For those who search or like to compare I did a plenum+thermal insulator install on my 2006 5at g35, then had some tuning done to combat the pinging and check the AFR after install of the kit and the oil catch can.

the impetus was the notorious ping and knock power loss and overall crappy oem behavior in the 03-07 models. I had eliminated 90% of the ping/knock with a oil catch can and new plugs but felt there was ECU work to be done to get it "just right" (just right enough anyways)


The kit has the intake insulator, throttlebody insulator and the 5/16 plenum.

1 step colder plugs plfrg6a-11

http://www.motordyneengineering.com/...products_id=45

before that the slighty overrated 260hp vq35de did a wheelhub dynapack run and averaged on 3 sprints 201hp/205tq

After the install of the plenum, plus hand tune for each cell that increased to 212hp at the hub and 220lbs at the hub on standard 10% ethonlated Chevron pump 92 premium for a gain of a estimated 10.x hp and 15.x ftlbs.

the tuner was able to adjust the cam phasing much further to the left and the gains in tq start 550-ish rpm sooner. hp was pretty much at peak which I expected.

we opened up the throttle plate and tweaked the shifts for a little firmer uptake...

overall spent 1100$.. and seems well worth it to me. drivability has been enhanced so far and the car is still 4-5 ''cold-to-hot starts'' and runs from being fully ''learned''..

 

Hang on. $1100 on the plenum spacer and tune. Did u use uprev? Or we're u charged $800 for the tuning + dyno?

 

Yep

270 for the plenum kit plus thermal spacers for intake and thottle body

200$ for the dyno time

600Ish for tune

the rest of the $ was labor for the installs of the plenum kit and plugs because I am all thumbs in my old age

So 1070ish then add labor. Really I feel like I got a reaonable deal since I did not want to mess it up myself

 

As to the tune.. not 100%. Vit the tuner basicly did the tune by dropping the orsis tune then did timing by hand 1st.. set the maximum timing (mbt?) Then did a run.

Adjusted mixture/afr did a run

Adjusted timing again after afm

Then cam phasing after afr and timing was solid. Biggest gains were cam phasing.

Then did the other edits like the throttle. We left the redline at 6600 since the revlimiter seems to miss by about 100 rpm anyways.

I gotta say the TQ gains and TQ shift were pretty cool

 

Might need to have the shifting edited. It is hitting hard when shifting up in sport/shift mode. not sure about how the tranny mount is going to like that.

I was not burning out in 1st gear but upshifted after 3500rpm while about 90% throttle and squawked the tires with traction on while hitting second gear. that was new and made me grin a bit. I am not a big burn out guy but after that I flipped traction control off and laid it out from 1st to 2nd and it spun almost all the way through 2nd before it caught. never did that before but was fun to do. (should note i'm down to 15% tire is there is a certain lack of flex/traction.. might have to finish them off since i'm getting new tires thursday)

This morning was vastly improved in throttle and power delivery. Were about 3 cold to full temp "start and runs now". Power is buttery smooth and does not surge, from a little after 2100 rpm onward the TQ is great and feels stronger, builds and is consistent (it is only a 10% TQ bump so not magic and unicorns stronger).

idle at a stop light is now this : "F%^k.. did it die?" ....

...And "//starter schreeeeech noise!//" "god dammit woman the car is running already!" followed by "get the $%^& out of my car and get back into your rav4"

next up is the 225/50/r17 tire swap. should be a smigde grippier without going off the oem size my much. should lower the ride by about .3 inches to boot.

 

You still have a lot of WHP to unlock if you haven't updated your exhaust, cats and intake to round out your breather mods. Go back to your tuner and have him adjust the pressure in your AT sounds way to harsh...Gary

 

Yeah I think I will do that in the next few days if it doesn't ''learn out'' and soften up.

As for the additional mods, I would like to do them but those are some spendy adds. And I want to avoid a loud exhaust, and avoid the smell of no-cats / weak high flow cats.

But I do think the cats are due. The car was burning alot of oil before doing some work (pcv/catch can, change oil viscosity) (1qt between changes), and I have been reading the oil burning loads the cats with additional particulates. soon as they throw a 420/430? I will be dropping in much better cats.

I have to be limited on my budget so were going in steps right now.

 

update from road trip:

well, I have -0- explanation to this, but I am 70-miles away from getting 420-miles on a tank of gas without the nag light. (reading a full line above the 1/4 mark)

if we are to believe the floating inlet triggers the light at 3.5-4 gallons that puts me from 3-mpg to 4-mpg better *highway* mileage at around 29-mpg or 30-mpg if I can actually hit 420-miles on the trip meter.

This was on 3 coastal highways with a reported avg speed of 64.6 mph. so less than ideal fuel management.

as soon as the light comes on I'll do the math, should be (mileage / 14.5) or (mileage /14.0) ..

well see...I am back in city traffic so it may nag me in 40 miles..

this is completely unexpected..

 

update:

Gas nag light has come on at 406 miles. stupid city driving :P.. I still think if it was pure highway miles I might have netted the 420-miles that would have been right at 30mpg.

so
406 / 14====29-mpg
406 / 14.25==28.5 mpg
406 / 14.5===28-mpg

looks like with mixed coastal road driving with hills passing lanes and 3 days of city driving I netted 28-ish mpg. not shabby, and REALLY unexpected.

 

also the manual shifting is getting softer... ish .. it is still very firm from 1>2 and from 2>3 .. will wait one more weak then have the pressure adjusted down by 20% .. I think ..

 

A couple a moons later.. here is the longer term update:

shifting into 3rd after warm is acceptable now very firm.. ish.. but when cold it is like getting hit from behind. I think I will leave it as is, I only select-shift it when I am screwing around anyways.

gas mileage has gone up more. just did 258-miles on 8 gallons of 92 octane.. pretty damn surprised by that.