My first 350z mod installed (56k Killer!)

[Low_Cost]

Haven't touched anything under the hood before besides checking oil levels... that being said, I did my first aftermarket install which happened to be a JWT Pop Charger.

Took me about 1 hour (I didn't realize the stock airbox was held in by the little rivet things at the bottom - I thought it was bolted and I was afraid I would break something by pulling on it... lol) Anyways, the rest of the install was pretty easy and I'm extremely pleased with the results:





The mess I made. (In case you're wondering about the torch on the ground near the jack, I had to use it to heat up a small piece of metal to burn a hole in the rubber snorkel so I could attach the heat shield. )

Anyways, it works perfect. No rattles or lose parts, no stalls or CELS, etc. It sounds really mean from 3.5k up. It has a very menacing whistle.

Going in this weekend is my Berk High Flows, Borla, and Spacer. :
Modified by Low_Cost at 6:49 PM 3/29/2008

[fletch350z]

Congrats! Keep modding, .

[NSRsheets]

Looks good. Get a sound clip of it please.

[Low_Cost]

Looks good. Get a sound clip of it please.

Alright, I'll try to get some decent sound clips tonight. (I'll also try not to record it with a crappy cell-phone cam or something equally as horrible. :p)

[07bluerocketZ]

good job...but where are you putting the spacer at???throttle body spacer or plenum spacer???

[Low_Cost]

good job...but where are you putting the spacer at???throttle body spacer or plenum spacer???

Ah, should have clarified that. It's a 5/16" MD Plenum Spacer. Just waiting for my in / lb torque wrench and the weekend so I can let the engine properly cool before removing the bolts.

[nsrZ32]

Good work! Its always fun to start modding

[newspeed]

ahhh, where most of us start the modding bug. Good luck and have fun.

[rmezz13]

Looks good buddy. I loved my popcharger, i'm beyond that now but that thing is well worth the money. A little hint, take some metal polish to that heat sheild, looks excellent with a nice polish. If you pull it off and polish it, its a lot easier to get both sides nice and polished.

[bizcotch]

cool first mod. Was mine too. sound is great on that Intake

[Low_Cost]

More mods (and one more to come)

Well, got my Berk HFC's and 5/16" spacer in this week and was able to install them this weekend. (Hopefully my Borla TD system makes it in this week so I can get that in and have some pics)

Both mods are nice. The spacer gave the car a little more pull at higher RPMs and the HFC added a bit more volume to the exhaust (and what seemed like even more power at the higher RPMs) so overall, I'm very pleased with both mods.

Took me maybe 3 1/2 hours combined to do both the spacer and the HFCs. (Most of that time was spent lifting the car and coming up with a plan to remove the nuts / bolts on the top flange of the stock cats -- FRIENDS OR AN EXTRA SET OF HANDS HELPS A TON!) This was all done with the car suspended 3-5 inches above my head while I rolled around on a creeper... it was very cramped, lol.

Anyways, after hours under the car and plenty of cuts, scrapes, and probably bruises... here is the results. (Maybe one of these days I'll get a decent video camera and make some audio recordings -- I tried with my laptop and a mic, but they really don't do the actual sound any justice... you've kinda got to hear it in person)





The stock cats... lol

The Berks (obviously not my pics)

[rmezz13]

NICE WORK..... yeah a creeper is the only way to go. I pull mine out in the driveway and let the neighbors watch me roll around with that car lifted about 2' off the ground. Keep the pics fresh, interested in all your mods.

[07bluerocketZ]

nice job....keep up the good work...post sound clips when you can....

[jsl74]

I am also new to mods for my 2007 350z. I just put on nismo intakes. I think my next step is the plenum spacer. Was that difficult for you. Any advice? I really don't have much experience. Thanks.

[Low_Cost]

I am also new to mods for my 2007 350z. I just put on nismo intakes. I think my next step is the plenum spacer. Was that difficult for you. Any advice? I really don't have much experience. Thanks.

It's not difficult at all. Just make sure you get an inch pound torque wrench (and probably a 2-3 inch extension) for the plenum bolts and learn how to use it. (It was the first time for me, and if you don't know what you're doing you can EASILY over-torque the bolts -- With my torque wrench I had to lightly push on the handle once the bolt got snug and wait for the handle to give in a little and click.) I had absolutely no experience before I put my mods in. The most I had ever done was replace a drop-in air filter, thats it. I just followed the instructions and learned that way.

It helps a bit if you've got an extra set of hands for sliding the spacer under the plenum. There is also a part, at least in the Motordyne spacer instructions, that tells you to disconnect all the hoses to the upper plenum. Two of them will come off no problem, but one of them is the anti-freeze line and removing it will result in green liquid everywhere... lol. I just left that one on and slid the upper plenum aside. It helps too if you remove the intake tube. It gives you quite a bit more room to work with. Other than that... it's pretty straight forward. Just make sure you keep your stock bolts organized in case anything goes wrong and you need to remove the spacer. :

I basically just used this: http://www.motordyneengineering.com/manual.pdf and everything worked fine.

