Hi Guys,

I have been tuning american cars for years but this is my first import. I have a 2004 pathfinder and Im really impressed with the pull from a V6. Is there any parts that would fit from a 350z that would give me a good power gain? Maybe the intake plenum assembly something like that?

I usually use an apexi AFC and afr gauge and I wonder if it would be worth it as opposed to a unichip.

Also I would like to lower it a couple of inches, does anyone make drop springs for them? I can seem to find any. Do I need to cut the stock springs? Any input would be great. T

I did a little research on my 2004 pathfinder. It is equiped with a Fly-by-wire engine with 240hp and 265ft lbs of torque. I am going to take it to the dragstrip this weekend and baseline the truck and weigh it to see exactly how much HP it actually is making. It is 100 percent factory stock.

Glider33 wrote:I did a little research on my 2004 pathfinder. It is equiped with a Fly-by-wire engine with 240hp and 265ft lbs of torque. I am going to take it to the dragstrip this weekend and baseline the truck and weigh it to see exactly how much HP it actually is making. It is 100 percent factory stock.

Don't forget to account for driveline loss...roughly 15-18%, maybe even up to 22%

The lowering springs questions would be best answered in the Pathfinder/Qx4 forum, but I'll tell you right now, they don't take too kindly about "lowering" talk.

I too have an '04 PF, but being that is is the 4x4 version, I don't hold it up to any performance pedastool. Yes, the PF will get out of its own way, but by no means will you bring fear to the guy running in the next lane.

To me, the best way to get the most power is to let the engine breathe in and out as freely as possible. Would you believe that the stock intake location is above the driver front wheel inside the fender liner and that the intake is designed to actually allow your PF to ford water up to the fender...

They exhaust is another tricky beast. No one really makes an R50 exhaust, so any work here might as well be custom. Wheter you do a 2-into-1 like stock or make a true dual, gains here may be minimal, but you might shed a few pounds over the stock exhaust. Not many people by PFs to make them faster and just because is has a similar motor to a 350Z, doesn't mean the same tricks work. You can have HP or TQ, but you can't have both.

Thanks for Replying K03,

Mine is the 4wd on the fly version as well. I took it to the 1/4mile dragstrip tonight to get a baseline on the performance. its bone stock and I drove in and hot lapped it 6 times in 1 hour and left. It ran all 16.1s and a 16.0 at 82 mph. The engine feels very promising. It has some flat spots through out the run and the tranny is very very sloppy. But it pulls really nice at redline. Feels like a similar curve to the 300z I test drove except it has quite a bit of torque off of the line. I really like the stock converter though. It will stick to 2200-2300 rpm and let the torque hit so my 60 fts were 2.2s which for a 16 sec. vehicle is exceptional. Its single tracking though. I thought this truck had a posi in the rear but I guess not. All in all I was pretty pleased with it and I know about half a dozon old school tricks to drop an easy 3 tenths off of the times of the truck. Also I actually only want to drop it about 2 inches. Looks like I will be using some drop blocks. I want to be able to still run my stock 265 65 15s in the winter with my 4wd.

I should be going up again a week from friday. I will disconnect the throttle body coolant lines, Ice the plenum down between runs and pull the stock filter and see how it runs. It should run consistant 15s with those few adjustments.

I guess that isn't bad from a thing that weighs in over 4000lbs. It's no M5, but then again, it doesn't have a V10 either.

Have you thought about one of those plenum spacers - Skunk2, Motordyne, etc.? They just open up the two-piece intake plenum and allow more internal volume for the front cylinders to scavenge from.

It would be interesing to see how the PF runs without the air filter.

I'll agree that the PF can get off the line briskly. A locked rear diff might help, but you just need some stickier tires. Good Luck.

