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If you're cruising just keep it in 6th or 5th and you won't have drone issues. Naturally if you're holding in 3rd or 4th to keep the RPMs up for twisties then you will get some fun noises. I'm still not a fan of the burnt titanium tip look, I don't know why this trend has become so popular with mfgs. It feels very Matchbox style to me.
I recommend getting the clutch pedal done next! You will really enjoy notice the improved driving experience! I know your mechanic buddy will be handling the install, but it's still a pain working in those tight spaces under the steering column. Best knock it out now so the engine fun can begin! You will have a much better time with the car once the new pedal is in.
Cheers!
-Icer
Austin is coming here today to work on my Z. I could talk to him about doing the clutch first, but he's geared up for doing the engine work, so maybe I shouldn't say anything and take anything away from his drive. The clutch can be done next weekend.
I would have chosen chrome tips, but I didn't have that choice. I can change them later if I want. But I find with they go with the silver paint nicely and they are growing on me.
I have had a few more spirited drives since my last post with random thoughts. The exhaust drone happens when advancing the throttle, or maintaining speed up an incline, or when coming down an incline and you let off the gas. Not necessarily just at 2500 - 3000rpms as I stated before. So the only time it is a small bit of a bother is on a long incline and that doesn't happen that often on backroads. The car can be eerily quiet in that middle zone when just cruising along with little to no throttle applied. And then there are all the other times when this new sound from the Invidia Gemini is just terrific - great fun when ripping through the gears, and startup and idling is nice with a bit more rumble. All in all, I'm really liking the change of sound with the exhaust and I would highly recommend for someone who wants to add a mild touch to the sound of their Z.
I'm noticing my engine is revving just a bit better than it was.
Still not sure about this sway bar. I nearly went off on a corner yesterday - my fault for pushing too hard and only one hand on the steering wheel and should have downshifted or braked a bit and just being lazy - but still. I may ask Austin to put the stock one back on for a while. He'll love me for that.
Austin, my mechanic, is really good, especially considering how young he is. He did a very clean and thorough job of installing the oil catch can, lower plenum and spacer, and the CAI. He also cleaned the inside of the top plenum and TB, and buttoned up a few things around the engine compartment. All in about 2-1/2 hours.
The engine is really coming to life. You should hear it rip past 5500rpms now. It puts a smile on my face. Feels like an extra 20 - 30hp and feels like it wants to rev up higher now. Still not as easy as the SLK engine, but much better than before the bolt-on mods.
I'm going to make an appointment now for the UpRev tuning and Dyno at Z1.
Greg
"No, you hang up first" - very funny.
Last edited by TN350ZRoadster; Jul 14, 2023 at 07:17 PM.
That's great, keep him happy. Way too many bad techs out there, they are everywhere, dealership, fleets, mom and pop shops.
From experience I'd say less than 50% of techs are actually good at what they do.
Austin, my mechanic, is really good, especially considering how young he is. He did a very clean and thorough job of installing the oil catch can, lower plenum and spacer, and the CAI. He also cleaned the inside of the top plenum and TB, and buttoned up a few things around the engine compartment. All in about 2-1/2 hours.
The engine is really coming to life. You should hear it rip past 5500rpms now. It puts a smile on my face. Feels like an extra 20 - 30hp and feels like it wants to rev up higher now. Still not as easy as the SLK engine, but much better than before the bolt-on mods.
I'm going to make an appointment now for the UpRev tuning and Dyno at Z1.
Greg
The tune will give you a few extra HP, especially if you have access to 93 octane. Here in Vegas, we get California 91 octane crap. Mine went from 238 whp to 281 whp with all of the bolt-ons and a tune. Doesn't seem like a lot, but the power gains in the mid range were even greater than what the peak numbers look like. These cars are starved for air from the factory. Opening up the intake and exhaust help it out a lot. The mid-range bump is why the car feels like it revs quicker. The bonus is, with 93 octane you can run even more timing than I did.
