Hey guys, so I've talked to several local performance shops and have gathered a general consensus regarding this discussion. From what I've heard/read/been told - marketing for aftermarket N/A parts has really had to step it up in order to stay appealing to newer, factory-optimized vehicles. Technology has become advanced enough that car manufacturers can roll out N/A cars that are reasonably maxed out from that factory. Improved ECUs, emissions tuning, and air/fuel maps, for example, have eliminated a lot of the previous bottlenecks that made aftermarket N/A parts so worthwhile. Therefore, the gains you would expect by installing basic bolt-ons is going to be a lot smaller than in the past. The idea here is that you can only improve so much on an already improved platform. As new vehicles are released, the gap between factory performance and aftermarket performance shrinks. Aftermarket companies try to counteract this by boasting impressive gains which are rarely achieved. It is important to realize and understand this trend before you start spending your hard-earned money on N/A performance parts.


We all know the HR motor is optimized from the factory, but I did not think it was THAT optimized. I decided to go with some quality bolt-ons and a custom dyno tune to gain some good power, but unfortunately the gains are hardly worth the money invested. I have heard a lot of good reviews from these parts...maybe I let that get to my head...but I was definitely expecting more than the end results. Should I be happy with where my Z stands, considering the supporting mods? It is important to note that there is nothing mechanically wrong with the car. It was tuned at 20K miles and the numbers that were achieved are right in line with other Z's that have been on the same dyno. Remember, it is not the final number that matters, but the spread from baseline to that final number. I feel like kicking myself for not saving a little more and just going with GTM's supercharger, which was built for a stock HR. Hell, I'd be halfway there, financially, if I didn't buy the bolt-ons .

Mod List:
Cobb AccessPort - $500
Custom Dyno Tune - $400
Stillen Gen 3 Intakes - $550
Motordyne ART Pipes - $539
Motordyne XYZ Pipe - $495
Fujitsubo Legalis-R Axleback - $1100

Dyno graph is baseline vs mods above - Official graph here



Dyno Run
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8VFI3zl6qU
The point of this thread is to show that swapping out the OEM cats, exhaust, and even tuning doesn't seem to do much on a NA HR. The amount I paid for everything is really negligible, as no one runs the exact same stuff, but this does show that even these top products aren't miracle pieces for a factory-optimized platform.

 

i kinda lol but only in pity 4 u. Sorry. so there was a 11hp gain?

 

Should have done more research before spending that much. With VQ's the Money to HP ratio is complete crap for NA. In addition to those parts being overpriced, 400+ each for pipes and intake, and 400 for tuning? yikes. Id be kicking myself.

I dont have a Z but let me give you and idea what that kind of money got me.
~$1600 for a rear mount turbo setup.
~$2k for a built motor.

 

Yup, looks like it. Oh, also FEELS like it. Seriously, WTF.

 

Will be much more on the Z though.

 

lol

 

You have some pretty expensive stuff here. $2,134 tied-up in the exhaust. And those oh so pretty Stillen Intakes - $550!

Live and learn.

 

Just because 80% of z owners spend $10k+ for builds dosnt mean thats what it would cost for everyone else. If you are somewhat knowledgable and a little handy you can save thousands.

The motor I built was a VQ35. and the rear mount setup, thats pretty much the same for most cars, probably easier on a Z.

 

Oh, don't get me wrong - I totally understand. I wasn't planning on doing extreme mods to the Z, so I figured I would get some top-notch bolt-ons, as the knockoff/ebay/custom route is not my style. Some of the things I purchased (intakes/axle-back exhaust) I knew weren't big power gainers, and were more personal preference. Those things aside, I am surprised at the popularity of Motordyne's stuff/custom tune with NA members. Totally fooled me!

 

if i ever had another N/A Z, i would do test pipes and get a tune and be done with the power mods. rest of my money would go into suspension and drive train mods. you would have felt more gains with 4.08 gears then all your current mods combined OP.

 

Well now you have learned. More than half the "top notch" things you see people getting is because of their band name and not the actual product. You take your car to a mandrel bending shop and can have the same exhaust system for a fraction of the price you spend with brand name stuff, piping is piping. If your going to stay NA dont spend a single penny more, as it will not be worth it.

 

Yeah, I hear ya. Lesson definitely learned - more so in that boost is the only way to go with these newer NA vehicles that are already maxed out from the factory.

 

Well you did go with quality. And quality mods will payoff with lots of trouble free miles. However, as you have found, $$$ do not equal performance.

 

And seriously, cant you make your own intakes with some silicone couplers and some pipe? The Stillen ones don't have any pixie dust. An intake is an intake.

You spent $500 on some pipe and filters.

 

Thats not a quality tune! Cobb sucks! Its a Cobb job.........

No HFC's or Test pipes?! Thats your biggest issue! Should have spent the $350-500 bucks for those.

 

This sir, i wish I could have.

I don't think its possible, on an HR for that price.

But if someone can prove me wrong, please do so.

 

I've spent 4k on all my bolt on's and tune. I gained 20whp.... Yeah, what a waste of money lol

 

I thought the ART Pipes were tests pipes...?

 

I hope you are overgeneralizing, as there is obviously more to it than that (like MAF sensor location/positioning), but yes, as I mentioned above - the intakes choice was not intended for huge power gains; it was more of a personal preference.

The point of this thread is to show that swapping out the restrictive OEM cats, exhaust, and even tuning doesn't seem to do jack on a NA HR. The amount I paid for everything is really negligible, as no one does the exact same stuff, but this does show that even these top products aren't miracle pieces.

 

i'd expect 30 whp from having the art pipes and xyz pipe with that catback you mentioned above, all without a tune... with tune i'd expect another 10 whp, so total 40whp for all bolt ons...

am i just being way too hopeful? i only have the art pipes with stock catback on my hr, and i definitely felt the gain...