I was checking out the results of your dyno run on 2/12/00 at http://www.his.com/~wc/maxima/dyno_test.htm. Obviously results don't lie. It's incredible that your 2K 5-speed gained 12 hp at the wheels over Brian's stock 2K 5-speed with a Stillen Intake as your only engine modification. That would translate to an increase of roughly 16 hp at the flywheel! Based on those results, the SI has to be hands-down the best bang-for-the-buck engine upgrade available for the 5th Gen Max.

Stillen only claims a 6 hp increase at the wheels with the installation of an SI. Where do you think the additional 6 hp came from?

By the way, I assume that installing a JWT Popcharger would generate similar results. If that's the case, the price performance ratio is even better with the Popcharger considering you can purchase a Popcharger from Phuong (gr_racing@yahoo.com) for $122.00 shipped. His current price for the SI shipped is $164.00.

[Edited by y2kse on 12-10-2000 at 01:46 PM]

 

Well, I never dynoed w/o the intake so it's hard to say exactly how much it added. One of the techs at the shop we dynoed said he see's it all the time. 2 exact same cars dynoing as much as + or - 15hp of one another. He said basically it's within normal production varience. He also told me that American cars are worse, the most extreme case he saw was 2 Camaros, same year and model dyno (I think he said) 30hp difference!! Could you imagine!!! He told me when it happens you have one guy who's happy to have a strong one and one guy who's not so happy. My guess is just that my motor is a little stronger :-) Of course there are other factors that may matter, but that's the easiest explanation.

We actually dynoed together again a few month after that when md2kmax had a PR CAI and Stillen Y-pipe installed. That time he beat me by like 2 or 3 hp in 4th gear but my Max beat him by like 3 or 4 hp in 3rd gear. My car was exactly the same (just the SI), it put down 184.3 in 4th (pretty damn close to the one you looked at) and 200.5 in 3rd! So considering he had a y-pipe & CAI and we were just about even either the y-pipe didn't do anything or I had a bit of an advantage to begin with. The small amount of diffence that we do have is really nothing to write home about though. I'm sure that driving both cars would show no difference and the only way it shows up is on the dyno, 6hp ain't much in a car with as much power as the Max.

As far as SI vs JWT intake goes I think they are essentially the same and there's probably no measurable difference between them performance wise. I got my SI from Phoung last year and it was a bit cheaper than it is now b/c Stillen raised their prices. The JWT is probably a better deal at this point, the only difference is the brackets, I think Stillens may be a little better but that's really a non issue, performance should be the same.

Glad to see you supporting Phuong, he's a good guy and knows how to do good business. I would buy from him even if I could get something a couple of bucks cheaper elsewhere just b/c I know if there's a problem he would help me (and he has) and somewhere like *cough...carparts...cough* wouldn't be as concerned.

 

Sounds like you need the Y Pipe, Mike Let the HP wars begin!!!!!

Also, Bruce didn't mention it, but he went with the Stillen intake due to the CARB certification (he's out in Cali)

 

Damn! You must have a strong Max if all you've got is a SI and you're running neck and neck with an identical Max sporting a Y-pipe and a CAI! Phuong is right. You should put a Y-pipe in your Max and see what it will do.

 

I've thought long and hard about the y-pipe, still do. The reason I haven't done it yet may be unjustified but I can't help thinking about it. Because I have a Cali emissions Max the Y-pipe for my car only eliminates 1 of the pre-cats. This somewhat concerns me to have each side of the motor breathing differently. This thought became more of a concern when I read someone's post about how a dented y-pipe can cause one side of the motor to run leaner than the other b/c of the difference of flow.

I'm not really sure if it's even a problem but it just doesn't sit right with me. Also b/c I live in a metro area (just outside D.C.) the emissions testing in Northern VA is hella strict and putting an off-road pipe on my car could cause me some problems with that. Maybe in the future I'll decide to go for it but right now I'm gonna get my Max to handle and stop the way I want it to.

Let me know how you like the intake. At first you won't be able to lay off the gas b/c it sounds so different, but after a while it won't seem so loud.

 

the install isn't to difficult plan on about an hour or so. Just one bit of advice, be VERY careful with the MAF sensor, a couple of people have messed theirs up installing intakes, it's just a thin thread of wire and can be damaged easily.

And when you try to put the MAF unit back on try a drop of liquid soap (not much) to help you slide it back in easier. You'll know where to use it when you try to put everything back together. The MAF (hard plastic) is tough to slide back into the upper intake tube (rubber), you'll see.

 

Vaseline comes in handy here (no pun intended and no sick jokes please LOL)

 

Thanks for the tips on the SI install, guys.