Infiniti FX Forum banner

Best Source! - Best $$$ / 1-stop shop? - WHO?

4K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  sonoman1 
#1 ·
Ideally for cost effective modding, it would be best to do all your research, know what you want, then order @ the best price , possibly from one/best source (helps keep ship. to min.) So lets get some feedback in current day market , @ July - Sept. here is the list: 1. CAI - Injen + shield? , Stillen w/Z tube , or JWT w/Z. 2. Crawford Plenum. 3. U.R. crank pully (or kit?). 4. Eibach (or H&R) low. Springs. 5. Strut tower brace - Stillen. 6. (for those with DEEP pockets) Super Charger! Stillen - ATI - Vortech.
 
#2 ·
My purchase

I can only speak to the Injen CAI + Shield. I bought online at overboost.com for $280.00 (CAI)+ $52.00 (Heat S.) "free" shipping and no tax from CA to TX.
 
#3 ·
FREE SHIPPING! Great! has anbody found the whole kit for less than $300 yet? / maybe Jason B. will do an end of summer special sale and throw in the shied and free ship. - 1 week only deal.
 
#6 ·
Cheapest and best way to get Z-tube is from a 350Z owner. I got my Z-tube for 50 bux shipped. JWT pop charger 110 from everythingg35.com.
 
#7 ·
WOW! ...if we could only get INJEN to come down to more real world / street like prices like these it would be a Win - Win situation. / a real no-brainer huh!? ...what about the other items on the list?
 
#8 ·
PINITI-FX said:
Ideally for cost effective modding, it would be best to do all your research, know what you want, then order @ the best price , possibly from one/best source (helps keep ship. to min.) So lets get some feedback in current day market , @ July - Sept. here is the list: 1. CAI - Injen + shield? , Stillen w/Z tube , or JWT w/Z. 2. Crawford Plenum. 3. U.R. crank pully (or kit?). 4. Eibach (or H&R) low. Springs. 5. Strut tower brace - Stillen. 6. (for those with DEEP pockets) Super Charger! Stillen - ATI - Vortech.
You sure seem to have the intake of air covered but unless you can get that air out just as efficiently, you will be hurting yourself a bit. You need to stick a good exhaust system in there somewhere.

Here's my take on mods:

1) CIA -which every set-up works best for the $$. Still like to see some hard dyno numbers on the different set-ups.

2) Springs- H&R probably. Heard good things about those and I have had Eibachs in the past.

3) Rear sway bar on my 2WD to make the handling more neutral.

4) True dual exhaust - Full cat back just custom built locally. I'll use all stainless piping and mufflers while retaining the stock tips. Much cheaper than anything I have seen on-line. Probably $500 max and half the price of any "kit" out there.

5) Plenum. Hmmmm....just not sure about this yet. A lot of $$ for just a little bit of HP. Same for the pulleys, you may see 1-2 hp there.

6) 6-speed manual tranny conversion. I have been looking at it and I know it can be done!! Just need to source a wrecked G35 coupe and salvage the tranny, clutch assembly, shifter, and pedals. Ok,ok, I might be dreaming a bit it is very feasible.

1-4 I hope to do sooner than later.
 
#9 ·
Golden Boy said:
5) Plenum. Hmmmm....just not sure about this yet. A lot of $$ for just a little bit of HP. Same for the pulleys, you may see 1-2 hp there.
Have you done your research on the Z boards and seen the dynos? These are considered to be the two best bang-for your buck bolt-on mods for the VQ, period.
 
#13 ·
crawford had only one price because there are no vendors selling it. You get the plenum stright from them
 
#14 ·
Yeah, Goldenboy check your facts. Dollar for HP the plenum is one of the best mods out there.
Ok, it was painful but I just spend some time searching through the Z forums (boy this is a touchy subject to say the least) and here's what I have found.

A plenum is worth about 8-10 hp over 6000 rpm on a stock car. Throughout the whole dyno curve, it's maybe good for about 3-4 hp. The more mods you have, the less it does for you.

Best case, that's 2.5 hp per $100 spent. Is that one of the best $ per HP mod out there? It's up for your to decide because it's your money :D For me personally, no. Actually, unless I can pick up some signifcant gains (like 20+), I think I will just leave it stock.
 
#17 ·
research - listen - compare - watch - ask ??? - read orig. ? top of page / tried, true performance! / why reinvent the wheel?
 
#18 ·
research - listen - compare - watch - ask ??? - read orig. ? top of page / tried, true performance! / why reinvent the wheel?
I guess it's all the "-"s and "/"s that have me confused a bit about the true orginal point of this tread. Wasn't it to kind of get a sense of what are the best mods out right now and where to buy them from?

I have researched/listened/compare/watched, etc and I just don't buy into some of these mods as being "a given". I'm a bit suspect of the plenum, grounding kit (never even heard of this one before and I know you didn't mention it here), and pulleys. I mean, yea I'm sure they all produce some amount of extra power but at what value?

I guess you need to look at the end game and then evaluate what mods really make sense and what mods are just spending money to spend money. Thats all.

I'm I making any sense here or am I just preaching to the already converted? Am I just a big goof and need to go back to lurking? :)

BTW, in case you wonder where I am coming from with regards to modifing vehicles, here's what else is in my garage
http://www.vorshlag.com/mccall.asp It's mostly stock :D
 
#19 ·
in the 70's many of our gang were truly DOMESTICATED also, however this has become an IMPORTED Century! same game, new ballpark. p.s. "-" / - ;....ssssss! nice zoom-zoom. cheers...your serve
 
#20 ·
PINITI-FX said:
in the 70's many of our gang were truly DOMESTICATED also, however this has become an IMPORTED Century! same game, new ballpark. p.s. "-" / - ;....ssssss! nice zoom-zoom. cheers...your serve
No serve needed. My "-" and "/" comment should have been followed by a whole bunch of :D :lol: :) No offense intented.

Ok, you are right and I will admit I am very familar with the domestic game and not as much with the imports. Because of this I will just sit back, listen, and ask a few questions.

BTW, I wasn't driving back in the '70's!!! :D 8) :wink:
 
#21 ·
2+2=5???

One thing you have to understand is there really is no "silver bullet" mod other than a supercharger (and that is also really a series of mods (blower, filter, fuel rails, upper manifold etc). However, most performance minded people agree the first thing to do for an FX (or any car for that matter) is to get it to breathe better. The sloping design of the OEM plenum in the FX begs for a redesign. To me, this seems to be the only glaring fault in the engine design and the best place to start if you are looking to increase performance.

So, you can bolt on any intake for maybe 2-5 HP but, downstream you still have two cylinders being starved for O2 after 4K rpm. Hmm...well yeah you may have a few more ponies, but you still have an engine that can't live up to its potential.

Now, the plenum alone with no other mods may be good for 8-10 HP. Not much increase but some...wait, who am I kidding! That is actually pretty **** good for just one mod under $500. The aftermarket plenum will alleviate the O2 starvation we all know and sometimes feel with the VQ.

Now, add your fancy CAI or short ram to the plenum and your now deeper breathing engine and whoa! You are going to feel something...

The dire need for a new plenum doesn't apply to all vehicles, but I think any FX owner concerned with performance should give it some consideration. I don't even own an aftermarket plenum and I must admit, a plenum as your only mod would sure make a boring engine compartment! I've got my CAI but I know that the VQ's real potential cannot be tapped until I get that plenum.

So, Goldenboy we really didn't mean that the plenum is the ultimate mod for the FX, but it sure does clear the path for the others.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top