more hp to my new SE-R

cowboydren@b15sentra.net cowboydren@b15sentra.net
Tue, 4 Feb 2003 18:00:14 -0600


On Tue, Feb 04, 2003 at 01:18:33PM -0600, Craig Rydingsward wrote:

> I just bought a 2003 SE-R Spec V.  Does anyone have some advice to give my
> car a good boost of horsepower for the least amount of money spent.  Maybe a
> new air intake?  Any suggestions are appreciated...

On a QR25DE engine, the first step is to improve the intake.
ProCarParts.com has a super-cheap CAI for about $95+ shipping.  It is a
true CAI, which means the filter is placed behind the bumper cover,
drawing cool air from outside the vehicle.  No, it's not high-quality,
but it's better than nothing.  Personally, I'd just use the midpipe, the
MAF adapter, and the filter element to rig a high-flow warm air ("short
ram") intake setup.  The WAI configuration can be expected to give about
3 WHP, full CAI more like 5, even more on the highway.

If you'd rather do it right the first time, the best Cold Air Intakes
are from AEM, and commonly sell for about $210-260.  Don't even bother
with Hot Shot or Place Racing.  They won't gain you significantly more
than the ProCarParts intakes, and cost almost as much as the AEM but
have nowhere close to the performance.

The next step can either be free or cost $80, and that's the balance
shaft removal.  JWT sells a kit to remove them and install a crank
scraper.  You don't have to use the kit, but for $80 and gaining 7-8
WHP, it's just one hell of a deal, and you'd be doing it "right."

Third step in el-cheapo engineering a Spec-V is to get rid of the
performance-sucking muffler.  Just pulling the muffler off and doing a
dyno pull gained 3-4 WHP.  I bet that with a Magnaflow, DynoMax Ultra
Flo, or an Edelbrock straight-through muffler, you could pick up nearly
3 WHP, plus get a custom tip.  Figure about $150-200 with installation.

If you're not attached to those rims, $500 will get you a full set of
17x7" replacements by Rota, helping to shed several pounds of static
weight per corner, and I have no idea how much inertial (rotating) mass.
Inertial mass is a real performance killer, and just switching to
lighter rims could pick you up a couple of tenths in the quarter-mile.
Stock Spec-V rims weigh somewhere around 23lbs each, so when you do your
shopping, don't exceed that figure. :)

Don't forget to read NissanPerformanceMag.com for more details on their
QR25DE project vehicles, and hit the discussion forums at B15Sentra.net
for more tips, ideas, and anecdotes.  I have lots of ideas about
Spec-Vs, too, not all of which are appropriate to discuss on the main
SE-R list.  Feel free to hit me up via email, AIM, ICQ, or YIM, not to
mention a few FAQs I've written for B15Sentra.net.

--
-=|JP|=-        "It's like a koala crapped a rainbow in my brain..."

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