UPDATE 4/21/07: The 02-03 Maxima Nissan Works Phenolic Intake Spacers are NOW FOR SALE! You can place your order here:

http://www.nwpengineering.com/Phenolic_Spacers.html

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UPDATE 4/10/07: The prototype spacers are completed and have been test fitted on the test vehicle (near stock 02 Maxima 6spd). Everything was an absolute success! The first production batch should be available for sale before the end of April! Please continue to check back to this thread for all updates.

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UPDATE 3/13/07: I have already met with a test vehicle and the Phenolic Intake Spacer Kit has been designed. I am currently working on CAD drawings in order to have the prototypes CNC machined. Stay tuned! We are getting close!

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The post below was cut and pasted from another thread on the org in order to start this new thread dedicated to the development of the Nissan Works Phenolic Intake Spacers for the 2002 and 2003 Maximas.

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I would be more than happy to develop this kit for you guys if someone is willing to allow me to conduct testing on their car. That is IF NextGear never got these made.

I am located less than an hour east of Raleigh in North Carolina.

I could get the entire kit designed and rolling for everybody in probably less than a month. I already have a kit made for the VE30DE.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=511517

Some companies out there simply design the spacers from the gaskets. This is a big NO NO b/c the ports won't line up perfectly. I design my kits from the intake manifold itself. So it's shaped exactly the same and the ports line up perfectly.

If you are located in Eastern NC and have a 3.5L Maxima, please PM or email me. I can even do dyno testing and temp testing on the 3.5 before releasing the product.

 

If I was near you, I'd be there. Come on people, step up and get these made if only to check out if there are any gains that can be measured.

 

I'm not close enough to lend you my car but if you get them developed I'd be in for a set. There were a lot of people interrested before but it never came together. It looks like you've really got your **** together and could get this done.

If you guys haven't checked out the link in Aaron92SEs post you should. Looks like he knows what he's doing.

 

I am VERY shocked that these spacers haven't been made! I understand that it's a LOT of work involved in designing, machining, and testing these spacers. But I can definitely create a kit for you guys!

Who is a test vehicle candidate? Contact me! All I need you to do is drive out to my shop, let me look at your engine and do some testing to see if there is a gain that can be had. I will take temp readings from various points on the engine bay. The entire initial process shouldn't take more than an hour. And if I think there are gains to be had and the spacer kit is possible to make, then I will get my hands on a spare IM in order to base my CAD drawings off of. I will lock myself in my office for the next couple weeks and develop the product. Then I will machine them out of phenolic and call the test vehicle back out to my shop.

I will then do full testing on the car before installing these spacers. I will take over 300 temperature readings and do several dyno runs. Then I will install the spacers free of labor and do more temperature readings and more dyno runs following the same testing procedure as before.

My spacers are perfectly matched to the intake manifold ports! Everything is port matched!!

So if you guys are serious about this and I think you are, someone close to me has to step up and be a guinnea pig. I don't play around with my business! I offer the absolute best customer service possible! You will NOT be disappointed!

 

Interested? very!

But I'm in Chicago




subscribing!

 

You might want to post in the regionals if you haven't yet. Also try posting a new thread here. This thread has been around for a while and gone all sorts of directions. A lot of people are not going to open this one back up. You also don't want to be associated with the last guy who was talking about making these. He turned a lot of people off with some wild claims, suspicious dyno charts and childish behavior.

 

Its too bad I didn't know about this venture of yours sooner. I was in Raleigh from Thursday night till Monday morning. Anyway, I'm curious to see the results and will let you know if I'm in town again.

 

Yeah, I have read over all his posts already. I'm sorry things didn't work out for you as everyone hoped! But I will guarantee that everyone will be happy with my work!

Puppetmaster, thanks for the gesture.

 

Puppetmaster - Do you think you could consolidate his posts into a new thread, so we can gain interest again?

I swear if i was in NC or near there, I would not mind being a test mule.

 

I split Aaron's posts into a new thread. I think this should work. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

Your welcome....

^^^Bump^^^ for org interest.

 

Thank you! Good idea!

 

I'm interested,

 

Im definately interested!! I wish I had time to drive out there, but I dont see it happening. I wish someone closer to Raleigh would hurry up and get this going!

 

im interested

 

YEP... intrested, but i am in FL...

 

interesting...

 

Well from reading over the ones he made for the VE30DE motor(check his link out, bada** work!), if we can get a donor car, I really see these being produced for us VQ guys

Subscribing

 

Forgive the basic question, as I haven't really followed this development. Is there a reason this kind of spacer would not be effective for the VQ30DE-K?

 

The spacer is designed to insulate our heavy cast aluminum intake runners from heatsink. The plastic runners on the 3.0 don't heatsink.

 

good point, I was just thinking about that very fact. Thanks.

 

but not everyone has plastic runners. I would like to see it for just VQ30DE but not to sure how much us 4th genner's want it.

 

Yeah, if the 4th genners show the slightest interest, then I will make them.

But right now, I think the 5.5 genners win.

The VQ30DEK has a plastic intake manifold which shouldn't show any major gains. The only gain that might be had would be SLIGHTLY lower IM temps and lengthened runners, which should provide more torque.

 

Interested, per more info/pricing/dyno results.

 

I'm interesting in being the guinea pig if the cost is minimal to none for me. Shoot me a pm and let me know.

 

Thank you. I am located about 4 hours east of Charlotte. I hope I can find someone closer since you may have to make multiple trips out to my shop. I'll will let you know if I need you. Thanks again for offering your time!

 

Subscribing to get more info about it...

 

are you going to be making one for th 5th gen?

 

I assume you mean 5th Gen. See posts 20 and 23.

 

You know you can subscribe using the thread tools box at the top of the thread so a thread doesn't have to be clogged up with 10 'Subscribing' posts...

I am intrested if it is in the $100 range and shows gains. I need to replace the rear valvecover soon anyway.

 

im very interested too, when you get these developed i will be signing in for a set.

 

At the moment, I have no plans to make one for the 5th gen.

Anachronism, the projected cost for the VQ35 kit should be around the same as the VE ($145). Until I design the kit, I won't know exactly how much. It could be more and it could be less. I don't want to say too much until I have the kit developed and ready for sale.

This weekend, I have NisMax03 meeting me. I will be able to design the kit on paper and get a good idea what will be included. I will also be able to determine if there are gains to be had by installing this kit. Some cars have a thick plastic or rubber gasket stock that acts as a thermal barrier. If so, then there won't be a major gain to be had.

 

I'm almost certain we have thin metal gaskets. The gasket between the manifold and the runners is metal. Our runners get very hot to the touch too.

 

ill be game for 1.

 

Ill be in for one also

 

Is it metal with rubber inserts? Once I take a close look at the mating surfaces, I will be able to determine if eliminating the gaskets is possible. A little RTV on these spacers will seal almost anything.

 

It's been a while but I think it's metal with inserts between the runners and manifold. I don't know about the manifold though.

 

With the weather getting better I can let you use my car.
I'm in durham/sanford so we're really close...

 

im in for a set as well, 145 is more than i thought it would be but its still not a bad cost. awaiting product pictures.

 

You got PM.

superspeed2k2, here is what the spacers look like for the VE if you haven't already seen them.