Well, I decided to take a chance and try the REV-UP plenum on my 05 Z. I'd only seen one(maybe two) other Z's with this done, so I figured I'd give it a shot. I also had installed (with the great help of MPowers... THANKS AGAIN MIKE) the JWT Clutch/Flywheel, Nimso exhaust, and Meagan racing test pipes. In all fairness, I've had exhaust and test pipes before, so the only things that were new to me were the clutch/flywheel and the plenum. Upon visual inspection of the two plenum's we could clearly see the REV-UP plenum allowed much more airflow... but at what cost?????

The Bad news...
I did notice a loss of low-end torque , mostly below 3K RPM. I noticed it most at around 2K RPM on the freeway, where I would normally be able to press the accelerator, stay in 6th gear and push through the power band, passing the minivan ahead of me, in the left lane no doubt . I now had to either A. Leave it in 6th and slowly make my way around the minivan or B. Drop it down a gear(or two) and let it scream... which do you think I chose??? Don't get me wrong, it is by no means a SLOUCH in the low RPM, but you WILL notice a difference if you haven't done any other low-mid RPM mods i.e. headers, etc. But I think that in my circumstance, the lighter flywheel allowed for the engine to rev faster and get me where I needed to be for peak power quicker than a stock Z, so this loss wasn't that devastating. One more thing, I really feel that the stock rev-limiter on my Z is killing a big part of what the plenum has to offer. So it's almost time for UTEC

The Good news...
I'd say over 3500 RPM... WOW The exhaust tone gets deeper and the VQ comes alive! It feels quite similar to VTEC or even a small turbo set-up(like my girlfriends MazdaSpeed Protege ZOOM ZOOM) engaging!!!! It was without a doubt a huge benefit to have the JWT flywheel in there. And first gear is a RUSH! Now keep in mind that my clutch is new and that I have not and will not be doing any strong launches until I've properly broken in the clutch. But after an easy take off, I can get on the "Go Pedal" and it will fly. I can't wait to install some Central 20 gears and then get the UTEC.

Summary...
The REV-UP plenum is NOT for everyone. I know that I will miss that low-end torque as soon as I make my daily trek to work tomorrow morning . And I also wouldn't recommend it on a stock engine without something to make it rev faster, whether it be a lightweight flywheel or even test pipes. BUT, it works for me, and I can't wait to test it out on the track, which is where I think that it matters the most. I know that the high RPM driving that road racing demands will be greatly benefitted by this mod, even more so with the sticky clutch and lighter flywheel. And I can only imagine what it will be like when I get my gears and then the UTEC. So if you're the kind driver that enjoys high RPM driving and the scream of engine song, than you shold give this mod a shot, but if you're more into cruising the streets and like that low-end kick in the butt, than maybe you should try the Motordyne spacer instead... also a GREAT mod!

Thanks for taking the time to read my .02 cents worth

Stay tuned for next months installment... Central 20 gears!!!!

 

thanks for the great review man. threads like this make me enjoy being a member of this forum. good luck with the car.

 

thanks,nice review +1

 

i had been pondering the lower rev up plenum for a while... but i read somewhere it will work with an aftermarket upper plenum. Is that true?
Nice writeup frosty.. keep em coming.

 

Well, I read in a post that I believe was from Jason @ Performance Nissan (and it makes perfect sense to me) that both the lower plenum and an upper spacer COULD prove useful in high RPM NA motors (over 7K RPM) and in some FI applications. Unfortunately I haven't heard of anyone trying it yet!

Also, I believe that it could prove too much air volume for normal applications... but that is solely an opinion with nothing to back it up!

You could always find a friend that wanted a plenum mod and one of you could purchase the lower REV-UP plenum and the other purchase a spacer and try them both on one car, that way if it should be a horrible idea, then neither of you lose. One of you gets high-end ZING and the other gets a little more GRUNT. And if it works, both of you could become heroes of the My350Z.com community... or at least recieve a lot of praise

 

Very good write up Mike.

 

+1 on the review

 

Nice review. Still thinking about going this direction. But might just wait for a bigger plenum for when I go F/I.

 

Congrats you lost power from 2000-6000rpm and barely make more power from 6000-6600rpm. Its been proven on 2 dyno's now Most of what you feel is from the FW. At a minimum to feel something up top and make this mod worth while imo you would need a very good breathing Z(intake/tp's/exhaust) with a 7100rpm limiter and some cams. But hey what do I know my Z is slow...

 

WOW... you got me!!!!!!

Like I said... "that is just my .02 cents worth"!!!!!

Oh and my Z currently has JWT Popcharger, Nismo Exhaust, and Meagan Test Pipes for breathing purposes with UTEC and cams on the future... so as I said above, the REV-UP plenum is a good mod for me, that is not to say that it is a good mod for anyone else

Thanks

 

Alby - We all know you're Z is slow as ****, with you granny shiftin and not double clutchin like you should!


frostyrock7c - Congrats on the mod. Thanks for taking your time to post a write up. I have been contemplating this mod for my engine also. But, I think in the end I will just run the 5/16ths spacer.

