Owner: Chong Her

Year: 1998
Model: Maxima
Color:  White
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Trim: SE

Owner: Mr Greenmax

Year: 1999
Model: Maxima
Color: Dark Green
Engine: Built VQ30DE
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Trim: SE

Feature Credit: Streetzlegend via FastMaximas.com

Now this is what I am talking about folks. Today we feature this 1999 Nissan Maxima that is making over 500WHP on the VQ30. Nowadays most maxima enthusiasts want to swap a 3.5 (VQ35) in their 4th Gen (95-99) Maxima’s and forget to realize that the VQ30 is well equipped to handle great power in factory and in built form.

An interesting aspect of this build is that despite making such great power it still has the factory 4th Gen intake manifold which is proven to be the most inefficient. This build has a lot more potential and I am looking forward to seeing more.

Overall Details

The turbo is a Precision 62/62 with 3″ piping from the turbo to the throttle body and a 3″ exhaust from the turbo to the back along with a cutout that exists out of the passenger side door.

The fuel system consists of a 6an return line and a 8an feed. Feeding the fuel are 960cc Injectors and a 450 Walbro with a Aeromotive fuel filter.
It also has nitrous using a ZEX Nitrous Wet System, jetted for 65HP.

The computer handling this monster is a Haltech Platinum Sport 2000. To get the Haltech to work at the time a Ford Mustang trigger wheel needed to be used. The boost is controlled by gear via the Haltech, 1st gear has no boost, 2nd gear gets 15psi, and there after 21psi. 570WHP.

Engine Details:

• JWT Cams
• VQ30 Built Block with Wiseco pistons 9.1 compression
• K1 Rods
• ACL bearing
• Block Guard

Transmission

05 Maxima 6 speed with SER Spec V gears and limited slip; using Redline Fluid to help with shock.
Holding it the torque is a ClutchMaster twin disk clutch

Worked performed by MPHFabrication and tuned by Autoauthorityct.

Mod List:

• JWT Cams
• VQ30 Built Block with Wiseco pistons 9.1 compression
• K1 Rods
• ACL bearing
• Block Guard
• Precision 62/62 Turbo
• 05 Maxima 6 speed with SER Spec V gears and limited slip
• ClutchMaster twin disk clutch
• Haltech Platinum Sport 2000
• 960cc Injectors
• 450 Walbro Fuel Pump
• ZEX Nitrous Wet System

Owner: Tye Youden

Year: 1998
Model: Maxima
Color: Black
Engine: VQ30DE
Transmission: Auto to 5-Speed Manual Swapped
Trim: SE

Owner: NSMO240

Year: 1999
Model: Maxima
Color: Black
Engine: VQ30DE
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Trim: SE-L

Notes:

• I ended up trading a buddy (who used to be a forum member, who purchased this from another forum member, I think from Washington) my 200SX SE-R for this, and when I first got it, it had a couple issues I wanted to fix right away, it had a misfire, which I found out was because a wire broke off the harness for an injector, so I fixed that and figured I would wire in the E-Manage Blue that is has so it looks like an almost factory install, with solder and heat-shrink and all.
• When it would start cold it would immediately die. Took it to a buddies house and with me and him digging around a bit, found that the inlet pipe for the IACV went from about 1/2″ to 1/8″, so it choked it up pretty bad, installed a new inlet and now it never dies when cold.
• Had an airbag light for the side air bag, found a TSB which showed and updated part, installed airbag, no more light.
• A little later down the road it slowly started having a starting issue where if it didn’t start right away the timing would jump all over the place, I found out that the ground from the battery wasn’t even connected to the block, but to the chassis and had a different wire from a separate location running to the block from the chassis. Installed the ground from the battery to the block and thought that fixed it but didn’t, later after about 2 years of messing with stuff, removing the harness multiple times, repairing damages, inspecting for spark and fuel and all that I was stumped, spoke with a friend who happens to be a master tech at Nissan and he said that only on manual transmission Maxima’s, corrosion would build up in between the engine and transmission and cause this issue, removed trans and found said corrosion, ground it off, installed trans and voila, starts up like a dream
• In between all of this stuff I have replaced tie rod ends, bellow boots, a new crank pulley and belt, new axles, and removed some wiring that wasn’t connected to anything.
• When I first acquired the car, it had no stereo, so I installed one that a buddy hooked it up with.
• Original owners: vortechpower –> vortechpower –> NSMO240

Mod List:

• V1 Supercharger Kit (7psi Pulley)
• 440cc Injectors
• DE-K Engine Swap
• Oil Cooler
• UR Lightweight Crank Pulley
• 17″ SSR Wheels (13lbs)
• 18″ Altima SE-R wheels
• Tein H Techs w/Tokico Illuminas
• RSTB
• Carbon Fiber Trunk
• Powerslot Front Brake Rotors
• Stillen Catback
• Stillen Lip Kit
• E=manage Blue
• Zietronix Wideband with AFR, Lambda, EGT’s, Datalogging & more
• Energy Suspension Lower Engine Mounts
• Energy Suspension Control Arm Bushing Kit
• Energy Suspension Sway Bar Bushing Kit
• Stillen Battery Tie Down
• Audi Headlight Projectors

Owner: Joey K.

Year: 1997
Model: Maxima
Color: Tan
Engine: VQ30DE
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Trim: GLE

Video:

Mod List:

• Custom Turbo Kit @ 5psi
• Precision 67 70 Turbo
• GREDDY BOV
• TIAL Wastegate
• BC Racing Coilovers
• Quick Release Steering Wheel
• Mishimoto Shift Knob
• Short Throw Shifter

Owner: Requin6

Year: 1996
Model: Maxima
Color: Deep Evergreen
Engine: VQ30DE
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Trim: SE

Notes:

• 286 WHP / 269 TQ at 7psi with stock injectors and stock ECU
• 319 WHP / 306 TQ at 10psi with 370cc injectors and JWT ECU

Mod List:

• Stillen/Vortech V1 Supercharger – 3.125 pulley
• Custom SC Cold Air Intake
• Custom 3″ Charge Pipe
• Vortech Mondo BOV
• Nismo 370cc Fuel Injectors
• JWT SC Program ECU
• Walbro GSS342HP Fuel Pump
• MEVI
• AEM Fuel Pressure Regulator
• Warpspeed Aluminized Mandrel Y-Pipe
• Infiniti I30 LSD Transmission
• Exedy Stage 1 Clutch
• Fidanza Lightweight Flywheel

Owner: Gerald Henry aka fly_guy_stackz

Year: 1998
Model: Maxima
Color: Black
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Trim: SE

Owner: Brandon Presson

Year: 1998
Model: Maxima
Color: Black
Engine: VQ30DE-K
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Trim: SE

We lost Brandon on February 13th, 2023. We will miss you. He was a really good guy, super knowledgeable and very passionate about Maxima’s (especially the love he had for his original 98 Maxima in this post). Such a big loss for the community.

Video: