Hud Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Any ideas on how to gain some more horsepower with out spending too much money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filthy Luker Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Wrong vehicle bud. Any realistic power gains require spending some real money. Also invest in the "search" function. I hear it really delivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) He said horsepower! All kidding aside, these engines came really underpowered. I mean you can even feel it when you're trying to peel out at a stop, but other cars seem to be quicker . What most of us have done is keeping regular tune ups on the engine. But when it comes to adding a bit more horses, this is where exhausts come in to play, ignition boxes, may be even a cone filter conversion. Stay away from bigger tires, lifts since these would mean a little more drag and more weight for the pathy. unless you have deep pockets, then go to jim wolf technologies and check out what they have available. Edited August 15, 2006 by solid snake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdhicks99 Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 All Wolf has is ECUs and Cams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 (edited) All Wolf has is ECUs and Cams. cams = pony power. sly (my next project) start with the above mentioned headers, larger exhaust pipe (2.5" is preferable ..no larger) high flow cat, good quality muffler, cone filter, cams, tune up, and after that.. you will still not have over 200hp..... if you want HP.. buy a car.... if you want a solid vehicle that will go anywhere you want it to and tow stuff...... you have it already oh.. and just to give you an idea of cost.. (depending on location..i am in CA) thorley headers $400 high flow cat $50 new 2.5" pipe throughout about $400 cone filter $60 cams.. depending if you do it or have someone do it..... $400 upwards to $1500 if you want pony power and you live in a non smog state.. drop a chevy 350 in there. yes. it HAS been done. sly Edited August 15, 2006 by Slick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 Thanks for the ideas on the cost.. I'm also in CA so it sounds about right... This is gonna get expensive....But well worth it I'm sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 LOL, skip the cams and ECU unless you have $ to spend. Otherwise, yes, headers and good exhaust will be the biggest boosts. MSD(?) ignition, cold and open intake (read snorkel) and electric fan would be the next in gain. Not much more than that other than the afore mentioned cams and ECU... Just take heart knowing that the truck that passes you either can't go where you can, or won't do it as long... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) Thanks for the ideas on the cost.. I'm also in CA so it sounds about right...This is gonna get expensive....But well worth it I'm sure if you are in CA then beware of the "open air filter"...... i have heard of several pathys failing smog tests because of these..... not saying yours will i have just spoke to some folks...... also.. with cams, not really wortth it here as you can only go 2 up from stock before she won't pass smog..... i run thorleys, flowmaster 50 series, HF cat and 2.5" pipe throughout and FLEW through emissions. i got more giddyup and i just don't care if i get run over by a semi on 99 or I-5....... welcome to pathy love. "slowly but surely" is the motto. where in CA are you located? Edited August 16, 2006 by Slick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 For those with $$$ to burn, the DPR head port & polish with swirl polished stainless valves, RC Engineering throttle-body over-bore, and full throttle-body to head port matching finishes off the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) All good advice here. An engine is a pump, and in order to get more power out of it you have to increase the amount of air coming in and going out: It's that simple. As you've all identified, there are lots of ways to accomplish this; the trick is to correct the weaknesses in the particular engine you're working on. For example, putting huge lift/long duration cams in a motor that has a poorly designed intake system (like the early C-4 Corvettes) will get you nothing. Figure out a way to hog out the intake so that more air can flow, however, and you wake up a sleeping monster. There are a ton of things you can do to improve airflow, and I *always* start at the front (intake) and work my way to the back.... Research has to be done to find out if the throttle body is a restriction, ditto for the plenum, the intake runners, etc., etc., etc., then the exhaust (again, from front to back) Something that will *always* help out, though, is a simple cleaning up of a stock engine: Port-match the intake runners with the intake ports on the heads, and the exhaust manifolds with the exhaust ports on the heads. Take it a step further and have the heads machined and a good valve grind done. These are simple things that provide a lot of bang for the buck but are (generally) not done by a manufacturer because they take time, and time is money.... Now that all the roadblocks to max airflow are gone, it's time to have a look at how gnarly a set of cams you can slide in there without piston/valve interference or loss of vacuum. Unlike an old iron V-8, though, I don't think there's a lot of wiggle room in these motors. Once you've got air flowing, have a look at the other part of the "bang" - fuel. The amount of gas getting to the cylinders in a fuel injected engine is dependent on the max flow rating of the injectors (equivalent to the jet size in a carburator) and the length of time they are commanded to dispense fuel by the ECU. The flow/duration needs to be matched to the amount of air you're getting in there and this is accomplished with high-flow injectors or a new/reprogrammed ECU chip, or both. I have no doubt whatsoever that a 3.0 litre engine can be worked to put out some serious ponies (I wouldn't be worried about horsepower in this case, but that's another story) and it shouldn't take a lot of work or cash. I'm