Intro/Race Car Build
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Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 3
Intro/Race Car Build
Hi everyone. I am new here, but have been on several enthusiast forums for years,and am normally a European car guy (BMW/VW), but love all forms of motorsports.I live in Hampton Roads, VA and just picked up a 1997 maxima GLE for free from my in-laws. It has 304k on it and they were the original buyers in Oct 1996. I still have the sticker from the window. Car has been regularly serviced but was parked a few years ago, and left to collect muck from the elements. It has a few dings in it as well. I brought it home and cleaned it up and now for the fun part!
It is going to be converted into an enduro race car for Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA.
Class rules:
www.langley-speedway.com
ENDURO DIVISION RULES
4 Cylinder and 6 Cylinder:
Anymake and model front wheel drive 4 or 6 cylinder car permitted. No all wheel or4 wheel drive or station wagons allowed: All cars must remain STOCK as frommanufacture. No other modifications will be permitted. MUST REMAIN STOCK
1.Remove all glass and trim.
2.Glass: Stock Windshield or Lexan permitted. If Lexan is use you must add three frontwindshield straps secured with 5/16” bolts no rivets. The first strap must be centeredand the remaining two straps must be 4 inches off each side of the centerstrap. Rear window opening must have at a minimum of 2-1” x1/8” straps. All straps must be secured at the top and bottom with 5/16” bolts.
3.Remove all flammable material from inside the drivers compartment dash must remain
4.Remove air bags
5.Four point roll cage only (optional)
6.4And 6 cylinder motors only. No turbo or super chargers permitted
7.Coolant systems (water only) no water wetter’s or antifreeze permitted
8.All suspension must remain stock. No alterations of any parts or mounting points
9.Stock camber and must maintain stock bolts
10.Stock air cleaner (filter and housing)
11.Doors must be chained or welded
12.Hood and truck lid must be wired shut before the start of the event
13.Battery must remain in the stock location and securely fastened
14.Exhaust must remain stock but may be cut off 6 inches past the firewall
15.Fuel tanks must remain in the stock location
16.Only 60 or 70 series DOT street tires permitted. No camber cutting or truck tires.Maximum 4 ply tire. All tires must be the same size and seriesfront/back/left/right.
TireAlterations is NOT permitted. If tires are in question the Technical Director willinspect the tires and make a ruling on the tires. All rulings are final and non-appealable
Plans for the car:
I'll be prepping the car for all of the aforementioned requirements.
So far I have gutted most of the interior, and built my own turn down dual exhaust that ends just behind the firewall. I have no cats. and re-used the O2 sensors (the rear has a spark plug anti-fouler). I need to pick up some 60 or 70 series tires. I am going to paint it white, and use the BRE theme. Since I'm not allowed any "mods" I am going to get creative with stockish parts. I have done a lot of research and plan on doing the 00vi upper, and keeping itall stock air box, and possibly adding a pathy TB. I'd eventually like to do a5 speed swap as well. I have a pick and pull here and parts are cheap. I will hopefully be adding a 4 point roll cage as well. The car runs fine now except it needed a new Knock sensor. I pulled the mani to replace it since I'd bepulling it anyways to do the swap. I've been looking at craigslist for local wheels tires, and am thinking of maybe upgrading to mustang or jeep wheels since they are cheap and wider, but am unsure of fitment. Other than that, I will try to keep you guys updated with the car with pics and racing stats. Wish me luck and chime in with advice if you have any. Thanks. Josh
It is going to be converted into an enduro race car for Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA.
Class rules:
www.langley-speedway.com
ENDURO DIVISION RULES
4 Cylinder and 6 Cylinder:
Anymake and model front wheel drive 4 or 6 cylinder car permitted. No all wheel or4 wheel drive or station wagons allowed: All cars must remain STOCK as frommanufacture. No other modifications will be permitted. MUST REMAIN STOCK
1.Remove all glass and trim.
2.Glass: Stock Windshield or Lexan permitted. If Lexan is use you must add three frontwindshield straps secured with 5/16” bolts no rivets. The first strap must be centeredand the remaining two straps must be 4 inches off each side of the centerstrap. Rear window opening must have at a minimum of 2-1” x1/8” straps. All straps must be secured at the top and bottom with 5/16” bolts.
3.Remove all flammable material from inside the drivers compartment dash must remain
4.Remove air bags
5.Four point roll cage only (optional)
6.4And 6 cylinder motors only. No turbo or super chargers permitted
7.Coolant systems (water only) no water wetter’s or antifreeze permitted
8.All suspension must remain stock. No alterations of any parts or mounting points
9.Stock camber and must maintain stock bolts
10.Stock air cleaner (filter and housing)
11.Doors must be chained or welded
12.Hood and truck lid must be wired shut before the start of the event
13.Battery must remain in the stock location and securely fastened
14.Exhaust must remain stock but may be cut off 6 inches past the firewall
15.Fuel tanks must remain in the stock location
16.Only 60 or 70 series DOT street tires permitted. No camber cutting or truck tires.Maximum 4 ply tire. All tires must be the same size and seriesfront/back/left/right.
TireAlterations is NOT permitted. If tires are in question the Technical Director willinspect the tires and make a ruling on the tires. All rulings are final and non-appealable
Plans for the car:
I'll be prepping the car for all of the aforementioned requirements.
