onthemove MOD's

[onthemove]

I spoke w/an engineer over at Scangauge today in reference to the accuracy of the unit. Notice how I always get and even numbered 10th of a second, never an odd. I asked why it doesn't give 10th's of a second but instead 2/10's. He said for a couple reasons. One, it's very demanding on the ecu for something like the scanguage to constantly request information and 2, there's not enough memory in the scanguage with all it has going on.
He told me it's optimistic to neutral at the start but at the finish, pessimistic, so in other words, starting at 0 might be off a tick making a recorded time look slightly better but whether you look at a 0-60, 1/4 mile or anything in between, the scanguage records time until the next data point. He said if I recorded a 12.6 second 1/4 mile run on the scanguage (I wish) it's a 12.5 to 12.6. Best way I can explain it. That makes sense because there's no doubt onthemove shits-n-gits a bit better with these smaller, lighter tires than he did with the crapho's yet I'm still getting a 5.8 0-60 on the one road, yet got a 5.8 on the slightly inclined road after the tire swap whereas before the swap, got a 6.0.

 

[onthemove]

What not to do when making your own 4" intake. I was hoping for good results by extending the intake to get the filter down nto the wheel well. I don't know what hurt me more, the added length, the 45* bend or both. I ran a 6.8 0-60 on the same road that I took a photo of on page 3 or whatevers. Just felt like a dog off the line and I could tell it was working overtime to bring in fresh air. I couldn't believe how negatively the performance was effected. My old tuner told me if I get it right, it'll make good power and if not, it won't. Guess I got lucky the first time around and had I done it with the 45* from the start, I probably would've thrown the idea out the window along with the intake. I took off the 45* pipe and went back out and ran a 5.6 0-60 on the inclined road with a heat soaked engine, no heat shield and 91* iat's. I also have my silly little stupid but pricey water/alcohol injection unit on. Doubt it's doing much.
On a positive note, I accidentally screwed up my saved gauges trying to save the run. Failed to save the run but I decided to set one of the 4 gauges to mph. I don't understand how this works but the ecu knows how fast I'm going even though the speedo is off? Set the cruise control at 60 on the speedo and the scanguage read 57? Son of a bitch. I love this cheap little device. You'd think I'm doing an extended commercial for it. Guess I'm a little exited about it because my 0-60 and 1/4 mile times are better than I thought. Not too much activity here on the old FX forum but for you n.a. g35's, 37's, Q's, Z's, this will work for you just as well.
Got some 18x18" sheets of black abs plastic in today to make some under car aerodynamic mods and a much better looking heat shield along with this stinking 45* pipe and silicone coupler that I'll probably have to eat, but it's worth it too see just how close I came to failure had I gone this route from the get go with the intake. Once I get a few things situated in my private life and the immediate b.s. I'm doing with onthemove, aka twinkletoes, I'm going to hit the lousy track closest to me so I can get a new 1/4 mile time slip, get a vid up on u-tube and bump some fools on dragtimes.
Edit - I didn't get lucky the first time around with the intake. I copied it for the most part. Admin tuning and Limp Mode tuning.

I, like you dear reader, do find it a little hard to believe but when making these comparisons, getting the #'s I'm getting on the scangauge and how the FX just doesn't stop pulling like it used to, I don't know, kinda hard to argue.
Here is the best comparison imo.
--- 2017 QX50 AWD 7 spd sloshbox VHR --- 4,019lbs. 325/267, 0-60 5.7, 0-80 9.8, ¼ 14.3 @
97mph, 225/55/18, 27.7" diam tire, 12.4lbs per hp, trans 1st-4.92 2nd-3.19 3rd 2.04, F.D. 3.13
--- 2003 FX35 AWD 5 spd TRANSGO DE --- 3,932lbs, 310/300, 0-60 5.8, 0-80 9.4, ¼ 14.2 @
101 mph, 255/55/18, 29" diam tire, 12.8lbs per hp, trans 1st-3.54 2nd-2.26 3rd-1.47, F.D. 3.88

 

[onthemove]

Fuel line extension/bracket deleted earlier today. Thanks to cux350z for support. Never "serviced" the fuel system before and was unsure how fuel pressure would come back up after delete. Shaved 1 1/2 lbs and cleaned up the bay a bit more. That brass line is heavy for it's size. Less weight, less b.s. cluttering the bay and less metal mass to retain heat. Fuel/evap lines got moved to the firewall and is now even further away from the exhaust manifold and coolant hard pipe.
Instructions to relieve pressure are in the FSM.
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[gto]

Exterior photos & probably the last of'em till F.I.

