I have never really gotten any result with TBS. YMMV

Also I would look into the Volant intake, very popular here.

The Y pipe on the exhaust is probably where I will start my performance mods.

 

Air flow sensors and throttle body spacers are useless wastes of money.

 

Quoted for truth ! Big rip off no hp gain only works on carb'd vehicles and t/b type V motors with the TB on the center intake plenum to create the "Volocity". Goin in . Look up on youtube you will see the proof in the pudding . I personly maybee seen about miniscule extra miles per tank with the JET spacer on mine .
.Maf's usualy need to be tuned for not just drop in a go . The intake manifold spacer is a proven gain but still not realy worth the gain with the $$ it costs unless your running other bolt ons . Intakes are allways the best bang for.the buck cheapest and the most gain and quickest to install. You guys have to remeber all the air coming in needs to be calibrated to proper air fuel mix so you best bet is to have a programer for maximum gain.

 

There are tons of threads on here. (I find that google search is easier to use.)

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=+si...AA&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.43287494,d.dmg&fp=5f95e1ffea936491&biw=1166&bih=693

Anyway, Throttle Body Spacer may as well be a cool looking paper weight.

The K&N intake is fine, but for close to the same price I would recommend the Volant's fully sealed box. After 30k miles I checked my filter and box, seriously you could eat off it. Comparatively my wife's car with a heat shielded K&N had sand, leaves, pines, etc all around it.

MAF sensor replacement, no idea on that and I dont see many folks on here running it.

Personally I think the best bang for cheap is a tuner. It'll remove the throttle restriction the Xterra has below 40mph and add a few HP. You can usually pick up a used on on here for ~$200. This will be the best bang on the seat-o-pants meter. Especially off the line.

HOWEVER - IF YOU PLAN ON DOING MORE MODS. If you think you will do more than a CAI and cat-back exhaust. I'm talking headers, IMS (intake manifold spacer - those actually work), or more - DO NOT BUY A STANDARD TUNER. (Like Superchips, BullyDog, or Hypertech) They are a 1 size fits all, and are meant for stock or lightly modified Xterras. You will have to go to UpRev for a custom solution.

In which case I'd say start with IMS (intake manifold spacer from XTP) and CAI. Those 2 are reasonably priced and you can do yourself. Then look for an exhaust setup, then get a tuner (preferably UpRev). After that you'll have a pretty decent X - if you crave more there's always a Stillen SuperCharger.

Search is your friend. I have an entire CAI thread, Exhaust thread (dynomax) and UpRev thread.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, I search for info on my own, but sometimes it's good to get the word from other x owners. I didn't realize TBS or MAF were more money than worth.

I am thinking of adding a cat back system, but was holding off, but if I'm going to get the most out of getting that Y pipe gone, then I may go there first.

Is Volants benefit only that it's a closed box, or does it work in a way differently from a K&N?

 

Getting the restrictive Y pipe out of the exhaust is where you will find the biggest gain for the buck. There are several cat back systems out there.

 

Focus in the exhaust, intakes do very little.

Exhaust and a tuner.
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You're not going to notice any performance increase from an intake or exhaust mod, unless you have a precisely calibrated dyno in/on your butt. People that claim to notice an increase is likely do to the placebo effect, or they're mashing on the skinny petal harder when they drive. The only thing you'd notice would be some sort of forced induction i.e. turbo or supercharger.

 

I would have to respectfully disagree. There are noticeable top end gains with a cold air intake and noticeable low end gains with an intake manifold spacer. I have built a few fun sport/track cars, I know it is not a extreme difference but it is more than a placebo effect and I know I have some track slips somewhere that would show it. Maybe it's just easier to notice here at elevation too. As others said, best bang for the buck is Cold Air Intake, Intake Manifold Spacer and eliminating that restrictive Y-Pipe.

 

My inclination with my X would be to do the following in this order: (1) custom Y-pipe and less restrictive exhaust; (2) less restrictive air filter in modified stock airbox (rather than CAI); and potentially (3) intake manifold spacer.

Unlike my previous offroad rigs, that had substantial high performance engine modifications (pre-OBD2), this one is my daily driver/primary transportation. I want to keep the engine close to stock because in the event of a problem far from home, I need to be able to take my X to any dealer or independent mechanic and not be turned away because they aren't comfortable working on a modified engine.

My questions, to those who have done the mods listed above, are these:

A) Does one need an electronic "tuner" with only mods 1 and 2? (I suspect not)

B) Are there any intake manifold spacers that are "CARB" approved? (If not, who in California has one and what issues, if any, with the smog nazis?)

C) Is there any benefit to mod 3 (intake manifold spacer) without a custom tune?

D) Does mod 3 (intake manifold spacer) create problems (i.e., reduction in performance or mileage) without a custom tune?

E) Which tuner and who sells it?

And lastly

F) Which tuners (if any) are capable of advancing the timing 2 degrees, or is this something only dealer equipment can do?


