Hello all,
I have decided its time to start considering some go fast mods for my Z. Although I have read through a lot of the posts on this board I still am having trouble deciding what the best bang for the buck performance mods are. I have about a 2k budget and am considering the following options:

Exhaust: Borla or Nismo
JWT Popcharger
JWT Flywheel
Crawford Plenum

Possible
Hi flow cats?
different intake system (aem or injen)
ECU
headers (nismo or borla)

So with my ~2k budget what would be your opinions on my best performance mods? i dont really track the Z, this would be for just a little more extra oomph on my "spirited" drives.

Please keep in mind that I WILL have to pay for installation of all these parts so labor should be included in the ~2k. I am not the most mechanically inclined person

I look forward to your expert opinions

 

For me, installation is the most fun!!
Its not really a lot of work either- Crawford is easy to install- gives good gains from what i hear.
Personally I'm gonna go exhaust - Nismo plus R/t cats and prob. a UR pulley this spring- I'm gonna install it myself tho. Should get nice gains... OH yeah, 19" LE37ts too!!
Good luck
ZZ

 

Plenum, Crank Pulley, HF cats, K&N drop in + install should be within budget.

 

I would have done the pulleys but I gave up trying to install on the 5AT. So they sit in a lonely drawer waiting to be sold...anyone?

 

$800 for a set of R compound tires will be the best bang for your buck, hands down. You'll feel like you're driving a different car. Suddenly, your Z will brake and turn like a sports car is supposed to.

 

I'd go:
Plenum (Wait for LSD's dynos and price to decide. DIY job)
Exhaust (Borlas cheaper and more oomph. ~$100 install)
HF Cats (Do with exhaust install. If you don't have emissions testing go with straight pipes for cost or with LSD's resonator ones for better sound?). RTs are expensive but pass smog...
K&N Filter or pop. (DIY)
Headers will blow half of your budget on cost+install (Borla), most if Nismo or Crawford. But very good gains with Cats.

I recommend buying on the private forums to save some money. You'll have to wait a little longer but better bang for your $$$.

Good luck!

 

I pm'ed u on the pulleys.

 

what was the final conclusion on the high flow cats and exhaust causing a lean conditon?

 

we'll find out about that 2nd week of feb. I'm going to dyno with kinetix(lsd) high flow cats and post the results.

 

Pharmboy:

The absolute best performance enhancement is a quality driving course. The Z/G cars come stock with more capability than most of us can fully use. But assuming you already have that or are committed to it, and this is additional money to spend on mods:
A balance on intake and exhaust, so a jwt popcharger, RT cats, UR crank pulley, and a stainless true dual catback exhaust. You should be able to do all that for under two grand installed. I wouldn't mess with the header for now, six hours of labor to install and modest hp gain. A crawford plenum is certainly worth considering, but it takes you just a bit above your budget. You should pick up at least 20hp from those changes, and perhaps as much as 30. Hard to do much better than 40hp without changing out internals or going FI.
Have fun.

 

What ever you decide.... make sure someones high flow cat's are on top of the list!!!! Personally I would go JWT popcharger, RT Cat's, and UD pulley...... And still have 1k to play with.

 

A aet of anti-sway bars will make you feel faster in the corners.
You also may find some help from your local 350z members on the install. Ask on your local area of this forum.

 

I vote

 

Thanks for all your responses

Can someone please tell me what "RT cats" are?

Thanks...

 

Random Technology catalytic converters available from www.performancenissanparts.com
Another option is LSDUnique's available at www.kinetixracing.com

 

Borla (600-700), RT Cats (500), headers(300?), CAI for kicks, methinks would be my purchase plan.

Personally I spent my first 2k on suspension. Worth every penny. That doesn't fit into the "fast mods" though... but fits into "performance".

Good luck shopping.

 

do you want to be running 12's in the 1/4 and still have 25-50% of ur 2k left???

go n2o...THEN think about all the other stuff

 

i think he wants more daily driver stuff. I would say High Flow($500)Cats, Nismo Exhaust($900), UR Crank Pulley(200), and an Intake of your choice. All of these can be installed easily, excpet for some people the crank pulley. Headers will blow your budget and you wont see equal gains, without doing exhaust high flow cats and intake first. Test pipes are cheaper than high flow cats, but dont pass smog, and some claim they have a "rhaspy" sound. N20 wouldnt exactly be a "daily driver" mod. The intake/exhaust/high flow cats would bring the most enjoyment i feel cause of the change in sound. Its like a new car, and the nismo sounds amazing, and as soon as i have the money, im getting high flow cats to add to the mods in my sig. All of my mods i installed with a buddy of mine, but the springs would be hard if you dont know a mechanic to borrow a spring compressor. Noone has done a comparison between RT and LSDUnique cats, but there is a big price difference. And if you have $65 left over, pick up a grounding kit from InSaNeAmIne on this forum, their high quality and worth every penny.

 

This is what I would put on your z for 2k

*Crawford Plenum

* Borla exhaust

* High Flo Cats (crawford)

* Chromed out Crawford Strut Bar

*JWT POP ChargeR

 

Kind of what others have said, but here is what I would do based on my recent research and personal experience...

1. Borla TD exhaust... cost approx $650 + 2 hr labor install)
2. Crawford Plenum... cost approx $500 + DIY.. easy install)
3. JWT Popcharger... cost approx $120 + DIY)
4. Hi Flo Cats (either Random Tech or Crawford)... both cost around $500 or so and both have close to the same gains.... 1 hr labor)

All totaled that would be around $1770 + 3 hrs labor, so it should be very close to $2K