Ok guys just bought a 2000 I30, would like to do a couple simple mods and was wondering what is the best bang for your buck?
I know on the 4th gen it's y pipe and 00vi, how about for the A33 dek?
Thanks for any and all responses.
I dont plan to do alot to the car but a couple choice mods are a possibility, just need help narrowing that list. I already put in an AFE drop in filter from my 97 I30, what are some other simple improvements I could do?

 

If you don't wanna drop a lot of money, a Y-pipe is a good start and probably a 50 shot of nitrous

 

Go for Headers first and foremost....You'll never regret it!

 

headers almost gain you nothing over the y pipe on the 3.0 plus they are a pain to install. Other than a y pipe a standalone ecu and a good tune is a good way to free up some hp. Y pipe is really the only cheap big gainer on the vq30de-k

 

^^^ headers do have better gains than Y, even on a 3.0... if your not alot for the performance then do the Y.... but headers first

 

Thanks guys, so what kind of gains can be expected?
as good as with the 4th gens? Also, are the underdrive pulleys worth anything?
Thanks for the input

 

I've read mixed reports on the headers. I remember when I checked into them for my 97 most on the forum said they were a waste. WIth these essentially being the same engine with better cams, injectors, and intake is there any real value?

 

It's something like ~8whp over a Y-pipe. You'll need a tune. There aren't any standalones that have DEK support however check this thread if you want to take a look at tuning.

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...-thread-2.html

Y-pipe gives you 10-15whp I believe so about the same as the fourth gen, because the precat locations are the same.

Underdrive pulley isn't worth any useable horsepower, although your car will rev up a little bit faster.

 

A ypipe is cheaper WHP but I'll guarantee the Headers will more than double the power of that ypipe especially with a hi flow cat, upgraded catback ( remove smashed sections or Cattman 2.5" bpipe, factory rear muffler) and better flowing intake SRI or drop-in filter!

 

mixed now a days 90% the ppl agree that header gave worth wild gains... i remember starting that header topic looooong back when i owned a 4th gen when the forum only believed in y-pipe for the 4th... when street racing was legal i did the before and after race and post it on here and from then its been changing slowly, but now everybody knows its better

 

i remember seeing a dyno where y pipe was 12hp i think but y pipe with headers was like 16hp. With a tune i'm sure its a different story but most people don't go to the trouble of getting a standalone and getting things tuned correctly

 

double is a tad exaggeration in a 5th gen... in a 5.5 it will probebly more than double the output.... on 5th gens (00-01) the precats is in the Y-pipe hence why the most gains for them comes from a y-pipe... on a 5.5 the precats are in the headers so a y-pipe doesnt get rid of any restrictive cats.... put it like this (best example) the Y for a 5.5 is like just the header collectors (front n rear) for a 5th gen, and a Header collectors (front n rear) for a 5.5 is like a y-pipe for the 5th... headers w/Y is the best output

 

Ok, sounds logical. WHat brand setup would yall recommend?
I'm not looking for a ricer sound just better performance.

 

Not on a DEK. Most of the power is gained on headers/Y-pipe due to the elimination of precats, and on DEKs the precats are in the Y-pipe, while the VQ35 Maximas have precats in the exhaust manifolds.

Different dyno = different story no matter what. There's zero standalone support for Maximas, everyone (except one member) tunes on some kind of piggyback (VAFC/SAFC, e-Manage...)

Headers > Y-pipe all day. The deciding factor is by how much.

 

Oh. God.

Here we go. Another header thread. Only this time it's going to be headers vs. y-pipes.

 

Better keep what brand of your headers on the low, in case CMax03 takes another step in here

 

Oh, right. I won't mention that I have OBX headers.


...****.

 

I'm a little confuzed your saying the headers are better than the y pipe? your greater than symbol is referencing that, but I thought you stated the main gain is from the y pipe on the DEK because the precats are in the y?

 

Right. Removing the precats will give you good gains. But running full headers will see an even greater gain, as you'll have three separate tubes running down into a collector, versus one manifold collecting and forcing all the exhaust down into the y-pipe. Headers delete the precats just like the y-pipe does.

 

lets get this straight... whenever anybody says headers it means headers w/ Y-pipe as all headers come with em... and yes he is correct the headers is for the most gains but in buying headers most of your gains come from the y-pipe because that is where you precats are... i also have OBX... more than half your gains is from the Y... thats all he is saying so yes headers > just the Y-pipe.... { > means better}

 

Ohh man these threads lol. And yes headers give better gains either way you slice it but on a 3.0L its not that much I believe the most gains anyone ever had was Joe on a 3.0L about 7whp but thats with an aggresive tune. Thats why almost all 4th gen guys use Y-pipes. I would know because done both!!

 

Have any of you had success having local shops build a full exhaust instead of buying the y pipe or other parts?

 

I understand I'm asking for too much guidance here but...
I just got a 5.5 (had a 4th gen for almost 2 years) and I'm trying to decide the order of mods I want to do.

I understand headers w/y is best "bang for the buck", but after that where should I go?
specifically, what order would you do: intake (CAI or otherwise), cat back, ... anything else.
and any specific brand recommendations for all these things would be nice too, because I've gotten mixed signals from everyone (is cattman really that much better than OBX?)

Thanks for helping a newb out.

 

Bump, looking for a few answers, or at least some helpful direction.

 

sorry for the noob question but whats a Y pipe? this is my 1st V6 and just curious

 

vq35 swap

 

On my 2k1 CA emission there was a pre-cat on the front manifold.

 

go to warpspeed.com and search it... its basically a half of the headers... headers have the 3 collectors in the front and rear, a y pipe doesnt, it connects to the stock collectors or ebay maxima headers and the pipe that looks like l__l____ is the y-pipe

 

i just put a y-pipe on a week ago and all i got was a sound difference (in my opinion) and my car feels more sluggish below the 4k mark, but after 4k the y-pipe helped a littled maybe 5hp according to feeling. but now my car sounds like an American v8 with the stock exhaust and an sr intake.... an im not fond of that sound at all...
anyone else have that issue?
i did reset the ecu as well

 

there is something wrong if your sounds like american V8

 

Put your o2 sensors back in

 

you dont need headers...just a ypipe

 

Still confused???? All those opinions are a swinging.....As for header types if you go that route....It's your choice.....I've installed headers on all types of cars and many different brands.....

 

update on y-pipe. definitely more power past 4k now, it just needed time to adapt with the ecu. but i do have the chug like the 2005 mustang gt's have when they idle. but mine is not as loud.
i dont think its a hole in the exhaust cuz the sound is only from the muffler