpm. What gives?

 

Are you joking ? The ecu raises the fuel cut. And 7200 rpm , the stock stuff was good enough for me to atleast 8000 rpm and up to 7500 rpm is a waste of money.

 

You just love putting in and taking out those cams don't you.

Seriously, think about that rev-cut question.

 

...staying out of this one because I like cumalot.

 

I'm definitely leaving them in this time. It was a PITA install, no more messing with them anymore.


Anyway, are you guys saying that it doesn't suppose to raise the limiter up more? One of the people at JWT told me that it does. When she told me that it surprised me. I was sure that the ECU was the one that raise the limiter only. She said she was sure of that. So that's what I went with. So is she wrong? I trusted her words because I told they knew their stuff at JWT.

 

Sounds like the lady you talked to was a retard. Springs have nothing to do with the rev limiter, only the ECU does, you were right and she was wrong. Springs only add stiffness so that they can control the valves at higher engine speeds so that they don't start to float, but to actually get to those higher engine speeds you need to have your ECU reprogrammed.

 

Ok it safely allows you to raise it. But to raise it you havbe to return your ecu to JWT and tell them the fuel cut you want .

 

That's what I thought. In the back of my mind, I kind of knew better, but I just took her words for it. I'm glad I was right all along. I was going to get them anyway. She was the one who came out and said that to me. I didn't even ask her about it. Anyway, thanks guys.

 

Damn cumalot your spending all this money for nothing. Your car would be in the low 14's if you had a 5-speed. Instead of buying the springs and retainers you should of tried to find a 5-speed. You really don't need those unless your revving 7500+ rpm. And your not really going to make any power that high without other mods. But I guess you have a reliable drivetrain now..........

 

My god man, leave them in already.

 

Ok...thanks for the concern.

 

To fully be able to use the cams you need a higher redline. To safely have a higher redline you need the valve springs. To get the new redline send your ECU in to get reprogrammed. To really have good topend you will need a new intake manifold. To really be able to launch a car with no low end torque and crazy top end (VTEC anyone) you will need a VERY strong auto or just get a 5 speed. Funnest mod for maxima =

 

....

 

Wait are you saying he installed cams without the MEVI??.

 

You have to understand Cumalot to make a comment. For years, Mike has been known to try things out by going back and forth. He's done it with SC's too. I commend him with his patients level to keep doing these big installs every other week.

 

He had no low end power with the VI and the cams.

 

There's no point to cams if you're gonna go with the USIM IMO, especially with a raised rev-limiter. The engine isn't gonna make much power after 5500 RPM no matter what. The loss of low-end is just a trade-off he's gonna have to make unless he wants to experiment with the DE-K VI.

 

hahaha........ that's neat

 

You have no idea what you're talking about. Do you have any idea what cams do? The cams give great highend power. With the 7200 rpm and the cams, I have great power 4k rpm and up. It pulls very hard to redline. It just the lowend power that isn't there. I had MEVI and the JWT cams give even better highend power than the MEVI. Of course when I had the MEVI and cams, my highend was incredible. However, the lowend was almost nonexistent. With the MEVI out, the lowend power is improved, but still lacking. I'm talking about off the line power. From a roll, you can't really tell. That's why I decided to put the cams back in. I had the MEVI, JWT ECU, and JWT cams in at one time or another. So I know quite a bit. So unless you had all three don't start playing a guessing game. Even Irong Lung('99 5spd)who had both the MEVI and JWT cams said the same thing. Actually he told me this much earlier. I was skeptical at first about the cams giving better highend power than the MEVI. He was right.

 

I have a question about the MEVI, and seeing that alot of high all mortor peole are looking at this thread it would be a good idea..

with just the MEVI, (no ECU) do you really notice the lowend loss of power... or it is not that noticible...??

 

Kind of. a loss of 10-15lbs of torque on a motor with decent torque is not going to make the car feel like a dog. Since I knew that I was going to loose the power I probably noitced it more...you know the psychological effect. I remeber when the MEVI's first started comming over here, the first few guys with them did not really noitce the loss. The dyno and track are where the loss is noticed. I loved my VI w/o the ECU, it was more fun car to drive IMO.

I recently fixed a coil pack problem that was costing me 10lbs of torque through my whole power band. This was dyno proven. When the problem was fixed I kinda noticed the difference. So it was a similar situation.

It is kinda like being at the track and running times that are .2-.3 different. A 14.4 run will not really feel slower than a 14.2 run. The track I normally run at shows your 60' as you go down the track so I always know if I am going to have a good time or not. Other tracks I go to do not show the 60' and unless I really mess up the launch I never really know if it's a good run till I get my slip.