Where the hell did my sway bars & under tray go? In the trash.

No rear sway either. Suspension is truly independent. Sway bar & hardware deletes subtract 30lbs.
Xover likes to wonder a bit @ higher speeds, so pay attention! Nice thing is, pothole on one side does not effect the other side, so handling much improved imo.
Invidia could've hung the pipes up a little higher. Can't complain. Love the exhaust! Dual pipes & almost 5 lbs lighter than stock, all things included. Gotta love that math.
View attachment 423627

Went back in your thread. Why remove sway bars? They must be good for something.
& if you want to lose alot of weight, . Coilovers.

 

[onthemove]

I pulled'em on a mustang once. Didn't notice a damn thing. That was a 1/4 mile car though. I thought about doing the same thing with the FX but figured I'd better research 1st. Different animal. I found that once I got past the "you can't do that" and "you'll get body roll" and found those that have done it, damn near all of'em either noticed no change, for better or worse, while others favored the cornering. Not entering a turn, but apparently exiting it is much improved? From Hondas to Vetts. From my experience a slight amount of highway drift, which at this point I think was the crapho tires, city driving is much improved as one side isn't effected when the other hits a bump and weight/b.s. reduction. About as independent a suspension as you can get. I think McLaren is or has got something without swaybars though that's a tough comparison to make.
Are the coilovers much lighter? Gots H&R drop sprangs.

 

[DatMan]

Are the coilovers much lighter? Gots H&R drop sprangs.

MUCH...

 

[onthemove]

You've weighed springs vs coils and associated hardware? If they're radically lighter I might have to swap.
Before I bought springs I spoke to a couple makers of coil overs. I think Megan was one? Searching database....nope, can't remember. They said little difference but didn't know our stock weight or something like that. At the time I thought I don't want adjustability, no plans to make the fx a low low, read about some having issues, harsher ride even with the dampening abilities, gotta cut the rear interior panels for rear camber adjustment, just seemed like a pita. I know these H&R springs are lighter than oem but I added it to the overall weight for the suspension on my spreadsheet. Wasn't paying attention to details when I started.
I slotted the frame for the rears and installed specialty products bolts and replaced the lower strut bolts with theirs as well. Lots of room to go close to 0 but set at -1* all around with slight positive toe.

 

[DatMan]

There's a camber kit you can install in the rear with parts from SPC... It's not actually designed as a rear camber kit for the FX but it works... I have it installed on mine and with over 4" drop, I have about 1.2 degrees in the rear and the coilovers are fully adjustable, so zero in the front... Don't know the exact weight difference, but carried the box the coilovers came in (all hardware) and threw out my old suspension, and there was a noticeable difference! The coilovers are mostly aluminum too, so definitely lighter... If you heard harsher, that was all BS... My first set of MEGANS I set it at one of the harshest settings straight out of the box... The ride was smoother, although the dampening was harsher... It was hard to explain, but the OEM suspension is bouncy... The coilovers made it feel more like a BMW suspension... Firm and planted although not harsh... After the MEGANs started to age, I set them softer and left them there... My current BC's I went with a custom firmer spring setting, and set dampening at the middle. It's perfect for me IMO, but I'm sure other's would say it's "harsh"... But if you came from an OEM suspension setup and drove mine, it would feel MUCH better... The coilovers also help with body roll... I've been told the dampeners aren't the best quality, but they're definitely better designed than the OEM setup... If you were to drive through a chicane, you would really notice it (or in real world, dodge something in the road and try to get back into your lane quickly)...

When my MEGAN's died, I still had my OEM suspension sitting in storage in my basement... Never bothered putting them back on... Just saved up for BC coilovers... For me, I can't go back after driving on coilovers...

 

[onthemove]

Thanks for the feedback D-man. Had to look up "chicane". Waxing eloquent on me r u?
I might consider coil overs because of what you've written and I guess the BC's are one's to consider. I can see the comparison between stock springs and coil overs but I do have the H&R drop springs and replaced the shocks and struts so the ride did change for the better, lost a lb or two per corner, got the drop I was looking for and it does handle and ride quite a bit better than it did but that's probably got a lot to do with the diet I put the FX on.
My stock suspension was bouncy for sure. Not so much anymore. There would have to be a rather substantial weight reduction in order for me to replace what I have. Waiting on a reply from a 350z owner who really knows his weights and if he realized a reasonable drop I'd have to assume so would the FX. The best I found was someone with a 350z who said the weight reduction was insignificant but no specific #'s. I'll post what info I get back either way.
Edit - You wrote "when my megan's died". That's another reason I went the route I did. Longevity.

 

[onthemove]

Made a prototype air box last night. Doesn't matter how I go about it, it's gonna be big. Not as big as the last but still big which does give the filter room all around to breath. Replacing the filter with a 4" x 7" x 9" which is a little bigger than whats in there now. First k&n panel filter lasted me well over a decade and still in great shape. This cone filter, not even a year. Oh well, gotta brake a few eggs I guess.
Had to delete a/c line bracket and carefully move both a/c lines which made for a cleaner vertical or "side" panel. Just one cut-out as seen in the 5th photo. The horizontal or "top" panel slides all the way back into the fender.

 

[onthemove]

The first air box was a test. Thought I'd give n/a a little more time before FI as I still have a few tricks up my sleeve without adding a compressor. Not having too much luck with performance shops or body shops for that matter so enough of the f'ing around. Gonna bring the FX out of state to one of the big 3 when I get other more pressing things out of my way. That would be the best time to address the body and drive train cause the FX is gonna be down for awhile and can kill multiple birds with one stone. Thinking n/a 11-11.5 to 1 with pre-maf water/alchy injection to get as close to 300 awhp/tq as I can while keeping it well mannered as a dd and then a kick in the ass with a 150-200 shot. Might go 75 shot beforehand on the stock block. No extra coolers or any other b.s. that needs to be strapped down to the front of this already nose heavy beast.
Photo's 1 and 2; Cut a slot in the bump on the wheel well and drilled a hole. Slide in one of these fasteners that's used to hold plastic to plastic. Extended the worm driven clamp, put a hole in that, threw in a matching bolt and instant intake brace. Pulled it up and over, still allowing a little room for play and allowing for a smaller air box.
Photo 3 shows the one cut-out needed for poorly placed a/c lines after moving'em around. Fat one is zip-tied to core support replacing the bracket that was on the frame.
The rest of the photos show the 1/16th" abs that is almost the new air box. The top panel overhangs the side panel 1". That overhang will be bent 90* to form a lip over the side panel then 2 holes drilled with two of the 2 piece black fasteners to hold'em together. The top locks in just as it did with the test shield but still would like to find 1 or 2 spots to fasten the air box to the FX.
Once it's done (tomorrow) will paint to match coolant & brake fluid reservoirs and trim edges with foam or rubber which should keep out 99% of engine bay air. Still need to address cheesy aluminum foil on intake pipe. Got 2 ideas.

 

[DatMan]

Looks interesting! Watching to see how this goes! Also, why don't you insulate (either on the inside or outside) the newly constructed air box with the heat shield material? It's soft enough that it should plug some of the holes around the A/C lines...

 

[gto]

You won’t find a better diet than those heavy ass springs. I don’t have numbers, but once you hold it in hand, it’s a pretty ridiculous difference

 

[onthemove]

Awe shit, you guys are relentless. New hotness vs old and busted. They sure look pretty. My sprangs n shocks are a little over a year old though. I'd hate to throw money down the drain. I'm a cheap bastard. Don't wanna be the guy replacing what I've already replaced but if I get #'s that make sense, I'll have to reconsider. I believe what you guys are telling me. Not trying to argue but it's an illusion looking at the two when you consider how tightly wound the coil over is. Unwind that thing and it's probably close to the same size. The bucket for the spring is thin metal. I'ma guess 3 lbs lighter each? Then again you guys are pretty adamant about the weight difference.
I take it you guys own a spring compressor to make adjustments?

 

[onthemove]

Looks interesting! Watching to see how this goes! Also, why don't you insulate (either on the inside or outside) the newly constructed air box with the heat shield material? It's soft enough that it should plug some of the holes around the A/C lines...

