I think it *may* be the strut bar rubbing. It could also be the factory engine cover. It happens at WOT.

2 questions

1. Can this crack the plenum or make it more prone to crack

2. Do you think its the engine cover? Washers underneath the strut bar should help if its not (too much snow to test it)
thanks

 

when i first installed mine, the car sounded horrible...when i adjusted strut bar, problem solved!
you know the height of the strut bar can be adjusted via those nuts on the left side, right?

 

really?? I didnt know that. I was going to do the washer under bolt route. Please elaborate
thanks

ps: will I compromise handling of car by f**king with strut bar?

 

yeah i noticed when i put the strut bar on it was rubbing so i instantly adjusted it....but when i got F/I i had the worst noise!! literally i would lose power due to the engine torquing soo bad like the car would stop at high rpms and then pick back up...i took the strut bar off and bam it solved it...i wasn't going to mess with the strut bar height...i have a feeling since i am running 7lbs of boost on the plenum it flexs alot more than a stock car would...eventually i will throw it back on, but for now its smooth acceleration, before it used to be terrible i cant even describe it....

Ben Yavari
AAM

PS. i took it off and i could notice the difference the car used to feel like to what it felt like now. The front end rolls alot more in turns...i dunno i guess i just notice it because i push the car through turns pretty hard and i noticed i cant take some turns like i used to...

 

that is EXACTLY what is happening to me. I feel like the car is losing power during WOT for a split second, then it is being restored. Is this due to the flex of the plenum? LSDUNIQUE, can you respond?
Thanks

 

if you rotate the middle nut, it raises and lowers the height of the bar. you can get more net movement by changing the amount of the strut bar that screws into the housing on the left. Play with it...you'll figure it out.
ps: they made it adjustable for a reason, so don't worry about the handling.

 

thanks guys. This pressure from the strut bar cant crack the plenum can it?

 

just adjust it so its not touching the plenum. problem solved. next?

 

Even after using washers and trying to adjust the bolts on the strut bar, it looked very close. Some may not agree with it, but i just took the strut bar off. I have noticed absolutely no problems with the strut bar off. If you track your car or drive it really hard, i woudlnt' take the strut bar off though.

 

Just insert a business card between the bar and the plenum. If you can slip it through, you are fine.

http://www.quiros.net/350z/images/kxplenum2.jpg

 

I can slip a business card underneath it. Tried that after installation. Thats why I'm wondering whats going on. I think the motor mounts on this car allow the car to flex way too much. Going to adjust strut bar now

 

Yeah, i could slide the instructions underneath it afterwards, but even on very light turns i was noticing some hitting.

 

You should note that the nuts on the pass. side of the strut bar are not there for adjusting height, they are there for adjusting tension. When you "adjust the height" of the bar, really what you are doing is causing it to bow outward by increasing it's length, which also puts more pressure on the bolts and stud/nut that hold the strut bar to the shock towers. If you look at the service manual, it is VERY specific about how the bar is to be torqued, so I wouldn't just go cranking on those nuts *****-nilly looking for a specific clearance. You're probably ok though, within reason.

 

i thought it was a credit card that's supposed to be able to move freely.

 

A credit card wont bend to fit. The stut bar fits into the indentation on the plenum that is specifically made so that the stock bar will fit. A business card can bend to fit through that indentation. As long as the bar is not touching the plenum, you are good to go.

 

Thanks. So you're saying heightening the stock strut bar (even by means of throwing washers under the bolts) is a bad idea?

 

well, its prolly not optimal, but you want your plenum, right? Others are running without any strut bar at all without problems, as stated earlier, so just adjust it so it doesn't vibrate, and enjoy your plenum.
I did both-- the strut bar raising AND the washers (on the right side) cuz even with the bar higher, it was still touching on the right.

 

thx guys

 

Moved.

 

but doesn't the engine shake slightly if it hits the rev limit then it might hit