The tune will give you a few extra HP, especially if you have access to 93 octane. Here in Vegas, we get California 91 octane crap. Mine went from 238 whp to 281 whp with all of the bolt-ons and a tune. Doesn't seem like a lot, but the power gains in the mid range were even greater than what the peak numbers look like. These cars are starved for air from the factory. Opening up the intake and exhaust help it out a lot. The mid-range bump is why the car feels like it revs quicker. The bonus is, with 93 octane you can run even more timing than I did.
We have 93 here and most times I fill up with 93 No Ethanol. Not sure if the No Ethanol is worth the extra $.
So you gained 43hp! That's a lot. That's like a completely different car. I started at 252. I wonder if I'll see 295 now. I doubt it. I'd be very happy with 281.
Just ordered wheel spacers and extended studs because I think it looks cool to have the wheels out closer to the fenders. 15mm front and 20mm rear.
We have 93 here and most times I fill up with 93 No Ethanol. Not sure if the No Ethanol is worth the extra $.
So you gained 43hp! That's a lot. That's like a completely different car. I started at 252. I wonder if I'll see 295 now. I doubt it. I'd be very happy with 281.
Just ordered wheel spacers and extended studs because I think it looks cool to have the wheels out closer to the fenders. 15mm front and 20mm rear.
Ordered a rear sway bar too.
Greg
I don't think you'll get to 281 without a bigger TB, headers, and test pipes, but I bet you pick up a solid 15-20 at the wheels.
We have 93 here and most times I fill up with 93 No Ethanol. Not sure if the No Ethanol is worth the extra $.
So you gained 43hp! That's a lot. That's like a completely different car. I started at 252. I wonder if I'll see 295 now. I doubt it. I'd be very happy with 281.
Just ordered wheel spacers and extended studs because I think it looks cool to have the wheels out closer to the fenders. 15mm front and 20mm rear.
Ordered a rear sway bar too.
Greg
That was on a Mustang dyno too, which gives lower numbers than a Dynojet. That's why mine only did 238whp stock. Also, I had EVERY bolt-on. My next mod was cams, but I traded the car in (and sold my JWT C7 cams) because I had the oil consumption issue (common on '06 RevUp's) and was on my third engine. It soured me on the car.
That was on a Mustang dyno too, which gives lower numbers than a Dynojet. That's why mine only did 238whp stock. Also, I had EVERY bolt-on. My next mod was cams, but I traded the car in (and sold my JWT C7 cams) because I had the oil consumption issue (common on '06 RevUp's) and was on my third engine. It soured me on the car.
This was me except I did the cams and the Crower stroker crank and high compression JL pistons. Dumped it with an eBay motor which was engine 4, I bought it with a new motor installed by Nissan.
I was hoping a couple of you guys would look at the other cars they have for sale. The numbers don't add up. They are all half the price they should be. Something seems very strange about that place.
I was hoping a couple of you guys would look at the other cars they have for sale. The numbers don't add up. They are all half the price they should be. Something seems very strange about that place.
Greg
Like the '94 Acura Legend with 144K listed at $14K?
And then the '15 DB9 with only 5,800 miles at $65K?
See what I'm talking about? But look at the effort that went into making the listings and the website. Even if they were all salvage title, those prices are still very good. And who has that many low mile salvage rebuilt cars at one time? I can't figure out what their deal is. But I'm going to call them and find out.
They have a website that goes up just for the weekend with all those fake listings. Then by Monday morning the listings are all gone and their real website is put back online. You can't call them on the weekends because they aren't open.
I called and got a nice lady on the phone and I asked her if putting fake listings up on the weekends when they aren't open helped them to sell more cars. She said they would never do that. That someone hacked their website.
Seems like a lot of effort to go to and to what end? I'll be visiting their website next weekend to see. They had a couple hundred fake listings up on their website. Who would do that?
