http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/.../nismo_intake/

Looks like it might work for the 5.5 gens, another quality intake - made by AEM for Nismo. Gains are very promissing.

On a quick note- looks like Nismo is releasing wheels for the Maxima now, gunmetal ones on the left.

They kinda look like Volk CE28Ns, and knowing Nismo they are made by Rays- who makes Volk wheels.

 

those are some sexy wheels....wonder how much they'll cost and how much they'll weigh...

 

Yeah but it looks like it will take some "modification" to get the SE-R intake to work or am I seeing things??

 

didn't we have a big long discussion about this the other week? Remember, where it digressed into discussion about Nismo radiator caps and whatnot and turned into a flame-fest...

The one where we established that NissanPerformanceMagazine was making bogus numbers/gains by:

wow, baseline with engine all hot, and then do the itake runs with the engine cool. no wonder they got such good power. duh.

NissanPerformanceMag = one giant ad for Nismo and Stillen products. Funny how we don't see most of the products WE use tested in this magazine....blehmco bars, cattman stuff, etc etc....oh that's right - they don't advertise there

 

Still interesting Nismo is/might be actually making parts for the Maxima.

 

more like for the altimas and us benefiting from it

 

In reality if you see 3-5HP at the wheels I would be impressed. I have a buddy who is a Nissan tech and in college they took a passat and did intake, chip (w/dyno tune), and full exhaust. The end result is everybody in the class laughed at the lack of power increase. The entire point of the project was to show that modern technology is making modification a thing of the past. Now once people start catching on then things will change. I did full exhaust, cold air intake, y-pipe and I like the car better without the mods. The mods actually made my engine less smooth and I do not think there was much more HP with the mods. It is all self fulfilling profecy.

 

Interesting....but I don't know if they don't compair to other intakes then not really a good test in my eyes

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=332031

Go to page 3, start from post #81 till the end of the thread....

 

Sorry, I didn't read that thread because to me the best intake you can get for a 3.0L is Place Racing CAI. I didnt know this was already covered before. I stand corrected.

 

Wow nice wheels.

 

No apologies needed Mike, I just posted it to let y'all know of the drama that went on because of that NPM article (and others), nothing against you posting the link for us here. In fact, it was such a huge thing that it spilled over into Nissanforums.com as well:

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=102175

Besides, that was in the 6th Gen forums and I didn't think many 5th Genners would have seen it anyhow. Just a heads up is all...

 

I met with Aaron last Friday when I was in San Diego and we had a long discussion about this subject. And from that I am convinced that this test is legitimate.

And if we all play our cards right we could be allowed to offer 'useful' input on future VQ tests.

 

Nice... glad to hear that you managed to have a constructive discussion with em in person to clear this up....

 

I wouldn't mind trying it out to see if I can tell a difference. It just seems weird that they didn't try and compair with other companys

 

I agree. People spend hundreds of dollars on modds that net you 5-10 hp. It's like the fat loss industry pray on you hopes and dreams.....Leave the car alone can you really feel 5-10 hp difference if you get that much.....

 

I doubt it will fit a 5.5th Gen.

 

There are people who want to squeeze every bit of hp out of the car possible... why? Because its a hobby... that's what car enthusiasts do... and every little mod will add up to that "goal".

 

Car makers will probably never be able to fully take advantage of the potential of the cars they make because of emissions and safety requirements, so until they do, there is always gonna be room for modifications. People just have to pick the right things to do.

You have a 5.5th Gen... you shoulda known that you would see barely anything with a y-pipe, if hp was really what you wanted, you shoulda gotten headers. And if I recall correctly, you had trouble with the fitment of your Warpspeed y-pipe and b-pipe. I have a Cattman y-pipe and Frankencar b-pipe that fit perfectly and the car runs and feels smoother than it did stock.

 

I second that. Also as your car gets up in milage, the cat will begin to clog so going aftermarket on a high-flow race pipe will help as well.


...and if all else fails theres always nitros and snails!


damn, I'm a f-in poet!

 

i may get into some trouble asking this but...has anyone tried to fit that or any other aem intake onto a maxima..because that intake was the greatest thing i ever did to my accord.

 

I do understand that but to spend big bucks to get big horsepower is one thing but to spend big bucks to see 10 hp is another. Subarus for example if you spend big bucks you get big horsepower. Some cars are worth the money if you modd them and even though i love my 5.5 gen it has plenty of hp stock and a 200.00 intake seems kinda foolish with very little hp gain...just my 02.

