jdmph2b

hey everyone. just wanted to get some opinions on the Nismo cams regarding how much they cost and if they are even worth it.

my car is going in the shop soon b/c of a blown head gasket i believe. thus, i was thinking i could get them to drop these new cams in while repairing the head gasket. is this correct or is there a ton more labor that would be necessary?

i was told by a local performance shop that the stock cams must come out to repair the head gasket anyway, so might as well drop in the Nismo's.

anyone know how much the cams cost, the HP rating, and possible installation costs given that the head gasket is going to be under warranty??

thanks a million guys, as usual.

djnc

iTrader: (8)

i think i saw them on intense motorsports for like $1400 or so...i think the hp gain is 15 at the wheels...if the labor won't be that much, i say go for it...the labor is the only problem with cams or headers, so if they're taking the cams out anyway, go for it

apex locator

iTrader: (5)

they are mild cams....you probably wont even feel it that much.

not worth it IMO. i have these cams.

maybe you should go with slightly more aggressive cams.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

I went with JWT cams, for NA they really didn't do tons. They have more power up top than the nismos, but less down low

I hear the tomei 268's are very noticable, but more expensive to install

jdmph2b

thanks alot for the info everyone. yeah, not sure if the cams will ultimately be worth the dough. are there any cheaper ones than the nismo's that are a little more wild? if the nismo is THAT mild, i'm def not too interested.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

the JWT cams are good for around 16 whp or so NA and about 25-40whp if you have FI

IMO most NA mods aren't really really worth it on this car unless you plan on using those "NA" parts for FI

Jason@Performance

iTrader: (11)

The NISMO Cams will give you HP across the full RPM Band..

The JWT Are for more top end HP... If you are going to run a higher RPM then stock, the JWT are definatly the way to go..

Nismo Cam's:
http://performancenissanparts.com/ca...products_id=49

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

yeah part of the reason I went with the JWT cams was the 3.9 final drive and tilton combo I'm currently running as well as the raised redline. I just never spend much time below 2000 rpms when driving so I figured I might as well go for the extra top end power since I'd never be low enough to experience the small loss in power down low.

For most people who daily drive their car though, the nismo probably give you more power from stoplight to stoplight. The nismo from what I understand are easier to install than the JWT cause everything is included etc. Not totally sure though

NOBI

iTrader: (1)

honestly, if na is your bag do it. if you want to go fi, save your money. i struggled with the same thing, assessed my goals then made the decision. in my case it was not worth it. 1400 for the cams, 1000 for the insall if you are lucky. thats 2400 bucks closer to fi. hope this helps

jdmph2b

thanks again for the great advice/info everyone.

NOBI - i think i agree with you on the FI plans for the future too. for very little HP, it may be better to save up for the FI instead.

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

the advantage with the cams or any NA mod with FI is you can reach the same goal power level with less boost. The air will move thru the system easier so there isn't as much need to force it through as hard. That creates less friction which means a little less heat.

I went with the cams for NA, but also to keep the doors open for FI later in the future. I figure it's more natural power for FI to work with. At the time, I didn't think the Z was really ready for FI because of the lack of good EMS's and other things that have since been solved

Zquicksilver

iTrader: (5)

what sentry65 said... think before you do!

this is a good read and will make you understand why n/a is fun, but not the BBB if your looking for a seat altering difference.
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/ro...0405scc_nismo/

i have done my n/a mods for three and a half reasons...
1. sounds sweet!
2. to be different!
3. longevity...stainless steel is your friend.
4. this is the half, belief that it would significantly change my performance which is confirmed my the link above.

Zquicksilver

sentry65

iTrader: (11)

in defense of that nismo car which barely seems better than stock in that article, that car isn't tuned at all and most nismo parts are pretty weak.

That car also has stock cats still and the nismo flywheel is barely lighter than the stock one. Stock gearing, stock plenum, standard nismo recomended tire sizes etc.

NOBI

iTrader: (1)

i agree think before you do! but if you are trying to save 5 grand you will have alot more time to think! =)

Sharif@Forged

iTrader: (92)

Well, this is your chance to get nearly free labor on a cam install, so you might want to consider it very closely. If you stay NA, the power gains are about 15-20whp...mostly up top on the JWT. Personally, I wouldnt even bother with the Nismo, becuase they are so mild, you will likely not notice a difference.

The JWT is also a pretty darn good FI cam, even though it wasnt specifically deisgned for NA. We average nearly 40-50whp increases at a given pressure level...especially in the 15psi range.

If you decide on cams later, you are looking at $1200-$1400 in labor. My guess is you will be looking at about $200-$400 to install them now. There is still labor involved, becuase you have to install the new springs, and check the valve bucket clearnce. Disassembling the VQ35 head is a pretty labor intensive job.

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

the NISMO and JWT cams are nearly identical in their specs

You will not get anywhere near 20 rwhp with any of the cams on the market without other mods...headers, ecu tuning, and porting...all of which adds alot to the cost of the install.

Gotta define your goals..and how much further into the project you are willing to go. IMHO, no cam is worth doing without headers at the very least

Sharif@Forged

iTrader: (92)

Nismo cams have slightly less lift, and the JWT's are advanced 2 degrees in the intake side. Speaking from experience, the Nismo cams idle much smoother than the JWT, and the JWT is much less expensive than the Nismo.

I am not going to dispute power gains...I can only tell you what we have seen on the various FI cars that we've tuned with cams..some built...some stock.

My main point, is this guy is getting nearly free labor to install a set of cams, and that is something he should really consider, as this opportunity will not present itself again.

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

Totally agree on the labor side...but like I said, without headers, the gains are minimal at best. So while the labor cost is greatly reduced, it's still a $1500 or so mod. Worth it? Only he can decide I guess.

As for the specs, I hear ya. Problem is, no one knows how JWT rates their cams (ie at what amount of valve lift is that duration). The lift numbers are about as close as you can get.

As for the intake came being advanced 2 degrees, I've read that on JWT's website, but I honestly, it makes no sense to me. The intake cam timing is governed by the pulley, which itself is controlled via oil pressure. Not sure how they go about manipulating this without a different pulley (ala the NISMO ones). Unless they are saying that the ramp up is 2 degrees sooner than NISMO - I am not sure as their site offers no explanation

Adam

Sharif@Forged

iTrader: (92)

I couldnt agree more :thumb:

Cams are very much a mad science, and each manufacturer can rate their cams however they desire. A lot of times, you have to use some judgement and past experience to help determine what works for a given application.

Only the poster can determine if $1500 is a good spend. If the plan is to go FI in the future, or build up the bottom end, that it may very well be a good investment right now.

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

Absolutely agree with ya on this...if the plan calls for FI down the road, now is the time for sure.