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Couldn’t sleep so I did what any sane person does today and did some online shopping. Last of my parts for now have been ordered. Wavetrac LSD, new shorty stub axle, and a full bearing & seal kit from Z1 should be here in a few days. Just waiting to hear from the shop now to schedule time. Going to hold off on the SPL suspension goodies (except endlinks) until the radiator goes in. The SPL end links are already in my parts pile ready to install with the new Z1 front sway bar. Past the extra SPL parts and the backordered radiator, everything in my list above is ready to go on.
A little bummed I won’t be trying the 4.08 but I’d rather save myself the hassle of swapping back to the 3.69 down the road. Beyond excited for the Wavetrac.
I think I'm going to hold off on the 4.08 for now, it seems like the majority of boosted owners keep stock gearing or go even lower to avoid traction issues in 1st-3rd depending on power levels. Still definitely installing the Wavetrac...last part to order for now along with an OEM stub axle.
That seems an opinion I've read often about gears and aftermarket boost. Then again, with that Wavetrack LSD, and really wide performance tires in the rear, you'll probably mitigate most traction issues, right?
As a daily driver, I think you'd be fine and it would be a riot to drive. But if you're looking for best 1/4 mile times on the dragstrip, I believe you want tall gears so that you can maximize boost between gears shifts. But I don't have any experience with all that (except for a gear swap on a NA car), this is just hearsay and conventional wisdom.
That seems an opinion I've read often about gears and aftermarket boost. Then again, with that Wavetrack LSD, and really wide performance tires in the rear, you'll probably mitigate most traction issues, right?
As a daily driver, I think you'd be fine and it would be a riot to drive. But if you're looking for best 1/4 mile times on the dragstrip, I believe you want tall gears so that you can maximize boost between gears shifts. But I don't have any experience with all that (except for a gear swap on a NA car), this is just hearsay and conventional wisdom.
I’m sure it would be a blast if I were to stay N/A! But every time I get in and drive, I just know I want more power to the point I know it will require forced induction, or at least larger displacement. I’m running 285/35 in the rear now and could probably fit a 305 in the back if I raise the rear a hair. The fronts I may try to run a 265/275 on eventually. But apparently even with 305s, LSD, and good tires people say 1-3rd is still a struggle for traction. Boost by gear is an option to check out when I get to that point- IIRC EcuTek offers per-gear boost setting controls Seb could configure/map for me. I don’t plan to take this car to the strip ever, but we’ll see what happens. If I find a regular go-to circuit track and want to maximize my gear ratios for that specific road course I’ll revisit the 4.08 then.
Wavetrac got here in good shape. Really, really excited to get this installed. The OEM bearing and seal kit was in good condition also when it arrived, along with the OEM shorty stub axle needed for the LSD install (38220-JK01B). Sadly just waiting on the Mishimoto radiator now. I knew I should have ordered that a few months in advance, my own fault for that one. Updates to come within the next couple months once it’s finally here and in the shop.
Also talked to a few more experienced builders, it really sounds like extra displacement won't really benefit too much and will still reach a low-ceiling with HP & TQ. Not worth the headache and $20k+ investment. So I will still be installing an air-to-air supercharger this year sometime pending a leak-down and compression test- I'll update a post above with those plans. (See Post #8 above)
Found out RAV Performance can get me the Mishimoto radiator (MMRAD-370Z-09) right now, said they show 294 in stock ready to ship (not going through Mishimoto direct). Looks like the price for it went up everywhere and now it's $609 even on Z1's site, and they seemed to have the lowest price- my guy can get it for a hair more but it will be here this week instead of July. Definitely canceling the Z1 order for the radiator and going through my shop, time to get this stuff done- will update this post once I have the time scheduled/car in the shop.
For anyone else hunting for a Mishimoto radiator in stock....check Amazon! $470 shipped, cheapest I found anywhere, shipped and sold by Amazon. I have 2x on the way, might end up keeping one as a spare but will likely return one. Was trying to get one here asap.
That seems an opinion I've read often about gears and aftermarket boost. Then again, with that Wavetrack LSD, and really wide performance tires in the rear, you'll probably mitigate most traction issues, right?
As a daily driver, I think you'd be fine and it would be a riot to drive. But if you're looking for best 1/4 mile times on the dragstrip, I believe you want tall gears so that you can maximize boost between gears shifts. But I don't have any experience with all that (except for a gear swap on a NA car), this is just hearsay and conventional wisdom.
