Hi All - I've been reading posts here and other locations about the low power/acceleration of the Rogue, and had a few thoughts of ways that you can reduce meaningful weight to help with both acceleration and MPG as well. I have a few thoughts below, and will likely be implementing these myself once I get mine (which is likely this Saturday)...

Reducing Engine Drag
Reducing rotating mass off the crank pulley wouldn't be a terrible idea. Essentially there are no websites that I could find where they would sell a 2019 Nissan Rogue 2.5L lightweight crankshaft pulley, however, some light digging within Nissan's site showed that the same part # for the 2013 Altima 2.5L crankshaft pulley was an identical part. Using that vehicle, a crankshaft pulley that stock weights 4.71lbs can be reduced down to 1.1lbs, which may not seem like a significant savings, but that's weight the engine doesn't have to spin to accelerate and is directly connected to the crank. The prices for this are around $150 or so.

Reduce Engine Breathing Constraints
The maze that is the air intake system is a joke when it comes to providing the engine with efficient air flow. Engines move air, and the most sensitive portion is the suction (just put your hand over the throttle body and listen to the engine struggle to stay alive). The air intake systems are designed to reduce engine noise from my understanding, not to be the most efficient delivery of air to the throttle body/intake. Removal of the intake tubes and box seems to be pretty straightforward, and measuring/fitting a circular air filter (K&N, etc..) do the opening was previously connected to the filter box housing is relatively easy and not expensive (~$60).

Reduce Un-sprung Weight/Rotational Mass
The wheels on the Rogue SV are crazy heavy, I believe they are 28lbs each (plus a tire that weighs 24-28lbs mounted to it). There are many options on various sites that will fit the 5x114.3mm (or 5x4.5") bolt pattern with the stock 40mm offset (or a close 35mm offset). I've found wheels that are still 17", but weigh in 17-18lbs each, shaving 10lbs or so off of each wheel, at reasonable prices ~$150/ea. There are many online posts/youtube videos on reducing unsprung weight and rotational mass benefits.

Just wanted to share my thoughts on ways that the Rogue's burden can be reduced, and have the benefits of easier acceleration and increased MPG. These adjustments can pay dividends over the life of the vehicle.

Would love to hear of any thoughts and possible similar mods that people have done to help their Rogue's power and or improve MPG.

Thanks!

Pulley weight, wow that is some ocd in depth analysis in trying to get every ounce of power. If I ever get on a Cessna plane, I need you to make sure all my luggage is at the correct weight before takeoff.

In my opinion, I believe the nissan rogue has more than enough power for everyday driving. I pass cars many times from a standing stop and I have a light foot. Moreover, the cvt transmission makes it feel alot faster for me at least.

And I drive with a lot of heavy exterior accessories. Very good acceleration but I have ho-hum mpg's.

It felt like a glorified electric golf cart, almost like an electric car without the changing gears when I first experienced a cvt, so it feels faster to me than the usual automatics I drove when younger.

Anyway, these grocery mom mobiles are peppy enough for me.

Another suggestion is a tire for driving economy. My mpg`s went down dramatically when I got a SUV high performance tire. It definitely had a higher rolling resistance. I had like 27-30 mpg showing consistantly as my average on the dashboard display before all the accessories, but after my mods and tires, I get 16-17 mpg.

The best I got the display to show with a backdraft on a long trip was 41-43 mpg when I played a little challenge with myself as a game trying to get the highest mileage to show.

Another suggestion to remove weight I always thought of and had in the back of my mind for more mileage was to remove the temporary wheel in the back. Since some people never use it like myself.

In the over decade I owned my rogue, I never needed to use it because of a flat. Maybe even remove the lug wrench and tire jack to save even more weight.

Remove roof rails for more aerodynamics. Now that's ocd level savings.

Some rubber floor mats are heavier then the oem, so keep the Nissan's.

But the ultimate ocd weight savings in your rogue is the driver themselves, you can lose 5-10 pounds of weight through diet and exercise to get even less weight that your vehicle would need to carry. Lolz

Driving techniques helps a lot too.

Take highway, instead of backroads.

Drive like a hypermiler, or at least time your stops. I coast to stop lights and signs. I'm not impatience and need to drive to a stoplight and then slam on my brakes like other drivers.

On highway, stay in middle and if possible stay in formation behind other cars at normal safe distance to draft on one another like birds flying together which is more efficient than solo.

Car monitors or phone apps that show mileage feedback.

Wouldn't filling the tires with helium also reduce weight?

Thanks for the laugh guys!

trade your stock tires with someone that doesnt like their stock hybrid tires. my dash says my 225/65R17 should be 41psi....i had to double check my door sticker to believe it. I like it

Rogue One wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:36 am

Wouldn't filling the tires with helium also reduce weight?

Thanks for the laugh guys!

but we are in national crisis of helium, why not use hydrogen

Joking aside, I think the others are really good thought

Wouldn't filling the tires with helium also reduce weight?

Yeah, but then he'd be like that guy with four slow leaks!

GoneRogue_2019 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:40 pm

Would love to hear of any thoughts and possible similar mods that people have done to help their Rogue's power and or improve MPG.

Thanks!

My thoughts is that you are a goof with some serious OCD.

I think going to lightweight wheels would be your best bang for the buck.
Then there is probably an osiris uprev tune u can get

New to Rogue and CVT - getting decent mpg, which is kinda why I bought the rogue - but question, when I test drove a 2017, the CVT was smooth through the gear (1?). In my 2019, I can actually feel it "shift" when I give it some pedal....wondering if they did something to make this happen to make folks believe their drive an AT.

Dahigufa wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 11, 2020 1:16 pm

New to Rogue and CVT - getting decent mpg, which is kinda why I bought the rogue - but question, when I test drove a 2017, the CVT was smooth through the gear (1?). In my 2019, I can actually feel it "shift" when I give it some pedal....wondering if they did something to make this happen to make folks believe their drive an AT.

It's possible that they tweaked the fake shifting program, but I've not seen anything posted about it.

Rogue One wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:36 pm

Yeah, it's sort of a CVT "feature". One of the original selling points of the CVT was not having the jerking motion associated with a traditional transmission. But some people whined that CVT's had a rubber band feeling and they didn't feel like they shifted so Nissan listen to them, and now they "shift". Starting with the 2014 Rogue Nissan added a computer generated shifting simulator. So if a traditional tranny has an abrupt downshift for a hard brake, the CVT would mimic that feeling under the same scenario.

Nissan recently announced changes to its 2015 lineup, with multiple vehicles receiving its D-Step Shift logic technology.

But what exactly is D-Step Shift logic? The technology will be integrated into every CVT-equipped Nissan model for the 2015 model year and its goal is to make the CVT sound and feel less like a CVT. Having been offered on the 2013 four-cylinder Altima and the redesigned 2014 Rogue, D-Step Shift logic can be found on the 2015 Versa, Versa Note, Sentra, Altima V6, Pathfinder and Quest models.

The technology helps create the sensation that a CVT is shifting gears like a traditional automatic transmission even though it isn’t. Of all the automakers in the world, the Nissan leads the way with CVT use and is hoping D-Step Shift logic not only helps respond to critics of the technology, but help cut down on mistaken complaints that the transmission is failing when it feels as if it isn’t changing gears.

The software changes in the D-Step Shift logic technology causes the CVT to jump ahead slightly in the gear ratios around 4,000 RPMs and helps create a subtle momentary drop in driving force to give it a sense of a gear change.

Thanks, all!