 

Show me any kind of N/A dyno with a USIM, cams or not, where the engine makes good power to redline and beyond and I'll shut up. I never said the cams wouldn't help top-end. They do, but the USIM's characteristics counteract the increased top-end breathing that the cams should/would allow. The cams and MEVI should be used in conjunction. The whole point of modding is to remove bottlenecks and to shift the torque curve to the right. By reinstalling the USIM you're not allowing the cams to perform up to their potential. I equate this to buying an intake, MEVI, and cat-back exhaust and leaving the stock y-pipe in. You must have $1000 to waste.

All (except one) of the 4th gen's trapping over 100 MPH in the 1/4 mile N/A are using the MEVI. Sure it causes you to lose mid-range, but they had to give a little to gain ALOT when used with the ECU.

I have a perfect example for you. Tilley is using a VQ35 shortblock with VQ30DET heads and JWT cams along with aftermarket headers in his maxima using the USIM. Yet he is only trapping 98.x-99 MPH in the 1/4 mile. Guess what his next mod is...

 

Whatever, think what you want, I could care less.

 

Ditto. It's your money...

 

Exactly.


Btw, I did run at the track with the MEVI and JWT cams and my trap speed was only 90mph. When I took the MEVI out, I ran again, my trap was 93mph. How do you equate the increase in trap speed? And both times everything were the same(same track setup and even similar weather condition), except for the MEVI.

 

I could understand that scenerio if the ECU wasn't installed. I'm pretty sure the mid-range torque loss with the MEVI/CAMS w/out the ECU is catastrophic. Was the ECU in yet?

 

Sadly, yes the ECU was in. Also forgot to mention that not only I gain 3mph in trap speed, but also lowered the ET by .3 sec

 

But in Cumalot's case being an auto with the long gears and inability to launch at a high rpm haveing the cams and MEVI hurt his low/mid range power so much that his 1/4 times were not any better or worse. It's more of just a particular situation thing. Now if he were a 5spd and could launch at 5K ons slicks/DR's then cams and the MEVI would be ideal. His auto launching at 1.5K rpms is in 1st gear way to long and where his power is weak. The first 60' and 330' are critical to a good 1/4 mile ET. So he did what was best for him without having to go spend another $500 on a torque converter.

 

Yep, off the line is where it hurts the most. After 330', my car really moves, but by then it's a bit too late to get a good 1/4 mile ET. Looking back, I probably should have kept the MEVI. Driving with the MEVI and cams on the highway always gave me a good grin. With both, the highend was insane. And I have an auto, just imagine with those two and a 5spd. After doing so poorly at the track, however, I made the decision to take off the MEVI. I probably shouldn't have focus too much on just 1/4 mile ET. Oh well, too late now. I'm not going to just focus on 1/4 ET anymore. That's why I put the cams back in.

 

Hey Cumalot, or anyone that has JWT cams. Two questions:
1- What's your insight on the gas milage after the cams? Increased, decreased, same?
2- Do the JWT valve springs come with the retainers included or did you get those seperate?

Thanx a million

 

1. I'm not sure on the gas mileage, never really look into it.


2. yes the springs and retainers came as a set.

 

Ok cool. I forgot to ask something very important.... how's the sound after the cams? A coworker of mines has an old SE-R with JWT cams on the SR motor. That idle is choppy.... I LOVE IT . Is it the same story with the VQs with JWT cams at idle?

 

Not with the VQs. You can't really hear it. Even with an aftermarket catback exhaust I couldn't really hear it. If there's some sound, it's very minimal. You can sort of make it out if you listen carefully.

 

so with the new springs and retainers, you think it's safe to spin it to 7200+ ??

i'm dying to blow large amounts of money on my car for some reason and just wondering which route to go

 

I understand now. I forgot the whole auto thing. That's completely understandable. Now i just hope he'll install a 5-speed tranny or higher stall torque converter to let the cams really shine.

Sorry for assuming shiet and not looking at the big picture. What you did made sense...Not that what i think matters though. At least you have the ballz to try setups that few people on here have. Happy modding...

 

A high stall TC is my next plan. Before that, I'm going to get the car dyno first. After the high stall TC, that will be probably be it for me...as far as the go is concern. I really need to upgrade my audio, I'm running on the stock BOSE with only one working speaker. Then, I need to replace the passenger side axle boot, which has a tear in it. It's not leaking...yet anyway. Also need to get new brake pads for the rear.

 

you can safely rev to 7200...and probably to 7500. Krismax is taking his out to 8k on stock spings and retainers and did not have any known problems. I do know that 10K rpm's is bad because that is how I busted my motor

 

So cumalot would you say the cams are worth it without a high stall TC for an auto? I would assume that for the MEVI or even -k you would definitely want the TC or consider the swap.

You say you are done and then you get a ton more stuff. There is nothing wrong with getting some nice audio stuff and saving the performance stuff for later.

Are you getting the redline extended further? I would like to hear the VQ going to 8k or so in person.

BTW I am probably going to install the MEVI this weekend.

 

the famous words....how much for the cams? I'll be joining this section soon with a cricketed 4th gen

 

seriously