I figured Id start a progress thread to show how I'm coming on my 4th gen SE. Today I put on the NWP Engineering spacers. I started a little late, 5pm EST, it took about 2 hours and went hitch free except for dropping an injector housing o-ring and having to find it. I also forgot about the extra space added to the TB and forgot to adjust the throttle cables accordingly so when I started it up, it idled at about 6k lol. Other than that, the 3-5hr install estimation is a little high. It came with directions which was nice but doing a project like this, if you need directions you might should have somebody else do it. The product is really high quality, haven't seen the economy set to compare, but Im very satisfied with the quality and value of the high end kit. The availability of the step drill bit made it even easier to drill out the EGR mounting bolts to fit the new spacers and luckily I didn't have to get to the bottom bolts as I heard you might have to. The manifold is almost cool to the touch now and I could feel some added low end and high end power which I didn't expect from just spacers. I would recommend this to anybody who likes performance mods. Today, I also finalized the deal on a Cattman fed spec y-pipe that I will pick up tomorrow, 300zx calipers with slotted rotors, both HD performance Raxels, and Hockenheim style 17" TSW wheels wrapped in 235 wide Lexani tires with H&R spacers to fit the 300 calipers. Hopefully I can get a JWT tuned ECU that he has as well and possibly a Vortech supercharger system and rebuilt A/T that has to many performance upgrades to list. I wanted to stay all motor but its hard to pass up such a steal with local pickup to boot. Ill post pictures of the NWP spacers and Cattman y-pipe soon. Here are the wheels and brakes.

 

 

Installed the Cattman y-pipe today. Just had a muffler shop do it. Glad I did because they had to torch the bolts to heat them up enough so they could come off....with an impact wrench lol. It went on in about 30mins. Started it up and it definitely sounded different even with my stock exhaust. I still wasn't satisfied so I had them install a Magnaflow muffler with a cherry bomb polished tip on the end. It sound really really deep and there is no drone to speak of except at idle where its actually louder than at 2k-3k RPM's which is nice because that is the ordinary RPM cruising on the interstate. Im very happy with the set-up, its a happy medium between screaming for attention and stock. Heres a picture. Its raining outside now but Ill get some better pictures of it later. I love the little guy lol, kind of a joke so I put it on

 

Nice, do you have a sound clip of the exhaust?

 

not yet. I guess I could put it on youtube and then post it. I didn't want a loud exhaust that screams for attention and wanted to be the exact opposite of the cheap muffler sound you hear on the hondas. Its just the cattman Y and magnaflow right now. The drone is non existent which was what I wanted. At idle its louder than at 2k lol. Once it dries up Ill get a sound clip

 

What portion did they have to heat? Was it by the headers or the cat. Did the bolts by the headers come out easy? Also what was the rough cost on having it done?

 

the header bolts will always be the worst and if you live in the north? I couldnt imagine. I was going to do it myself but what happens when I break a bolt? Muffler shops have torchs and when something breaks? they fix it, not you walking to the store to fix it lol. The had to torch almost every bolt to get em off without breaking them. With just the Y it was $80 because I brought all the rings and the flange gasket.

 

Exactly what happened to me

 

Putting on the y-pipe tomorrow...this should be fun

 

lol for real dude, pay the muffler shop the money. its max $80 and worth it trust me. you'll have your y on in 30mins instead of 1.5hrs. esp. if you live in the north and have rust issues. I live in the south, and grant it my stock y was 16 yrs old but it had a little rust and those bolts wouldn't budge with an impact. had to torch it. just swing by oreilys(for some reason they always have 4th gen stuff in store) and get the gaskets first bc the muffler shop will charge you twice what they r worth

 

Before you start adhere to Shock's advise and see if it is possible to take off those bolts. Mine were rusted to hell and once we, me and friends, rounded those bolts trying to take them off then I took it to the shop. So see if you can do it, but I'm sure you will be taking it to a shop

 

I was able to get my y-pipe bolts off and I'm up north Just needed some penetrating oil.

