M35 Perf Parts From V35/36 Z33/34

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

I am in Okinawa, Japan and have an M35 Stagea 300RX RWD with VQ30DD. I have done a few mods to it and was very interested in what types of after-market parts will work (cross reference) from the Skyline VQ series, G35/37, and VQ series Z cars. So far, I have added a JP Simple Style front lip, Infiniti G37S Akebono front brake kit, R35 GTR early model 20-inch rims, Tein suspension.

Right now I am interested in intakes, plenums & engine/harness covers, and exhaust systems. I believe that most if not all of the plenum (spacers) and intake mods (Z-tube, Stillen, JWT Pop-charger) should bolt right up. I was debating on whether to go with the Kinetix V+ plastic plenum or to go with the MD 5/16" spacer with ISO thermal kit. And as far as intakes, the Stillen w/ Z-tube looks best considering the cold air box and how hot it is here most of the year.

Do all of the front strut bars from the Skylines and Z's bolt up with no issues?

I realize that there is somewhat of a selection of exhaust systems for the Stagea, but would the G35 sedan exhaust systems match up? If not, what is different? I just ordered a stock G35 coupe mid-pipe so I'm hoping that it bolts right up without an issue. I heard that all of the mid-pipes measure the same length except the Z cars which are shorter. Is there any more info that people can share? Are the headers, cat pipes, y-pipe (or xyz? pipe), and axle back mufflers all basically the same from one car to the next? I was considering getting an axle back muffler like HKS or Fujitsubo offers for the Skyline 350GT sedan but not sure if it will fit.

Edited October 15, 2014 by rickskylinebnr32gtrjp

[scotty nm35]

Look for a set of headers off a 3.7L, they are much better than the 3.5 headers.

The V will have a shorter exhaust than the Stagea. G models are shorter again.

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

Well, I tried to swap my Stagea huge brick mid-pipe for the coupe one (made in China copy it appears...from eBay so no surprise really). I had problems removing 2 of my 4 exhaust bolts. The nut stripped on one and the other one stud snapped off with the head still pressed into the flange. UGH!! I guess that's what I get for trying to work on a 12 year old rusty exhaust. Going to try again on Saturday morning to cut through the stripped nut and drill through the remaining part of the pressed in stud. If these had been standard bolts instead of pressed in studs, I would have been able to overcome with the limited time I had to work on the exhaust yesterday. I miss the old way Nissan used real bolts...(R30, R32, etc.) Now I'm running around with a rattling exhaust due to one of the flanges only having one bolt holding it in place...

Look for a set of headers off a 3.7L, they are much better than the 3.5 headers.

The V will have a shorter exhaust than the Stagea. G models are shorter again.

Thanks for the advice on the headers. Assume you are talking about stock parts, correct? And I would imagine that the 3.5 headers are the same as the 3.0. I think I heard something about aftermarket headers not always clearing because of the steering rack rod being on the other side of the car than the US Spec G models.

When you refer to V, do you mean V35/36? And G refers to G35/37? G models are shorter than V models meaning the US Spec are shorter than JDM spec? Not sure if I'm following the logic.

Edited October 15, 2014 by rickskylinebnr32gtrjp

[scotty nm35]

The studs are there so if the nuts come loose the exhaust can't fall off. You can simply drill them out and put bolts in their place.

The VQ flanges are all the same, sometimes the studs are just in the wrong place, but the ports all have 4 threads around them.

As for exhausts, nothing will fit the Stagea other than a Stagea exhaust. You are better off getting a custom stainless system made for it, with twin mufflers at the back if you like.

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

The studs are there so if the nuts come loose the exhaust can't fall off. You can simply drill them out and put bolts in their place.

The VQ flanges are all the same, sometimes the studs are just in the wrong place, but the ports all have 4 threads around them.

As for exhausts, nothing will fit the Stagea other than a Stagea exhaust. You are better off getting a custom stainless system made for it, with twin mufflers at the back if you like.

