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CJM baffled oil pan is finally on the way. I started a new job as a service advisor for Genesis (got out of tech finally, I’ve got access to a lift at work now) so next week I plan to install the baffled oil pan and Z1 subframe collars. I’ve got green coolant, deionized water, new upper and lower rad hoses, and an assortment of nice clamps that I’ll also try to install when it’s on the lift this week. Planning to get the wavetrac and 4.08 gears installed shortly, obviously holding off on the diff cover until then but might install the z1 diff brace as a hold over until I get the pumpkin out and find someone I trust to rebuild it.
Also thinking about changing up my exhaust setup, but want to knock the diff out first. I still have the OEM sport accessory muffler NIB I am holding onto to experiment with. But I’m considering ditching everything for a new full 2.5” setup. New setup would be PPE equal length longtube headers (parallel collector), Motordyne XYZ pipe with resonated HFC, then either the SOHO, Z1 race, or Greddy evolution GT (dual exit exhausts) to finish it off. It’s not cheap but would sound nice. IMO the single exit sounds too raspy (esp titanium) for my taste when paired with PPE headers, so leaning towards a dual exit despite the weight savings of a single exit. Just my personal taste, not hating on single exits. Who knows if I hear one in person with headers it might change my mind. Curious if anyone has cams and equal length headers, what numbers they make. Might be a solid NA build for now until/if I boost it. Just taking it day by day and enjoying it.
Remembering things as I type, I moved my fire extinguisher behind the passenger seat. It was scratching my wife’s legs even after removing the extinguisher for drives, and couldn’t easily adjust the seat with the bride rails so I decided to move it. It’s still just as quick and easy to reach and pull from behind the seat vs in front. Mission accomplished.
NGL sometimes I miss the original front bumper that came with the car (2011-2013 sport models). Maybe I’ll end up getting one to do a true frame mount front splitter with, but it definitely sat too high compared to the IPL side skirts which I’ll never remove. Maybe I’ll just get another 6 speed G37 coupe, it’s not out of the realm. About to trade in our 328i sedan for a new 2022 q60 coupe before they are extinct on that note.
CJM baffled oil pan was worth every bit of the wait. I’m down for the count with the flu but will be installing it either this weekend or next. Probably going to also knock out the Z1 subframe collars while it’s on the lift.
And here’s a shot of the relocated fire extinguisher/mount. Much better and out of the way, and can still grab it from behind the seat in about 5 seconds. Whenever I have a roll bar fabricated I’ll just mount the extinguisher to the roll bar.
Been a minute, had a lot going on lately so I haven’t had much time free to spend on the G37. Started a new job as a Volvo mechanic, couldn’t be happier wrenching all day even on Volvos to start. Think Office Space when Peter is working construction at the end- how I feel after working a decade in IT and finally getting out of it. To each their own.
The G37’s A/C compressor clutch decided to go out on me a little over a week ago right when I ticked over 72,000 miles, so I’ve been without A/C in Florida which doesn’t work lol. Went ahead and got a new OEM A/C compressor which was a fun bag of money to drop even with a minor discount through the dealership I work for (they own a Nissan dealer also). On that note I’m waiting for them to get another 2023 Z in stock to test drive…I’m scheming. Still haven’t swapped the radiator hoses and clamps one last time, but planning to do that next weekend with the A/C compressor since it’ll be quick and easy with the radiator fans/fan shroud already out. Sticking with blue pre-mix for good since the other Z1 hoses are holding up fine with no spotting.
I’ll also throw in the latest coolant bleeder port I snagged from Z1 since it uses a 5mm hex bit or Allen key. The old/current style Z1 bleeder port I have uses a flathead bleeder plug. Just makes it that much easier for the future using hex.
