at a bolt-on crossroads...
 

So here i am, wanting more power. I already have intakes, test pipes, a cat back, and a tune. I want more bolt on power, But it seems as if i have nowhere to go from here. Originally i was looking into long tube headers, but it seems like people have only slightly gained some mid range and even lost peak power with these. Same story with stillen shorties. Same story with the motordyne intake mani...

My question is, without going fi or full na build, is there any way to squeeze any more ponies outta this vq. I'm completely at a loss on which way to take this car right now. I mean are we really stuck at the basic exhaust, intake, tune with this car?

I'm getting kinda frustrated tbh. any advice is appreciated!

Cams maybe?
And 4.08 gears?.

Momentum headers(350z) with vvel tuning!

yes, from Z1. I gained 30 rwhp.

What mods did u have before?

Also, is z1 thevonly place that can do vvel tuning? Only reason i ask, is i'm nowhere close to them

New test pipes are required for these correct?

Edub, PPE headers start at $750 and they make damn good power. They are shorter for a long tube, but that's because its tuned for the motor. shorter primaries = better top end. They are stepped as well so there is no low or mid range drop off. Regarding the M370 intake manifold, just try it... Power up top is negligible (2whp diff for me). Mid range bump was noticeable. And it sounds great. If you don't like it, ill buy it from you, I want it back after selling it.

Edit: Just checked again, starts at $900... Looking at what you have again, depending on your opinion on the matter, pulleys give a good boost as well. Combine that with a lighter flywheel, you should feel the difference.

So to summarize, LTH's, manifold, pulley's and flywheel (might as well do clutch as well), and a slight retune, I would imagine at least another 20whp on the top end and maybe 10-15 lbft tq in the meat of the power band.

I'm in the same situation and I just bought 4.08 gears after reading reviews. The 4.08's are suppose to really wake up the Z in acceleration. Do some research on them and I'm sure you will want them if you don't do too much highway driving that is.

Why do you say if he doesn't do much highway driving? Because of the mpg decrease?

I think a lot of NA guys hit this wall. Look below for my semi off topic rant

I can't enjoy my car currently, but I was getting the power itch as well. I don't run around and race everything with wheels so I have no measuring tool. My 1/4 traps aren't very indicative of my mods either. (was about 100mph in Las Vegas; 2200ft elevation, 85F at night). Thinking about ordering a resonator to check the difference with my existing HFC, ordering new spark plugs (bad O2 and car running super rich), putting the Motordyne manifold back on and telling my Wife to dyno it :P The way I see it, it won't make less than the 304whp / 243lbft tq (AUG)I put down last time... I think my problem is, for what I have done, my numbers seem too low coming from a dynojet without something being wrong. If you want to argue the baseline, It was 270whp (FEB) at it's highest. And best dyno on the same machine was 316 (MAR). 12whp / 5lbft tq diff doesn't seem like a lot, but I think it's considerable when factoring tuning. I'm gonna tell my Wife to Dyno it again for me haha. I want moar!

Start stripping weight off the car. A 2900-3000lbs, 300+whp Z would be fast!

so far i'm kinda liking the momentum header idea. is z1 the only place to do vvel tuning so far?

as for the motordyne mani, im not to unterested in losing 5 peak, to pick up 5 midrange. seems like 6 one way, half dozen another. which im not that into spending hundreds on a mod that doesn't net much in the term of hp gains throughout

I'm not here to throw off your thread or present any argument, but I've tested the manifold extensively. You don't lose power unless you call margin of error a loss. Attached is my tuned numbers of the stock vs M370. Just because it doesn't give a pretty number to put on our sig doesn't make it a bad mod. I'm just tying to help you out in by debunking this myth. Mods are in my sig to show what I'm running. Whatever you plan to do, at least your being presented with facts and not hearsay.

thats not a bad looking graph.

on the manifold topic....

has anyone tested out the kinteix manifold available for these things. i've heard kinda "meh" reviews about the performance of them. but, my god, are they a beautiful piece

Pulleys, ha!

got some good ideas going here. i guess im kinda still dissapointed in lack of aftermarket progress on the motors. companies come on here and say "what do u want us to build" and 9 times ot of 10 they come back with a new exhaust. which we don't need (unless its something innovative).

i wouldnt mind seeing a company take some chances

i.e: new manifolds, individual throttle bodies, active exhaust, larger tb's, polishing throttle bodies (no i'm not paying mines $3700 to do 3 hours worth of machining), roots style blowers, ANOTHER TUNING SOLUTION, different cam options, more companies offering head work, etc, etc...

i just feel like the aftermarket has been somewhat asleep at the wheel on the performance for the vq37