So we've had a ton of threads created lately about questions that have been asked and answered many time before. Things like, what are the differences between these years, what should I look out for, what do I do when my keys are lost, what kind of tires do I need for my OEM wheels, etc.

These are just ones I can think of from the past few days, so that being said I'd like to create some FAQs, but I'd like to get the help of people here. I have been meaning to do it for a while, but just don't have the time.

So, if you want to contribute post the question (and the answer if you have it). If you're copying someone else's response, please give them credit.

I'll eventually clean them up and consolidate them all into one massive FAQ sticky thread similar to what ttrank has done in the sedan section and drop this one off.

The reason for this is it will get rid of a lot of the noob posts we get, and those who can't read will have their threads merged into the new thread so it gets rid of the thread while preserving the post.

-kernel

 

Courtesy of MY350Z:

1. How do I open the hatch without using the remote?
A. There's a button right above the rear licence plate. Feel for it, and press it to open the hatch. The door locks have to be unlocked first though.

2. How do I open the windows with a key?
A. Insert key into door, turn left and keep it there for 2 seconds.

3. Which turbo is better?
A. All have their ups and downs. Depending on what your goals are. Daily driving or race only? Half and half? Built motor / stock motor? It would be best to search the FI section more specifically before you decide.

4. Should I go turbo or supercharger?
A. Depends on what you are looking for. Refer to previous answer.

5. what exhaust sounds/looks/performs the best?
A. What do you consider "best"? Every car is different. It's like your fingerprints. Even though they all look the same, has the same engines, etc, they all have minor differences. Therefore no one can say what is "best" overall. Look at the sticky thread in the "Intakes/Exhausts" forum and listen to sound clips as well as check out some pictures to help you decide.

6. What's VDC/TCS?
A. VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and TCS (Traction Control System) are both used to ASSIST in the prevention of loss of control in your car. They would cut throttle appropriately to ASSIST to prevent you from spinning out or losing control. Key word is ASSIST. It won't PREVENT it. It will only ASSIST in preventing minor slippage. It can be shut off by the button to the left of the steering wheel, on the lower part of the dash panel. Keep in mind that the base model 350Z does not come with either options.

7. new to 6mt...when should I shift up/down?
A. It all depends on yourself and what you are used to. Get used to driving first, and shift around 2500 - 3000rpms until you get used to it. Then explore.

Q: What is a plenum?
A: On the 350z / G35, your plenum is the aluminum intake manifold that sits right in the upper middle of your engine bay. To locate it, find the air intake box, follow the tube to the throttle body, and you will see that the plenum is connected to the throttle body. The plenum consists of both the "upper plenum" which you can see plainly in your engine bay, and a "lower plenum" which is not visible in your engine bay. You cannot see it because your lower plenum sits beneath the "upper plenum". If you remove your upper plenum to install a spacer for example, you will see the "lower plenum," also known as a "lower collector". The lower plenum consists of 6 tubes or "runners" that guide the air from your plenum into each cylinder. They may not look that fancy, but in fact, the precise length of these tubes has a significant impact on horsepower and torque.



Q: What is a plenum spacer?
A: Several companies make a "spacer" which rests between your lower plenum and upper plenum, to increase plenum volume and reduce restriction from within the plenum. For example, Motordyne engineering's 5/16" spacer, or AAM's angled spacer. Increasing plenum volume typically has the effect of increasing horsepower. However, if you increase the volume too much, you will start to lose throttle response. Plenum design is a crucial aspect of engine design -- companies that make spacers are simply trying to get the most function out of the plenum.



Q: What is better, a plenum spacer, or a complete aftermarket plenum?
A: Some people swear by aftermarket plenums (i.e. crawford, kinetix), but for all intents and purposes, they accomplish the same exact thing as adding a spacer. So most people would tell you to choose whichever one is cheapest, which is usually the spacer.



