# My first Sentra, need help



## Pelko (Apr 26, 2006)

This is my recent car...a 3000GT:









But the gas mileage is very poor, even with the manual tranny (16mpg), so I'm getting a secondary car, which is most probably gonna be my step-dad's car, he will be getting another car. It has an auto transmission, 1.8 engine, it's a 2002, which I will only use to go to school, I go to the beach a lot, so I like driving my car in the sand, I'm afraid the nissan will get stuck, so that's another reason for me to keep the 3000gt, I want to know what are some cheap modifications to raise the horsepower from 123hp to about 200hp. This is gonna be it:


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## DylanDET1 (Apr 28, 2006)

i wanna make my 4hp snowblower 20hp, cheap...... shoulda bought a diff one then.... my 200 came with 140 stock.... it cost me 13,000 so far to get 325hp, get a turbo kit or swap ur engine, ur lookin at 3 grand providing u do the work urself, which sounds highly doubtful... do u have any specific and real world ques.


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## Pelko (Apr 26, 2006)

So that means there is no cheap mods how much more HP can I get from a chip? maybe I should just spend money on the 3000gt and beat the [email protected] out of the Sentra ?


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## DylanDET1 (Apr 28, 2006)

the type of hp gain u want from ur qg engine is not imposible by anymeans but its a project... nothing regardless of what products claim and ppl say is gona give u that much of a step up for cheap, whats ur price range... are u willing to put out 200 bucks for a exhaust that will at least give u a lil sound and step u up maybe 7hp.... another 200 for a intake for maybe another 8 or 9 hp, and thats libral. 70hp is a big diffrence and it dosent sound like this is a car YOU wanna be involved in, if its a comuter, leave it, if u wanna get involved in it expect to shell out alota cash and time to upgrade it... probably not the best base car for moding, a/t, qg, all and all id save ur money


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## dmroberson (Jun 24, 2004)

DylanDET1 said:


> the type of hp gain u want from ur qg engine is not imposible by anymeans but its a project... nothing regardless of what products claim and ppl say is gona give u that much of a step up for cheap, whats ur price range... are u willing to put out 200 bucks for a exhaust that will at least give u a lil sound and step u up maybe 7hp.... another 200 for a intake for maybe another 8 or 9 hp, and thats libral. 70hp is a big diffrence and it dosent sound like this is a car YOU wanna be involved in, if its a comuter, leave it, if u wanna get involved in it expect to shell out alota cash and time to upgrade it... probably not the best base car for moding, a/t, qg, all and all id save ur money


Dylan is right. I've got an 04 with the qg in it, in my opinion, it is definitely NOT worth the trouble of upgrading. This motor is designed for gas mileage, not power. Keep it for the gas mileage, you'll be thankful you did. Any significant upgrades would murder your gas mileage, anyway. Sorry to rain on your parade.


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## Bradford (May 4, 2006)

*Sentra spec V spring CHANGE*

This is the first time to have a Sentra. I opted for the spec V with Brembo package. Anyway, I recently bought Tein S spec springs ($150) for my car and had them installed ($300). I now have less handling than before. Can I get handling back( i.e. bigger anti-sway bars, etc.) without re-installing the spec V springs?


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## waznme (May 16, 2005)

Bradford said:


> This is the first time to have a Sentra. I opted for the spec V with Brembo package. Anyway, I recently bought Tein S spec springs ($150) for my car and had them installed ($300). I now have less handling than before. Can I get handling back( i.e. bigger anti-sway bars, etc.) without re-installing the spec V springs?


To get proper handling from springs, you should purchase the springs and shocks as a package. I know this is more money, but by changing just the springs on the vehicle you have changed the pre-load on the stock shocks. Those shocks were 'tuned' for the factory springs. It would be the same if you put a Tein spring and shock package on your car, and then changed back to just the stock springs. You have again changed the factory set pre-load.

What handling characteristics have you lost? No offense, but your car is an '06, you haven't had your car very long and probably never taken it to an autocross event (which is where this car really shines), so when you say you lost some handling did you really know the peak handling of your before the springs were installed?