[jsl74]

Thank you very much. I will hopefully get to this soon. Did you noticed any difference in performance?

[TMill12]

very nice mods .. expensive too ?

[07bluerocketZ]

hey jsl, do you have the VQ35HR motor or the VQ35DE????if you have the HR where do you get the plenum spacer????

[91TTz32]

looks great.. the first of many mods now

[Low_Cost]

Thank you very much. I will hopefully get to this soon. Did you noticed any difference in performance?

As for as a difference I can feel... the best way to describe it is that from 5.5k to the redline before the spacer seemed like the car lost a some power. With the spacer the car seems to have more pull at 4.5k to the redline.

A few more pictures:

Borla System on the floor

More Borla

Stock System after it was gutted

One of the tips after the install

More installed pics

The car is still dirty as of now... but she's getting the works tomorrow, so I'll get some nice pics of the whole thing.

I still lack any decent recording equipment, but this system added a much deeper tone over the stock exhaust. It sounds deep and mellow from 1.5k-2k RPM. 2k-3k is when she starts to open up and lose some of the deep tone. 3k-6.6k... you just let the beast out of the cage.

As for the expense so far... I've probably spent around $1200. Next mod is going to be the wheels, but I've got a bit more research and saving up to do before that happens.

**I know a few people have complained about leaks with this system, and I admit that I do have one (or what sounds like one), but it's only present if the car is in neutral and being revved. Specifically, it only happens when the RPM's are going down at right around 2k. I think it's coming from the H-Pipe, but nothing I've done so far will make it go away. If anyone has encountered this before and has any ideas, let me know.

This doesn't effect normal driving though. She's nice, clean and deep while moving... the leak never becomes audible (I even tested by driving by someone outside the car)

Also, a note to those that plan on swapping exhaust: The absolute worst part is pulling the catback from the hangers. My arms were beat after that - They were also covered in WD-40 that was used as hanger-lube. It also helps if you've got another set of hands to help you manuever it while removing it. (I also raised my jack up with a towel on the support to prevent the exhaust from falling on me - The stock catback is pretty heavy)

[evildky]

Low Cost, I just notied your nic, a fan of Ron Champion by chance?

[Low_Cost]

Ha, this used to be my gamer tag... but now that you mention it, it does seem like it could have something to do with Locost & Ron Champion.

[sluggoZ]

jsi...Here's a couple more tips for ya...1. Read the directions throughly on the installment of the plenum spacer...most importantly the proper torque but also the removal & re-installment of the strut bar.

2. After removing all the bolts, just take a bunge cord and hook up the upper plenum onto one of the upper plenum bolt openings and onto the opening under your hood & just let it hang over the engine...saves a lot of time and with no hose removal.

[Low_Cost]

jsi

2. After removing all the bolts, just take a bunge cord and hook up the upper plenum onto one of the upper plenum bolt openings and onto the opening under your hood & just let it hang over the engine...saves a lot of time and with no hose removal.

Haha, wish I would have thought of that. >_>

[NSRsheets]

It's looking nice. You still fail on the video clip.

[nterrigno]

Everything Definatly looks sweet my man. I have to give you a lot of credit for doing all of your own installs. I havent been hit by the mod bug yet for my 350z and I think thats because of the xtreme car payment on it and the other prioritys I have. But in reality, this will be my 6th car that I will be modding and This is the NICEST car I have owned. I am just affraid to mess something up and I want to make sure everything is some what professional and is worth buying to make the right power. Nice pics and get some vids!!!!

Nick

[Low_Cost]

I'll have to see about borrowing a camera so I can get you guys something. The only video camera I have is the one my dad gave me from like early 2000 and it's only got analog inputs and outputs. :p

@nterrigno

I was the same way about the mods at first. Very scared to mess with anything since this is my first nice car. I drove a 91' Dodge Caravan - Sky Blue that was peeling and ugly as hell... it had two dents on the driver side panels from this lady that backed into it once, and then once more a week later. I drove this beater faithfully for 4 1/2 years... then I finished school (for the time being), got my degree in CNS, netted an awesome job and got the Z!

This is one of the reasons why all my mods are bolt-ons. I figure as long as I don't physically break any of the stock pieces, then I can just put those back on if one of my aftermarket parts fails or doesn't turn out the way I want. ^^

Sorry for the life-story, just had to explain why I, too, was scared to mod the Z.

[Low_Cost]

Alright, as promised, here is a video for you all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZzacm3V8q0

The good parts are at the beginning, around 1:08, and again around 1:45. I'm too lazy to edit, but this gives you an idea of the sound. (After 2:00 mark there isn't much, just my goofy as picking up the camera and turning it off )

[sluggoZ]

Hey Low_Cost...for your second mod, you need a shorty antenna...I have one brand new for sale in the classifieds here....check it out! Z