 

lmao cuz u like to penitrate

 

IMO is easier to let a shop do it. Theres certain things that its just easier to let a shop do. I don't have a compressor in my back seat or at my gf's apt nor do I keep a torch around. Sure you wanna lie under you car for an hour then you can do it yourself. id rather pay the hour labor and sit around and watch them do it. The intake spacers? simple tools and just time consumings. its up to you, if you'd rather save the money and have the time? Do it yourself I didn't say it was impossible. it just takes twice as long to do it by yourself. unless you have a lift in your driveway lol

 

You know me all too well.

 

People enjoy working on their cars, too.

 

this thread belongs in member's rides amigo.

 

hey visciousmo im likin your front end. is that tint overlay or did you get em sprayed?

as far as the y-pipe, i live up north too and i didnt have to torch my header bolts. my cat bolts on the other hand were another story... i had to grind both sides off and pound them out. but like someone else said, i like working on my car. wouldnt pay anyone else to do anything to it. except an alignment obviously.

 

and another thing. the torch problem is nothing. you can go get a lil propane torch for like 20 bucks. it might take a little longer holding it against the bolts but it could still work.

 

cat bolts are THE worst. thankfully my friend has a machine shop with a lift so i have access to pretty much all the tools and resources i could possibly need when dealing with hard to break bolts.

 

well thankfully i have a 30 gal compressor at my house and a fully loaded toolbox or yeah, the cat wouldve been an extreme migrane.

 

i wish i had a compressor and air tools, but i have no where to keep it.

 

I'm jealous of those brakes.

 

they are nice. despite me and shockandawes past gripes his car is coming along nicely.

 

The brakes and everything this guy has is top notch. He has a A/T tranny that has a JWT controller and numerous other upgrades as well that im going to snag. The next thing I want from him is the 300zx(IIRC) TT fuel rails and injectors which IIRC are 500cc or somewhere in that range? The brakes? $300 effing dollars lol, I would have paid twice that AND it comes with slotted rotors and stainless lines. The only thing is I dont think they will fit on the stock wheels. ANybody know this to be false? I just did a quick look and they are much much wider than the stockers. I didnt want to put the TSW wheels on until the summer but I might have no choice. Even with the TSW wheels though it has to have a 5mm spacer which is H&R.

 

Here's a clip of the exhaust, camera has a small mic so its not the best but you can tell just how deep and throaty it is

 

If you don't try it you'll never learn. I had everyone saying the same thing and I changed out a water pump and transmission with basic hand tools. Stop complaining and whining and learn how to fix stuff. You can buy mini torches from homedepot. If this sounds like too much, pay the shop and live happily ever after.

 

thanks, I'm getting several PM's about my setup. I opened up my headlights, painted black. retrofitted projectors.

 

Your exhaust sounds like ****. Booyah.

 

Needs another nismo sticker.

 

Why do you want 500cc injectors?

 

Because racecar and 500cc instantly = 500hp

 

Because race car.

****, Quicky beat me to it.

 

Best line evAr!

 

word yeah i was talking about your headlights and corner lights tint. shoulda been more specific. did you just spray paint them on the inside or did you use a nice clear/black toner mix? the tint level is nice and still transparent. was thinking about doing my headlights in a very light tint too to go with the black everywhere.

 

Shouda seen that one coming. Skimmed through OP's wall of text and saw he mentioned a supercharger.

 

aww yall are just mad that im new and will burn the hell out of yalls cars in about a month. and with no clear taillights and no stillen body kit either!!! and insult to injury? ill be running a A/T!...grant it it will have a level 10 valve body recalibration and a higher stall speed torque converter...and a phantom grip LSD...and a hd transmission cooler....and JWT TCU. Its all ok yall quit hatin. Yalls retro fit headlights and led cluster look great with the shiny rims

 

I want 500cc injectors because I will have more horsepower than everyone who has hated on this thread and when you get higher hp? you tend to need more fuel to make it worthwhile....and thats before the super charger lol. Forums are full of jealous A holes. im used to it. im a nice guy but this is ridiculous. I dont come on yalls thread and talk crap. grow up

 

Dude, are you for real? I still have stock injectors and my motor is about as built as an N/A 3.0L VQ can get. 500cc is like TWICE the stock injector size, I have stock injectors and I was still pulling fuel through the injector map to get the right AFR even with ported heads, big cams and a 82mm MAF.

PS you won't make as much power as me N/A no matter what dyno you're on.

 

Can I have your life? please.