I installed my new Kinetix V+ plenum yesterday, and i love it!! Aside from the butt dyno, it sounds great! But i'd imagine it'd sound better with a pop charger. I recently went to a stock '06 airbox and sold my pop charger, and yes i just bought ANOTHER pop charger thinking it will bring out the sound of the new plenum more. (Yes i know that's a ricey statement, lol) My question is....i don't think the pop charger flows more then stock, but if it does, will i be hurting performance by cramming so much air into the engine, between it and the new plenum?? Or will the computer be able to compensate? Thanks!!

 

hi,

interesting question... im curious too..

cause ill be installing the INJEN intake and the Motordyne ISO thermal spacer....

I'd like to think both combined would provide excellent air flow...

 

It's not called "sucking in too much air" ... that's never a bad thing.

It's called "running too lean" and YES it can happen.

You will want to look into tuning options. Check the top 100 questions thread or Tuning forum for some suggestions.

 

I have a plenum and after I added a popcharger it made the sound 1000 times better. Sounded meaner, louder, just sick. It will lean you out a bit, but not enough to be concerned about any damage and such. Get the popcharger, you wont regret it.

 

Sweet thanks!

WIth plenum, pop charger and exhaust do i need a tune now??

 

hi,

so what does "running lean" do?

does it improve or worsen fuel consumption? reduce or improve power?

taking into consideration the car is driven normally.... cause whether you have intake+ spacer or NOT, if you drive the Z hard it Drinks ....

 

Understanding that leaning out is never good, isn't that what the mass air flow sensor is for?? To control the air fuel ratio so that is is consistant?

 

You cant "cram" in air unless you FI. On NA you pull in, no matter what, the amount of air your volumnmetric displacement allows you too. A motor is a pump.

 

sorry for my ignorance, could you define LEAN?

 

Lean, means too much air for a given amount of fuel... An A/F mixture of about 13 seems to be a sweet spot for the Z. You'll need to get it tuned to know what the A/F ratio is for any given rpm, and make adjustments. Oh wait, you'll also need an F-Con, UTEC, or similar to make any adjustments... A dyno helps too... Also - Someone who is intimate with tuning is a must.

 

To answer the OP's question simply: you will be fine with the combination of the plenum and popcharger, even with an exhaust. Your A/F may not be optimal all accross the RPM range, but it isn't when stock, either. Do you NEED tuning? No. Will tuning get you even more power? Absolutely.

I run the same plenum/Popchager setup and have the Nismo exhaust and the car runs great. Even so, I plan on getting my ECU reflashed at Technosquare soon to optimize everything.

 

Great!! Thanks!! Well i guess i will start educating myself on tuning now. I had no idea i would get to the point of needing a tune so fast. The mod bug has taken yet another victim!!!

 

Do a search for Horsepower 101. Horsepower is made by adding fuel and air. One without the other is worthless. You can take more air to the extreme with forced-induction. Now you need more fuel. Much more. Those running forced-induction usually go with larger fuel injectors.

 

I know what I'm talking about because I've monitored my air/fuel ratio using cipher before and after changing various parts on my car. The air/fuel curve changes because while the factory ECU is capable of adjusting for certain mods IN THEORY, in practice, it often leans out and you lose power.

It doesn't lean out in a dangerous way. It will still be safe to drive your car no matter what N/A bolt-on you do. But you will not have optimum power until you tune for it or get a reflash.

 

+1 on the above. To add, the MAF provides the ECU with what it needs to know about airflow so the ECU can adjust fuel accordinly, yes, BUT, it can only adjust so much and alos keep in mind the stock ECU, unfortunately for us, has economy and emissions in mind more than maximum performance. You'll always get the most out of your breathing mods with a tune.

Question, though: With a reflash, that, say, sets your A/F to 12.5 accross the board... will the ECU still make adjustments at all, depending on conditions (such as elevation changes, temp, humidity, etc.) or is it set in stone from the reflash to the conditions at the time and place it was done?

I'll be reflashing at TS and living in SD, but I like to drive up in the Mountains (6k ft elevation)... will it adjust or will I be running way rich when I go up there?

 

Thanks! P.S. i wasn't questioning you.

 

From what I've read here, to get a reflash you must remove your OEM ECU and send it off and wait? Does anyone sell a reflashed ECU so that I could simply do a swap?

What about a "core exchange" program? I mean, is there any reputable company that would send me a reflashed ECU and then refund the difference when I send them my old one?

I'm planning on doing the Pop Charger, MD spacer or the whole plenum set up, and maybe some minor exhaust mods and figure a reflash will be required. What do you think?

 

+1 on the reflash and core program. I have mild mods, and don't really want to cash out for a UTEC just yet. So a reflash would be nice!!

 

You need to use your own ECU because of the vehicle immobilization feature. If you absolutely cannot be without your car for that period of time, I suggest you get a UTEC and get it tuned.

People who live near SoCal (Technosquare) or AAM are lucky...they can drive there and get a reflash on the spot.

Part of the point of the reflash is to prevent the ECU from making changes away from the optimum.

 

Thanks!

Yes, my Z is my daily driver and I really don't want to have it "down" for more than about a week. My other cars are too low slung (or high profile) to drive the places I need to go.

I don't think there is a shop in Houston that can tune any type of piggy back or a UTEC (going to search on that now). If so, it is the best kept secret in Texas.

Thanks again for your time and help. I guess I'm screwed.