This page will attempt to outline proper methods and requirements to safely boost the VQ35DE on stock internals.
Contents |
See: Air-Fuel Gauges
See: Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauges
See: Boost Gauges
See: Fuel Injectors
See: Fuel Pumps
See: Return Fuel Systems
See: Fuel Management Units and Engine Management Units
Perhaps the most important factor in boosting your engine is engine management (EMU). This section covers this engine management functions and what needs to be adjusted to safely run boost.
See: Boost Controllers
A boost controller should be used with a turbo kit on the 350Z. A boost controller's function is to set and maintain the desired boost pressure level. Without a boost controller, a turbo can overboost causing a lean condition and ultimately engine failure.
It is important to monitor engine vitals. Knowing early that something is not quite right could mean the difference between a completely blown motor or just some minor damage. This section covers what you need to monitor and how.
See: Blow Off Valves
When you let off the throttle, the pressure inside the intake / intercooler system needs to go somewhere. Adding a blow off valve will release the pressure on the turbos, engine, and intake system. It will also allow the pressure to build up gradually after shifting rather than a sudden burst of pressure into the engine cylinders.
See: Spark Plugs
Oil is critical to keep the engine lubricated and cool. It can't hurt things to have a larger oil pan (or oil pan spacer) that allows the use of more oil (usually an additional quart). Additionally, some of the turbo or supercharger kits tap into the oil pan and share the oil with the engine. Having more oil to share is definitely a plus.
Just as having more oil is beneficial, so is keeping the oil cool. An addon oil cooler will add some additional insurance to your forced induction setup. All of the turbocharger kits and some of the supercharger kits tap into the engine's oil pan and share the oil. Turbos get extremely hot and can drastically increase the temperature of the engine oil which in turn can cause increased oil consumption and decay.
Fitment of an oil cooler can be difficult since many of the full size front mount intercoolers take up all the space in the 350Z bumper grille. However, with some creativity it is possible to fit an oil cooler in the 350Z grille area even with the limited space. If you are serious about getting the best possible cooling for your Z, then a custom front bumper is in order. Many of the aftermarket bumper solutions feature additional grille openings that can be used to funnel air into the oil cooler.
Engine failure can also be attributed to over stressing the internals. The stock internals were not designed to handle excessive power increases. 400whp is a good round number that many people shoot for. It has been proven that the stock internals will handle more than that, but failures have also occurred below that value (perhaps for other reasons). As you increase the power output, the risk of engine failure also increases.
This section covers the suggested upgrades with each turbo or supercharger kit in order to run it safely.
APS Single Turbocharger
APS Twin Turbocharger
HKS Supercharger
JWT Twin Turbocharger
Power Enterprise Twin Turbocharger
SFR Twin Turbocharger
Stillen Supercharger
Turbonetics Single Turbocharger
Ultimate Racing Twin Turbocharger
Vortech Supercharger