When you say that only the Stagea exhaust will fit the Stagea, are you referring to the muffler (axle back section) only? Because I just eyeballed the the coupe mid-pipe I have and it is the same length and shape (piping -- not resonator which is the point of switching it) as my stock Stagea. Also, what about the headers? The cat pipes and y-pipe look the same as Skylines as well. Am I missing something? Keep in mind that my Stagea is RWD.

[scotty nm35]

The coupe midpipe isn't worth fitting, it hits the swaybar and offers no gain in flow at all.

The headers are the same as the 3.5 I think, although I haven't had a good look at the 3Ldd.

I would be cleaning the plenum as a priority, you will get more gains by that than playing with the exhaust. High flow cats would be the best gains, but it's not like the exhaust will be a restriction at 100kw.

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

The coupe midpipe isn't worth fitting, it hits the swaybar and offers no gain in flow at all.

The headers are the same as the 3.5 I think, although I haven't had a good look at the 3Ldd.

I would be cleaning the plenum as a priority, you will get more gains by that than playing with the exhaust. High flow cats would be the best gains, but it's not like the exhaust will be a restriction at 100kw.

Everything I've read on the stateside forums say that the coupe mid-pipe is a good, easy, and cheap upgrade in both flow and sound for the sedan. But I haven't heard about any fitment issues so I wonder if the sedan sway bar will fit in the wagon? I can get a stock rear sedan sway bar from the junkyard for cheap so I may give this a try. As another alternative, I may order an aftermarket sway bar set, but will the sedan ones fit? See this is why I created this thread. Stagea parts are very hit and miss compared to the parts available for the V series Skylines.

Yes, I planned on cleaning up the plenum once I order and receive either the Kinetix V+ plastic plenum or MD 5/16th spacer. I haven't decided which one yet. I am also going to block off or make the EGR hole smaller and add an oil catch tank to cut down on the crap entering the plenum.

And I'll order the Stillen cold air box intake with Z-tube at the same time.

[Brick]

the standard rear sway bars are useless. Why does your car not have one? is it a rear wheel drive thing?

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

the standard rear sway bars are useless. Why does your car not have one? is it a rear wheel drive thing?

My car does have a rear sway bar. The point I was making was that if the sway bar is different from the Skyline sedan and it fits, I could swap it so the coupe mid-pipe won't hit it.

[PN-Mad]

Coupe mid pipe is a ok upgrade. It does flow more, and the pipe diameter is actually larger, but it's not anything on a properly made cat back.

However it knocks not he driveshaft hoop, not the sway bar, at least the one I had on it did....

[nickcorr]

Coupe mid pipe is a ok upgrade. It does flow more, and the pipe diameter is actually larger, but it's not anything on a properly made cat back.

However it knocks not he driveshaft hoop, not the sway bar, at least the one I had on it did....

What he said....

[scotty nm35]

Sorry, these guys are correct, it was the driveshaft hoop it hits on.

And I'll order the Stillen cold air box intake with Z-tube at the same time.

Save your money, the stock airbox is fine.

[iamhe77]

Well, I tried to swap my Stagea huge brick mid-pipe for the coupe one (made in China copy it appears...from eBay so no surprise really). I had problems removing 2 of my 4 exhaust bolts. The nut stripped on one and the other one stud snapped off with the head still pressed into the flange. UGH!! I guess that's what I get for trying to work on a 12 year old rusty exhaust. Going to try again on Saturday morning to cut through the stripped nut and drill through the remaining part of the pressed in stud. If these had been standard bolts instead of pressed in studs, I would have been able to overcome with the limited time I had to work on the exhaust yesterday. I miss the old way Nissan used real bolts...(R30, R32, etc.) Now I'm running around with a rattling exhaust due to one of the flanges only having one bolt holding it in place...

Thanks for the advice on the headers. Assume you are talking about stock parts, correct? And I would imagine that the 3.5 headers are the same as the 3.0. I think I heard something about aftermarket headers not always clearing because of the steering rack rod being on the other side of the car than the US Spec G models.