Thanks. (I know I've asked a lot of questions.)

 

My Comments, in RED.

My inclination with my X would be to do the following in this order: (1) custom Y-pipe and less restrictive exhaust; (2) less restrictive air filter in modified stock airbox (rather than CAI); and potentially (3) intake manifold spacer.

Unlike my previous offroad rigs, that had substantial high performance engine modifications (pre-OBD2), this one is my daily driver/primary transportation. I want to keep the engine close to stock because in the event of a problem far from home, I need to be able to take my X to any dealer or independent mechanic and not be turned away because they aren't comfortable working on a modified engine.

My questions, to those who have done the mods listed above, are these:

A) Does one need an electronic "tuner" with only mods 1 and 2? (I suspect not)

No.

B) Are there any intake manifold spacers that are "CARB" approved? (If not, who in California has one and what issues, if any, with the smog nazis?)

No, there are no carb approved IMS. There are CARB approved CAIs (K&N has one). The IMS products that are available are from 2 small vendors. XTP makes an alliminum one (I had a good experience with him, but he was the only vendor at the time) - there's another one now made by CXJ that's Phenolic. I believe both are comparible in performance. Really its the quality of gasket you need to look out for. Also I can't speak for alluminum vs. phenolic.

C) Is there any benefit to mod 3 (intake manifold spacer) without a custom tune?

Yes. Improved throttle response / lower torque curve. There are a few reviews on the XTP Group by thread.

D) Does mod 3 (intake manifold spacer) create problems (i.e., reduction in performance or mileage) without a custom tune?

None that I know of.

E) Which tuner and who sells it?

No sure what you're asking here? There are 3 standard tuners that come to mind. SuperChips (they do not have tunes for 2011+ Xterra's though), BullyDog, and HyperTech. They are all pretty similar, with BullyDog having the ability to act as a realtime monitor if you keep it plugged in.

UpRev is a custom tuning solution. I had a superchips, but after I modded beyond its capabilities I sold it for enough coin to justify (in my head) going to UpRev. UpRev also comes with advanced Nissan diagnositic software. (In other words it can read Nissan specific BCM codes, not just universal check engine codes.)

And lastly

F) Which tuners (if any) are capable of advancing the timing 2 degrees, or is this something only dealer equipment can do?

Unsure. I believe all of them are. I know UpRev can, and I think my SuperChips did, but I just ran the standard tune on that one.

Thanks. (I know I've asked a lot of questions.)

In a nut shell - tuners are basically new software for your engine. They provide new parameters and fuel mappings. More air requires new fuel to air ratios.

Tuners can be certainly be used by themselves - put they are most benificial when combined with other mods.

In stock form, the Xterra can handle mild mods (like a Y-pipe and a few breather modifications like *most* CAIs). Standard tuners expand on this. They remove the throttle restriction the Xterra has till 40mph - and take better usage of futher mods (cat back, CAI, etc).

Custom tuners expand even further upon this - should you ever exceed (doesnt look like you are planning to) the capabilities of a standard tuner. Custom tunes are done either on a dyno or via data logging. Air to Fuel ratios will be specifically tailored to your setup. I went custom as I felt I had outgrown my SuperChip (with a cat-back, CAI, and an IMS). Granted those really are mild mods - but I also wanted the diagnostic software that UpRev provides and I like toys.

In reality I could run my mods on stock software and experience no issues - but then i'd have all these mods and no way to take advantage of them as the computer would be dialing it down.

Stock OK / Standard Tuner Better -
- Y-pipe
- K&N DropIn / modified air box / most CAIs (Volant w/powercore may throw lean air code, check out my CAI thread)
- Cat-back

Start thinking Custom (still stock or standard OK)
- IMS
- Headers
- B-pipe delete
- Hi-flow Cats

Need Custom:
- Larger fuel injectors
- Any forced inductions (i.e. supercharged)

I'm sure there's more, this is just off the top of my head.

 

all i have for performance is a bullydog tuner, and a k&n air filter. I first got the tuner, and switched to the 87 octane performance tune and noticed an increase, then i switched to the 93 octane performance tune, and noticed a big increase, and then added the k&n filter and noticed even more of a gain, and better throttle response. next up will be a cat-back exhaust, and lastly will be an intake manifold spacer when i need to replace my plugs, since everyone seems to rave about them.

 

i've got both an intake and IMS, installed them at the same time. one, or both of them together certainly created a noticeable difference in throttle response. i dont worry much about the mileage, but the difference is arguably negligible. as far as performance mods go, next up will be a bullydog tuner and some exhaust work

 

"best bang for your buck" will be a tuner.

 

Great info to think about.

I like to do mods in groups, so I can feel a big difference all at once. So I'll be cutting out the Y Pipe, adding a Magnaflow, a CAI, and new tires and wheels in one shot, (and maybe sneak in a Spacer under the wifes hawk like radar