Member Credit: Thomas Perdue
**All connections should be soldered and insulated with electrical tape or heat-shrinking tubing.**
1. Find your secondary O2 sensor(s).
2. Establish which O2 sensor wires are Signal, +12 and Ground. Either use the bottom of this page for color codes of most factory oxygen sensors or use a factory service manual for reference. Chilton’s or Haynes manuals can be found at your local library and auto parts store.
3. Verify +12V wire with a voltmeter by probing the wire while the car is running.
4. Verify the Ground wire by measuring the resistance or continuity between the wire and chassis. The resistance should be very low. OR Connect the sims black wire directly to a good chassis ground.
5. Turn off the car and disconnect the Negative battery terminal.
6. Connect (splice) the O2 Simulator Black wire to O2 sensor Ground.
7. Connect (splice) O2 Simulator Red wire to O2 sensor +12V.
8. Cut the sensor’s signal wire completely.
**The side that leads to the O2 sensor should be taped off. It will not be used.**
NOTE: If you have single exhaust and/or only one secondary O2 sensor, you will only use one of the Yellow wires coming from the O2 Simulator. Cut and insulate the remaining Yellow wire.
9. Connect the O2 Simulator Yellow wire to the other half of the signal wire that leads to the ECU. If you have two secondary O2 sensors perform steps 8 and 9 with both sensors.
10. Reconnect the Negative battery terminal.
11. With the car running, the O2 Simulator LED should be slowly flashing.
Member Credit: User1
I am one step away from becoming the first documented 7th gen swap to have retained all 7th gen accessories. The only item left is AC line set retrofit to the compressor. Below is the new power steering hose. The hose was made in about 15 min while I stood there and picked my hydraulic guy’s brain about the AC line set retrofit. This fabrication was necessary in order to clear the low pressure side above the high pressure side connection in order to reach upwards and connect up top on the strut tower. Total cost for the hose, fittings, and labor, $65.
Old banjo connection alongside new flare connection.
New 2003 AC line set (right) and 2014 line set. My hydraulic hose guy will cut the compressor fittings off of the 2014 line set and fit to the 2003 line set as well as bend/add tubing to the ends of the hoses to accommodate the 60 degree offset for the connections and retain factory orientation. Little stuff, but I’m excited!
Made a bit more progress. I’m really happy so far. I have just finished retrofitting all 7th gen accessories for my swap motor.
No bracket necessary. Bolts straight to the 5th gen oil pan.
It is finished. Including front and rear main seals Just gotta hook up oil cooler hose, mount trans cooler, put manifolds and cats together and drop it in.
Owner: Ron aka i30krab
Year: 1996
Model: i30
Color: White
Transmission: Built Automatic
Trim: SE
Mod List:
- Built Auto Transmission
- 11.5 lbs of Dynoed SC boost w/ Aftercooler & Vortech Mustang Internals
- Built Engine 9:1 Compression
- JWT Cams
- Valve Springs
- VQ30DET Pistons
- Ported & Polished Gasket Matched Intake Manifold
- JIC Magic FLT-A2 Coilovers
- Electro Mechanical Eteering Rack w/ Separate Control for Steering Pressure
- Volk LE37T Wheels 17″x 7.5 16.5 lbs
- Dunlop 225-45-17 9000 Tires
- Brembo Front Big Brake Kit w/ Matching Rear Cross Drilled Rear Rotors
- Traction Bars
- stillen Triangulated Tront Strut Tower Bar
- Blehmco Stage 2 Lower Tie Bar Rods
- Courtesy Nissan Rear Strut Tower Bar
- Addco Rear Anti-rollBbar
- H & R Rear 25 MM Wheel Spacers
- Energy Suspension Bushings
- Roll Bar Attached to Chassis at 8 Points
Member Credit: The Wizard & ptatohed
New and improved setup pics PWR aftercooler, PWR mini radiator with pull fan, Bosch high flow water pump (underneath Vortech reservoir)
The Wizard
ptatohed
Member Credit: The Wizard & ptatohed
As a few of you know, ptatohed (Josh) and myself (James) recently installed a water to air aftercooler on his car. After doing a lot of homework, we decided on a ‘barrel design’ (as opposed to a ‘box’ design). We ended up going with the Jackson Racing AWAC (Air/Water AfterCooler) made for the Mazda Miata. Here is a picture (although this is the older, unpolished, design):
The kit retails for about $900 new but ptatohed paid about half that for a used kit. We went with this ‘barrel design’ because we felt it was easier to fit in the engine bay and it (in theory) produces less of a boost loss compared to a ‘box design’. (Here is a picture of i30krab’s Maxima with a Vortech ‘box design’ AWAC, if anyone is interested).