currently torn between trying to build a fire-breathing 3.0 or stuffing something crazy under the hood. The truck will likely make up my mind for me one day when, while I'm still procrastinating, she starts puking rods onto the road... While certainly not a comprehensive treatise, this post could serve as a base for ideas/discussion, I think. Cheers! Gary P.S. I intentionally avoided discussion increasing cyclinder volume (bore & stroke) because I wanted to concentrate on things a backyard mechanic can do with hand tools and a die-grinder sssh Edited August 17, 2006 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdhicks99 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Great post Gary and I guess I always do the same thing (fr. to r.), but I've never really thought of it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Great post Gary and I guess I always do the same thing (fr. to r.), but I've never really thought of it that way. Thanks It's the voice of experience: I started making all the typical mistakes 30 years ago on my first car (bolted HUGE dual 4-barrel carbs onto the stock 400ci mill in my '68 GTO in the mistaken belief that more gas = more power so LOTS more gas = LOTS more power) and kept on screwing up for a long time Over time, though, I've managed to learn a couple of lessons. I really started thinking about airflow problems and how to correct them when I tore apart my '85 Corvette a couple of times and learned a lot about things like the uselessness of stuffing 280-grind cams in an engine that can't suck in enough air (plenum/runner design in this case) to make the lift/duration worthwhile. Once I hogged out the plenum/runners and had the heads done, though, that car was downright scary. It all seems so simple (OK, if you have a 600CFM throttle body and your airbox is capable of flowing 600 CFM or better, there's no need to spend $100 on a fancy air filter) but most people (including myself) don't put a lot of time into analyzing what actually needs to be done (which is to rectify the bottlenecks in your system) .... We tend to look for the sexy bolt-on solutions. Cheers! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 sexy bolt on solutions..... that's great. i agree. trial and error is the way to truly learn.. gets expensive sometimes but the experience is ever lasting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted August 17, 2006 Author Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) I've learned more by just posting this question than all my research and reading on the internet... All seems to be vital info to get my Pathy where I want it to be... \\\From what I'm hearing a 3" lift is possibly a bad idea So I think I'll just stick to upgrades in the suspension and steering :confused: Anyway got a friend of a friend who owns a muffler shop so looking forward to them trickin the exhaust out right... And I'll definately take this advice to them But in the meantime I'll keep up my research here for the tricks of the Pathfinder -study- P.S In LA Slick.. how about you? Edited August 17, 2006 by Hud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thndrwhls Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 There is undoubtably some great advice here. You may or may not have read the following article yet but this will give testimony to Gary's theory of better airflow through porting the heads, matching the and polishing the intake. it also talks of cams and ECU upgrades, all of which have been mentioned here. Even more interesting is the bottom end swap, a 3.3 block and pistons for the 3.0, more volume provides more ponies to. http://nissanperformancemag.com/projects/pathfinder.php August 2004 through Feburary 2005 should give you the food your looking for. Granted all of this comes at a cost, but it can be done. If your running an 89, as I am, you can always check out the guys at L & P, they offer a Throttle body P & P that supposed to add 5 - 10 horses. http://lpperformance.com/ I started saving my pennies, Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 P.S In LA Slick.. how about you? 6 hrs away from you in manteca, just south of stockton..... i work in modesto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted August 17, 2006 Author Share Posted August 17, 2006 Hey Slick.. since your in CA maybe you can help me with this... Do you have headers and if so which ones...I've been looking and some say they won't meet the CA emissions req... And some don't say anything about it... The thorleys seem to be the popular item but will i have any issues with emissions :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Hey Slick.. since your in CA maybe you can help me with this...Do you have headers and if so which ones...I've been looking and some say they won't meet the CA emissions req... And some don't say anything about it... The thorleys seem to be the popular item but will i have any issues with emissions :confused: i have the thorley chrome nickle plated headers and my pathy FLEW through emissions -bounce- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted August 17, 2006 Author Share Posted August 17, 2006 Very good to hear.. Thanks alot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Gary Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) You may or may not have read the following article yet <snip> http://nissanperformancemag.com/projects/pathfinder.php I downloaded the whole "Project Pathfinder" series and cleaned it up a bit.... In case anybody's interested, I just zipped the whole package and threw it up on my server... It's about 2.5MB, though, so you'll want a high-speed connection Project Pathy Zipped Once you've unzipped it, just open "01.htm" and you can walk through the entire series (I added a link to the following page at the bottom of each page in the series) .... The engine bottom-end page we're talking about here is "09.htm" if you wanna skip all the other stuff That hybrid 3.0/3.3 (bored to 3.4) is just screaming at me to do it :cool2: Cheers! Gary Edited August 17, 2006 by 94 Pathy Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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