 

With my current setup:
03 track
Crawford Plenum
Nismo CAI
TEst pipes
Fujita Y-pipe
Apexi Catback
JWT clutch

Worth doing or not?

Bryan

 

you will make power up to 7500 RPM with that manifold installed along with the rite set of cams...

if you are doing more track driving / drag racing then this is a better option...

 

HAve planned 4track events already this year first one is next weekend. I'm a little concerned with loosing torque since I've given up so much already by trading the truck. lemme track it this weekend and see what my impressions are. It shouldn't be too difficult to keep it above 5k w/ the 6 speed. Jason, what is your price for the lower pleum?

Bryan

 

http://performancenissanparts.com/ca...oducts_id=3328

 

Thanks Jason, I feel confident that I made the right decision as I track my car often. Whereas most enthusiasts would prefer the spacer

 

So even if you pull more from 6200-7500 rpm's (which has yet to be proven) youd be faster down the 1/4 with more TQ and HP from 2000-6000rpm's with a non revup lower plenum and the same mods...ie. cams, breathin mods.

Yes nice mods list, BUT(when you dyno low) and mark my words, you will gain more WHP and TQ with a short ram intake than with your AEM and Crawford combo its been proven, I proved it, brought it to light, and other Z owners have had the same results. CAI's and Craford dont mix-do a search on my old post for details.

 

This is a very arguable subject...

It comes down to the driver, the cars configuration etc etc...

When I had this set up on my car, unfortunatly I was not able to get my reflash done to run higher RPM like I was planning to... I had the parts to build my motor up to 7800-8000 RPM and make power up to...

With a motor that makes more power the shift points change to where you need to accelerate up to a certain point and then when you shift have the RPM fall into the optimal point in the power band to being accelerating into that next gear...

This is where we can look at the "M-REV" mod dyno's in reverse...

Below is a dyno of the M-REV dyno we did on a Rev UP motor...

M-REV mod is basicly 287 Lower Plenum on the 300HP rev up motor (Track Model Lower Plenum)...

We know the RevUP plenum makes for more power in the Higher RPM's
We know the M-REV mod changes powerband to make not as much power up top which is where the "Spacer" comes into play (Spacer can be in form of the Motordyne spacer, Crawford Plenum, Skunk2 spacer etc... all essentiaally do the same thing)...

So this is where it gets tricky...

We will use the 7000 RPM redline for example...

7000 RPM in 2nd gear with 3.53FD is 67MPH
4900 RPM in 3rd gear with 3.53FD is 67MPH

Assume that in the time you shift from 2nd to 3rd enertia is still acclerating the car you would fall into gear around 5200 RPM (ish)

Highlighted in Green is the REV-UP plenum modification:
Highlighted in Red is the 287 plenum modification:

Each block is exactly the same size representing the optimal shift points with said modifiaction:

Lets explore the REV-UP shift points...

Starting at 5200 RPM HP rating is just about 225RWHP. It accelerates to peak 266RWHP at 6200RPM and FLATLINES (making constant 266RWHP) until cut off at 7000 RPM. So it takes 1000RPM to get to Peak HP and maintain it. This same HP curve is seen on 287 Motors with JWT cams for example and a higher Rev Limiter. But shift points can be made even higher with the higher revlimiter to benifit the more constant peak HP... That is 750RPM spent in PEAK HP range while accelerating!


Lets explore 287 plenum shift points...

Starting at 4700 RPM HP rating is just about 225RWHP. It accelerates to peak 268RWHP at 6100 RPM and then Dies Off. So it takes 1400RPM to get to Peak HP but it then dies off. Only 400RPM spent making around Peak HP.




In short... The power seen from the 287 plenum is best for the Daily Driver who doesnt spend as much time in rapid acceleration... Yes the car feels more Torque in lower RPM with the 287 plenum but its the HP that pushes you through the corner and takes over in the higher RPM's, once the intial Moment of Enertia is in effect, the HP takes over...

You can look in the Dyno that the TQ is More while the HP is More at the higher RPM's as well...


If you run a HIGHER Rev Limiter with the Rev-Up plenum on a Rev-Up motor you can run to 7500RPM on stock internals safely and make power... You will beable to change your shift points up to 7500RPM and spend even more time making Peak HP while accelerating...

 

Bravo Jason!
When I need power from my car the most... is on the track, where I try to stay in higher RPM, with my upcoming addition of the Central 20 gears and the UTEC, I feel that I can make the most of the REV-UP plenum for me and my uses.

 

That's right... All have to remember that the rev-up has different cams than the 287. The cam phasing takes away some of this low end tq that you describe, though I will say that it still does start off slow and finish big...