NISMO owner - suggestions for modding
 

I'm going to buy my first mod for my NISMO with the goal of making it louder and getting some hp gain, and I have a few questions. I'm deciding between a CAI (new K&N Typhoon CAI for $300) and resonated test pipes (Fast Intentions restonated for $400). Any suggestions?
Also, if I get the test pipes, do I need to buy a cat back exhaust as well (since the website says it's supposed to be an addition to a cat back exhaust system)? This is what I'm looking at: Fast Intentions
Last, what's "extra 02 bung" that it lists on the website?

Test pipes ftw! Stay with stock air boxes. Xtra O2 bung is to accommodate an additional. Wideband sensor and gauge.

Im sure someone else more knowledgeable on here can comment, but I think the stillen g3 intake is the best. And since you're going to a louder sound and more power yes you should get a cat back exhaust as well, but you don't NEED one just because you're getting test pipes.

Hey, I'm a Nismo owner.

Here's the deal with exhausts: Any aftermarket exhaust will get you minimal gains over the stock Nismo. Think about this; the stock Nismo exhaust nets 18 crank horsepower over the base Z exhaust. The FI exhaust is advertised on their site as netting 20 wheel hp over the base Z exhaust. So, you'll get a few hp but it won't be as drastic as high flow cats or test pipes, which are a LOT cheaper.

As such, HFCs or TPs should be your first mod. They're only a few hundred dollars vs. over a grand for an exhaust.

All that being said, I'm a Nismo owner with an FI exhaust installed. If you go carbon fiber mufflers, you'll save a lot of weight over stock; the Nismo exhaust is a lot heavier than even the base Z exhaust. It's sprung weight, so it doesn't matter that much... but it's still nice to lose a little. You'll also get a beastly exhaust note that you don't get with the stock Nismo exhaust. Is a few hp, a little less weight, and an awesome sounding set of pipes worth $1600 (price of CF w/ 12" resonators and shipping)? For me, it was... for some, it may not be.

As said above, I'm of the opinion that the stock intakes don't need to be replaced; you can get a few hp on the cheap by getting post-MAF tubes and K&N drop in filters.

Honestly, other than that... the only other place you'd see sizeable gains w/o forced induction would be going long-tube headers instead of HFCs or TPs... but the cost (or difficulty) of installation makes this a significantly more expensive (or more challenging) prospect.

Hope this helps; I did a ton of homework over the last year on this stuff.

EDIT: Getting a tune after multiple bolt-ons would also get you good gains, but you risk voiding your drivetrain warranty. That was not worth it for me only having exhaust and HFCs; it may be in the future when I have less/no warranty remaining.

^The Nismo exhaust sucks donkey díck. No it does not gain 18HP, it's that and a tune. The Nismo exhaust is good for 4HP

And the Nismo exhaust weight about the same. The weight reduction thread is wrong. I've had both exhausts and they are very similar

The 1st thing I would do is to put it on a dyno to see how much HP is the engine put out. Not all the engine are designed equal. Sometime if you lucky got a miracle engine that put out more HP. just my 2C.:driving:

Was about to say as well.

Thought the nismo tune was +12hp and nismo exhaust was +6hp.

We had this discussion in the Nismo forum and the prevailing wisdom was that the Nismo tune is not different.

Does anybody know for certain (not conjecture) that the Nismo does, in fact, have a distinct tune?

As for the weight, I can weigh my Nismo exhaust; it's sitting in my spare bedroom. It was substantially heavier than the FI that I installed; that much is for certain.

Regardless of the exact number, the factory Nismo exhaust is not +18hp but instead somewhere probably closer to a max of +10hp.

In talking with Visconti about the ECUtek software when he showed it to me there were definitely tables that have differences between the Nismo and non-Nismo models. Exactly what these differences were I have no idea since ECUtek had yet to decipher what they actually meant. Fact no, reliable yes.

OP, if you need ideas for mods for your Nismo just look at my signature. :tup:

If you search the thread created Khoi from AAM regarding their s line mid pipe he provides information on how the stock Nismo exhaust is more restrictive than a true 2.5" daul exhaust. I think the bottom line is if you want the least restrictive exhaust set up for NA Nismo, you will want change your exhaust. However, you can make decent gains with a CAI, ART pipes (test pipes) and a tune. I chose a little different setup and I am happy with my gains!!! There are a lot of different options and it can be confusing, but think about the outcome you want and then go for it....but be careful, cause when the mod bug bites, your outcomes will change!!!

Awesome guys, thanks for the help. Should I get a non-stock O2 box (or are there any other necessary parts) if I go with test pipes?

A word of caution on test pipes. Know the smog laws in your state, because you will most likely fail a visual inspection. Also, you will have to deal with the exhaust smell without cats. Might not be a big deal to you, but I suggest you search the forum for some other threads on the subject before jumping on that band wagon.

I'm a Nismo owner, and went with Swift springs, 15mm spacers all around, a Z1 25 row oil cooler, K&N drop ins, and am waiting on a FI CBE. My understanding is that the stock headers and cats flow quite well, and except for more exhaust noise, switching to test pipes or HFC's don't really gain you all that much.

This is completely wrong. While the factory headers are rather good, the stock cats are restrictive as hell. Test pipes/HFC are one of the best bang for the buck power upgrades out there for the Z34.