sonsofthunder Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 New owner here and looking to complete some basic and affordable changes. I have done a lot of reading and seem to find somewhat varied opinions on throttle body spacers. Some people complain about the whistling sound, or say it is a very marginal performance change. I found one brand in particular that touts their product as "less whistle, more performance" I guess. They claim up to 22 hp and 25 ft-lbs torque with an increase of 4 mpg....I realize that these claims are usually on the high side, but this engine could benefit from ANY help in the power/efficiency area. Even an 8hp, 10 ft-lb gain with another 2mpg is worth $100. Here's the link: http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Air-Intake-Systems/Street-Performance-Helix-Power-Tower-Throttle-Body-Spacer I've looked at various air intakes as well. I'm not overly familiar enough with the stock set up to know whether or not a cold-air style intake would help more than an aftermarket box type unit designed to keep hot air out. My other car has a turbo, and obviously makes much bigger gains from that simple bolt-on, somewhere near 20hp+. Depending on how restrictive the stock unit is, could a new intake be good for another 8hp and better mileage? I know it will never be a powerhouse, but a bump of 16+ hp and similar torque is definitely noticeable. The third thing is an ecu programmer. I did extensive research on the various options for my car and found that, for someone who wants a simple plug and play, Hypertech makes great products. Idk if they make one for the year of my truck, but would like some feedback. The last thing is locking hubs. I've heard there at least a 2mpg increase with this mod. I also heard it can cause some issues. Is it worth giving up your ability to change drive/gears inside your comfy cabin? Thanks for reading, and any feedback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsofthunder Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 I did find that JDM makes an OBD port ecu programmer. http://www.performancechiptuning.com/Stage+3+Performance+Chip+OBDII+Module/14/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrariowner123 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 Test it out, wont know till someone tries and reports back. I would to get more performance, 3.3 piece of crap sitting my engine bay. -Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) Throttle body spacers are useless (http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28941&st=0&p=550471). It'd be more beneficial for performance to bypass the coolant lines on the throttle body instead, which will theoretically reduce the intake air temperature since the throttle body & upper intake manifold won't be as hot. (pics courtesy of Pwnin O'Brien, VQ35DE) I'm not sure of the cooling circuit or feasibility of this mod on a VG33E, check the FSM for details. Edited April 4, 2012 by Towncivilian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pathfounder Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) I don't see any of these modifications being worth your time. If they make them for your engine, long-tube headers might be a good start, but fancy air filters and whatnot are going to do very little. The throttle body is heated to prevent what is basically "carb icing" and because warm air atomizes with the fuel better. For mileage, you want this. Edited April 4, 2012 by pathfounder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsofthunder Posted April 4, 2012 Author Share Posted April 4, 2012 I figured I would get some skewed feedback on the throttle body modification, but what about the others? From what I understand, for cost and/or environmental hoopla, most ecu programming and intake designs have some room left for improvement. Like I said, I know it will never be a fast truck. I just want to make some noticeable improvements. Maybe it's me, but the engine does seem like it needs to be "freed up" for lack of better words, whether intake or mapping related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) Stay away from throttle body spacers. Those don't help at all with direct port injection engines. Instead, get an open-element intake such as a Jim Wolf Technologies Pop Charger (or similar) and a high-flow muffler such as a Flowmaster, with 2.25" tubing from the muffler to the tailpipe. You will notice an improvement in accleration. Edited April 4, 2012 by XPLORx4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonsofthunder Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 I talked to a guy from Jim Wolf technologies and he explained to me how the throttle body spacers are a good concept, but would have to be much longer to be effective. Looks like I'm left with an air intake, manual hubs, and less restrictive exhaust (The same gentleman explained to me that the factory exhaust manifold is one of the best and most efficient designs, but the system from the cat back is fairly restrictive). He said a good exhaust/resonator could be worth 10-15 hp. Between that and an intake, I think there could be a noticeable gain. This motor could use all the help it can get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
300zxtt Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I talked to a guy from Jim Wolf technologies and he explained to me how the throttle body spacers are a good concept, but would have to be much longer to be effective. Looks like I'm left with an air intake, manual hubs, and less restrictive exhaust (The same gentleman explained to me that the factory exhaust manifold is one of the best and most efficient designs, but the system from the cat back is fairly restrictive). He said a good exhaust/resonator could be worth 10-15 hp. Between that and an intake, I think there could be a noticeable gain. This motor could use all the help it can get I had a 1999 path, 3.5L engine and could get around 295 miles on a tank, just with a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust, and I was doing a lot of highway and had P265/70R15 tires, with 32psi, my path had 245XXXkm (152XXXmiles), everything else was stock, actually never changed the fuel pump on mine,neither the injectors, I cleaned the gas filter once, my path was a tank, but the belt was starting to go and the aternator also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
