Stock 98 SE Need more HP (new to forum)

[Dosta]

98 nissan maxima se / auto.........

I have read this forum until my eyes fill like they are going to fall out.

now what would be the best upgrades for HP.....after reading all that i have. I am a little , or at least what i tought i knew, i guess was only a little...CAI is really WAI and not much HP gain with a engine that is at operating temp...ypipe makes to much noise....

so what would be the best strating point for hp with my maxima.(buy 350z)lol.... but i love my 98 SE

What Parts? What Brand?

Thank for the help....great forum
Modified by Dosta at 7:09 PM 3/30/2008

[Dosta]

Ok, I read more and found the answer to the CAI. i going to go Injen RD1930Blk. then see if i can get some cold air to it...

But still looking in forum for y pipe answers...high flow cat...

[nj1sh]

Intake should be the last thing on your list. Get a y pipe the one from warpspeed that comes with the hi flow cat for about $285 on ebay(about 20hp) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWD1V. Next I suggest 17" light weight rims will give lots of power(up to 10hp). and last a cai(about 5-10hp) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...l1116. If you have money to spare you should get a ecu upgrade which can unleash everything you car can offer about $600 http://www.jimwolftechnology.com/tech_details.asp. Other than that its a waste of money. I am very happy with my mods so far. The car accelerates extremely fast. Soon I am looking to upgrade the ecu and thats about all I am putting to the car. good luck

btw y pipes do not increase the level of noise... intakes do alot.
Modified by nj1sh at 11:02 AM 3/31/2008

[Dosta]

change to 17" rim (10hp). did not know that..

any good brands?

[lightsout]

you gain HP b/c the motor has less weight to spin when trying to accelerate. The bigger/heavier the rim, the harder the engine HAS to work...also, the bigger the brake system( http://www.stillen.com/browse....AXIMA ) the the harder it has to work to spin the rotor. You should also look into some lightweight wheel Lugs. That may sound silly, but it will help a little :-)

loose as much weight as you can without making the car look silly:1. remove spare tire if you wish.2. carbon fiber hood and trunk.3. you can swap out your stock seats for some lightweight Sparco's or Corbeau's4. light weight 17"/18" rims all around.5. Y pipe and high flow cat....i ALWAYS recommend http://www.cattman.com b/c they are smog legal and carry a CA/FEDRAL CARB#6. Cattman Muffler will reduce back pressure and release extra HP.7. Cattman TRUE cold air intake (requires a shift or relocation of battery).8. Try not to haul soo much junk in the trunk of your car...LESS WEIGHT 9. MOS DEF have the ECU reprogrammed or purchase one from 10. believe it or not, droping your car closer to the ground and installing a skirt kit will give the car less wind vibrations under the car that cause a power loss b/c the vibrations push back the car b/c the underside of the car is not smooth like the rest. a body kit, and lowering the car will cause the air to be pushed AROUND the Maxima, instead of under it.

i hope we could all help
Modified by lightsout at 8:24 PM 4/16/2008

[MinisterofDOOM]

Welcome!

[AcMav]

If you're looking for even more performance there are both Turbocharger and Supercharger kits available for the Maxima, however these kits are usually costly, being in the thousands of dollars. These mods are usually best accentuated with the aforementioned mods, trying to Turbocharge with a stock exhaust will get you almost nowhere, and without an ECU you're toast.

Something that many people overlook when looking for speed is Suspension. A stiffer suspension will rid you of some wheel hop/spin and help you get off the line a significant bit faster. It will also allow you to ride the car harder into the corner.

Personally I always follow the motto of Breaks first, then Suspension, then Engine. If you cant stop it, or control it, Why bother?

[lightsout]

[Dosta]

i do want better Brakes. Rotors, pads, calipers... was looking on stillen

But on suspensions..... i don't want a low rider..... but would like better handling...

Sway bars..... I was looking into them also

thanks for all the info
Modified by Dosta at 12:52 PM 4/13/2008

[hsckris]

Just to point it out...

I've seen tests where cars actually reduced their 0-60 and 1/4 mile times from suspension upgrades... if the car plants better, it goes better.

I'd do suspension & brakes first, then worry about the wheels and engine.

I'm not sure which suspension parts are best for your car, but I'm sure somebody on here does. My brother ran Teins on his 240 I believe, and I thought they were really good.

[lightsout]

i have Blue Tokico struts and the Eibach drop(1.3" in front, and 1.0" in rear)...i would love to swap them out for some Teins in about a year or so!!

Stillens AP Racing brakes are great...i've got those, but i would rather have the Brembo Brakes.

in order.intake, exhaust, brakes, suspension, etc.

[maxhopper]

The best hp/$ mod is the y-pipe on a 3.0. It adds approx 9 or so hp for a few hundred dollars.

After the y-pipe, look at the suspension. You can get Energy Suspension bushings for the sway bar and end links for under $100. Add a strut tower bar and your maxima, and it will handle much better around turns. Add a rear sway bar and it will do even better, though add unsprung weight. Go with a strut spring package like I have with Illuminas and H-tech springs, and it will lower the center of gravity, while still providing the adjust ability to go from luxury sedan soft to sports car rigid.

Finally, you should look at a cat-back exhaust, and engine mods (CAI, WAI, cams, ECU, etc.).

Unless you are adding significant amounts of hp, I wouldn't worry about brakes or wheels. The lighter the rotational force on the axle, the faster you will go. Adding big brakes and wheels will only slow you down unless the components weigh less than the stock parts.