Cars and Tuning

[Free]

Just checking to see if anyone here is into modding/tuning cars. If you don't know what I mean, then you aren't into tuning cars. :-D


I've got a 2003 Altima 3.5SE that I've done a few mods to but I'm not sure how far I want to go with it.

Anyone else?

 

[stovebolts]

Sorry, I built my Camaro the Old Fashioned way... it has a Carburetor. :-D

One day though, I would like to convert it to fuel injection and use a F.A.S.T system along with a supercharger for about 650 ponies and still get 25 mpg!

 

[Lewis]

Sorry, I built my Camaro the Old Fashioned way... it has a Carburetor. :-D

One day though, I would like to convert it to fuel injection and use a F.A.S.T system along with a supercharger for about 650 ponies and still get 25 mpg!

And still get 25 mpg! ? :crazy :o :toofunny

 

[stovebolts]

Well Lewis, I was reading an article that went about telling you how to get 650 hp w/ 25 mpg highway about it at the time I posted that. Wish I could remember which magazine I saw that in.

 

[Erik]

Yup I'm into tuning cars. I have a 1993 Honda Civic EX And swapped the motor to a DOHC Vtec engine same as a 99/00 Civic Si. I have headers, Cold air intake, full cat back exhaust, Royal purple oil with K&N Filter, Ngk wires and plugs. Swapped the seats to Honda Del Sol seats. Painted it Electron Blue Pearl (Si Blue), has polished Integra LS Mesh wheels, NRG Steering wheel With quick release hub and lock. 30,000k HID Blue headlights, JDM Si Taillights, Dropped on Tokico Blues. 95 front end conversion.
Future plans are JDM Lip kit, JDM fog lights and maybe turbo if I can get the funds.

 

[Pard]

Tuning and mods... Does it have to be with a ricer? I don't do ricers, though if you could get me a Nissan Skyline GTR V Spec II R34 Nur I may convert from pick-ups! You see Nissan, when they released the OLD Skylines, knew how to give a car ample room and one heck of a kick! The rest of the ricers are a bit small for my taste.

Erik, what did that do for your BHP?

 

[Erik]

I'm offended of how you used the word "Ricer". That is not what my car is or what Japanese cars are. I have tastefully modded my car and it's not no rice junk car. See "Rice" to me is a car that is all show and no go. Yes, there is domestic "rice" also. The term "rice" to me is horrible mods such as aftermarket altezza or chrome taillights, horrible body kits, big oversized chrome rims, decals and company names on the car for example putting a "NOS" sticker on a car that obviously doesn't have nos, ugly paint jobs, bondo everywhere. Now the word "Ricers" to me are people that race in traffic, people that rev at every light, people that have an automatic car that shift to neutral to simulate a manual transmission car and take off and immature drivers. Sorry for my rant just wanted to clear things up a bit

I know that my car is FWD and I know it's not everyones cup of tea but it's something I grew up with. I love tastefully modded clean Hondas and other Japanese vehicles. I don't like bodykits or any of that. OEM clean JDM spec look and motors is what I like. I would also love to convert to RHD I think that'll be nice. As far as performance with Hondas, It's like strapping a engine to a trash can since the car is so light weight. I haven't put my car on a dyno yet or done any ECU mods to it, so as far as HP gain I can't tell you. It feels a lot faster I can say that. I feel the top end power pull the car with great force. I can feel all my mods though, of course they all help but I'm sure I got good hp added. I love the look on the Mustang or any V8 car drivers face when they realize the just got beat by a Honda.

 

[Erik]

TO THE OP:
Any bolt on mods such as intake, headers or exhaust should help you with some get up and go for a bit. But if you really want to go faster with it I'd say boost it. If you don't want to risk that then just search for Nismo parts. They have good stuff for Nissan cars. Please PM me if you want to know more.

 

[jasoncran]

TO THE OP:
Any bolt on mods such as intake, headers or exhaust should help you with some get up and go for a bit. But if you really want to go faster with it I'd say boost it. If you don't want to risk that then just search for Nismo parts. They have good stuff for Nissan cars. Please PM me if you want to know more.

I have to use nismo for my nissan frontier that is a lesson learned, i'm not talking plugs and wires, but water pumps .belts, and other things.

and pard. Ford uses alot of borrowed ideas from the japense car manufacters.

 

[Pard]

Shoot, I don't have a problem with Japan cars, except they are a bit small for me. I'm a big guy, I need a big car. Ricer is just what we call 'em, my friend has an Evo and a Civic he calls 'em ricers more then I do. Isn't a a bad term, it just is easier than saying "modded and tuned japanese cars". See I wasted 25 letters saying that when I could say ricer and save 20!

Still what you getting for BHP with that new engine and air intake and such? Also custom exhaust or kit?

I don't know much about those vtec engines, but can you bore 'em out?

Like I said, I don't have a single problem with a modded car, like yours. Tasteful or not. Plus they make for good laughs when I beat them off the line with the truck and then they see me at the next light and are all frowns!

