Full Nismo Spec installed on my Z
TuxedoCartman
10-16-2003, 03:27 PM
I just got my 03 Z back from having Nismo stuff installed, and thought I'd give people my impressions. Of Nismo parts, I had the intake, exhaust, headers, camshafts, suspension kit, light-weight flywheel, and wheels (with BFG G-Force tires) all put on. The parts total came to a little over $10,000. Labor at my Nissan dealership (because I'm not about to trust camshaft installation to just anyone in this area!) was roughly $6000.
It definetly made a difference in the characteristics of the car. It's got a nice increase in power, with the change in torque being quite noticable. The flywheel should be an absolute necessity for everyone who owns a 350Z, because I think that made the biggest difference (truth be told, I think Nissan should make this flywheel stock.) It's no longer a pain to match rev's on this car. Shifting comes effortlessly and smoothly. Also, the suspension kit I can't recommend enough. It's the only time I've seen a suspension become smoother over bumps and rough road, AND simultaniously improve the handling by a lot! With the power increase, the car can go through windey roads like a race car now. The car is no longer biased towards understeer like it used to be. The suspension alone makes it a better car. BUT......
Let me tell you first about the only other car I've extensively worked on. I've got an 03 WRX that I've put a lot into (I'm not trying to convert anybody here to Subaru's, just trying to make a point. So please bear with me!) For those of you familiar with the cars, it's got a Vishnu Stage 1 Signature Series kit, STi intercooler, HKS coilovers, and misc. other stuff (wheels, sparco seats, etc...) I paid $23,000 for the car, which stock put out 227 HP. The Vishnu kit, intercooler, coilovers, suspension goods, wheels, and service to get them all installed cost me about $7000. It's now pushing 310 HP. The car will now blast to 60 in about four-and-a-half seconds. The adrenaline rush is incredible at WOT. It will outhandle the best of them (grips when needed, slides when I want) Basically, the work done COMPLETELY changed the car. It went from being a pretty fast decent car to something that'll make supercar's take notice, for $7k worth of parts and work.
The installation of all of my Nismo stuff didn't do that, though. The car was pretty fast before; now it's just faster. It's not chiropracter enducing fast, though, by any stretch of the imagination. There is a definite improvement, but I'm not sure it's $16,000 worth of improvement. Especially considering the gains I can get from other cars for less money.
So to summarize: if you own a 350Z, go buy the Nismo flywheel and suspension kit. I seriously don't think the best coilovers out there can outperform the Nismo suspension. And the flywheel is a must! But unless you're a ravening, psychotic, hard-core 350Z zealot, that refuses to believe that any other car on the planet is worth owning, then avoid the rest of the Nismo stuff. I'm not sure if there's better, cheaper ways of getting power out of this car out there (God I hope there are!), but I can tell you that for the performance-to-dollar ratio, Nismo's just not worth it.
P.S. I'm going this next Monday to have the car dyno'd, so I'll try to post my dyno slip sometime next week.
It definetly made a difference in the characteristics of the car. It's got a nice increase in power, with the change in torque being quite noticable. The flywheel should be an absolute necessity for everyone who owns a 350Z, because I think that made the biggest difference (truth be told, I think Nissan should make this flywheel stock.) It's no longer a pain to match rev's on this car. Shifting comes effortlessly and smoothly. Also, the suspension kit I can't recommend enough. It's the only time I've seen a suspension become smoother over bumps and rough road, AND simultaniously improve the handling by a lot! With the power increase, the car can go through windey roads like a race car now. The car is no longer biased towards understeer like it used to be. The suspension alone makes it a better car. BUT......
Let me tell you first about the only other car I've extensively worked on. I've got an 03 WRX that I've put a lot into (I'm not trying to convert anybody here to Subaru's, just trying to make a point. So please bear with me!) For those of you familiar with the cars, it's got a Vishnu Stage 1 Signature Series kit, STi intercooler, HKS coilovers, and misc. other stuff (wheels, sparco seats, etc...) I paid $23,000 for the car, which stock put out 227 HP. The Vishnu kit, intercooler, coilovers, suspension goods, wheels, and service to get them all installed cost me about $7000. It's now pushing 310 HP. The car will now blast to 60 in about four-and-a-half seconds. The adrenaline rush is incredible at WOT. It will outhandle the best of them (grips when needed, slides when I want) Basically, the work done COMPLETELY changed the car. It went from being a pretty fast decent car to something that'll make supercar's take notice, for $7k worth of parts and work.
