I went and picked up MZMTG this morning, and he helped by strip the Maxima down. We took out all the interior parts that I will be selling. I sold the MEVI and put the USDM back on. We left two seats in and went for a ride. It has been a while since I drove with a USDM. Lets just say that in first, traction was non-existant. The car just ran like a beast, I was very suprised.
I now need advise from you guys on how to get this engine as happy as possible. I want to remove everything that is not necessary to it's funstionality. Has anyone put a shorter belt on to eliminate the AC? I am assuming I can get a plate made to cap off the EGR port too, correct? Like I have said before, this is a strip only car.
Thanks for any help.

 

sounds good keep up the good work

 

I love weight reduction pics please and more details .

With the egr tilley made me a plug for my exhaust manifold and i made a aluminum plate to cover the hole in the usim.

 

Is that egr crap on a 1995? I heard the 1996 had revised emission equipment *crosses fingers*

 

Yes it's on a 95. I have my EGR disconnected.

 

Any noticable gains? Any writeup on this I can find?

 

I imagine the writeup would look something like this:

1. Remove everything completely unnecessary from the car

 

Next we plan to gut the doors. Removing the window regulators, crash beams and inner metal skin. That should save nearly 50 pounds.

 

This most certainly will be a joint effort between Ben and myself. We are going to do a write illustrating how the weight reduction relates to 1/4 mile times. This car did 14.83 with just a popcharger. Right now the only mods are ACT cltuch, POPcharger,
Y pipe, and weight reduction.
Also on the weight removal list is the bumper beams, and I have figured out how to do plexi side windows pretty cheap.
short term goals

1. Fastest 4th gen on stock ECU
2. Fastest 4th gen with USDM

and long term of course

Fastest 4th get NA 3.0

 

they only thing about plexiglass when it breakes it going to breask into very sharp big pieces going through your head if you have an accident. Also it might not be thick enough to work for your door. Hey but its only a track car, and you might have to heat it up so it will curve. You don't wnat to force it to curve because it will snap on you at a moment you dont want it too.

I work with plexi all time for arch. projects. Personally I would go with lexan because it wont break like plexi glass and it might cost about $200 to replace all 4 side windows or from a custom place about $1000. I would do the homemade one, thats actually a lot of weight right there if yout took out the windows.

 

Well I use Plexi as a general term. I will actually be usein an acrylic such as Lexan, which I have worked with tons doing custom car stereo stereo installations. I should be able to take the stock glass out ans scribe the patterns on a sheet of 1/8" Lexan, then cut it out and just slide it up the tracks. It should conform fine, not to mention the window glass does not have outragous curves.

 

You added the last after I started typing my reply seems we are on the same page.

 

Anyone have suggestions on what to do about the sunroof?

I think the best bet would be to remove it completely and have a body shop weld in a sheet to fill the hole.

 

just put a piece of plexiglass up there.

 

with slicks and a GOOD suspension setup for that light weight i wouls exspect 12's

 

Actually I am thinking I can get all four cut out of a 4'X4' sheet, which is about $50Here

 

I am not saying that we will never get into the 12's but I would have to say that is pretty far off. I want to see 13's on the stock ECU.

 

How come you are going with USIM instead of mevi or other intake manifold?

 

I stock 4th gen with exrerame weight reduction should see 13's or better.
Remamber your car will need a good suspention setup with all that weight lost mycar with h&r/s rides higher than stock

From what ive seen i striped car can gain 1.5 to 2 seconds

 

well I did not think I was going to be able to keep my car after the wreck so I sold the MEVI. So USIM is what I have, and what I will begin my quest with. I could not believe how it felt after I put it back on though.

 

I am going to have GR-2s and sprints on it. I have AGXs but those are going to Ben.

 

man I hate getting moved. This is in response to building my NA max, but I understand that it is not actually about engine mods. I would jsut rather be there than in the land of colored LED's and body kits.

 

Losing the a/c doesn't yield too much weight if I'm not mistaken. But I guess every little bit counts in this quest.

Are you going with Millenia wheels or anything to lighten up rotational mass?

What about fiberglass/cf hood and trunk?



Oh, and plurco...you need some led's. lol

 

true, but it is still excess weight, and every little bit counts when building a race car. Yes I hope to aquire CF hood and trunk lid. I have not thought about wheels as of yet, since I am doing all the free weight reduction first.

 

Since it's a track only car can you just leave it out? Too much drag otherwise?

 

well the car will be sittng outside when it is not burning up the 1/4 mile

 

make homeade fiberglass body panels

 

Who needs body panels?....

 

Almost forgot...what about a relocated Optima battery? They are lighter than traditional batteries, iirc.

 

i believe Broaner used a shorter belt and removed his AC, you might want to PM him for the size.

 

my friend took out the metal plate behind the back seat. took a sawzill to get rid of the thing holding the plate. he cut out the spare tire well and placed sheet metal on it. maybe you should remove the fuel tank and get a race cell?

 

weight reduction: get sawzall, go nutts..... you shuld see the drag car I used to work on. It was pretty much a shell and motor. It was a regular unibody....we cut out anything and everything. I can pick it up alone. We did add a 6 point roll cage.

The sunroof glass is very light 2lbs maybe, but the track and motor weight 25lbs or so. I would keep the glass, but somehow glue or screw it in place. Junk the gas tank, a/c + condenser...well im sure you have great plans no need to interrupt. good luck!

 

No the glass isnt light its 8lbs and total sunroof weight 32lbs.

And total AC weight is around 30lbs those two things gone over 60lbs thats alot of weight. Also something else you may want to do is remove your power steering .gain 5+whp throu the powerband and removeweight and junk.My PS pump is comming of when my motors swaped and going up for sale . But ill still have a PS pump

 

i really dont remember the glass being close to 10 lbs. but if you say so i believe you.

 

Its been weighed and also keep in mind a loaf of wonder bread weighs alittlke over 1 lb

 

Driving without power steering can be a chore when you are going very very slowly or stopped. I've got no power steering right now and sometimes it's annoying to have to do with 2 hands what you normally can do with one.

 

are you planning on gettin any carbon fiber parts? i mean like major ones like hood and trunk plurco?

 

How much for the glass?

 

If anyone does have any word on the shorter belt to bypass AC please do share it because i'm also interested in doing the same since my AC doesn't work and i don't use it anyway. I posted awhile back and it seems nobody has done it, Jus think about it like this it'll add more power (or free up more) and an under drive pulley by far.

 

you can just keep testing belts from auto zone they have a bunch if you just guess teh size that is what i did when i did my motor swap for my integra being that i had to use the crank pulley from the crv since i couldn't get that ***** off and i was in a hurry to get it done .