Q: What is the difference between the REV-UP (300hp) and the NON-REVUP (287hp) Motor? Which one do I have?
A: Rev-up Motor has higher peak HP, lower peak torque, and a higher redline (7000RPM)
Non-rev-up Motor has lower peak HP, higher peak torque, and a lower redline (6600RPM)

Rev-Up Motor has variable Intake and Exhaust timing.
Non-Revup Motor ONLY has variable Intake timing.

You can tell which one you have by looking at your redline on your tachometer.



Q: What is a MREV, and MREV2? Which one do I need for my rev-up (300hp) or non-rev-up 287hp motor?

For 2003 - 2006 350Z's / G35's, Nissan has designed two different types of lower collector:

REV-UP lower collector from the 300hp motor = shorter runners which are tuned for lower peak torque, but higher peak horsepower.
NON-REV-UP lower collector from the 287hp motor = longer runners which are tuned for higher peak torque, but lower peak horsepower.

MREV = same exact thing as the non-rev-up lower collector, but Motordyne Enginering has given it a name.
MREV2 = Using the MREV as a starting material, this is a CUSTOM lower plenum that is sold by Motordyne Engineering. It has been precisely machined to remove aluminum from critical locations on the MREV. In other words, it is like a much improved version of the MREV which reduces restriction and improves HP / TQ.

If you have a non-revup motor (6600RPM redline), your best bang for your buck is to get the 5/16" spacer. The 5/16" spacer makes the most HP for the money. OR, you may choose to get the MREV2. By replacing your stock lower collector (MREV) with this better flowing version, you will make better "area under the curve" on the dyno in terms of HP gain. My opinion is that you should choose one or the other -- either MREV2 OR 5/16" spacer. If you get both, the HP gain will exhibit "diminishing returns", meaning you will spend a lot more money to make not much extra HP. So, usually the recommended option for the non-revup guys is to get the 5/16" spacer.

If you are a rev-up owner (7000RPM redline), you will basically only benefit from getting BOTH a 5/16" spacer and the MREV2. If you get the MREV2 only, your mid-range torque will increase but your maximum HP will drop off severely. If you only get the 5/16" spacer, you will not see a benefit. Several dynos have proven that for the rev-up motor, you basically need both the spacer and the MREV2, which will make a lot of midrange torque, without sacrificing too much peak HP.



For more information, search through the Intake Exhaust forum and read several old threads on the subject matter.



Q: What is a reflash?
A: Companies such as Technosquare or AAM (Altered Atmosphere) will reprogram your ECU (engine control unit) to better adapt to mods such as intake, plenum spacer, exhaust, etc. Additionally, a reflash (such as Technosquare) can increase the rev limiter to allow for a higher redline. The stock ECU is well known for, well, sucking. It does not adapt well to mods or optimize air/fuel ratio to give the most power. Some mods can actually lose power with the stock ECU if you do not have the right tune. A reflash will basically help your stock ECU make the right adjustments to make the most power with your mods.



Q: I got an intake, exhaust, headers, plenum spacer, and/or other mods. Do I need a reflash / tune?

A: Most people *will* benefit from either a reflash or tuning, even if you are lightly modded. THE BEST OPTION IS TO FINISH ALL OF YOUR BOLT-ON MODS BEFORE GETTING TUNED!!

The best way to get a tune is to purchase an engine management system and take it to a reputable tuner. There are several options. The most popular option is the TurboXS UTEC. The UTEC seems to have the most powerful combination of features for the money. The Greddy Emanage Ultimate, for example, is another good option for air/fuel tuning, but it does not have good over timing. Your best bang for your buck when tuning is usually going to be a reflash, but reflashes do not have nearly the customizability as the UTEC.


Q: I want to know which exhaust sounds the best. Does anyone have sound clips of Stillen, Borla, HKS, Injen... etc?
A: First off, sound clips almost never do an exhaust justice. Most people lack good recording equipment, some people even record sound clips using their cell phone. Do not trust any sound clips you hear online. The BEST way to figure out which exhaust sounds the "BEST" is to hear it in person. Go to a local meet and ask nicely for people to drive you around with the windows down. Some people will rev the engine while parked to give you the idea. That is all well and good, but note that exhaust systems sound a little different while UNDER LOAD (driving around).