So far I have gutted most of the interior, and built my own turn down dual exhaust that ends just behind the firewall. I have no cats. and re-used the O2 sensors (the rear has a spark plug anti-fouler). I need to pick up some 60 or 70 series tires. I am going to paint it white, and use the BRE theme. Since I'm not allowed any "mods" I am going to get creative with stockish parts. I have done a lot of research and plan on doing the 00vi upper, and keeping itall stock air box, and possibly adding a pathy TB. I'd eventually like to do a5 speed swap as well. I have a pick and pull here and parts are cheap. I will hopefully be adding a 4 point roll cage as well. The car runs fine now except it needed a new Knock sensor. I pulled the mani to replace it since I'd bepulling it anyways to do the swap. I've been looking at craigslist for local wheels tires, and am thinking of maybe upgrading to mustang or jeep wheels since they are cheap and wider, but am unsure of fitment. Other than that, I will try to keep you guys updated with the car with pics and racing stats. Wish me luck and chime in with advice if you have any. Thanks. Josh
If you have to keep everything stock I would probably just grab a grand am tbh. I drive my girlfriends grand am occasionally and goddamn, those cars stock suspension is better than our suspension, even with upgrades
Last edited by bumpypickle; Dec 18, 2015 at 12:57 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 3
Update! I have been very busy with the car over the past month or so. She is all gutted, and painted. I also had to replace the knock sensor and pulled the manifold for cleaning... that ended up being and full EVAP delete, EGR delete, AC delete and 00vi swap. I'll get some pics of it up soon. I do have some questions though. I also PM'd Caeser to see if he is still active.
I am building a 97 maxima oval track car for enduro racing and have done the 00vi swap. Automatic tranny, and I have the entire car gutted, and using the following set up.
-00vi mani
-5th gen lower
-5th gen TB
-5th gen injectors
-5th gen airbox
-EGR delete
-EVAP delete
-power rod deleted
-AC delete, Heater core delete and looped coolant hoses.
-Custom made Y pipe with all OEM 02 sensors. All cats are removed, and straight pipe turned down about a foot aft of the firewall. I am using a spark plug non-fouler for the post cat 02 sensor.
I had a few issues on initial start up. When gutting the car I accidentally tossed out the fuel pump resistor and control module. I replaced it and it fired right up. For the class I am racing in, it all has to be stock so I am keeping with an OEM intake box and filter. The exhaust is allowed to be cut. Once I got everything sorted out and deleted all of the vacuum lines that were no longer needed, I went to start it and no go. I found that the ignition switch was going bad, so I hard wired a manual accessory switch and a push button start. It then fired right up. I am still working out the bugs and know that it wont have a ton of power without tuning for the injectors ( I'm ordering a VAFC2). Once I get it I may put the rod back in. SOOOO, here's my question. While test driving it feels really low on power at low RPM. I know this is to be expected since it is running rich and the rod is removed. I haven't had it passed about 40 MPH yet but it feels like it never really starts to pull at higher RPM's. Anything you think it could be minus the tune? I have new NGK coppers with .040 gap, and good coil packs and MAF is good.
The car is loud. It runs idles and drives fine but feels low on power. Should I be looking for anything else? Thanks.
I am building a 97 maxima oval track car for enduro racing and have done the 00vi swap. Automatic tranny, and I have the entire car gutted, and using the following set up.
-00vi mani
-5th gen lower
-5th gen TB
-5th gen injectors
-5th gen airbox
-EGR delete
-EVAP delete
-power rod deleted
-AC delete, Heater core delete and looped coolant hoses.
-Custom made Y pipe with all OEM 02 sensors. All cats are removed, and straight pipe turned down about a foot aft of the firewall. I am using a spark plug non-fouler for the post cat 02 sensor.
I had a few issues on initial start up. When gutting the car I accidentally tossed out the fuel pump resistor and control module. I replaced it and it fired right up. For the class I am racing in, it all has to be stock so I am keeping with an OEM intake box and filter. The exhaust is allowed to be cut. Once I got everything sorted out and deleted all of the vacuum lines that were no longer needed, I went to start it and no go. I found that the ignition switch was going bad, so I hard wired a manual accessory switch and a push button start. It then fired right up. I am still working out the bugs and know that it wont have a ton of power without tuning for the injectors ( I'm ordering a VAFC2). Once I get it I may put the rod back in. SOOOO, here's my question. While test driving it feels really low on power at low RPM. I know this is to be expected since it is running rich and the rod is removed. I haven't had it passed about 40 MPH yet but it feels like it never really starts to pull at higher RPM's. Anything you think it could be minus the tune? I have new NGK coppers with .040 gap, and good coil packs and MAF is good.
The car is loud. It runs idles and drives fine but feels low on power. Should I be looking for anything else? Thanks.
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 3
I also picked up a set of 15x8 jeep wheels that fit, and our center caps fit it too so it says Nissan on it! Not sure if I am going to run them thought since the backspacing pushes the wheels out pretty far.
Put the rod back in. Below 5k RPM you are losing up to 30 lb-ft and 20 hp.
Regarding fueling, you can always drill new mounting holes in the 00vi UIM and bolt it to a stock 4th gen LIM so you wont be running as rich.
Regarding fueling, you can always drill new mounting holes in the 00vi UIM and bolt it to a stock 4th gen LIM so you wont be running as rich.