Oh and lastly in the escapades of my car completely screwing me repeatedly, I can’t get my car into reverse. Decided to stop going into reverse today when I got home. I had a battery booster pack in my car and had to slam on brakes driving home, thinking the battery pack hitting the back of the center console might have popped something in the reverse linkage loose…hoping it just popped off the transmission side but honestly haven’t even looked yet. I can’t get the collar on the shifter to move at all to get into reverse. I may need to adjust the reverse lockout screw also, happy I have access to it. The never ending project continues…once I get these things knocked out it’s back to modding. Ready for the roll bar and DOT approved harnesses for the street, maybe a Nardi wheel after that. Not giving up my airbag until the roll bar and harnesses are in.
Got reverse “fixed” on my Coolerworx shifter in a matter of minutes yesterday when I finally had a second to look at it in peace. Shifter boot center console trim has a lip protruding downward (where it meets the ash tray), and after the battery pack bumped my center console hard enough it popped that piece of trim just enough out of place to block the reverse mechanism in the Coolerworx shifter. The slide pin and spring were just physically blocked from moving- removed and reseated the trim and voila reverse works again. I’ll dremel out a small notch in the trim lip so it doesn’t happen again- it won’t be noticeable without removing the trim piece and wouldn’t affect the ash tray if one was to uninstall their Coolerworx shifter/ going back to stock (no one would ever know it’s not OEM. I’ll get a picture of that when I’m get a Dremel on it this weekend. I made a little more detailed explanation in post #15 of my Coolerworx review I’ll link below (pictures in thread). Glad it was an easy “fix” (if you can call it that, lol) and nothing more serious.
Past that, planning to FINALLY get some real stuff done I’ve written about for months this week in the shop- going to be installing the new A/C compressor, new Z1 radiator hoses and clamps to replace the 2x spotted hoses, new Z1 coolant bleeder port, CJM baffled oil pan, some Project Kics (duralumin) hub rings, and possibly might go ahead and knock out the Z1 urethane rear diff bushing. Can’t wait to dump the Mobil1 oil out and get back to ester oil, sticking with Redline (5w-30) for now since I already had 6x new bottles I bought a few months ago and using a NISMO filter. Also going to go ahead and perform a proper clutch fluid flush and brake fluid flush with RBF600 all around. Got the Motive black label power bleeder (comes w/ aluminum cap, PN#0117) since I need it for my BMW the following weekend (had to buy a separate adapter). I’ll re-balance my tires as well, since that only takes a second and I’ve noticed some minor vibration at higher speeds..those hub rings should help with that also.
More than anything…I’m excited to see how the 19x10.5 +30 rears look and fit on the front of the car. If they fit properly, and a big if, with no scrubbing or rubbing, I’ll 100% be running a true 10.5” square setup (You bet I already checked if they are in stock and ready to ship too, luckily they are!). The 10.5” deep concave just looks way too good. The fronts (9.5” mid concave) just don’t do it for me when I look at the rears. Weight gain from the wider wheel isn’t enough for me to worry either. The 285/35/19 tires are my biggest concern, might need to go down to 275/35 all around, but we shall see. The 285/35 Yoko’s fit really well on the 10.5’s as-is, so I’m hopeful. Pictures definitely to follow. If I go this route and don’t end up wanting to use my 19x10.5 +23 rears in storage, I’ll either use the spare staggered set for track tires or sell the staggered set. Really leaning towards some 18x10.5’s for the track though, esp with tire costs. My wife said she won’t want them on her Q60 coupe
Thanks for checking in on my ramblings if you’re still reading, and as always feel free to ask any questions- here to help the community.
Been too busy in our Volvo shop to get my own car in, so I let our Nissan techs install my new OEM AC compressor on Friday (dealership network I work for also owns a Nissan dealer).
Well, I had AC back for half a day. Noticed a slight hiss, didn’t see any leaks, just decided to keep an eye on it. Started it up this morning and no cold air at all, not a good sign. So I brought it into my shop this afternoon to put it in vacuum and see. No pressure at all, so all of the Freon had leaked out. Took a flashlight to the grill and voila, green Freon leaking all down the passenger side of the Mishimoto condenser. At least the AC compressor is working I suppose. Final set of Z1 radiator hoses were installed also, if they spot again, screw it.