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## oliverr87 (Sep 23, 2005)

dmroberson said:


> Dylan is right. I've got an 04 with the qg in it, in my opinion, it is definitely NOT worth the trouble of upgrading. This motor is designed for gas mileage, not power. Keep it for the gas mileage, you'll be thankful you did. Any significant upgrades would murder your gas mileage, anyway. Sorry to rain on your parade.



You are wrong. Mods such as intake/header/exhaust would INCREASE gas mileage. It's the way you drive it after with the mods that DECREASES gas mileage. Knowing the fact that you want to stomp on it because you have mods decreases gas mileage. If you had mods and drove the same way you did before you had mods, you would have an increase in gas mileage.


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## dmroberson (Jun 24, 2004)

oliverr87 said:


> You are wrong. Mods such as intake/header/exhaust would INCREASE gas mileage. It's the way you drive it after with the mods that DECREASES gas mileage. Knowing the fact that you want to stomp on it because you have mods decreases gas mileage. If you had mods and drove the same way you did before you had mods, you would have an increase in gas mileage.


Yeah, now that I think about it, I have seen my mileage go up, when I'm not in a rush to get anywhere. Only thought about how much it hurt having to put gas back in the car, when I'm rushing to get somewhere. My bad. Thanks for setting me straight.


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## Bradford (May 4, 2006)

waznme said:


> To get proper handling from springs, you should purchase the springs and shocks as a package. I know this is more money, but by changing just the springs on the vehicle you have changed the pre-load on the stock shocks. Those shocks were 'tuned' for the factory springs. It would be the same if you put a Tein spring and shock package on your car, and then changed back to just the stock springs. You have again changed the factory set pre-load.
> 
> What handling characteristics have you lost? No offense, but your car is an '06, you haven't had your car very long and probably never taken it to an autocross event (which is where this car really shines), so when you say you lost some handling did you really know the peak handling of your before the springs were installed?


I have some twisty roads with hills near my house and my body roll is now slightly more pronounced. Don't get me wrong, the small drop looks good and there is less "chop" due to the rates but I got spoiled from the original handling. So, that all said, are there any adjustable struts for my car?


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## Pelko (Apr 26, 2006)

oh well...now I'm thinking of buying the new Volkswagen Rabbit, I'm impressed by the price....$15,000.... and you get a 2.5 engine, a lot of safety features, a great warranty, and of course....a brand new car.


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## xbrandonx (Mar 27, 2004)

200whp out of that 1.8 will take turbo, after the kit, install and tune you'll be at or over 3500 easiliy.


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## waznme (May 16, 2005)

Bradford said:


> I have some twisty roads with hills near my house and my body roll is now slightly more pronounced. Don't get me wrong, the small drop looks good and there is less "chop" due to the rates but I got spoiled from the original handling. So, that all said, are there any adjustable struts for my car?



If you are having body roll issues, the cheapest way to correct that is to get either a lower tie bar, or a new (thicker) front sway bar, or a rear sway bar. This will be my second season autocrossing my car, and I have a lower tie bar on it's way right now. I have a little bit of body roll now, but can still keep my car on 3 wheels thru a constant radius turn. My next investment is a rear sway bar which is the way I think you should go.


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## oliverr87 (Sep 23, 2005)

dmroberson said:


> Yeah, now that I think about it, I have seen my mileage go up, when I'm not in a rush to get anywhere. Only thought about how much it hurt having to put gas back in the car, when I'm rushing to get somewhere. My bad. Thanks for setting me straight.



haha yea. mods increase the efficiency of the engine. i drive the same way and i get better gas mileage. floor though, and i get better response than before =P :fluffy:


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## Bradford (May 4, 2006)

Haven't autocrossed because it's a new car but have felt the outside front wheel pull up a little haulin' ass up hill on a twisty after I put the tein's on. Oh well maybe new front struts!?!?? Thanx for your input, Bro.


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## DylanDET1 (Apr 28, 2006)

mods increase effeciency yes... but what are "mods" ... intake, exhaust can increase gas milage.... turbo's, fuel injectors and true horsepower makers will decrease gas milage and cost more to run.... "mods"???? haha, i have foglights and i get the same gasmilage, truth is if u wanna make serius power ur gona lose gas milage, high end, low end, stompin it or babyin it


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