300zxtt Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I talked to a guy from Jim Wolf technologies and he explained to me how the throttle body spacers are a good concept, but would have to be much longer to be effective. Looks like I'm left with an air intake, manual hubs, and less restrictive exhaust (The same gentleman explained to me that the factory exhaust manifold is one of the best and most efficient designs, but the system from the cat back is fairly restrictive). He said a good exhaust/resonator could be worth 10-15 hp. Between that and an intake, I think there could be a noticeable gain. This motor could use all the help it can get cat-back exhaust http://www.streetperformance.com/auto/1999-nissan-pathfinder-le/cat-back-exhaust-systems/16257-3738vc/ air intake http://www.carid.com/1999-nissan-pathfinder-air-intakes/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I had a 1999 path, 3.5L engine and could get around 295 miles on a tank, ... Did you do an engine swap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOT Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I think the fuel filter is overlooked in many cars, they need to be changed fairly often and can cause a havok on your cars performance, especially if your cheap like me and drive the car until its gargling the dirty gas in the bottom of the tank. Ive changed mine twice and I dont drive alot of miles New plugs and a cleaned MAF brought my car back to life, intake/exhaust and a little porting probably helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOT Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 E-fans also is a mod thats easy as pie on our trucks and aparently frees up horsepower. I cant say I felt a HP gain. But the quieter idle and HUGE ammount of engine bay room you gain by ditch the shroud is amazing. I can see the whole front of the engine easily, and reach down there with the car running without fear of getting my arm chopped off by that blade haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 especially if your cheap like me and drive the car until its gargling the dirty gas in the bottom of the tank. Fuel is always being pumped from the bottom of the tank. Any "stuff" would get sucked in first regardless and filtered by the fuel pump strainer and then the fuel filter. There are filters on the gasoline pumps as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I've taken a couple of pathy gas tanks out and in both cases there was no "crap" in the bottom of the tank. I'm starting to think it is one of those automotive myths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I've taken a couple of pathy gas tanks out and in both cases there was no "crap" in the bottom of the tank. I'm starting to think it is one of those automotive myths. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2571353 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazthecat Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I did a trany swap today ! i was revving at 3800 at 60 miles (100 k) she wasn't shifting into 4th....I'd picked up 97 R50 for part , near identical to mine .It took all day but i got'er done and now at 60 she's revving around 1800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazthecat Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I did a trany swap today ! i was revving at 3800 at 60 miles (100 k) she wasn't shifting into 4th....I'd picked up 97 R50 for part , near identical to mine .It took all day but i got'er done and now at 60 she's revving around 1800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chazthecat Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 the 97 had a rebuilt trany , but I', sending out my old one to get rebuild . Budy i bought it from had the engine swapped about two years ago and the trans rebuild last fall..guessing having a few spare parts kicking around isn't a bad ideal ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOT Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I've taken a couple of pathy gas tanks out and in both cases there was no "crap" in the bottom of the tank. I'm starting to think it is one of those automotive myths. Ive pulled more than one honda tank and see ALOT of sediment looking sludge/rust in there A fairly new mercedes sedan had alot of white particles floating around to. I dont think tanks are clean at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I've taken a couple of pathy gas tanks out and in both cases there was no "crap" in the bottom of the tank. I'm starting to think it is one of those automotive myths. I've taken a couple Pathy gas tanks out and in both cases there was a ton of crap in the bottom of the tank. It's not an automotive myth. Older metal tanks start to release some sediment, plastic tanks don't though. Hell I cleaned a plastic main tank from a '77 Ford Hi-Boy and it was almost completely clean in there, definitely not enough to worry about. The secondary metal tank was a disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
300zxtt Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) Did you do an engine swap? hahaha, I knew someone would ask me that question, my path was previously owned by the RCMP so I guess they ask the 3.5 from the dealership once it got out to get the more powerfull engine, because I never did an engine swap and I was the second owner of it, my path even had bulletprof windows I know because I shot the rear window with a pistol and I only did a sort of small hole, I shot it from about 60 ft away from it Edited April 13, 2012 by 300zxtt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOT Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) Why would someone shoot there own vehicle?? Edited April 11, 2012 by WOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Why would someone shoot there own vehicle?? I was wondering the same thing. 300zxtt, were you intoxicated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) I know I'm a bit late to the show but if you are getting mileage and performance problems the best place to start is just by doing a TUNE-UP and checking the timing. The second thing you want to check for sensor function like oxygen sensors, mas air flow sensor, tps, coolant, etc... The third is leaks in vacuum lines (or fuel lines) and/or gaskets and a stuck open thermostat. After the engine is back to factory means of operation, you can go ahead and proceed with mods like a new exhaust system and intake filter. That's all there is to it! FYI none of those so called gimmicky "fuel saver" mods actually work. No idea about plenum spacers I heard mixed things about them. Edited April 11, 2012 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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