good mods for an 03 NA Automatic Z?
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short of FI the only 'performance' mod worth doing on an auto Z is a gear swap to 3.7 - 4.1. you won't really feel anything else unless you are doing a complete engine build.
if I could go back in time I wouldn't have picked up an auto Z at all, but if I was still stuck with that decision, I would have avoided the bolt on N/A mods all together. huge waste of money. I had an intake/plenum/high flow cats/dual exhaust/osiris + dyno tune and my car didn't feel any faster than stock. I gear swapped from 3.3 to 3.5 and damn, THAT was noticeable and more fun to drive.
wheels, suspension/handling, aero and paint. FI or bust.
if I could go back in time I wouldn't have picked up an auto Z at all, but if I was still stuck with that decision, I would have avoided the bolt on N/A mods all together. huge waste of money. I had an intake/plenum/high flow cats/dual exhaust/osiris + dyno tune and my car didn't feel any faster than stock. I gear swapped from 3.3 to 3.5 and damn, THAT was noticeable and more fun to drive.
wheels, suspension/handling, aero and paint. FI or bust.
Gear swap is better because it is relatively inexpensive and you will "feel" it more than anything else.
Imagine you are on a bike... from a dead stop you start off in a low gear (they are the bigger gears), you will accelerate much faster than if you started in a higher gear.
Of course the con to gearing your car is you will sacrifice top speed... not that you really need to go 160. If you do a lot of highway traveling you will probably see a drop in gas mileage, as your RPMs will be higher in your final gear.
Imagine you are on a bike... from a dead stop you start off in a low gear (they are the bigger gears), you will accelerate much faster than if you started in a higher gear.
Of course the con to gearing your car is you will sacrifice top speed... not that you really need to go 160. If you do a lot of highway traveling you will probably see a drop in gas mileage, as your RPMs will be higher in your final gear.
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From: Interwebz
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You do gain with na mods not alot but i went from 248whp to 271whp after a tune of course. and i have Intake , exhaust , test pipes and plenum spacer. I feel like it made a big difference my car is def quicker. GOt a jwt clutch and flywheel at home then i am installing headers and getting it re tuned . I think if you just do bolt ons wiht no tune you probobly wouldnt gain much. I installed everything and got it tuned the next day with uprev
Last edited by infamous350; Apr 14, 2011 at 10:25 AM.
A 3.5 gearset is really cheap to get (3rd member, bolt in ) and if you look around you may be able to get one for under $1k with a real LSD.
I would do 3.5 or 3.7 gears, 3.9 is a little to much IMO for a street driven AT daily car. Then 3.7 or 3.9 for the 6mt crowd. I went 3.7, someday i want 3.5 and 3.9 all in 3rd members with proper LSD's that i can easily swap depending on the track.
I would do 3.5 or 3.7 gears, 3.9 is a little to much IMO for a street driven AT daily car. Then 3.7 or 3.9 for the 6mt crowd. I went 3.7, someday i want 3.5 and 3.9 all in 3rd members with proper LSD's that i can easily swap depending on the track.
Give some thought also to some Works Bell paddle shifters. It is probably the mod I have enjoyed more than any other in my 5AT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8buyz...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8buyz...eature=related
NONE. All mods on NA setups will yield no noticeable horsepower gains. All noticeable gains, or claimed gains are simply known as the placebo effect.
Exceptions would be doing a fully built motor, but then you would be spending $10k plus, so might as well go FI at that point.
Enjoy your car for what it is.
Exceptions would be doing a fully built motor, but then you would be spending $10k plus, so might as well go FI at that point.
Enjoy your car for what it is.
VQ35DE - refereed to as "DE", they make 287hp.
VQ35DE "Rev Up" known as RU, they make 300hp
VQ35HR - or "High Rev", these make "306hp" in the new system
DE and RU engines put down around 240-245whp while the HR puts down around 275-280whp. HR's also have stronger internals and can handle 500whp unlike their Mini-Van cousins which struggle at 400whp.
FI is Forced Induction, its Turbos and Superchargers as your forcing Air into the car.
I would look at a motordyne 5/16 plenum spacer and art pipes. both these
mods seem to get great reviews from there owners. I had a 5/16 spacer on my 03 de fore about a week, before the car was totalled.
It was the first engine mod i had done to my car and i really enjoyed while it lasted lol. If your looking to go fi and not wanting to spend alot on upgrading the tranny. I would look at a hks stage 0 supercharge. It'll get you about 300 whp and wont put to much strees on your tranny.
Ive seen this kit as low as $3500, I know the whp isn't high compared to other fi kits but again its less stress on your tranny and 300 whp should be plenty of fun fore a daily driver.
mods seem to get great reviews from there owners. I had a 5/16 spacer on my 03 de fore about a week, before the car was totalled.
It was the first engine mod i had done to my car and i really enjoyed while it lasted lol. If your looking to go fi and not wanting to spend alot on upgrading the tranny. I would look at a hks stage 0 supercharge. It'll get you about 300 whp and wont put to much strees on your tranny.
Ive seen this kit as low as $3500, I know the whp isn't high compared to other fi kits but again its less stress on your tranny and 300 whp should be plenty of fun fore a daily driver.
Stay away from bolt ons. They are a waste of money and add no perfromance or value to your Z. Also, if you plan on selling your car 9/10 buyers will not be interested in a car with bolt ons.
Give some thought also to some Works Bell paddle shifters. It is probably the mod I have enjoyed more than any other in my 5AT.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8buyz...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8buyz...eature=related
