# Can PathFinder Manifold be Used in a Maxima?



## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

Hi Gents,

I'm exploring ways of making more power in my VG30E motor, and I don't want to use a turbo, because a)I"m a budget and b)don't have the fabrication skills and 
c) I don't want to blow the headgaskets on an old engine.

I have read the 300ZX site, and I saw such a manifold swap being done:

http://z31.com/pathy.shtml

Has anybody done this on a 3rd Gen Maxima instead of a Z car? (I figure the VG series engine is basically the same in both cars, except for FWD vs RWD layout. If anybody can point me in the right direction, this would be greatly appreciated.


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## MyGreenMax94 (Dec 17, 2005)

alexnds said:


> Hi Gents,
> 
> I'm exploring ways of making more power in my VG30E motor, and I don't want to use a turbo, because a)I"m a budget and b)don't have the fabrication skills and
> c) I don't want to blow the headgaskets on an old engine.
> ...



This mod seems like a whole lot of trouble to go through for 5-7 more ponies...if that...

What current mods have you done to your car????


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## internetautomart (Mar 8, 2004)

you could if you want to leave the hood off and fabricate your own air intake system.


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## nismosleeper (Jan 16, 2005)

internetautomart said:


> you could if you want to leave the hood off and fabricate your own air intake system.


Cut a hole in the hood and get a scoop. Air intake system is EASY to fab.


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## alexnds (Oct 1, 2005)

*Current Mods+intake manifold*



nismosleeper said:


> Cut a hole in the hood and get a scoop. Air intake system is EASY to fab.


The current mods I have are a Y-Pipe from Warspeed performance and a cold air intake. I believe, that the combination of both items results in a +18 HP gain, so my SOHC motor is putting out 160HP+18HP=178hp at the crank. I don't have dyno results to prove it, but this would be a logical assumption. I figure, as an estimate, that I have between 120-130 HP at the wheels.

The results of adding a Y pipe alone, and an Cold air intake alone ,and the combination of the two combined has been tested by a Canadian 3rd Gen owner, and his results were how I get my +18HP COMBINED asssumption. Here's the link to the dyno results he did:

Why does adding a Y-pipe add so much power?
http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/519

In his case, his motor was the DOHC motor, which was already a better breather, and at 190 HP stock, so he's pushing close to 215 HP at the crank. I figure, since this is a SOHC motor, the induction system is not as good, so the results are not exactly the same. 

The goal I have is to get close to 200 HP as much as possible. This is not a really big number by today's standards, but heck, we now have Huynday Sonata's pushing out more power than our 3rd Gen Maximas. The SOHC motor is a pig at 160HP, pushing a 3100 lb car.


I figure, the VG motor is the more torque rich motor, that's why it continued to be used in heavy truck like vehicles like the Pathfinder, where torgue mattered more than the top end. In a drag race, overall top horsepower wins, but in the cut-and-thrust of day-to-day driving, a torque rich motor is the better choice. So I figure, the Pathfinder manifold , with its long intake runners, if you looked at the pictures, is better for torque.

I have heard of "Pacer Headers". Has anybody tried these in concert with a Y-pipe? Does there exist a better way of creating better breathing for this motor than what I've already done? Any ideas appreciated.


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## MyGreenMax94 (Dec 17, 2005)

alexnds said:


> Why does adding a Y-pipe add so much power?
> http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/519


The stock y pipe on the maxima was designed to be quiet= restriction...Anytime you design a part of a cars intake or exhaust to be quiet you sacrifice power...

The warpspeed y pipe is designed for maximum flow,not quiet..Hence the large gain..


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