# Wuttup. Im new and i need help...



## Blacknight1229 (Feb 6, 2005)

Wuttup fellow nissan fans out there. Name's Brian Duncan and i jus signed up for this site today cus i figured if i want to know more about my car i might as well come to a place that deals solely with Nissans. Anyways, Ive got a 93 Nissan Sentra XE with a tuned GA16de engine, aftermarket exhaust, and low profile BF Goodrich tires. Ive been into cars for a long time but this car is my first. (Im a virgin to car tuning, haha!  ) Ive gotta find out what my car can do now b4 i can go on and do anything now, so im starting off by not touching the engine... The first mod im looking into are brakes and suspension upgrades. Ur free to post ur opinions (hell i need em) on the following parts cus im gonna need alotta help so that i could max out the potential of my car.

-Se-R Brakes w/ EBC Green Stuff Brakes
-Eibach shocks
-H&R or Bilstein struts
-Suspension Techniques sway bars
-stainless steel brake lines
-**********SE-R instrument cluster************(my car doesnt have a tach)

if i got anything wrong or if u have an idea of what would do a better job or parts that would do the same job but are more affordable please, please post


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

Blacknight1229 said:


> Wuttup fellow nissan fans out there. Name's Brian Duncan and i jus signed up for this site today cus i figured if i want to know more about my car i might as well come to a place that deals solely with Nissans. Anyways, Ive got a 93 Nissan Sentra XE with a tuned GA16de engine, aftermarket exhaust, and low profile BF Goodrich tires. Ive been into cars for a long time but this car is my first. (Im a virgin to car tuning, haha!  ) Ive gotta find out what my car can do now b4 i can go on and do anything now, so im starting off by not touching the engine... The first mod im looking into are brakes and suspension upgrades. Ur free to post ur opinions (hell i need em) on the following parts cus im gonna need alotta help so that i could max out the potential of my car.
> 
> -Se-R Brakes w/ EBC Green Stuff Brakes
> -Eibach shocks
> ...


Welcome to the forums, Brian.

The first thing I noticed in the list you have up there is the EBC Green Stuff brake pads. Some people seem to have very few problems using these pads for daily driving, but many of us here are not fans of them. I have had several sets of Green Stuff and Red Stuff pads crack, crumble, and crap out on me during hard driving on several different small cars. Although I have not installed any EBC pads on my B14, I would be very hard pressed to do so.

I personally like Hawk HPS's for street use, but because of their rather unique pedal feel (they require more pedal pressure than other pads) you might not want to go that route. The current trend on this forum seems to be to go with the ceramic-laced Carbotech Bobcats. I have never driven on these pads, but they seem to be getting quite a few good reviews. My other favorite street pad was the Axxis Metal Matrix (now out of production). I believe Stillen has a pad of the same name, but I'm not sure if the compound is the same. You're going to have to search around for that one.

Good luck!


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## AEM Spec V (Feb 8, 2005)

I am currently running Axxis/PBR Ultimates front and Axxis/PBR Metal Masters rear (they unfortunately don't make a rear application for the B15 yet). They are the BEST pads I have ever had (especially on the track), absolutly NO fading whatsoever. The compromise on the Ultimates is that they ARE ceramic based and will dust significantly MORE than most semi-metalic pads (like Metal Masters). For daily street use and occasional track/autocross use, the Metal Masters get my vote, but if you want to go more aggressive, then the Ultimates are a fantastic pad.

Also, you may want to upgrade your brake fluid to a Dot 3/4, if you haven't allready, you will get better pedal feel as well as less fade. I would recommend Motul or ATE Blue.

Your suspension appears to be a decent setup so far, but you'll learn as you do more driving. Do you notice any driving characteristics of the car that you'd like to correct (understeer/oversteer/etc)?


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## Blacknight1229 (Feb 6, 2005)

whoops sorry if i wasnt specific, but im looking into getting those parts... i dont have them yet. i wanted to kno if they were a good buy or not. so im really sorry if u were mislead by the post and thought i already had those equipped. Those are a few things a friend recommended i pick up for my car.