The installation of all of my Nismo stuff didn't do that, though. The car was pretty fast before; now it's just faster. It's not chiropracter enducing fast, though, by any stretch of the imagination. There is a definite improvement, but I'm not sure it's $16,000 worth of improvement. Especially considering the gains I can get from other cars for less money.
So to summarize: if you own a 350Z, go buy the Nismo flywheel and suspension kit. I seriously don't think the best coilovers out there can outperform the Nismo suspension. And the flywheel is a must! But unless you're a ravening, psychotic, hard-core 350Z zealot, that refuses to believe that any other car on the planet is worth owning, then avoid the rest of the Nismo stuff. I'm not sure if there's better, cheaper ways of getting power out of this car out there (God I hope there are!), but I can tell you that for the performance-to-dollar ratio, Nismo's just not worth it.
P.S. I'm going this next Monday to have the car dyno'd, so I'll try to post my dyno slip sometime next week.
BLU CIVIC
10-16-2003, 03:33 PM
can i have some money :thumbsup:
z33guy
10-17-2003, 08:18 AM
Nice write up :)
longlivetheZ
10-22-2003, 01:14 AM
No joke on the "can I have some money" statement...damn...what do you do man?! I was just wondering if you considered (of have even heard of) the SMZ? Steve Millen of Stillen is designing another SMZ that looks friggin incredible. It has all the stuff you've done to your car as well as a roots type supercharger and some other stuff. You should look into forced induction. I probably would have left the suspention alone (I think the thing handles amazingly from the factory) and looked into forced induction. I can't even imagine the 0-60/quarter mile times on the thing with the supercharger on it. What kind of 0-60 times are you getting post-mods?
TuxedoCartman
10-22-2003, 05:17 AM
No joke on the "can I have some money" statement...damn...what do you do man?! I was just wondering if you considered (of have even heard of) the SMZ? Steve Millen of Stillen is designing another SMZ that looks friggin incredible. It has all the stuff you've done to your car as well as a roots type supercharger and some other stuff. You should look into forced induction. I probably would have left the suspention alone (I think the thing handles amazingly from the factory) and looked into forced induction. I can't even imagine the 0-60/quarter mile times on the thing with the supercharger on it. What kind of 0-60 times are you getting post-mods?
I'm single; that's where my money comes from.
I thought about going to a twin-turbo kit from Greddy for a while, but ultimatly decided I wanted to keep the car NA. I respect turbo or supercharged cars greatly, but with a lack of good tuning shops in my area to do the work, and the fact that I already own one bad-ass WRX, I wanted to stick with the linearity of a smooth naturaly aspirated engine.
If you like the stock suspension, then you can't EVEN imagine how much better the Nismo one is. Still the only suspension upgrade I've seen that greatly improves the comfort, handling, and feedback of the car. All three are so much better than I could have thought.
I'm single; that's where my money comes from.
I thought about going to a twin-turbo kit from Greddy for a while, but ultimatly decided I wanted to keep the car NA. I respect turbo or supercharged cars greatly, but with a lack of good tuning shops in my area to do the work, and the fact that I already own one bad-ass WRX, I wanted to stick with the linearity of a smooth naturaly aspirated engine.
If you like the stock suspension, then you can't EVEN imagine how much better the Nismo one is. Still the only suspension upgrade I've seen that greatly improves the comfort, handling, and feedback of the car. All three are so much better than I could have thought.
longlivetheZ
10-22-2003, 05:48 PM
I love your sig. That's hillarious.
You want to keep the nice linear power and torque curve of an NA, but you still want the car faster? Send me a private msg...I got something you might be interested in. Imagine a turbo with no lag that's not powered by belts...
You want to keep the nice linear power and torque curve of an NA, but you still want the car faster? Send me a private msg...I got something you might be interested in. Imagine a turbo with no lag that's not powered by belts...
TuxedoCartman
10-24-2003, 03:04 AM
Finally went to the dyno shop today, and realized that I forgot to do one very important thing: dyno BEFORE adding the parts. But regardless....
On the best run of three, the car's putting out 246 HP at 6500rpms to the rear wheels. Torque peaked at 4500 rpms with 233.