I thought about that but consider that plastic is a really poor conductor of heat. The only thing that conducts heat worse is wood, unless it's burning in my fireplace insert that is. Ha. Not really funny. The air box is solely to prevent air from under the hood to be used by the engine. The intake pipe and MAF are what needs insulation and radiant heat reflection.

 

[onthemove]

Here's some #'s off a 350z for drop sprangs and shocks/struts. Probably a little lighter than the FX due to size difference. Still nothing for coil overs though. Is it possible that the shear size difference and maybe a few lbs difference may have lead ya'll to believe that the coils are so much lighter? I've deleted things that I thought "shit, this things gots to weight..." but it ends up not weighing nearly as much as I thought. Guess we'll never know unless some more info is dug up.
Rear Springs Eibach Sportlines (L&R) 16.4lbs
Tokico D-Spec Rears shocks (L&R) 10.6lbs
Front: Eibach Springs & Tokico Shocks (L&R) -30.2lbs

Oops. Think he misunderstood me. He's got coils and said;
"They were 20lbs lighter all in - yeah, call it 5lbs lighter" and "Probably bc the springs are significantly smaller & lighter and the shocks are a little lighter - mine are aluminum versus the tokicos were steel."

Now this is on a Z, so possibly 6 lbs per corner on an FX? That's not too shaby.

 

[DatMan]

For me, had nothing to do with the size... I just remember lifting the box my original MEGAN's came in and when I did the swap, the shop returned my OEM suspension to me and it was WAY heavier... Never bothered to weigh anything though...

 

[onthemove]

Bread box is done. What a pita. The area where the a'c lines converge into the a/c condenser is the only open area, not to say everywhere else is 100% air tight, but it's close. Considering air flow, based on the location of my filter vs the location of the stock filter, this is 1000% better. It's got easy access to as much fresh air as it can take in rather than the restrictive little slits in the stock box and I think it's because of these restrictions that lead to infiniti sealing the snot out of their air box, which if it weren't completely sealed, it would easily start sucking air from the engine bay.
I replaced the foil backed insulation with abs plastic. The whole point of this is to get an extra 4" of hot air retention in case my "ridge vent" at the cowl can't remove the hot air as fast or faster than it builds up, only to then spill under the frame then rise right up to the filter. Infiniti had a couple holes in the frame that allowed for 2 oem clips to lock in the shield.


Oem 2 piece clips were too big for the lip I made to secure the top to the bottom. Had to get different fasteners. This is far easier to deal with than the stock pos though a pita to build. Foam here and foam there. F'ing foam everywhere. Got a plan for insulating the intake pipe and I may end up extending this to the bread box. Looks much better and is about 20% smaller than the test prototype unit.

 

[DatMan]

Here's some #'s off a 350z for drop sprangs and shocks/struts. Probably a little lighter than the FX due to size difference. Still nothing for coil overs though. Is it possible that the shear size difference and maybe a few lbs difference may have lead ya'll to believe that the coils are so much lighter? I've deleted things that I thought "shit, this things gots to weight..." but it ends up not weighing nearly as much as I thought. Guess we'll never know unless some more info is dug up.
Rear Springs Eibach Sportlines (L&R) 16.4lbs
Tokico D-Spec Rears shocks (L&R) 10.6lbs
Front: Eibach Springs & Tokico Shocks (L&R) -30.2lbs

Oops. Think he misunderstood me. He's got coils and said;
"They were 20lbs lighter all in - yeah, call it 5lbs lighter" and "Probably bc the springs are significantly smaller & lighter and the shocks are a little lighter - mine are aluminum versus the tokicos were steel."

Now this is on a Z, so possibly 6 lbs per corner on an FX? That's not too shaby.

Would that be per corner? Cause if so, that would be over 100 lbs for the 4 corners...

From the guy I talked to from BC:

"Hey Dat,

The complete coilover kit in the box you get is between 45-55 pounds on average but I dont have the exact weight!

Please let me know if you have any other questions!"

This would be their shipping weight in the box, as that's all that would really matter to them when paying for freight...

Pretty sure getting the Extreme Low kit shaved off some metal and also some lbs...

 

[onthemove]

If it was per corner, I'd be all over the coil overs. Na, looks like total of approx. 57lbs. for shocks and springs for the front and back, but that's on a z which from the factory is approx. 1000lbs lighter than an awd fx so the suspensions gonna be bigger and heavier. He did say about 5 lbs per corner lighter for the coils.