Best bang for your buck mod combo

mpp9

Sold my 04 STI and got back into a Z today. I'm trying to gain as much midrange torque as possible. From reading on here the last few years, Im thinking a Motordyne intake manifold paired with some HFCs would be a good setup on the cheap. Would be nice and quiet when I want it to be but would still put a smile on my face going WOT.

I'd appreciate any input. Especially from those who can speak from experience. Thanks.

critical

Think you'd go way cheaper and be better off with post MAF tubes, new filters and test pipes. Pretty sure the post MAF tubes and new filters were shown to give better low to mid end power compared to the stillen intake which gave gains in the high RPM's.

You can get ........ ones for 200 some odd bucks or find some good used HFC's or test pipes here on the sale forum, so that'd be less than 500 bucks total coupled with tubes and filters from Z1.

edub370

test pipes are the best bang for the buck imo

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tower74

Test pipes but you will have to get a tune. If you don't it will be throwing codes all the time.

.c2

+1 for test pipes, definitely best bang for buck mod. Other than that, fast intentions catback seem to have very good gains as well!

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G37sHKS

Manifold, HFC, Catback, and tune you're already near $3000 if not more.

Spend a few more and get this.
GTM Performance Engineering: MHI Twin Turbo Official Release
GTM Performance Engineering: MHI Twin Turbo Kit Group Buy

This is what i call a "real" best bang for buck.

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tranceformer

testpipes
post maf tubes
lightweight flywheel
4.08 gears

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Ray
2009 370Z Base Sport 6MT / 12.860 @ 109.09mph / 1.921 60ft / street tires
official 1/4 mile track times

ZMan8

High performance driving school

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2010 370Z 40 Anniv., 6 MT | Fast Intentions | Swift Springs | SPC | Z1Motorsports | JWM | Redline Oils | 35% Window Tint
2015 Mazda6 | 370ZChicago: Chicago Area Cars & Coffee

Sh0velMan

K&N Drop ins, tubes, motordyne (or DEpointfive0) intake manifold, used Nismo cat back (from a Nismo Z). Block off all the resonators on the intake tract...


You'll have a big fat torque curve (relatively speaking) and plenty of intake howl at high throttle input to make lots of noise for you without being any louder than stock in normal driving. Peak HP will be in the neighborhood of 290-295 WHP with area under the curve being hugely improved.

Then you can do some HFC's later.

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Jordo!

Best bang for the buck.

1. K&N panel filters (~$100)
2. Cobb (or similar) smooth intake tubes (~$200)
3. ebay test pipes (warning -- raspy!) (~$75-$150)
4. Nismo (pass on the S-tune, get the OEM "take off", picked up used -- ~$300-$550)

Total cost: Under a grand

Results:



Note 1: That is actually a bit lower -- add another 3-5 whp/wtq for the tubes. That dyno is before the tubes were added.

Note 2: If you are worried about rasp, pick up a set of used resonated test pipes for a bit more $$.

Note 3: Most of those gains were from the K&N and TP's mods, so if your budget is really tight, just go with those.

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Sh0velMan

Oh, and some lighter weight rear rotors... Those will add WHP as well.

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mpp9

Budget's around a grand. If given the choice, would you guys go with a cheaper intake setup or the Motordyne manifold? From what I understand, the manifold on a stock car gives big midrange gains.

Definitely going with HFCs to stay legal and open up the exhaust a bit.

Jordo!

I wouldn't recommend changing the IM without tuning. You will almost definitely gain mid range but lose top end without tuning.

HFC's will net gains similar to TP's. Again, if you are leery of rasp, get resonated HFC's.

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mpp9

Thanks. Didn't realize you needed tuning with the manifold.

Sh0velMan

You don't....

Tuning is great for everything, you will always get more performance out of a tune.

There isn't a single N/A mod (within certain limits and with certain notable exceptions) that REQUIRES a tune.

Certainly nothing discussed in the this thread requires a tune.

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