When you refer to V, do you mean V35/36? And G refers to G35/37? G models are shorter than V models meaning the US Spec are shorter than JDM spec? Not sure if I'm following the logic.

Factory spec exhaust on G35/37 is the same as V35/37. Same cars. Coupe is shorter than sedan though.

US headers, you are correct in that they can foul on our steering column although this could also vary by design.

Z34/V36 headers will fit (I have a set here waiting to go on and have compared the dimensions with the OEM V35 headers and aftermarket V35 headers) although they have a different stud pattern and you will need to also grab a pair of Z34/V36 catalytic converters as the flanges that attach the cats with the headers are very different on the Z34/V36.

Edited October 16, 2014 by iamhe77

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

Coupe mid pipe is a ok upgrade. It does flow more, and the pipe diameter is actually larger, but it's not anything on a properly made cat back.

However it knocks not he driveshaft hoop, not the sway bar, at least the one I had on it did....

As far as the exhaust, I don't want to do too much with it because I don't want it excessively loud. So I think the coupe mid-pipe fits perfectly for what I want out of the exhaust for now. If there are other exhaust upgrades that will increase flow without increasing the sound to a ridiculous level, I'm all ears. I'm thinking headers and maybe HFC (high flow cats) but not sure. Does anyone know if the Fujitsubo is the quietest cat back exhaust available?

Does the resonator canister (not the piping) hit the driveshaft hoop? If so, a hammer might help that problem. Since I got the pipe cheap, I don't mind roughing it up a bit to fit.

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

Sorry, these guys are correct, it was the driveshaft hoop it hits on.

Save your money, the stock airbox is fine.

I already have a Blitz drop in filter and opened the front of the stock air box. But I want something with a venturi and a Z-tube at a minimum. Not really sure whether that's going to be a stock V36/Z34 air box or a JWT pop-charger or a Stillen.

[iamhe77]

Nismo R-tune (from the US) with an R2C filter attached

[Brick]

As far as the exhaust, I don't want to do too much with it because I don't want it excessively loud. So I think the coupe mid-pipe fits perfectly for what I want out of the exhaust for now. If there are other exhaust upgrades that will increase flow without increasing the sound to a ridiculous level, I'm all ears. I'm thinking headers and maybe HFC (high flow cats) but not sure. Does anyone know if the Fujitsubo is the quietest cat back exhaust available?

Does the resonator canister (not the piping) hit the driveshaft hoop? If so, a hammer might help that problem. Since I got the pipe cheap, I don't mind roughing it up a bit to fit.

If you can get a hold of a stagea single tip nismo system, they flow better then stock and are only slightly louder then stock. Plus full stainless

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

Nismo R-tune (from the US) with an R2C filter attached

As much as I would like to do a CAI, it just rains too much here in Okinawa. It's very tropical and we have typhoons that dump a couple feet of water on us in one day at times. I don't need the filter getting wet and hydrolocking the engine.

What's the deal with the R2C filter? I know it's not oiled. Does it perform that much better than the oiled ones (K&N, JWT, etc.)? Will an R2C filter fit inside a Stillen box?

[rickskylinebnr32gtrjp]

If you can get a hold of a stagea single tip nismo system, they flow better then stock and are only slightly louder then stock. Plus full stainless

Okay, good to know. If I find one used I would be interested because a Nismo full exhaust probably runs $1500-2000 and I'm not putting that much money into my Stagea exhaust system while I have a drag R32 GTR that demands most of my resources.

[Brick]

Okay, good to know. If I find one used I would be interested because a Nismo full exhaust probably runs $1500-2000 and I'm not putting that much money into my Stagea exhaust system while I have a drag R32 GTR that demands most of my resources.

$1500-$2000?? we pay less then that landed in australia buying out of japan brand new. I am sure if you look around you will be find a second hand one.