I need your guys' opinions. I'm in the market to do something performance-wise to my Z and I'm kinda torn between some options. One option I was looking at was getting the Kinetix SSV intake manifold. I was browsing through the forums and have read some mixed reviews, some people saying that it's not worth the $820 price tag for the performance that it gives. Then I got to thinking, well, if I can shell out $820 for the intake manifold, why not go a little further and get some cams. So now, I'm thinking about getting some Nismo R-Tune cams or even the S1 spec cams. The only engine modification that I have done is the HKS Hi-Power dual exhaust. Would a set of test pipes help to go along with the intake manifold? The main goal here is to get the most out of the money I'm going to spend the next upgrade, whether it be the cams or the intake manifold. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

 

don't get cams...i heard installation on that cost a lot of $$$... the SSV is great if you want your engine bay to look good, my friend Llare has one and it really make the engine bay look like a beast. if i were you, i would get some springs, light weight crank pulley, 350evo short shifter, and a pop charger.

 

I have a few exterior mods already done, like springs and a bodykit with some rims too. I've been neglecting some engine mods and so I think that it's time to do some. The SSV certainly does look good, would it help even more if I got a set of test pipes or high-flow cats...? Would that combination be better than a set of cams?

 

With the price range you are looking in, you could get a Pop charger, Plenum Spacer, Test Pipes, Light Weight Crank Pullies and get more performance.

 

With the price range you are looking in, you could get a Pop charger, Plenum Spacer, Test Pipes, Light Weight Crank Pullies and get more performance.

 

With the price range you are looking in, you could get a Pop charger, Plenum Spacer, Test Pipes, Light Weight Crank Pullies and get more performance.

 

dont get cams unless u have headers. SSV is good, but it doesn't provide the 50 hp u'd expect for 800 bucks..its definatley a look good and make some power while ur at it mod. I'd personally do crawford headers or just bank it for turbo

 

The website said if you're running FI, then the gain will be up to 50hp, but if it's NA, then I think it's only up to 16+hp. TT are in the works, so I don't want to do any mods that will be replaced by the turbo i.e. headers, popcharger. So should I get some test pipes to go along with the SSV...? Nobody has really said anything yet about the combination.

 

If you are paying someone to do the install I would avoid the cams (unless you have $$$ to spare). Me and my cousin completed the installation of my R-Tune cams and it took us 11hrs .

 

Did you get any pics of the install?

 

Alright, sounds like the extra money involved for installation of the cams make it seem not worth it at this point in time, I recall reading somewhere that install on those puppies will be an additional ~$800, wooooo. Maybe I should call Kinetix myself and see if some test pipes will benefit the SSV......

 

Man a plenum spacer will cost $250.00 and give you equal power to that SSV crap. The only thing it is really good for is BLING. IF you are rollin on Chrome 22's and have a gold and diamond grill in your mouth then get the SSV, if not save some damn money and get the Motordyne plenum spacer/test pipes/popcharger/light weight pulley. You can get all those things for the cost of your BLING. So you can either be smart and get some performance or look like Malibu's Most Wanted! The choice is yours

 

i have kinetix SSV and test pipes..ill tell you you wont gain like 40hp from teh kinetix, but its the same as the other spacers. Test pipes gave me more of umph, while the SSV gave me much more power in the midband. Cams w/ headers are a great mod, and will give more hp than test pipes and the SSV, but they'll cost 800 bucks just for the install for both, plus 900 bucks for a good set of cams and then 950 bucks for crawford headers.

 

Cams would be a more worth while mod for you than a SSV IMO, however, just remember the price of installation etc... IT's not cheap to install cams.

I would actually recomend installing headers, high flow cats (to finish off your exhaust), do an intake and or plenum upgrade, crank pulley etc...
You can purchae a few of these upgrades together, and install them, and gain more than you would with cams etc...
PM me if you have any questions with what parts would work well for your setup

 

So what do you mean by "umph"...? Was it in the low end...?

 

test pipes are definatley in the top end. Its weird, it doesn't push you back in the seat, but you know ur accelerating faster...its very weird. I guess thats the difference between hp and torque feels on you :-p..

 

So with test pipes giving you some top end gain and the SSV giving you some gain in the midrange, you could definitely feel the car "pull"? I know that I'm not going to be put back in my seat, but I want to feel at least something when I get on the gas...

 

I didn't. After 11hrs I wanted to go to bed.