41 replies to this topic

[ErikS]

Compared to what?

Compared to a 97 Volvo, which was the whole point to the thread.

[TM850R]

Sorry man, all that work and I was hanging with a 350Z on the highway the other night from 80-135. I have a tune and heavy ass rims. No rods, no exhaust (yet) and no big injectors. It also depends on what year and spec 350Z you went up against. They vary greatly in output.

I know you said 08 350Z so its 306 hp to the crank with minimal loss to the rear wheels via the CF drive shaft. Older Z's were 287 hp...not a huge difference but noticeable (20hp).

[JoshV70]

Never post this, but I have in the past put lengths on multiple (2) 350Z's when I had my S70 T5M with only a 14psi ST chip.

[laird]

I guess this is where I should lie like the rest of you and say I was in the S70.

[S60R1]

Compared to what?

In this case, compared to Laird's Volvo in stock form. Since he's not stock, keeping up with the Z was a good improvement IMO

Pretty much any family-sedan with an optional V6 will give a car like a 350Z a run for its money. Camry, Accord, CTS, C-Class...name it. Everything has ~270+ HP nowadays. Are those fast cars? Not by any stretch of the imagination.

Then you don't have much of an imagination. Sure, we all have our standards of what "fast" is. For me, it starts around 300HP. A car that strong gives me enough pull to consider it fast. Note that "fast" to me isn't the fastest, it's just "fast". Yes, family sedans in recent years have earned powerful V6s and yes, they are begginning to be "fast" as well. Maybe not in the twisties since they still have family sedan style handling, but in the straightways, they can satisfy that family man that misses his sport coupe before the kids ever came along and they can keep up with that sports car that you can't buy anymore thanks to Joe Jr. The auto makers know this. They know that these days most people can't afford the family sedan and the roadster, so why not combine the two? The result is cars like the Nissan Maxima, Volvo S60R, Audi S4/RS4, Acura TL-S, Cadillac CTS-V, Saab Turbo-X, etc. All of them perform quite well along side sport compacts and coupes in acceleration, speed, and although they don't have the handling of a sport compact/coupe like a 350Z or S2000, they are close enough to satisfy that family guy, or the guy who just needs a more practical car than a 2 door sports car. So much so that they are in their own group, sport sedans. They still handle better than a normal family sedan whose only treat is a peppy V6. But these family sedans can still pull hard, like the new Honda Accord, Cadillac CTS, Volvo T5, Saab 93 Aero, and so on. Sure, the progress of technology also plays a part in giving us more powerful engines while improving fuel economy all with smaller displacements than before, but you forget that there are still plenty of "regular" family sedans out there, among other types of cars and vehicles that don't pull hard at all, with 4 cylinder and low power V6 engines. For you to dismiss all these and instead focus on the strongest of the family sedan group is quite ignorant in your part. And while that peppy family sedan may keep up with a 350Z and blow away the S2000 in a straightaway, both the Z and the S2000 will laugh at it in the twisties and on a track. Speed alone isn't the definition of a sports car. Handling, braking, cornering G-force, gearing, road feedback, exterior lines are all part of it. It's a complete package and just a different driving experience than any other type of car. But this doesn't mean that other types of cars can't be made just as fast or even faster. And this doesn't mean that people like us can't grab that 6.9sec Volvo and modd it to keep up and even pass that 5.2sec sport compact coupe. And it most certainly does not make that sport compact coupe "slow". Don't be so ignorant. At the end of the day, we all drive 4 door volvos, hardly the benchmark for performance

Unfortunately, people's standards of what "fast" is have not changed since the era when a "sports-car" trapped 100 MPH, while your standard run-of-the-mill cars are getting more and more efficient. Get with it.

I guess in a couple years, everything is going to "fast."

My standards of what "fast" is have changed over the years, but apparently you are way ahead of me. I don't care much about trap speed or what a car can do in a 1/4 mile. I care more about what a car can do overall for many miles, both around corners and straightaways, balanced between both.

[Wagon Mafia]

Ferraris and Lambos are fast.

I win.

[S60R1]

I guess this is where I should lie like the rest of you and say I was in the S70.

Laird, is your tune tweaked for the ported manifold, exhaust ports and injectors? If not, that might explain why others report faster times than you with similar mods.

[laird]

I'm no engineer but I gave George all of the data about my car when I ordered the ECU. I am aware that I need to dyno and remap and perhaps that will yield some improvements. The only thing I feel is out of whack is the timing and I confess, I don't get how the car manages much advance with a fixed rotor. If I can get the timing looked at during a dyno run I will. Cobb is probably the closest/best dyno around so I will try them. Obviously, I can't continue to shame myself and VS with this POSS that I am driving.

[TorqueSteer]

You have a good foundation, but before you retune, ditch the turbo for something with a larger exhaust side.

[Account_Deleted_T5M]

it doesnt take a built engine to trap 104...