 

[Free]

TO THE OP:
Any bolt on mods such as intake, headers or exhaust should help you with some get up and go for a bit. But if you really want to go faster with it I'd say boost it. If you don't want to risk that then just search for Nismo parts. They have good stuff for Nissan cars. Please PM me if you want to know more.

I have been a member at some large Nissan forums for a few years and know most of what is out there for 3rd gen Altima mods. I have a WAI, much like yours, lightweight stock-size crank pulley, grounding kit, front strut tower bar, lowering springs w/ KYB-GR2 shocks and struts, full 2.5" catback, and catless y-pipe. I also have motor mount inserts which have been sitting in my basement for over a year waiting for installation. The rear mount requires dropping the sub-frame which is what also is needed for the front sway bar. I'm hoping to kill two birds with one stone at some point, when I can afford the front and rear sway bars.

I also have a 3" in/out resonator waiting to get installed. I was supposed to get in with a local guy to have the straight section of my exhaust changed to 3", but that didn't work out and looks like it won't happen for a while. I'm waiting for one of my pre-cats to fail so I can get high-flow pre-cats. And when I get the spark plugs done next year, I may get a phenolic spacer kit.

I have no plans for FI though since $10k is too much to be putting into a car for one mod. The gains would be nice though.

As for Nismo, they've stopped production on at least some of the 3rd gen Altima stuff, such as suspension. And one guy actually lost power (dyno proven) with the Nismo catback.

I'm offended of how you used the word "Ricer". That is not what my car is or what Japanese cars are. I have tastefully modded my car and it's not no rice junk car. See "Rice" to me is a car that is all show and no go. Yes, there is domestic "rice" also. The term "rice" to me is horrible mods such as aftermarket altezza or chrome taillights, horrible body kits, big oversized chrome rims, decals and company names on the car for example putting a "NOS" sticker on a car that obviously doesn't have nos, ugly paint jobs, bondo everywhere. Now the word "Ricers" to me are people that race in traffic, people that rev at every light, people that have an automatic car that shift to neutral to simulate a manual transmission car and take off and immature drivers. Sorry for my rant just wanted to clear things up a bit

Your car is nice and clean and I really like the color. But I will say that one thing I think is rice is 30,000k HIDs. Actually, I think that any HID in a non-HID housing is rice but especially the blue colors. There are good reasons why that is illegal everywhere in Europe and North America. Other than that, nice ride.

Shoot, I don't have a problem with Japan cars, except they are a bit small for me. I'm a big guy, I need a big car.

Same here. That's why I have an Altima.

 

[jasoncran]

if i could modify my nissan(mullah) it would drag frame and not drive it everday.

 

[stovebolts]

Very nice car Erik

You mentioned beating the American V-8's. Reminded me of the time several years ago when I went to the track and got beat by two Honda's.... That weekend I went home and pulled the motor out of my 68 Camaro.

The Honda's that beat me on the track don't stand a chance anymore, but then again, they get about 15mpg better than I do...

Free,
Post us some pictures

 

[Erik]

To Pard:
Yes you can bore them out, you can also do three angle valve jobs and so much more.
As to my BHP you asked me about, I swapped the 100 Hp sohc non vtec engine to a 160 Hp dohc vtec engine. I'm not sure how much power I have to the wheels with the added mods I have put on it, since it hasn't been dynoed. I will let you know the numbers when I get them.

To Free:
Yes I agree with you about the H.I.D.s being a bit ricey but I like them! hehe
It's too much work to get them retro fitted and do everything like OEM spec HID lighting.

 

[stovebolts]

Erik,
You sound like you know a lot about modding! That's awesome! Do you plan on going into mechanics or is it just a fun hobby?

BTW, You do have a pretty cool car

 

[Erik]

StoveBolts,

Thanks man, yea I'm going to UTI here in Houston. I start next month I think.
I know God will guide me through my career path and I'm not worried about anything. I'm actually excited to start!

 

[stovebolts]

That's awesome Erik! I think I've seen their commercials on the Speed channel. Great career to get into, especially if you're a motor head!

 

[Free]

Free,
Post us some pictures

Forgot about this.

New passenger side fog light (old one had a rock go through the lens):

Old and new driver's side fog lights (new ones bought off ebay and then had a shop put a lens protector on):

Both new fogs in (notice the lack of glare that was caused by all the rock pits on the old ones):

Short ram air intake, strut tower bar, grounding kit (blue wires), VIAS block plate (Nissan specific mod on the passenger side of the intake manifold):

LED lighting since there is no OEM under hood lighting:

 

[Free]

End of July before suspension install:

Beginning of August after suspension install--drop 1.2" front, 0.5" rear:

 

[Free]

Pictures from Jan, 2009 of before and after exhaust install:

Car sitting outside my boss's house during a hailstorm this last July which set the new Canadian record for damage costs:

My boss's hand showing how large the hail was at his place (this was after they had been melting for a while too):

Finally had my dents repaired a few weeks ago. They even repaired some door dings, so other than some rust spots I need to take care of, it looks much better.