I guess this is why they give you a lifetime warranty, lol. Starting the warranty process, curious to see if they’ll end up sending me just a new condenser or an entire new radiator (since the Mishimoto condenser and rad are separated).
This has been such a heartbreaking headache of events, I’m getting tired of having to fix the same things and am getting to the point where I’m considering selling my G37 and parting ways with it. (JK, never selling it). My car is modified, but not to the extent I should be having constant issues like this. It’s been a huge kill joy when I just want it to run reliably.
Is the actual condenser leaking, ie. hole in the casting, or did one of the "one-touch" joints fail? I would imagine being a divorced unit Mishi will just send out a condenser.
Either way, sorry to hear of the troubles. And Volvo? Congrats- I must have missed that update.
Is the actual condenser leaking, ie. hole in the casting, or did one of the "one-touch" joints fail? I would imagine being a divorced unit Mishi will just send out a condenser.
Either way, sorry to hear of the troubles. And Volvo? Congrats- I must have missed that update.
It’s the casting itself sadly. Myself and a master tech looked at it and confirmed it’s the condenser core itself. Mishi support was great though, don’t need the serial number to just replace the condenser which they are sending me separately, so it should be an easy warranty process now.
And thanks! Had to take a mental break from IT, been good doing some wrenching on cars for a change. Won’t be permanent but a great experience.
The Mishimoto customer service was top-notch and warranty process was quick and easy, so I already have a new condenser unit on the way. They are just sending a condenser since the Mishi radiator and condenser are separate units that bolt together. This is where their lifetime warranty is handy, even if I have to replace it 5x times over the life of the car. They also offered to send some free K-seal with free shipping, but I prefer a true permanent fix, not a bandaid. Really wondering how well a CSF would be holding up, but had heard a lot of mixed reviews more recently and the 2 year warranty was a deal breaker. It’s nice that Mishimoto is standing behind their products and warranty. It sucks I’ll have to remove my front bumper yet again, but will be worth it and I can take a good look at the radiator also then.
I’m also thinking about going back to my OEM air intakes + Z tubes and AFE drop-ins for the time being, since I’ve noticed IAT’s sitting well above 110+ already in the Florida heat (Takeda front-mount with rain-shield). I’d have to ditch my Saikou Michi custom dual catch cans, or at least set them to the side for now, but would be easier to deal with vs the front mount, esp with how unsure I am of what I want to do with the car engine/power-wise still. I would run without the Takeda rain guard, knowing it’s trapping heat in the filter, but don’t trust the road debris, sand, and downpours we have here. If someone knows of an OEM-style aftermarket kit that uses true boxes/heat shields with conical filters please, please let me know. I was hoping Z1 would make a kit following their G35 OEM-style intake kit, but reached out to them and they said they have no plans to make one for the G37. The R2C black hex SRI kit I had previously was great, but the heat-shields fell way short. It kind of blows my mind that no one has made an OEM/box style intake (full heat shielding, fully sealed) that takes advantage of the OEM intake inlet design and mounting points. Still not ready to cut-up my hood yet until I can make some clean carbon vents.
Small note, ordered the Work Royal Installation kit for my wheels, since I forgot I was running aluminum lug nuts and would much rather not. The Work Royal kit is steel and impact rated, so I’ll be able to to zap the wheels off now with my impact which is awesome for track days.
Off topic about power tools related to lugs and cars- I have a Milwaukee M18 Fuel 1/2” mid-torque impact wrench (2962-20, w/ friction ring & high output batteries) I use daily at work as a Volvo mechanic, and have nothing but good to say about it, if anyone is looking for a good impact wrench recommendation. Also have their newest 1/4” M12 impact driver and M12 drill/driver for fasteners…the impact driver is a beast, breaks away rusted screws like it’s nothing, and driver/fastener tool is great for trim and clips since it won’t strip them. Their impact sockets are also my favorite I’ve used, even out of my co-workers snap-on collection. The high-visibility markings make them the most convenient to use and grab out of my tool tray. Their sleeved lug sockets are primo too, I love not having to worry about scratched wheels. Nothing but good to say about all of their power tools, I’m team red all the way. I do use Icon (harbor freight’s pro brand) hand tools and sockets daily though- the pricing is great for the quality vs tool trucks, and being able to run across the street to Harbor Freight if I ever need to (easily) warranty an item is a big, big plus. They just need to start releasing more socket sets and odd-ball bits/sockets.
