I was just reading another post, and someone said that with all NA mods to the max, the most you could make would be about 220 hp or somethin like that. I also read that a good run would be 15 flat for an NA auto with mods. Is this true? If so, is it really worth modding an auto unless you're going all out like Don?

 

Personally I dont see any performance mods useful unless you just want to get greased and do something with your own hands. Performance improvement is so insignificant that it is hardly noticable. If you are moderate driver, not noticable at all. Mind you that most (if not all) mods give you a boost if you realy crank it up to 4000+ RPM. On the down side if you fiddle with intake and exhaust you will get extra noise for sure. 220hp I would say is quite a statement. You will have to go all out (4-5 significant mods) for that.

 

You know what's sad? Is that all the modifications I've made on my car are bolt-ons. You're gonna get you hands dirty if you do any of them. I've not gone into my engine (on my old motor), its all been on parts you can see on the outside. Horsepower is only part of the the equation when drag-racing. The car setup is a major part as well. Heavy stereo boxes, extra sound deadener, heavy chrome wheels, fat tires, etc. all make a difference. You need to decide what your goal is with your car.

On the other hand, my new motor (debuting soon) is what I would call "all-out". Its got a full head port/polish, port matching to the intake/exhaust, new valves, new rods, new pistons, all coated for heat protection (gold-coating on piston tops, ceramic on heads/valves). Its designed to handle 20-26 lbs of boost, which I DON'T intend to push thru it, but it will handle it if needed.

I've seen low 14's with bolt-ons (no nitrous), its all in how much you're willing to go for that extra power. You're
right, there's only so much you can do without getting serious. But how far are you willing to go?

 

15.1 @ 90mph.

with valve body, y-pipe, ecu, and cold air intake.
....and YES you can feel the mods all through the rpm range.

 

Don..what would be your recipe for an auto 4th gen to break into the 14's with n/a bolt-on mods?
Thanks
off the top of my head i'm guessing strip the car, get volk wheels, take out sound deadening...what else?

 

My goal is to get into 12s with my auto. I'm on my stock 15s right now. Hopefully, I would be able to get somewhere in the 14s NA. I have the same question as sweetsound2001. My car is a 95 gxe.

 

12s???? hahahha

 

zaibis, don't b so negative, i notice my mods through the rpm band too, with a huge kick after 3.5-4k. If you don't want to mod your auto then don't, but it's kewl when you race someone, and to see the look on their face when you tell them your auto, then they don't believe you and look in the car and see the auto shift ****as for sound, the sound on mine is sweet, you can barely tell I have aftermarket exhaust, just a nice little rumbling purrrr. I have no cat, custom cat-back, and a y-pipe. The reason for the quietness is i use resonators.

 

No I am not negative about mods. I was simply reflecting my point of view. I appreciate my Max for its comform, interior, quietness. I just dont understand those people who get into near luxury sedan market just to .... strip it down, remove boss, electrical options, change comfy power leather seats on aluminum frame light seat to reduce the weight. All that coupled with exessive noise on the inside and even worse on the outside pretty much defeat the purpose of Max (being luxy full size sedan). Every car has its purpose so if Andre wants 12's acceleration I would suggest he saves some money by going to the junk yard and picking up one of those 78 LeBarons V8. I beleve they have 360hp. Those will give him 12's for a about a thousand bucks for a complete car and no mods required. As far as feeling your mods goes I think that anybody who claims he can feel tangible difference between 15.7 stock and 15.3 highly modified Max is simply fooling himself.

 

Basically, you're not being negative at all. You're just saying don't mod a luxury car. Well the whole point is to have a fast car with all the luxury not a junk yard car that may be fast. If I wanted that, I'd do it. Like NineMax mentioned, if you use resonators, noone can even notice you have the mods by listening to the car. If you don't like modding your car, what is your point of being here??? 99% of the people are here because they like that. If you don't like it, there's no problem with it, but don't tell other people it's just a waste of time, because they wouldn't do it if they didn't like it. I'm sure whoever has the fastest Maxima on this board, loves the way his car sounds, drives, looks, and I bet it's still extremely comfortable, and luxurious...

 

Andre - the sig quote is a classic!!

 

Yea I love putting it in OD and felling the soft luxury quietness of the ride(haven't put my eibachs on yet) but still, the max is a luxury MID size(not full-size)car with quik engine, the VQ is pretty swell. I love the way it sounds and sometimes put the stock airbox, just to have that refined stock intake sound.