The JR kit provided us with the aftercooler, the electrical pump, and the front-mount heat exchanger (and 3/8″ heater hose). The JR kits expects the Miata guys to use their stock overflow bottle as their water reservoir. That wasn’t going to cut it for us. We bought this water/ice reservoir made by Vortech:
The reservoir is a little big but it does fit. However, note that a smaller battery must be used to make the reservoir fit (or relocate your battery). Josh took apart a Wal-Mart mobile jump-start (as seen in the pictures below) but I bought an Oddyssey (PC680MJT):
Here is a picture of Josh’s Wal-Mart battery:
Our goal was to convert to a 3” intake system at the same time we installed the AWAC but we wanted to do so with no custom work needed. No welding, no bracket or pipe fabrication, no special-order parts, etc. And we accomplished our goal! We put the whole system together with easy to get parts. Most of our intake plumbing was purchased here.
Before I get to the pictures, I’ll give a quick review. Honestly, we don’t really feel anything on the butt-dyno. But that might be because we did lose 1.5 – 2 PSI of boost (peaking at just about 8.5 now, down from 10 PSI). Hopefully that will easily be taken care of with a smaller pulley. Right now we both have a 3.25″ pulley. Anyone know what size pulley we should drop down to, to get back to 10PSI? The system seems to work great! No matter how much we drive, the water always stays cool and so does the AWAC. As a test, we unplugged the pump, went for a drive and, sure enough, the AWAC was roasty. So, we are assuming the intake temps are being reduced. We’ll know for sure, soon enough, as we have an Autometer dual intake temperature gauge waiting for install. We will also be dyno-ing our cars shortly. As soon as we know, we’ll let you guys know our intake temperature drop across the aftercooler and our dyno results. It will also be fun to experiment with dropping ice in the reservoir!
O.k., enough talking, on with the pics. While I will post some of the pics below, please click here to see all the pics.
Before:
Reclock the blower:
90^ rubber elbow:
BOV adaptor from E-Bay. This can be purchased to accommodate various BOVs:
(Please note we are temporarily using cheesey rubber couplers and worm clamps. We will be replacing these with nice silicone couplers and T-Bolt clamps soon).
Jackson Racing Water to Air AfterCooler:
This is a picture of our 45^ bend. We really need a 60^ bend but since they only make 45^ and 90^, we used a 45^ and “cut it to be 60^”. We first marked the location where we wanted to cut, to get the length we needed. Next, instead of drawing lines perpendicular/radial to the pipe, we skewed the lines 7.5^ on each end (We need 60, but are using a 45. 60-45=15. 15/2 = 7.5):
This is the cheesey plastic MAF adaptor we bought from E-Bay but have since purchased nice metal ones from Cattman (Place Racing):
Vortech Ice/Water reservoir:
Water pump:
Heat Exchanger:
Complete!:
Member Credit: Bryan & Kelsey
In this episode, we repair a very common problem found in the 4th and 5th generation Maximas. Rusted of radiator supports. The radiator support on these cars is extra important because it also holds up the motor.
Owner: Josh Frohman aka ptatohed
Year: 1999
Model: Maxima
Color: White
Transmission: Automatic
Trim: SE
Mod List:
Horse Power and related mods:
- Vortech/Stillen V2 supercharger with V2 plate
- 2.87” Vortech SC pulley (11-12 PSI)
- Custom 2.5″ intake piping
- A 5”D x 8”L PWR water to air aftercooler (barrel design) with a Bosch water pump, a Jackson Racing front-mount heat exchanger, and a Vortech ice chest/water reservoir.
- 4th gen. Variable Intake ( ” MEVI ” ) set at 5200 RPMs
- I30t Viscous Limited Slip Differential (VLSD) automatic transmission (with Hayden #403 cooler)
- One-step colder NGK platinum plugs gapped to 0.037”
- 12.5 lb 12.2” front rotors (stock are 15lb ea.)
