The throttle body upgrade seems like a good one to do. It's not terribly expensive and it's easy to install while doing all the other work. But how important is the choice of a cold air intake system in relation to getting the expected performance gains from the TB upgrade?

One of the choices I have is to stick with the stock cold air intake housing and install a high-flow K&N filter. Taking into account all the other mods to the engine - MREV, spacer, TB - would a Z1 cone or one of the other cone intakes be THAT much better than the stock/K&N?

I ordered the Mishimoto oil catch can kit today.

Greg

 

At this moment in time, here is the plan. Subject to change by the minute. Heading way over my $5K budget. Is it worth it? I don't know. It's a pretty fun car as is.

Z1 – initial dyno, tune and UpRev reflash ECU, and dyno-verify $1200
MREV2 and Iso copper spacer $1,200 Motordyne
Z1 Throttle body upgrade kit $320
K&N high flow filter in stock housing $71
Mishimoto Oil Catch Can Kit $310
Invidia Gemini catback $1,250
Z1 performance sway bars and links $800
RJM clutch pedal upgrade $326
370Z used 3.7 diff – new fluid $550?
Labor to install $1,500?

 

You have a Touring model right? If so, it has the VLSD, you don't want an open diff. I'll post a video that can explain it more than I could in text here.
As for the flange, you want to get the same you have, so if you have a round one get a round one.
Also FWIW, a MREV2 is simply a DE lower manifold with shaved ports for cyl#1&2 its definitely not worth the $700-1000 I saw them listed for lol.

 

Yes, but could I get a 370Z diff from an automatic transmission car with a round flange? or does it have to come from a manual transmission car?

I thought this was a lower manifold?



and this the upper plenum?




Greg

 

Intake matters, I've had 7 of them I can tell you the all have different characters and the thing with the stock one you have, is it's the baseline. There are no intakes that I've tried that can increase torque over that setup, all of them will give you power in the upper range which don't want.
That brings me back to the TB, there is no point in getting the TB if you aren't going to get at least a 3.5" intake, as most intakes are smaller than that TB.
I hear you can stretch the hoses like MISHIMOTO or Samco to fit over that TB and use the stock housing.
If you want max torque and response you want the intake and exhaust to mimic OEM as close as possible.

 

Not too sure on those pumpkins but if you have a Touring I strongly suggest getting a VLSD one.
As far as the manifold, the top picture is the collector, the bottom is the lower plenum and the upper plenum is the part that the TB attaches to.

 

What confused me is that Z1 calls that a lower intake manifold.

Z1 350Z / G35 VQ35HR CNC Ported Lower Intake Manifold - 350Z Parts - Z1 Motorsports - Performance OEM and Aftermarket Engineered Parts Global Leader In 300ZX 350Z 370Z G35 G37 Q50 Q60

 

Technically, all 3 pieces constitute the manifold, you can call that a lower manifold or collector, all the same.
The lower plenum is often called a lower manifold as well, but it's name is Plenum.

 

 

Your PMs are full BTW.

 

Ok, got it. VLSD

Greg

 

An actual LSD like the Quaife, Z1 or Wavetrack would be better, but on a budget the VLSD is better than open.

 

I've had to help push my neighbor's open diff 370z every so often when it gets stuck on her driveway with one rear wheel in the air.

Be aware that certain LSDs do make a slight whine or noise and some are much more aggressive than others depending on their intended purpose. If building the entire rear diff, check builder's rep, many lack the know-how with setting the backlash which can lead to annoyingly loud noises and occasional catastrophic failure. Then its a mess with the blame game which I have seen on this forum. I stayed with the stock VLSD since my car doesn't get much more than a couple of freeway warm up runs each month.

 

I cannot get over how much of a difference the K&N air filter made. Seat of the pants feels like 10hp. I'm sure it's not. But when I set out on the drive, I figured I wouldn't feel the difference at all. Boy was I wrong.

FYI to people reading this in the future - Car was completely stock. Took out a nearly new stock air filter and installed a K&N high-flow filter.

Greg

 

Now do you see why I say you don't need more?
Stock housing will not suck in hot air and kill your ignition timing either lol.

 

AEM doesn't suck in hot air either and it sounds cool.

 

neither does any CAI, but they lose response in exchange for high end power which is not what OP wants.
I've only 7 intakes lol, they all have pros and cons.

 

A properly designed CAI does not lose response. I tracked my car and had no problems getting off a corner. AEM doesn't just throw a pipe on a car and sell it. They do R&D on a dyno. I helped them design the CAI for the '03 Tiburon, so I'm very familiar with their R&D process. My intake made more torque than stock at all rpms. There was no drop off on the bottom end.

 

I call that bias, so you're saying that AEM is better than Z1 and Injen?
Both were inferior to a stock length intake, mind you I'm not the only one to say that a straight path is better and the other guy had proof with 60' times.
NONE of the race prepped Zs by Nismo use a CAI all of them use the boxes!
Unless you had several intake layouts we have nothing to talk about, I did, I lived with them on a daily basis, I didn't just pick one and called it the best on out there.

 

For daily driving and occasional twisties, I prefer stock box with drop in filter. Open element filter sacrifices low end partial throttle response for peak hp, been the same on every NA platform I've owned since the 90's. Companies have to sell their parts and the way to do it is to show full throttle gains. You can get used to a CAI or SRI, but once you go back to the stock air box, you realize how well it was designed from the factory to be all around best for streets.