...im such a :dumbass: 

The current setup is everything is stock except:

-ECCS intake manifold
-2 1/2" aftermarket exhaust 
-R.O.H. wheels (16")
-BF Goodrich Low Profile tires

...I know basically next to nothing about this car because this is how i bought it... (and if anyone knows this setup and can give me a horsepower estimate it would be greatly appreciated)

again sorry for the mixup!


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## AEM Spec V (Feb 8, 2005)

Well, depending on what kind of drop you are looking for, and how serious what to get, you can either go with springs or coil-overs. You WILL have to replace the factory struts when you drop because they won't last long. I am a Koni guy, so Koni Adjustables are the shiznizzle, but KYB AGX or Tokico Illuminas are also good.

Springs are nice because they are simple to install and will improve handling. Coil-overs are nice because you can control your drop (raise and lower your car whenever you want to whatever you want), but the headache there is you will need to get an alignment everytime you make an adjustment.

Sway bars, they are all pretty much the same, the larger they are the more stiff they are. Look for a rear adjustable if at all possible, I know Suspesion Techniques makes a kit, as well as Eibach, Nismo, etc

TIRES are a biggie. You'll want to switch to something high performance (Kumho MX, Yokohama AVS ES100, Falken Azenis, etc) if you are going to the track or autocross with them. Downside to a stickier tire is they are a softer compound and will wear faster, meaning you will have to replace them sooner. Tires will make the largest difference over suspension modifications. I am running the new Fuzion tire right now and it is a great compromise tire. Works well on the track/autocross and has a 320 tread rating so it will last a couple seasons.


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## Blacknight1229 (Feb 6, 2005)

im not really trying to drop it, im more looking for the suspension that will allow my car to handle better and also give it quicker response in the corners.
im not concerned with things such as slamming my car or nothing so post back if u have any ideas


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## AEM Spec V (Feb 8, 2005)

By drop I am refering to lowering your car (within reason) for a lower center of gravity which will significantly increase your handling. I knew what you meant.


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## Blacknight1229 (Feb 6, 2005)

ok i understand thx again for the post


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

EBC is not a good name to go in brakes, especially the Green Stuff. They are an organic compound and that is a nono in brakes. They make be cheap, but from my experiences, they fade quick, wear fast and leave the rotor in need of replacement. My favorite street pad is the Carbotech Bobcat 1521. My philosophy is if you want to do track racing, have a track pad. Generally, a street pad is unfit for track, and a track pad unfit for street.

Some people have the Axxis. I would not get the Metal Masters as I have heard they are exceptionally hard on rotors and not that great of a pad overall. I would get a ceramic based pad as they generally dust more but their dust is lighter colored. In the case of the Ultimates, they seem to work very well, make some noise, dust black and wear quickly but do not chew the rotors for track usage. So it depends on preference for what you want as a street pad.

As mentioned, going Motul brake fluid is the way to go. If your car doesnt have ABS, get stainless steel lines. While they dont really directly decrease stopping distance, if you threshold brake you will get better feedback hence you will stop quicker. Also, SS lines are stronger than the OE rubber ones.


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## ReVerm (Jan 13, 2003)

NickZac said:


> If your car doesnt have ABS, get stainless steel lines. While they dont really directly decrease stopping distance, if you threshold brake you will get better feedback hence you will stop quicker. Also, SS lines are stronger than the OE rubber ones.


Even if you have ABS you still need to be able to accurately modulate the brake pedal and provide consistantly high fluid pressure to the brake calipers under hard braking. I don't think having/not having ABS makes any difference here.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

ReVerm said:


> Even if you have ABS you still need to be able to accurately modulate the brake pedal and provide consistantly high fluid pressure to the brake calipers under hard braking. I don't think having/not having ABS makes any difference here.


Not having ABS and having limited interaction with it, I guess I'm not much an of an ABS expert.


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## AEM Spec V (Feb 8, 2005)

You guys are both over thinking it. Stainless lines will help with either application under extreme driving conditions.


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