- Warpspeed Fed Spec aluminum Y-Pipe
- Cattman cat-back exhaust
- Budget test pipe (just for dyno and track days)
- Fed Spec. left bank manifold (CA spec –> Fed Spec left exhaust bank manifold conversion which eliminating the large left bank California pre-cat. Cattman O2 simulator for the two downstream O2 sensors)
- Perma-Cool oil cooler
- Autometer electronic Phantom style boost gauge
- Autometer dual intake temperature Phantom style gauge
- Custom steering column dual gauge pod
- Very rare “manumatic” transmission control module (only +/- 7 made) – A combination of strategically placed thermal insulation and increased engine bay air flow via piping, inlets, and 12V fans for cooler engine and intake temperatures (in progress)
- Dyno’d at 323HP/308TQ
Accelerating/Braking/Handling mods:
- Over 200 pounds in cumulative weight reduction with little/no sacrifice to safety or comfort/convenience. Current weight is sub 3,000 lb
- Lightweight 17″ Kosei K1 TS silver wheels (13.7 lb each)
- Toyo Proxes 4, 235/45/17 Z-Rated tires
- 20.8 lb (total per wheel) 12.2” lightweight Wilwood Big Brake Kit (BBK); Wilwood Superlite calipers, Hawk HPS pads and Coleman lightweight 2-piece rotors (OEM = 26.2 lb total per wheel)
- Brembo cross-drilled rear rotors with Hawk HPS pads
- Steel braided brake lines
- Valvoline Syn Power brake fluid
- Tokico shocks (blue)
- Intrax springs (purple….eeerrrr I mean ‘grape’)
- Under body aerodynamic/wind diffuser paneling (in progress)
Looks (outside):
- Recent complete paint job (OEM Icelandic Pearl)
- Stillen ’97-’99 front lip
- Ionic Dynamics side skirts modified slightly
- Ionic one-piece ’97-’99 rear ground effect modified to be filled in flush (no wave) on the back plane
- Vertical “mouth” slats and license plate holder section from the OEM front bumper cover removed
- Side view mirrors painted all body color
- Door guards shaved, all four doors
- Black ring around the SE door handles painted body color
- Line that goes all the way around the car has been filled in/shaved
- Shaved antenna
- All emblems shaved
- Shaved trunk keyhole
- Shaved windshield squirters
- Shaved SE spoiler
- Functional 4th generation Toyota Supra turbo hood scoop (available only on European Supras)
- One piece headlights (R34 style)
- Sarona grill (version 2)
- ’95 trunk conversion with the “wave” filled in flush
- Custom Enterprise diamond/euro red/clear taillights with chrome/amber bulbs
- Body color rear license plate frame
- Rear OEM calipers painted black to match the front Wilwood calipers
- Diamond clear bumper lights with chrome/amber bulbs
Looks and creature comforts (inside):
- All 6 hard plastic A,B,C pillars were replaced with “fuzzy” I30 pillars
- Black leather tilting I30 headrests
- Black leather I30 e-brake handle
- Lowered 3″ automatic shifter. Half brushed aluminum (to match dash kit)/ half perforated black leather (to match SE steering wheel), converted to push-down-to-shift (instead of push button) with black leather auto shift boot
- Real brushed aluminum dash kit
- Brushed aluminum sport pedals with black rubber inserts
- Real leather (black) Redlinegoods e-brake boot
- Real leather (black) Redlinegoods armrest cover with extra foam padding between the armrest and the leather.
- Real leather covered foam padded door elbow/armrest pads (“Mom made”)
- In-console cup holder (available only on ’96 Maximas)
- Kenwood double din DVD/Navigation (8017) with fake 2-dimensional security decoy face
- Auto dimming mirror with temperature display, digital compass and dual map lights
- Additional OEM Security red LED to the right of the steering wheel (for symmetry, added security and to fill the OEM “dud” panel)
- 15% window tint all around including a limo windshield strip and limo on the sunroof
- Back seat “fold-up” mod for transporting large/long items
- New Zealand “PRND21” instrument cluster display (in progress)
