Well,
2 days ago I installed my NWP Intake Spacers and new Laser Platinum Spark Plugs. I reset my ECU after install and have been enjoying the results ever since. I guess I'd better mention the timing advance too... I had it advanced to 17 degrees BTDC.
So, tonight I was driving around and decided to get a rough idea of my 0-60 time. I say 'rough idea' because even though I had a stopwatch, the roads were a bit wet and I have winter tires on at the moment. So after about 3 runs I have concluded the following: I have gained at LEAST ONE FULL SECOND on my 0-60 time!!! Even with horrible spinning launches due to semi-wet roads and winter tires, my 02 Max SE Auto was running UNDER 7 seconds 0-60. This is a full second better than what she used to do without spacers and new plugs on dry roads with better tires!!! I can't wait 'til I put my new summer tires on in a couple of weeks and I can test out my car on dry roads.
The NWP spacers are definitely worth every penny. As soon as 3900 RPM hits and the VIAS valve opens, my car just TAKES OFF!! You can actually feel the added power right there and up (almost like having a really small turbo hehehe) My IM doesn't get heat soaked now, and as a result, there is no performance decrease even after having driven the car for hours. I swear I can feel added torque and power across the entire power band (even down low) but it is definitely apparent at 3900+ RPM. Even though I've been feeling this for a few days, I was shocked tonight to find that spacers, new plugs, and a timing advance had taken 1+ seconds off my 0-60 time. It's great!

 

yeah maintenance is a wonderful thing.

and Aaron's spacers are the bees knees

 

umm... what other maintainence-type things could I do that would improve performance?

 

replace the fuel filter cap on the pump, flush the coolant, clean the MAF

you could do a y-pipe if you don't want a loud exhaust and want to keep pre-cats

 

hey, what is the best y-pipe I can get without dropping $800 on Cattman headers/y-pipe. Are there any other options?

 

cattman just sells y-pipes alone to keep your stock headers IIRC

 

Nice. Glad to hear the improvement. I am thinking about doing my spark plugs as well as NWP spacers. Did you have to replace any valve cover?

 

did you have the summer tires on the same wheels?

 

are they really hard to install?? something i should be paying for?
watd it cost you. i see on the site its listed at 225.

 

Exactly that, unless you catch him having a sale. Worth every penny, too.

OP, I'm happy to hear how ecstatic you are about the change. However, I'm guessing your old plugs were pretty bad. The spacers are certainly awesome, but not 1.0 second awesome. Let's not get carried away here and create unrealistic expectations.

Realism aside, I was similarly enthusiastic about the spacers when I had them installed. Half a year later, no leaks, no problems, just a nice little boost that I still appreciate. Enjoy, man.

 

pretty awsome. I just put the NWP block plate in and felt a difference, but can u put the intake spacers as well as the block plate.

 

nice.. good to see people are happy with the spacers. i just ordered mine too, so they should be here in a few days. 225 + 10 for shipping. i also ordered some headers and grounding kit as well. so i can't wait to see what the results are after that!

 

Good to hear, but stock in good running condition you should be 6.2-6.5 ish in the auto. Was just watching a video on youtube where one guy got his 0-60 down to 6.3 sec with his 02 stock auto after a few runs.

 

+1
To the OP, have you done the GAB mod? If not, then maybe that explains why my GAB'd '02 auto does 0-60 in 6.5, but you needed the spacers, timing advance, and new plugs to get under 7. Another thing, did you leave it in drive, or manually shift it? Shifting at redline speeds things up a bit. My 6.5 sec 0-60
EDIT: You have done the GAB mod...

 

How's the install for the spacers on a 2001?

 

^It's supposed to be pretty straightforward minus boring the bolt holes a bit (they don't line up exactly)

 

More:


http://www.nwpengineering.com/VQ30DE...ifications.pdf


To OP: Good job w/ your 0-60 time trimming

 

With the NWP block plate, my car now automatically shifts at redline. Didn't use to. I'm not the only who has noticed this with the block plate either.

 

The rear valve cover was, as everyone says they always are, leaky. I didn't have a replacement and my dealer doesn't stock them, so for now I used some RTV gasket maker to try to seal it up... it's not hurting performance at all though... I'll get around to replacing it in the future...

Yes.
Yeah, I don't think the plugs had been changed and I'm at about 120K miles... so that definitely made a bunch of the difference... and I'm loving what the spacers have done more every day.
Yeah, I got spacers cuz they are supposed to be the overall best/show the best performance gains... I might do the block plate now, but I'm worried about losing low end... I've gained a bunch of noticeable low-end torque with the spacers and I'm worried about losing any of it.

 

Speaking of spark plugs, I bought my wife a 2000 SE last week with 135,400 kilometres on it (84k miles). The stealership where I bought it said the plugs don't have to be changed until 167,000 kilometres (104k miles).

Is this achievable?

Typically 4th Gen plugs are changed at 60k miles. I changed mine at 67k miles and they were on their way out. The 4th Gen plugs must be different than the 5th Gen plugs.

I replaced my 4th Gen plugs with OEM laser platinum plugs and plan on replacing the 5th Gen's plugs with OEM plugs as well.

 

That's the new bull**** Nissan is pushing through to the salesman and they use it as a sales pitch.

Honestly I change the spark plugs on a car when I first buy it, and change them about every 40-60k miles

 

Great to know you felt the major difference in your ride