I can’t speak to how effective they are at keeping heat soak down though.
I’ve ran K&N short rams, your old Z1 intakes, and finally stock boxes with AFE dry drop ins.
The OE boxes delivered the best drivability hands down. Id take them over any aftermarket intakes on the OE tune. The power difference was there but not enough to justify the decrease in drivability. Things might differ with a proper Ecutek calibration but I still don’t see how to solve the heat soaking issues.
I can’t speak to how effective they are at keeping heat soak down though.
I’ve ran K&N short rams, your old Z1 intakes, and finally stock boxes with AFE dry drop ins.
The OE boxes delivered the best drivability hands down. Id take them over any aftermarket intakes on the OE tune. The power difference was there but not enough to justify the decrease in drivability. Things might differ with a proper Ecutek calibration but I still don’t see how to solve the heat soaking issues.
You and I have the same logic regarding intakes- I’d run AFE dry drop-ins if I go back to the OEM intakes. I have actually been eyeing the Stillen Gen 2 kit, but there’s barely any reviews or data out there about that kit so I’m skeptical. The heat shields also aren’t a full seal, and it still uses aluminum piping which looks great, but not as good as silicone or plastic (heat management wise). I’m sure you noticed the same- I reached out to Seb from Specialty Z to get his input on the Stillen Gen 2s since he and I were talking intake temps. He already confirmed what I thought, that the OEM boxes + MAF tubes + drop ins yields comparable results to a Stillen Gen 3/Takeda/Z1, especially regarding intake temps. Living in Florida I’m forced to be conscientious about the heat and random downpours with front-intakes.
fwiw, I’ve been curious if anyone has ever used small auxiliary fans to pull in colder/fresh air into the air box intake inlets next to the radiator. I’ve seen the fang vent mod on 370zs before but that’s not realistic with regards to daily driving with water and debris intake. At least if the inlet vents are placed on the low-side of the bumper. Maybe if a trap was built that sit behind the OEM grill, then routed air to the two inlets…that may be best, but is already essentially the design of the OEM system (minus the would-be vacuum scoop behind the grill). Just a thought.
Interesting note about the Stillen Gen 2 intakes I just saw. In the dry filter version, they use AEM dry filters and even say so themselves. I wonder if this is why we haven’t seen a direct G37 SRI kit from AEM, if they have some sort of partnership or agreement with Stillen. The Gen 3s use oiled K&N filters which I’ve known for years, but the AEM dry filters on the Gen 2 is something I hadn’t noticed before.
“We replace the restrictive factory air boxes with two (2) dual cone genuine AEM reusable high flow conical dry air filters” - Stillen product description.
I still might probably re-use my OEM intakes for now since I don’t feel like dumping money on another intake setup when I’m still planning to boost this engine or build it. Maybe I’ll just design a boxed intake system myself with some help. I live around the corner from several pro-level racing and R&D shops, maybe I should take advantage of that.
I’m not going to waste more time and money on intakes with my plans to boost this car, so back to OEM intakes it is. If anyone is interested in buying my Takeda front mount intakes, they’ll be in the classifieds soon (I’ll link the posting in this thread when it’s live). I’m not listing them in the classifieds yet since I’ll be removing the intake when I have to pull my bumper for the Mishi condenser replacement. But within a couple weeks it’ll be off of my car. (Not a feeler post).
