I have been thinking about this for a while now...
The reason why the 2k has 30+ more HP is due to the tweaking of the exhaust?
Even with the stock exhaust, during starting, I can hear that there is more sound (more pressure?) coming from the muffler. I'm hesitating to give Nissan engineers the neccessary credit as I don't think they would have been able to acheive this without fiddling with the exhaust...
Do we benefit from the extra HP during our daily driving? In fact I feel it is slower, with a heavier feeling, than the '96 I have driven a few times before.

 

While the Y2K engine is not totally new, it has a new induction system that allows it to increase airflow. Combined with the 2 stage exhaust, the Y2K manages to obtain the 222 hp rating.

 

What I have noticed is the my 2K and my 95SE that I had B4. The car is slower when it normal driveing.. but when U hit the throttle then it is a lot faster. I guess it does have something to do with the Exaust. plus the car is heavier so it is slower at normal driveing.

 

i think it's cuz of the butterfly valve thinga ma bopper in the muffler. but i heard it's suppose to help the low end.

from what i heard it's a complete new engine.. or so they say it is.

the i30 only gained a 5extra hp cuz they changed the exhaust.

 

The new 2K engine is virtually the same engine just retuned. What I have heard is that the newer engine does not have as much torque as the older engine at lower RPM's. That is probabaly why people are saying that the older engine feels a little stronger. Pioneer is right, you do loose a little power on the low and, but it is regained toward the higher RPM's.

 

i thot i got something brand new.. haha thanx for the info tho. i was hoping to find out what exactly was going on under the hood.

 

Hey Mingo, having a retuned VQ isn't a bad thing. Jeez... the vq has been rated in the top 10 engines in the world since 95, 6 years and running.

 

The actual gain in torque comes from the redesigned intake manifold. I believe it's a variable capacity manifold that opens up around 5000rpm+ to produce more torque. Basically the intake manifold accounts for over 90% of the power gain vs the 4th gen VQ30DE.

 

then my 96 maxima... especially in the highway.... after my girlfriend drove my car (she has a 97 SE), she even commond on it's more powerful... maybe it's because we both have auto tranny, the 2k I have now is a 5 speed.... but I do feel it's more powerful.