If anybody out there can tell me what a 350Z puts to the wheels stock, or what the conversion is from wheel hp to engine hp is, I'd really like to know.
Well, that sum's up what you get with Nismo headers, cams, flywheel, intake, and exhaust.
On the best run of three, the car's putting out 246 HP at 6500rpms to the rear wheels. Torque peaked at 4500 rpms with 233.
If anybody out there can tell me what a 350Z puts to the wheels stock, or what the conversion is from wheel hp to engine hp is, I'd really like to know.
Well, that sum's up what you get with Nismo headers, cams, flywheel, intake, and exhaust.
fastncuban
10-24-2003, 05:32 PM
Finally went to the dyno shop today, and realized that I forgot to do one very important thing: dyno BEFORE adding the parts. But regardless....
On the best run of three, the car's putting out 246 HP at 6500rpms to the rear wheels. Torque peaked at 4500 rpms with 233.
If anybody out there can tell me what a 350Z puts to the wheels stock, or what the conversion is from wheel hp to engine hp is, I'd really like to know.
Well, that sum's up what you get with Nismo headers, cams, flywheel, intake, and exhaust.
aight well no offense but u spent 2 much money 2 get no power at all because the stock hp at the crank is 287 on the 350z and at the wheels is 250 i know this because i have a 350z track edition and i dyno'd it the day i got it.... i now have a ihi twin turbo kit...borla dual exhaust a hole lot of hks parts ( to many 2 name) and i spent a total of 12 g's im currently putting out 425hp.... so if i were u i would take all those nismo products out and clean the hell out of them and sell them...this way u can get sum better parts for the same amount of money and get alot more power.... i also have the nismo flywheel and i agree that u must be insane 2 buy anything different... it is the best investment besides the twins on my 350. i also have a full tien suspension kit and yes it is amazing. im me online if u have any questions, my screen name is cubanlynk26
On the best run of three, the car's putting out 246 HP at 6500rpms to the rear wheels. Torque peaked at 4500 rpms with 233.
If anybody out there can tell me what a 350Z puts to the wheels stock, or what the conversion is from wheel hp to engine hp is, I'd really like to know.
Well, that sum's up what you get with Nismo headers, cams, flywheel, intake, and exhaust.
aight well no offense but u spent 2 much money 2 get no power at all because the stock hp at the crank is 287 on the 350z and at the wheels is 250 i know this because i have a 350z track edition and i dyno'd it the day i got it.... i now have a ihi twin turbo kit...borla dual exhaust a hole lot of hks parts ( to many 2 name) and i spent a total of 12 g's im currently putting out 425hp.... so if i were u i would take all those nismo products out and clean the hell out of them and sell them...this way u can get sum better parts for the same amount of money and get alot more power.... i also have the nismo flywheel and i agree that u must be insane 2 buy anything different... it is the best investment besides the twins on my 350. i also have a full tien suspension kit and yes it is amazing. im me online if u have any questions, my screen name is cubanlynk26
longlivetheZ
10-25-2003, 02:21 AM
OOOOOOOOOOO.......must have deeeeeeeeeeetails......
What are the results of that much power to the ground, fastncuban? Approx. 0-60, 1/4, lat exel, etc? How much boost? Intercooled?
What are the results of that much power to the ground, fastncuban? Approx. 0-60, 1/4, lat exel, etc? How much boost? Intercooled?
TuxedoCartman
10-25-2003, 03:13 AM
Well, either something was wrong with my car beforehand (seriously doubt it) or you are just wrong about the stock HP. The car is definetly faster now, regardless of what HP it's putting out. This isn't denial talking either, just a simple fact.
Also, if you read earlier, I'm avoiding turbo's on my Z. Nothing against them, just not what I'm looking for. But your setup does sound nice. What turbo kit did you install?
And I am glad to see somebody agrees with me about the flywheel! :)
Also, if you read earlier, I'm avoiding turbo's on my Z. Nothing against them, just not what I'm looking for. But your setup does sound nice. What turbo kit did you install?
And I am glad to see somebody agrees with me about the flywheel! :)
longlivetheZ
10-27-2003, 01:16 AM
Muuuust have details. I've been wondering what that kind of horsepower results in.
