The clutch you bought will likely not be enough for FI. So budget that in.

The stock motor is plenty durable. Get it checked out, and then go on with your life. Big power NA is really hard to do. You can get 330 or so very easily, but that next 40-50 will cost as much as, if not more than a good turbo setup. And then you're stuck since there's really no path to more power from there. The one guy who did it ended up with an awesome car, but he spent a lot getting there and ended up with some serious compromises. He had to lose the AC to accommodate the dry sump oiling system to support higher rpm. That alone is a deal breaker for me, but I'm in Texas, where the average summer temperature is about 900 degrees.And then you're stuck since there's really no path to more power from there. A FI setup can always be turned up more if you've got enough fuel and you build the motor.

You bought a new driveshaft? The OEM one is carbon composite already.

SouthArk is right about the balancing and blueprinting, but you do that when you are building a motor. Only worry about that then. And no, the kits do not include the thousands of dollars of supporting mods. budget half the cost of the kit for additional mods. Radiator, boost controller, gauges, and a million other little things that add up fast. Don't buy a clutch that can support FI torque levels unless you're 1000% sure you're going to do it. The clutch you need for boost will be unpleasant to drive everyday. It would be a shame to put that one in, not boost the car, and be stuck with a PITA of a clutch.

Also, if you're going to boost the car in the future, you need a different rear end gear than you would for NA. So don't make that purchase until you're sure which way you're going.

Copy that. Clutch will be in the budget. I read those links alot of the info the guys put IS helpful

Thats what happens when you dont do research properly. I'm learning. Just the hard way...for now I'm gonna tone down on this stuff. I was getting to in deep with what i thought I needed done

If your driving skills are on the same level as your self-professed lack of mechanicing skills, then maybe FI is not the route for you. As per Chuck33079's comments above, FI (plus necessary supporting mods) is not for the average DD - they can be difficult to drive in traffic and can be expensive to install and maintain (especially if you are paying someone to do the work).

While the VQ is a fairly sturdy engine, there are a lot of "little" things that need to be taken care of before pushing it to FI output levels. Eg, oil pumps have a tendency to come apart at high RPM, stock cooling capacity is marginal (even with no engine mods), &c. Do your homework (Chuck33079's links above are a great place to start), make sure everything is installed properly, and you should be OK with anything below the 450HP max that has been mentioned.

But, if you think FI is for you, go for it. Several other site members seem to be very happy with their setups. :driving:

Edit: Looks like Chuck33079 already covered most of this while I was busy typing. He seems to give more detailed answers than I do, so I'm going to take a nap.

A lotta truth in there. FI is a whole lot of fun, but it's a huge expensive project. And you need to be able to diy a lot of stuff, even if you don't install the kit yourself. Maintenance is key.

Also, you need to have a handle of what is going on mechanically. Understand what is going on with the car and the kit. Know why things happen. It's not something where you give a car to a shop, pick it up later and never think about it again. Boosting a factory NA car is not an undergraduate level class.

Start with this: Maximum Boost: Designing, Testing and Installing Turbocharger Systems (Engineering and Performance): Corky Bell: 9780837601601: Amazon.com: Books

The more homework you do up front, the fewer tears you'll have later.

So much for taking a nap. The older I get, the more I hate telephones.

Just because you can go to 450HP doesn't mean you have to. A system with less boost will be more reliable, cheaper, and more "streetable" (eg, a more street-friendly clutch can be used). How many ponies do you really need in a hot-rod grocery-getter?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if a few intake/exhaust mods, plus a tune, wouldn't put a s**t-eating grin on your face without a lot of the expense, headaches, and reliability issues of FI. YMMV

Amen! No matter what mods you make, somebody on this site has probably already done it. Learn from their mistakes.

This. The $15-20k you would save by going with a bolt-ons/tune setup would pay for a lot of track time.

Honestly I think thats the route I am going. I was reading and the cost is way too much. I'd have to be patient for a year to be comfortable to where I wouldn't worry about it. I'm prolly just gonna do manifold, headers HFC's LSD and final drive. I have stillen gen 3 intakes installed already. I want to save that big money for the new supra or GTR. Putting that amount in the Z would put it in that range anways...The Z is just an amazing car and I love it but dying to add my own touches as well as increase performance but again its not a need unless I get track serious

That's what I am trying to do. I'm gonna save my money for the new supra or GTR. I honestly dont need the power. especially that much for my use. again medium track use. I'll look into FI when I know more about it. These questions are getting out of hand lol...For now i'll do manifold, headers, HFC's, LSD and final drive along with tune. I got gen 3 intakes and agency power exhaust on there. with the rest I Should be happy.

That's my gripe. The money I could care less about. I'm just not proficient with cars as much. I've done the reading trust me. I've learned a lot. It's just i'm 24 and only now just getting into cars..like actually wanting to learn about them. Problem is I did it backwards. I bought a condo in Chicago and then a car. I don't have my own garage space, so there's 1 factor against me. I don't have the tools #2 and I don't have enough knowledge #3. I'm just gonna stick with NA. I'll learn more over time. Not worried at all. it's just hard no one has time to actually teach me. Going to school seems way out of the way for my goals as far as now. So I rely on books, mags forums and teachings from what people can offer but not as much. Hence all the noob questions etc. I'll learn more for now when I get the new car hopefully I'll be proficient enough and I can go from there. Thanks guys super helpful

There's just no substitute for getting your hands dirty and cranking a wrench. Doing your own intake mods is as good a place as any to start. Not a lot of tools involved, it can be done in a few hours in a parking lot, and you don't require a tune (wait until you do both intake and exhaust mods before getting your tune). Search this site for DIYs and opinions on which intake setup is best for your needs.

No I installed the intake and exhaust myself. My short shift and all. I got all that. That's the easy stuff. More common sense. I was referencing what Chuck was saying about FI and knowing all about it. Also having the tools to repair if needed with FI. I'm no slouch and not afraid to get in there. I was saying I don't have the tools or the knowledge to maintain FI on my own if need be...and yes slapping on an exhaust then tunning then HFC's would be counter productive.

ah Apparently I misunderstood. Sorry about that.

I've gotten some hands-on time by volunteering my help (and garage and tools when I have them) to friends when they worked on their cars. Maybe you can find someone in your area that would let you help them install/maintain their FI system. Even if you just get to watch, you can learn a lot.