The intake spacer is definitely on the list of parts. From reading about the VQ35DE it seems that the heads heatsoak the intake pretty bad. I think a good idea would be to toggle the fan switch and put a 170 degree thermostat in. I dont want to run it cold but not really hot either. I need all the timing advance I can get from the ecu without reprogramming it. It needs shorter sticky tires for track duty as well. It goes through the traps at 4750 on the nose which means Im not hitting the power band in 3rd gear. I need it to go through at atleast 5500. I think just changing to short tires for the track in the rear will really wake up the times by alot.

I did some research over the past couple of weeks and the 3.5 pathfinder is quoted as doing 17.0@80 mph. That was a rear wheel drive 2003 without the 4x4 option. The 2004 Dodge hemi dakota truck runs approx 15.4 at 92 and the V-8 PF runs approx 15.5 so if I can get this truck to run low low 15s and drive around on the stock tires all day I think that will be a decent accomplishment.

Not only is there the plenum spacer, but there is also spacer to go between the manifold and the head. Most of the companies that sell the the plenum spacer will sell both as a "upgrade" kit. With both, the total height of the intake manifold would raise about 1". I wonder if there is enought space under the hood for both pieces?

Are you running the 16" or 17" wheel? Saw a thread in the PF/Qx4 forum that you can pick up some GramLights wheels for the PF, but you have to go to Japan to get them...

Im running my 16 inch stockers. I love the way they look. Im going to see what happens if I run the motor at an optimum tempurature like 170 or so. Every fuelie engine I have ever tuned has run best at 160-170 degrees. Hotter than that and the ECU pulls timing. really hot like 200 and timing is pulled in a big way. Colder than 160 on the really new cars and it is in warmup mode and it will run rich and slow the car down. These ecus are tricky but once you get them figured out you can usually trick them into running better than your average reflash. I have a 3 inch tailpipe and muffler from another car that I think I can have fabbed up to this car for a nice flowing catback.

Glider33 wrote:I have a 3 inch tailpipe and muffler from another car that I think I can have fabbed up to this car for a nice flowing catback.

I've heard cat-backs don't really do much for the PF, but no one has dyno numbers, just seat of the pants. If I'm not mistaken, I believe the PF has two cats, one in the manifold and one under the floor about 30" from the 1st, main muffler.

Let us (me) know how that 170* thermostat works. Odd how only 10* either direction and the ECU is not a happy camper.

Were you going to pick up dry ice for the intake manifold or just use regualr ice water?

Im just going to use a bag of ice from the snack bar at the track. Thats good enough. I will find out if the CB is worth anything. I will post what the results are.

Appreciate it. I'm sure the gang over in the Pathfinder/QX4 forum would like to see your results as well. If you post over there, I will more than likely see them.

PF/QX4 (R50) parts are few and far between.

It looks like good weather tomorrow and I have the day off because I have to work this weekend. Im going up to the track but I am broke so I can only afford the entry fee. I will run with a 1/4 tank of gas instead of a full tank and also ice down the intake between runs. I should be able to run some 15s. my goal is 15.9 at 84mph for this outing. I will post the results. I havent had a chance to do the thermostat and fan switch but hopefully in the next 2 weeks or so.

Had a brain fart moment...the PF VQ does not use the same intake mani as the 350. We have the long runners with a "power" valve that opens under high rev conditions. So, those plenum spacers won't exactly work.

Money shortages suck.

any updates on your progress? I've been hanging out in the PF/qx4 side only, and I didnt find this page until today. I've been trying to do some R&D for the VQ35 equiped Pathys for some time now, and could use someone in the states that I can send parts to, to evaluate for me since my Pathy is all the way in Kansas City, and I live in Tokyo.

I have been looking around to see what parts fit my 04 path. I know 4x4 parts has a lowering kit of 2". The only chip that I heard is out there is JET, every one else i looked at including unichip didnt have our year. Has anyone tried to see if 350z headers would bolt up to a path? I also see underdrive pulleys listed for the 350z and wonder if they could bolt up and run on a Path with the right belt?