I ended up ordering the 4.08
I've been so caught up with work and life lately I haven't been able to get my car to the shop yet. I bought a home recently and decided I'll be waiting on the forced induction kit another year. Priorities. The G37 isn't going anywhere, and I want to push it to the limit on the track in this form before I up the power levels. I think everything else on it now (and going into it when I make it to the shop) will give me enough of what I'm looking for until then anyways.
I've been so caught up with work and life lately I haven't been able to get my car to the shop yet. I bought a home recently and decided I'll be waiting on the forced induction kit another year. Priorities. The G37 isn't going anywhere, and I want to push it to the limit on the track in this form before I up the power levels. I think everything else on it now (and going into it when I make it to the shop) will give me enough of what I'm looking for until then anyways.
That's exciting. You're going to have so much fun driving the car afterwards. The first few times you go WOT in 1st or 2nd gear will be a shock, but you'll adapt and make it the new normal. As for the upper gears, 4th becomes the new 3rd gear on the highway for hard rolling launches.... and so on.
While I’ve been waiting to take my car to the shop, I also ordered a CJM active baffled oil pan, despite already having a Z1 baffled pan boxed up in storage. Planning on installing that as of now instead of the Z1 baffled oil pan- will likely list the Z1 pan for sale once the CJM pan comes in. The CJM pan quality is just too nice, and metal baffles = (theoretically) zero long-term maintenance. Viton lasts a long time, but metal flaps take the win.
I’ll probably have my AAM resonated HFCs sanded down and polished at the inner weld seams before they go on also. It bothers me now seeing the poor back purging and I honestly should have said something to AAM about it when I received them. Too late now, but they look great otherwise and excited to hear the exhaust change.
Just a small update, RAV Performance has been backed up with work so I'm just waiting for availability in the next week or two again. Rescheduling everything for later (my own decision) messed my plans up a hair and having to wait now, so I'll be installing everything excluding the differential stuff for now. The Wavetrac LSD, 4.08 R&P, subframe collars, Z1 diff cover, urethane bushings, and Z1 diff brace will all get installed later this year since they aren't as much of a priority. The HKS plugs, radiator & hose swap, AAM RHFCs, engine mounts, FI oil cooler, and Forged Performance brake lines are the priority right now. I'm still waiting on the CJM baffled oil pan to arrive also; if anyone wants my unused Z1 baffled pan send me a DM, otherwise I'll list it for sale in the private classifieds in the next few days.
I'll probably install the front sway and end links myself since that's really straightforward and doesn't take much time, but if the shop includes it with some of the other labor for cheap I'll have them do it while it's there. Makes life easy.
Another little update- should be going to the shop next week, finally! Good timing too...
My Optima red top I bought less than a year ago went bad on me, and I can't get it to charge past 38% or get a reading above 6v. So, another "Why Not?" moment ensued, and I ordered a Braille G30 lithium battery + charger combo (which was originally what I wanted anyways before getting the red top, just to add insult to injury)....When I was talking to the shop owner to schedule everything I brought my battery woes up, and he mentioned they had just done a battery trunk relocation on a 370z last week and provided some pictures to show the quality of work done. It is top-notch quality work (I will ask him if it's OK to post the pictures he shared of the 370z relocation, it was not my car and I won't post his work without permission). Fast forward through that conversation and I'm now going to go ahead and proceed with having him relocate my Braille battery to the trunk as well, and also installing a battery kill switch.
The AAM resonated HFCs, HKS super fire spark plugs, Fast Intentions 34 row oil cooler, Mishimoto radiator, new Z1 or CZP hoses, new OEM T-stat, Z1 urethane motor mounts, Forged Performance brake lines and Gates serp. belt will all be installed at the same time as well since they all go hand-in-hand. likely the Z1 front sway and SPL F&R endlinks as well while it's half apart. Sways are easy but I might as well have them knock it out for cheap while it's in the air. I'm still waiting on my CJM baffled oil pan, but Charles is a great dude and let me know there was an issue with the material they were sent for a production run, which has been replaced so production will start soon.