 

Let me clarify a few things, first off NPM is not a large publication with a large budget. When those guys dyno a car to test a product they have to pay for the dyno time out of their own pockets in many cases (at least that is how I understand it). So it simply isn't financially feasible for them to do a massive comparo between products. And according to Aaron they do not publish articles on products that do not produce gains and they've even been talked down to by certain manufacturers because of this.
Aaron and I were not able to schedule a dyno time in which we could both be present but after a long converstation of my asking questions, and you guys should know I asked ALOT of them, and the right ones, I can honestly say Aarons motives are honorable and he does the best he can to report honest and unbiased results. It certainly would have been even better had we the time to dyno a car together because it would have gone even further to convince everyone of NPMs motives. Perhaps he and I can work it out sometime in the future and collaborate on projects.


As for the Alty SE-R Nismo/AEM intake for the Maxima, I can't answer that one for sure but I suspect it may be worth a try. Just don't go in with high expectations in case it doesn't produce the same results. However, from what I gathered from Aaron, the Altima SE-R has the SAME restrictive air box that we have. Many of you know that is worth a proven 8-9whp alone (GAB and PAB mods).

 

I understand and you are completely correct in that respect, I was merely illustrating a counter point to the one you raised. Besides, that's why I only paid 99 bucks for my Berk.

 

Apart from filter design, I think most intakes are somewhat similar so I don't think different intakes necessarily give significantly more or less gains. The gains over baseline are also dependent on the design of the stock airbox. It is possible that the Accord you had was equipped with a much more restrictive stock air-box and hence an intake really opened things up. Unless we're keeping all else constant, its hard to say, but if you're willing to give it a shot, I'm sure many people will be willing to see what ya come up with. So far the intake that has given the most gains, according to dynos, has been the GAB as SR20 mentioned above ~9 whp on both AT and MT 5.5th Gens.

 

Although I think my PAB design is much cleaner (than the ooglie GAB).

 

Looks purdy .. and stock ... and probably has similar gains ... for free or less than 10$.

Good write-up

 

But the PAB isn't reversible, then again stock airboxes are cheap...

 

Nor will any Nissan Tech say anything about it IF they notice it.

 

I agree with removing emissions stuff to add more HP, but I guess I was leaning more towards "legal" modification. Soon in most states you cannot add headers anymore and get the car legally inspected. You have to put it on a "sniffer" which is mandatory. NY is cracking down and even the mom and pop shops are in a rough spot because now every inspection done has to go into a huge database. This is done so when a cop pulls you over they can scan your inspection and tell who passed you. In terms of legal modification I am not sure there is really too much that can be done that the car companies are not taking advantage of (without adversely affecting ride quality).

BTW: I DID have some annoyance with the fitment of my pipes but that minor annoyance played no role in hindering performance. I gained a little up top but lost down low. This is the "tradeoff" weekend racers are looking to get when they go ***** to the wall (upper RPM range), but for the rest of us we lose everyday driving power.

 

I think some states (including VA) already have sniffers, but as long as you retain your main cat and ensure that it is fully warmed up before inspection you will pass emissions. The pre-cats have almost no effect on what the sniffer picks up once the main cat is fully warmed up and operational. I don't have headers yet, but I know people with headers or y-pipes who have removed the precats while retaining the main cat have yet to face any issues with inspections. Its only when you have visual inspections that this will be an issue.

Btw, in my experience, when people (myself included) experience exhaust fitment issues there is usually added vibration and rattling because of the extra tension. Not sure if that's what happened to you, but sorry for assuming that. You said it made your engine less smooth and I attributed it to that. Anyways, I agree that a y-pipe on a VQ35 does help a little on the higher end, according to a dyno I've seen and my butt-dyno, and for those of us who can't/won't put in headers that's gonna have to do for now.

 

You still got em pictures somewhere? They aren't appearing on the write-up thread.

 

MASS. already does this. Thats why inspections stations are so strict now...Another reason why i don't play around with headers and stuff because i don't want the hassle of failing an inspections

 

so umm... what emissions stuff can you remove that will add more HP?

 

Intergrated exhaust/precats with headers?

 

at which point youre replacing the exhaust manifold with a redesigned unit

removing the catalyst alone (the emissions equipement) wont provide a gain.

 

The what does?
Essentially, that's why headers > y-pipe on 5.5g applications .. or no.

 

yes, the headers.

but removing the catalyst (like, punching it out, but keeping the stock exh manifold) wont provide any reasonable gain.

i see youre from espa... you dont have 13x7 100 spokes on your max, do you?

 

Now it went from "no" gain to "no reasonable gain". j/k.

 

I have a set of 18x8" .. Hehe you must've been here before.