I trap 107mph with the stock 16t i do run high boost but sometimes its worth it to spank on 350z riice

I remember a race i had when i 1st got my car. Cruising around one night i come upon this asian kid with a gray 350z and rims, i had just put the blowoff valve on (came with car not installed) and didn't have a boost gauge, unbeknownst to me the BOV was a leaker and held only 8psi from the stock 12psi, and from a 30 roll i hung even with him up to 100 or so.

My friend drove my car one night and we raced a g35 from a 50 roll, my buddy proceeded to put about 10 cars on him up to 135

I'm no engineer but I gave George all of the data about my car when I ordered the ECU. I am aware that I need to dyno and remap and perhaps that will yield some improvements. The only thing I feel is out of whack is the timing and I confess, I don't get how the car manages much advance with a fixed rotor. If I can get the timing looked at during a dyno run I will. Cobb is probably the closest/best dyno around so I will try them. Obviously, I can't continue to shame myself and VS with this POSS that I am driving.

Viva's tunes aren't really aggressive enough for me. They tend to be more on the safe side like IPD's, with Oliver i told him to go balls to the wall with this tune

[TorqueSteer]

I trap 107mph with the stock 16t

Oh id love to see the slips for this.

Wait I read the rest of the post, dont even bother.

[laird]

You have a good foundation, but before you retune, ditch the turbo for something with a larger exhaust side.

When I started on this site. the 19T was the "Holy Grail". In the interest of a simple install, that is what I used. The rods were a no brainer as I had bent a stocker on the 15G and they are cheaper than OEM.
The reality is that the car is an awesome daily driver and fabulous touring car with loads of "grunt" down low where it spends 95% of its time.
I will get what I can out of it for now, as I expect to move up 7 or 8 model years fairly soon.

[ToxicLemonade]

Never post this, but I have in the past put lengths on multiple (2) 350Z's when I had my S70 T5M with only a 14psi ST chip.

same here. I walked away from a 350z in my automatic R w/ ST chip and turbo back exhaust?

[EricF]

When I started on this site. the 19T was the "Holy Grail". In the interest of a simple install, that is what I used. The rods were a no brainer as I had bent a stocker on the 15G and they are cheaper than OEM.
The reality is that the car is an awesome daily driver and fabulous touring car with loads of "grunt" down low where it spends 95% of its time.
I will get what I can out of it for now, as I expect to move up 7 or 8 model years fairly soon.

If you run more boost, you will find some happiness I think. A 19T will give its best numbers around 21-23 psi, and you should be holding that boost level to redline. Maybe you have too much wastegate preload? What actuator are you using? Your numbers make sense, as I was trapping 103-104 with 16 psi on a 19T. But at 22 psi I was trapping over 107.

[JHEIII874T5M]

Sounds like a very, very healthy setup. But also seems like it's time to inspect the wastegate and possibly remap that tune.

[laird]

The wastegate was new with the Turbo last year. The tune I am sure needs help. I know lots of folks say they pull XXpsi to redline but I get 15 max at redline even with an MBC. I have replaced everything but the intercooler as far as plumbing goes so I'm confident I have no boost leaks. If I stay just out of WOT, it will hold 19-20 psi to redline but crack it all the way and boost drop. I will try to get on the Dyno this week.

[S60R1]

The wastegate was new with the Turbo last year. The tune I am sure needs help. I know lots of folks say they pull XXpsi to redline but I get 15 max at redline even with an MBC. I have replaced everything but the intercooler as far as plumbing goes so I'm confident I have no boost leaks. If I stay just out of WOT, it will hold 19-20 psi to redline but crack it all the way and boost drop. I will try to get on the Dyno this week.

Try a new TCV?

[Fudge_Brownie]

Try a new TCV?

Nice try! But he said even with an MBC he's getting that problem.

[S60R1]

Nice try! But he said even with an MBC he's getting that problem.

Sorry, don't know what an MBC is.

Maybe an issue with the injectors at WOT...can the stock fuel pump keep up with these at WOT? Could be the tune too. An FMIC will help, but doesn't sound like it's the problem.

Laird, when you dyno, be sure to get a A/F measurement. May help to see what's going on. I assume your air filter/intake, plugs, MAF (sensor), throttle position sensor (if you have one), O2 sensors are good...?

[Fudge_Brownie]

Sorry, don't know what an MBC is.

Maybe an issue with the injectors at WOT...can the stock fuel pump keep up with these at WOT? Could be the tune too. An FMIC will help, but doesn't sound like it's the problem.

Laird, when you dyno, be sure to get a A/F measurement. May help to see what's going on. I assume your air filter/intake, plugs, MAF (sensor), throttle position sensor (if you have one), O2 sensors are good...?

Ah, that explains it. Time to learn. MBC = Manual Boost Controller. If you aren't familiar with them, its a manual device, usually a ball-and-spring design to control the boost by screwing them tighter or looser to adjust the tension on the spring. It eliminates the ECU's control on boost, however can be used in tandem with a TCS to cap spikes.
http://www.scionlife.com/tech/images/zpi_turbo_tc/mbc.gif
If you're still unclear, you know where google is