Major updates with pictures to come soon. After all of this is done, I'll be focusing on rebuilding my diff and having a custom half cage fabricated so I can have a clip-in track harness setup ready to use. Will likely also strip the back of the interior at this time and install an access panel for the fuel pump, and will go ahead and mount a fire extinguisher according to safety spec requirements. Doing this right the first time.
Surprised to hear about your Red Top! Mine turns five (5) years old next month w/ no issues... Interested to hear about the Braille down the road.
Any update on the silicone hoses? I am still on the fence.
The owner of RAV performance personally said lately "they are junk", and I've heard the same about recent quality issues with Optimas from a few of my friends who work or have worked in the aftermarket/tuning industry. Who knows, but I'll try to get a refund for my battery if possible (doubtful but worth a try). It sounds like the "older" Optima batteries like yours have been fine and don't have many issues- mainly ones produced during or after COVID hit, probably a large drop in production quality or materials used. Very excited to try the Braille lithium, I read great things from Porsche, Ferrari, etc owners who use this battery in their cars.
Originally Posted by Rochester
Your "why not?" moment is to get a $600 car battery? Dam-m-m-n
What's the status on your rear gears project?
Sadly all of the installs for the parts I have boxed up got pushed back from my original shop install date a couple months ago, I had too much going on with work and moving into a new house so I just put it on hold for a while. I am scheduled again now for next week, so the new silicone hoses will go in then and I'm going to leave it up to the shop owner if he prefers to install the CZP or Z1 hoses. The Mishimoto radiator, new OEM T-stat and new bleeder port will also get installed next week so I'll have an update on the silicone hoses after that. Probably around Xmas I hope to get the differential rebuilt with the Wavetrac, 4.08 R&P, Z1 diff brace, Z1 diff cover, Z1 urethane bushings, and Z1 subframe collars I have boxed up. Everything else needs some TLC first, so I made the diff rebuild secondary. Dropping $1k for the battery + trunk relocation was an expense I wasn't expecting but am fine forking out to avoid anymore battery issues and headaches- also a big reason I'm happy to hold off a few months longer on the diff build. I also keep forgetting about my sport accessory muffler boxed up in storage...I have a solid to-do list for a while
The Braille G30 battery mount came in and looks good. It’s a mounting bracket, there’s not much else to say past that lol. Oh it did come with 6x screws and a trim-able piece of foam tape, which is nice so it has a small cushion and won’t rattle. The battery will be here in a day or two then my car is off to the shop. The shop performing the relocation will be using a circuit breaker (w/ reset) instead of a battery kill switch for now- they serve the same need for me in the end, but that may change down the road once I start getting on the tracks here. I want to do things to FIA spec, where logical and reasonable for a mixed-use but still street legal car. Safety on public roads is still priority #1.
(The darker looking spots in the finish towards the bottom right of the mount are just shadows from me taking the picture)
Battery came in. It weighs nothing, unbelievable for a car battery. Hopefully swapping it in this evening if I have time, if not it might have to be towed to the shop for them to swap and relocate it at the same time. I don't have any free time lately. I'll have to try and jump it otherwise, the battery is too dead for a clutch pop/bump start. If you drive a stick shift car, it's a life saver to know how to bump start and pop the clutch properly- It's super simple to do correctly and can get you out of some potentially bad or dangerous situations/places if your battery dies- check out some youtube videos on it if you don't know how or don't have anyone to show you (end of safety rant).
It lives again! I found some free time finally, lol. I was going to trim my old metal battery tie-down bracket with my Dremel to latch it down securely enough to get it to the shop for the relocation. But I noticed it sits (not by choice) off center now, enough to where it won’t latch up to the OEM bracket points without some ingenuity. The positive and negative terminals on the G30 are placed much closer to each other vs a standard group 35 battery most S coupes come with, so it won’t reach the negative/ground cable unless it’s shifted slightly to the left. And I don’t have the time to mess with that unfortunately, and with it getting relocated this weekend I just don’t care to waste more time on it. So I will tie it down sufficiently with a strap to get it to the shop. Started right up with the new battery in it, couldn’t be happier so far. It was extremely easy getting the Braille in with one hand since it weighs less than 6lbs, a ton of room in the OEM tray. It’s actually loosely sitting on the old Optima plastic tray to get the height up so it would attach easier, just for now.
I’m just ecstatic my battery woes are hopefully forever a thing of the past.
04-29-2022, 03:32 AM