Mustangman25
10-27-2003, 05:38 PM
Must be nice :naughty:
Can you help me anwer a question? Does the 350Z Nismo, A Tune package come with everything, or can you pick and choose what you want-I.E. body kit, engine mods, anti-roll bars, etc. all seperatly?
Thanks
Chuck
Can you help me anwer a question? Does the 350Z Nismo, A Tune package come with everything, or can you pick and choose what you want-I.E. body kit, engine mods, anti-roll bars, etc. all seperatly?
Thanks
Chuck
longlivetheZ
10-27-2003, 11:53 PM
As far as I know, you can pick and choose what you want put on. I hope to see the SMZ come out soon, which will be a staged package, I believe.
supra8703
12-22-2003, 11:00 PM
Nice on the 03 Z and nismo shit, which i wouldn't of used. I rather wait a little while longer till the better companys come out with there shit, HKS TT's and crap like that but anyways im just curious what kind of Z you got? is it the track model? cause i went on Nismo, im getting a Z and im curious, if your Z had VDC ( Vehicle dynamic control) VDC is standard equipment on the 350Z Performance, manual transmission Touring model and the Track model. So just woundering what model Z you have cause i read that they are testing the suspension kit on the track version. Thats what im getting, not sure if you need it yet or not, and same about flywheel but i would like feedback from anyone on that one.
rizzspeed
12-27-2003, 11:35 PM
wow, so much money, so little the results. The 350z is 'factory' rated for 287 at the flywheel. On the wheels is a different story though. I've seen measurements of 220-250 at the wheels for the Z. You'd think that with all that extra breathing for the engine that you've done, that it'd be putting down a lot more than 246 at the wheels.
If you decide to do forced induction, keep the headers. The freer flowing headers will make the most difference under supercharged boost. If you decide turbos though, you won't have a choice about the headers.
Question, how heavy are the Nismo rims? You might have better luck with lighter rims? If the Nismo rims are over 23 or 24lbs without the tire, i'd say get rid of them. What trim level did you get anyway?
Do you have a pic of your car you would like to share?
If you decide to do forced induction, keep the headers. The freer flowing headers will make the most difference under supercharged boost. If you decide turbos though, you won't have a choice about the headers.
Question, how heavy are the Nismo rims? You might have better luck with lighter rims? If the Nismo rims are over 23 or 24lbs without the tire, i'd say get rid of them. What trim level did you get anyway?
Do you have a pic of your car you would like to share?
longlivetheZ
12-29-2003, 06:15 AM
I assume you aren't referring to the Rays rims that come on the track model when you refer to the "Nismo" rims. The Rays are quite lite...saw the weight somewhere, but I don't remember what it was exactly.
rizzspeed
12-29-2003, 11:52 PM
No, the Nismo rims by Rays Engineering are sold seperately.
http://www.japanparts.com/Pic/pic087/LMGT4.JPG
http://www.japanparts.com/shop/shop.cgi?mode=itemlist&maker=Nissan&type_car=FairladyZ+%3c350Z%3e+Z33&type_second=Interior+and+Exterior&type_third=Wheels
http://www.japanparts.com/Pic/pic087/LMGT4.JPG
http://www.japanparts.com/shop/shop.cgi?mode=itemlist&maker=Nissan&type_car=FairladyZ+%3c350Z%3e+Z33&type_second=Interior+and+Exterior&type_third=Wheels
khfromhb
05-04-2004, 09:11 PM
i love nismo but you have to be smart when buying their parts the flywheel, intake, headers, and catback was a good idea but nismo's cams?!?BIG MISTAKE! they're very expensive and dont make much hp you shouldda got the HKS cams they're way better. also get a mine's ECU, there made in japan so you'll have to take a trip(thats how i got mine) and it makes a HUGE difference. also while i was in japan i saw a nismo high compression rotating mass that brings it up to 12:1 compression, very kool. i was gonna buy it but it was like $6,000 dollars
oh ya, and i have a tip for you; put like 5 gallons of race gas in your z next time you fill her up. you'll notice huge gains cause it wont be running on the knock sensor any more. then you'll feel the power the nismo parts made. take it to the dyno then.
oh ya, and i have a tip for you; put like 5 gallons of race gas in your z next time you fill her up. you'll notice huge gains cause it wont be running on the knock sensor any more. then you'll feel the power the nismo parts made. take it to the dyno then.
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