On that note, I’ll sadly also have to remove my Saikou Michi dual baffled oil catch cans and part ways with them. I actually haven’t even emptied them once yet, so it’ll be interesting to see how much they’ve caught since installing them a few thousand miles ago. Sight tubes remain empty so I know it can’t be much. If anyone is interested in those keep your eyes out for the classifieds (I’ll link them in this thread also). Again, not making a listing until they are off of the car, and this is not a feeler post. It doesn’t look like they will fit in any configuration with a future Stillen A2A setup or front-mount turbo, due to the orientation of the vent tubes. This was the very first set developed and produced for the G37; I worked with the owner, Saikou Michi, to create this setup for any long-tube aftermarket intakes (based off of his existing 370z kit), with symmetrical hose routing. Just time for me to change it up.
I’ll be re-installing my Z1 PCV silicone breather hoses for the time being until I re-visit another Saikou Michi catch can setup after I decide on what I want to do with the engine and potential boost. I’ll be running AFE dry drop-in’s and Z1 post-maf tubes.
Oh and one last bit to add- my Cusco front strut tower bar finish was defective, and has gotten worse over time. I reached out to Cusco and they said since it’s been too long after purchase they can’t send me a replacement for free (understandable), but would discount a new one for almost the price of a new bar after tax and shipping. So I’m just going to get some duplicolor metalcast and paint the bar black. I might take it somewhere to be sandblasted and anodized but curious how two cans of metalcast would work for $30 first. Will probably try that this week sometime and post pictures.
Z1 post-MAF tubes and AFE dry filter drop-ins are on the way. Going back to the OEM intakes until I decide what I want to do with the engine. It’ll be interesting trying to re-seal the enlarged openings/cutouts in the radiator support (from cutting it for various intakes I’ve tried). Should be able to figure something out, doesn’t look too bad. Will probably use some weatherstripping etc from Lowe’s or HD in place of the foam seal that is no more.
Mishimoto warranty process was smooth, I already got the new condenser and it arrived in perfect shape luckily. So this week or weekend I’ll be removing my bumper to replace the condenser, and will change the intakes at the same time. I’ll probably remove the catch cans today to have one less thing to do. I got some Nissan Fluid Gasket for the CJM baffled oil pan which I’m hoping to install after the condenser goes in. Will be using a NISMO oil filter and Redline 5W-30 since my car has really liked that oil. Considering switching to a Motul oil eventually though, they seem to be more consistent than redline from UOAs…
I also got some new lug nuts because I don’t want to run aluminum lug nuts anymore, especially for track events. I have the Work RS close-ended aluminum lug nuts on there now and will be replacing them with the Work Royal Installation kit which uses McGard steel lug nuts. They look purdy too, I got lucky and Evasive had just gotten a set in from Japan a few days ago and they shipped it out to me that day (The team at Evasive team rocks, always give them a call first!). I couldn’t find anything online saying they weren’t impact rated, and because they’re steel I assumed they would be, which would have been really nice. But nah, they’re specifically not to be used with an impact, go figure lol. I do want to run ARP wheel studs soon enough too, but going to try and find a set that is close to OEM length so I don’t have to use the extended studs with open ended lug nuts. The ARP wheel studs don’t have a history of rusting from what I’ve heard and read over the years. Maybe I’ll end up just running their studs with some NISMO open ended lug nuts.
Either going to use some Mishimoto or P2M clamps for the Z1 post MAF tubes, got everything ready to re-install my OEM intakes.
I sanded and painted my Cusco FSTB finally and tried Duplicolor Metalcast first. I used some 600 grit sandpaper on the bar, then used the Metalcast base coat (used their directions) followed by a Metalcast charcoal color coat. It was more gray than charcoal and the color didn’t go down perfectly even, ie some spots were darker. So I grabbed a can of VHT satin black engine enamel to cover it. Turned out great other than my mess up getting a piece of trash on it. Panicked and made it worse. I guess I’ll live with it as much as it bugs me, not too noticeable. Scratch that. It bothered me enough and I want it done right the first time so I’m having blasted and powdercoated this week. Updates to come.
Managed to slice my hand open this weekend so I won’t be working on my car for a week or so until the stitches come out.
03-11-2023, 04:25 PM
