Hey guys im trying to figure out which route I should take for 2004 maxima. Im debating on going with the short ram.
Whats you guys opinion on short rams and cold air ?

 

Have you searched forum? I think this has been covered several times. In fact, I think there is a main thread somewhere pertaining to this.

Just do a search.

 

All the info you need is on here.

Short ram=sound
Long ram=other stuff

 

I just purchased an injen CAI from another member on here.

I honestly prefer performance first. I already drive a four door, it's not like I'm scaring anyone. So, I'd rather be a sleeper in this car.

 

If you want any gains whatsoever, you will need a cold air intake. Even then the increase is barely noticeable. I personally have it for the sound, I have a short-ram/cold air combo Spectre intake. http://www.spectreperformance.com/

 

If you actually want power, you should try upping the MAF size with a MAF scaling re-program and adding headers. That combo in itself is the most power you can get NA without going radical and cracking open the engine.

It's been proven time and time again. Also, I hardly ever see my IAT's go more than a few degrees above ambient while cruising, so i don't believe in CAI's, especially since the tube is not length/resonance tuned as it should be.

 

 

Wow, I'm shocked. Why don't these cars respond well to CAI? I have installed CAI in all my cars. Granted they have all been V8's and run hotter, but I have always experienced a 10-15 HP gain, minimum.

 

it's not that they don't, it is that these installs do not include a tune. If they where to tune the air to fuel mixture, then some gains might be seen. They are displaying a drop in without tune on a dyno. Pretty typical of what most people do.

 

I love these little motors! A tune with a CAI install! Classic!

I saw an 18hp gain out of my SLP CAI on my LS1. It was bone stock, from the showroom floor. No tune.

 

Jesus, 18hp and the wheel?

 

Not at the wheels. I think the exact number I got when we re-dynoed was like 14 or so on my highest of the three re-spins. So around 17-18 was what we estimated.

I have all my dyno sheets on my dead computer's HD. Along with years of pictures and data. It crashed last month and I'm in the process of trying to get everything off of it.

 

I gained 22 with just an intake no tune on my Maxima. 211 and then 233 both on the same dynojet.


But Tex you have to understand if you put a larger MAF with no scaler, you will run ultra lean. And kill it, common knowledge with a hot wire MAF, same concept with an LSx since they too have a HW MAF. Hence the need for a MAF scaler.

 

That's more like it. And yea, I understand that quite well.

So what do you recommend with the CAI on these cars? You've done it and have the results.

I just went with an Injen CAI and I'd like to have a solid setup. It's so weird going from 15+ years of American Muscle to the import world.

Don't get me wrong, I love these cars, but I'm still a Muscle guy at heart. It's nice to have some sporty-ness with a sedan though. I can't see myself in another kind of four door!

 

The ECU on these cars are what kill the performance. They have an auto adjust tuning built in. If you do any type of add-on, the ECU will retard or advance the timing to adjust what you have added to get back to it's factory output. Works similar to the TCM on the car where it learns your driving habits and adjusts the transmission shift points according to your driving patterns. It will start out with the initial gains, however once all the sensors have learned the change, then the ECU will start changing things. That is why most guys are doing piggy backs on this car. I have even heard the guys who get the ECU reprogrammed, are having to get it done over because the maps are being over written. You can go to Nissan and have the timing advanced if you want, not sure how much gain that gives you though. Either way, the sound is worth the buy. I turn heads every time I floor my car. If you hear me pulling up, you would not for a second think it was a Maxima. Sounds like a Subaru or Z with a deep tone.

 

In that video with the Skyline... Thats a car with a turbocharger, and also the air will pass through the intercooler so that filter wont really affect the air temp entering the intake manifold. A N/A car will definitely have a difference. In the 3 maxima's I've had CAI always the way to go, I've played with a short ram and it was not as impressive as the cold air. And one more note, I would NOT recommend INJEN as the filter sits right behind the radiator so actually its drawing in hotter air, I would buy one that calls for drilling out a spot near the battery into the fender opening to get good flowing cold air.

 

the Injen is inside behind the fender not the radiator. It goes through a hole into the front fender/bumper area. Also the 04+ Maxima has the learning ECU which is why you saw gains with earlier models.

 

I see. Good info. I have a timing gun, I could do it if I knew what degree to set it at.

Good to know as well. I have always done CAI on my cars.

I have an 02. From every picture I have seen it appears to be behind the radiator. Am I wrong?

 

I just went with an Injen CAI and I'd like to have a solid setup. It's so weird going from 15+ years of American Muscle to the import world.

Don't get me wrong, I love these cars, but I'm still a Muscle guy at heart. It's nice to have some sporty-ness with a sedan though. I can't see myself in another kind of four door![/QUOTE]Injen is the worst intake to get for these cars.

I got that huge gain with a JWT/Stillen type intake. Also, I wouldn't recommend a CAI for these cars, like I said, I've never seen more than 5 or 7 degrees difference from ambient unless sitting in traffic and, well, not really the place you want added HP.

Headers is where the real power adder is on these cars. Ported airbox and headers should net somewhere near 250 fwhp on a Dynojet, where 205 or so is common stock. And the sound is nearly non-existent, barely tell. I gained 9 whp from a ported airbox (211-220). For clarification, I did 211 with headers as my only mod, and I'm 4AT.

And as we all know, peak numbers are for colons. In the past few years, I haven't gained much peak to speak of, but the area under the curve has greatly improved. 242/247/257 were my last peak numbers, not much, but considering how much area has been added is more satisfying.

The 6th gens have far more options, well, easier options to go with since it's built on the same architecture as the Altima, and shares the same ECU as the Z33.

The Injen is a far better design on the 6th gen than the 5th gen, for clarification.

 

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I guess they changed design on the 6th gen and up INJENs but on all the ones I've seen they do sit right behind the radiator which is a really bad design. Lol
I like the one you showed in the video tho!

 

Well that sucks. I should be getting mine here in a few days.

Headers huh? I'll have to start poking around and see what I like. Headers on my Stangs were pie. A bit tougher on my LSgun, but I still did them in a day.

Yea, peak is for the birds. It's how where you have it and how long you can stay there that matters.

 

Big *** maf kit

 

Headers are a PITA in these, you can imagine why, the engine is sideways. Couple that with the fact that even the newest 5.5 gens are nearly 11 years old (last production run for the 03 was Jan/Feb 2003) so, rust will be a factor. I got my 03 in 04, so, that helped during the install. No lift, and a set of hand tools and it was easy. These day's impact and a lift would greatly help. Took me a couple of day,s but I wasn't working more than 3-4 hours per day.

The Injen can be modified to a short ram, but still, JWT/Stillen is the cheapest/easiest to do/get.

 

Yea, he design isn't the friendliest for the do-it-yourselfers. This is a Hawaii car, so not too much rust thankfully. It was actually garaged for a big chunk of it's life.

I live in an apartment building here (as most do) and I don't know if I have the space.

 

Ahh I see, shouldn't be much of a problem then. I had to get my rear header EGR bung re-welded in the Winter of 2008, and it wasn't that bad at all, even after a few winters.

 

Okay, last bit of free advice I seek!

What is your poison header wise? I was gonna go SLP...but I just remembered this not an F-BOD!

 

Haha. My opinion has evolved over the years and I'd say either Cattman or OBX. Both show gains. I'd say it's up toSupplier n factories are shut down for 2 more days then ill get an update. Damn holidays you but those would be my first and second only choices.

I've got first gen Cattman I bought in 2004 used for 590$.