 

Q: I'm thinking about going Turbo / Supercharged. What setup is the safest and most reliable? What do I need to make my setup safe?

A: First of all, going with F/I is hands down the most extreme modification you can do to your car.

ANYTIME you increase the output of a motor, you put more stress and strain on its internals and parts. This is a FACT of LIFE and there are limits to the metals in your rods, pistons, etc, no matter "how good" or "how safe" your tuning is. It doesn't matter "how safe" your kit is, as (IIRC) every turbo and supercharger kit has, at one time or another, blown a motor.

If you are "going F/I" you need to have a backup plan. First of all, your car can be in the shop for months if you are going for a built motor setup. Installation can and will run several thousands of dollars. Only a handful of talented individuals have installed their own turbo kits, and very few if any people have built their own motor.

Building up your motor with upgraded crank, rods, pistons, headgasket, (there's much more to it, but these are just examples) is one of the first steps to making your setup more reliable and more safe. Not to mention, the stock fuel system is not equipped to deal with high HP numbers.

Other parts that can help are oil coolers and bigger radiators are popular additions, as are oil catch cans, water/methanol injection (to reduce cylinder temps), one step colder spark plugs, HKS DLI II and much much more.

Blown motors DO happen, and generally most people don't get much advanced warning that it's going to happen. This is an unfortunate circumstance of the stock internals and block not being designed to handle high levels of power.

Can you put a F/I kit on a stock motor? Yes. Have people done it, and have their engines survived for a long time? Yes. But some people's motors have blown, and the cause is NOT necessarily a "bad tune."

You should be prepared for the worst if you are boosting your stock motor.

Remember, you can get money for a USEABLE engine block, in a core exchange program. But if you blow a hole through your block, kiss your core refund goodbye.



Question 2: But wait, what if I just run lower boost, with a very conservative tune...will my setup be safe and reliable ??

Answer: Some people have suggested doing this, but HARDLY ANYONE has ever done it. Most if not ALL people who have suggested "running lower boost with a very conservative tune" have chickened out of getting a turbo kit in the first place. Plus, it will most likely not even be worth the money, trouble, and effort. The person who asks this question is not prepared to accept the worst case scenario of a blown motor.

But if you want to do this, go right ahead and show everyone how reliable your setup is.



Q: OK I'm mentally prepared for the worst. I am going to get a built motor, my favorite turbo kit, several parts to enhance performance and safety, and I have tons of money to spend. What now?

A: Break out your checkbook (financing a turbo kit = not a great idea) and start PM'ing or calling engine builders who will usually have most of the parts you will need anyway, so this is a good place to start asking questions if you are SERIOUS. Make sure you know well beforehand who your pro F/I tuner is going to be, and call ahead to make sure they have time to tune your car. They can clue you in as to which engine management systems they like to work with, what has worked for them, and what would work best for your needs.

If you love the 350Z and you have lots of money (Don't be surprised if your project starts approaching over $20,000) and you want more power, this is the way to go.

Just make sure you are within a comfortable limit of legality with your car. For example, california people may wish to stick with vortech or stillen superchargers, which are CARB approved.

Finally, USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION in the forced induction forum. People have been boosting the 350Z for a long time now, there is a TON of great info in the F/I forum. Do NOT disrupt the forum by asking a stupid question that can be answered with searching. If search isn't working out for you, manually browse through old threads. There is MORE to the F/I forum than "page 1."

 

Q:I don't understand offsets at all.

A:Offset is the distance from a wheel's mounting surface on the hub to the centerline of the wheel, in millimeters. Negative offset means the mounting surface is towards the inside of the wheel. With positive offset, this surface is biased towards the outside. Typically, wider tires require more positive offset to avoid contact on the inner fender well.




PLENTY OF ANSWERS HERE:

https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-cou...d-threads.html