The problem is the design of the Stillen kit is inherently flawed. MAF readings are taken before the compressor. When an engine like the VQ37VHR is designed and tuned to run efficiently based on the MAF readings being what the intake manifold sees, it becomes a problem when you are now taking those readings before compression, before heating of the compression, and before the cooling of the water to air cooler. Your engine no longer knows how to adjust timing, and if your intake says it can advance the timing, but the charged air is higher, you could get knock and detonation. The turbo kits avoid this problem by taking MAF readings post intercooler. It isn't a reporting issue, it is a design issue. For Stillen's stock water to air design the MAF readings would need to occur shortly after the cooling in the manifold, which would be impractical. You are indeed correct that turbos are more complex and have more parts that can break. I believe the Stillen kit in its stock form is designed to account for their flaws, which is why they send an overly rich tune. As AMNQ and many others have said, it is "fine" stock, but anything over is not guaranteed by Stillen. Last time I checked, no upgrades to the kit were even displayed on their webpage. They don't want people to upgrade it, they just want to sell base kits.

 

^ Actually, I think that is a myth. Has it ever been backed up by input from someone at UpRev or a Nissan engineer that shows that the car determines timing off the MAF? I agree that it's way off for the IAT readings, so the IAT table would be off. BUT as far as pulling timing, doesn't the ECU pull timing based on the knock sensor picking up det? I've been told by some pretty reputable tuners that the knock sensors for the VQ motors are very finicky, so I'd think THAT is what you're tuning around. The inaccurate readings of IAT doesn't help, but the safeguards are still in place via knock sensors.

When I tuned my car, I monitored knock VERY closely, and saw very little knock. The other thing I monitored was timing - even if I programmed super high timing numbers into the software, it still ran similar timing numbers. That tells me that the knock sensor is doing it's job, and only giving me timing that I could safely run.

The high intake temps worked against me for max power, but it was still as safe as anything else running using the stock ECU's detonation safeguards. That was just my experience.