Welcome to the 97_Roadrunner home page!
08-02-02
Just added a new page!
It's some pics from the swap, last year.
It's when we removed the VQ30DE powertrain and stripped apart
the VQ35DE, to rebuilt it with the VQ30DE timming assembly.
Now, take a look at page 12! Thanks!
08-01-11
I'm back from the grave!
After a year of a load of PITA with the engine swap,
thing are going to change soon. I've got my hands on a
Apex'i NEO and a AEM uego wideband O2 sensor.
Also, I'll change all gaskets, so it will run like new!
I'll add new pages in late february, when it will be done!
06-12-31
LASTEST NEWS AND PICS ADDED
STAY TUNED...
New mods since last update.
A front bug-deflector on the hood. I've rewired the front bumper lens,
just as explained on www.vqpower.com in the 4th gen's "how-to".
And the best one is my new 16 inches wheels mounted with Michelin's Pilot Alpin PA2 215/55R16H.
Next plans ares for january and february 2007.
I'll swap a VQ35DE from a 2003 Maxima.
With a good N/A tunning set-up, I plan to extract 300HP
at the crank from this marvelous engine.
Power output at the wheels should be around 270WHP. WoooHooo!!!
A friend of mine as done it in a 99 ES Maxima.
Here's how it looks. But mine wont look as ugly. (I pray for it!)
And I wont use the 4th gen TB nor the 5.5th gen one.
I'll use a 00-01 Pathfinder TB to preserve the cruise control of my car.
I'll keep you guys (and girls) updated through this process
by adding pictures and comments. See ya all in 2007...
06-09-05
NPClub's Car-Wash meeting in Laval and later on, at the Gibeau Orange Julep, in Montreal September 4th 2006. See all the pics on page 11.
06-08-21
NPClub's Drag meeting at Napierville Dragway, in Quebec, august 19th 2006.
See all the pics on page 10.
06-08-09
NPClub's Drag meeting at Napierville Dragway, in Quebec, july 29th 2006.
See all the pics on page 9.
06-07-10
First Annual Maxima Meeting in Quebec, june 17th 2006.
See all the pics on page 8.
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In the beginning...
05-08-26
Just bought my �new� ride! :-)
A 1997 Nissan Maxima GLE and a brand new Tokico HP series lowered suspensions kit.
These pics were taken in the dealer's garage.
Uggh... she's dirty!
I'm about to receive my Tokico suspensions soon and get them installed.
For now, she's stock to the bone!
05-09-05
Now she look much better in sun light after a deep wash.
As soon I receive the Tokico suspensions
from Custommaxima.com, I will add new pics.
05-09-28
I called at Custom enterprise about my Tokico kit.
I will get it in 2 weeks.
05-10-28
Still no news from those guys at Custom Enterprise.
It's been two months and they are not responding to my emails.
Does anyone have the same problem whit them? I will try
to settle this. I sent them, one hundred time, a complain email
about that, this weekend and I will call them again this monday.
05-10-29
Had a high speed race whit a 2005 Corvette today.
We were going at 200 Kph in afternoon traffic.
WOW!!! it was awesome! BUT IT WOULD HAD BEEN BETTER IF I HAD MY SUSPENSION...
05-12-16
Custom Enterprise LLC. just shipped my suspension today.
I will receive them in few days. It only took them 4 months
to proceed my order...
As I said, I will add pics as soon they are installed.
06-01-10
I had transmision problems over last month.
On December 31, while I was with my friends Nick and Alexis, I lost the reverse.
Knowing I would have to change the transmision(and my Michelin Pilot tires),
I performed a intense tire burn, similar to
the one you can download on www.motorvate.ca.
Unfortunately, I didn't had my camera whit me. There was alot
of smoke and bad smell from the transmision and the melting tires.
My mecanic, will install a refurb transmision with modified
valve body, raised oil pressure, oil cooler and a differential.
Total cost: $2050.25. :-(
Now my transmision shift much more quicker and harder.
If you have a automatic Maxima, I strongly recommand
installing these mods. :-)
The Tokico suspension will be installed this month then I will
change my Michelin tires for some Yokohama AVID H4s 205/65R15.
06-01-21
The Tokico suspension is now finally installed!!!
I also wrapped my weels with the Yokohama AVID H4s tires.
Woohooooo!!!!!!!My Max now stick to the road like crazy glue on fingers!
06-01-25
We had a small snowfall last night. Only few inches.
Be very careful if you drive in light snow. The center groove
on the Yokohama AVID H4s, is providing execptional dry and
wet traction, but in snow... they force you to become a
hand-brake master. Fortunately I had alot of training with my
badly worn Michelin Pilot Alpin in two 15 inches snow storms.
Earlyer that day, my left wiper arm stoped moving.
So I performed the ~one wiper mod~ like we see so often on
Honda Civic, until I fix it.
06-01-26
Again we had a small snowfall last night.
Only few inches... again!
These tires are WAY dangerous in snow. I was going 50Kph
slithly downhill and the trafic light turned red. The ABS
went on and I didn't slow down at all. To prevent crossing the
intersection, I use my hand brake (again) to turn right on the
red, making me cut 2 lanes in both direction: south and west.
Tabarnak... we have to be damm good drivers to face our winters in Qu�bec.
06-02-01
Just bought ALTEZZA Tail light on ebay, I cant wait to put them on my car!
06-02-24
ALTEZZA tail lights are installed.
06-02-02
Just bought Clear bumper light on ebay, I cant wait to put them on my car!
I will put yellow bulbs in them.
06-02-24
Clear bumper lights are installed. I've also changed my corner light bulbs
to match the clear bumper light mod.
06-02-13
Another ebay purchase, an Heat shielded Air filter that will look very nice under my hood.
06-03-28
Air filter is now installed. I dont really feel any
difference, but the sound is crazy! More pics on page 4.
Quicktime movie link of an old clip I've made when my Maxima had her previous transmission and knock sensor fault.(code0304) When the ECU read knock sensor failure, it run in a safe mode by retarding the ignition which make a power drop of 30Hp and 45lb-ft of torque.
It is a 0 to 137kph in a 50kph zone (30Mph).
That explain the Roadrunner nick name...
Right click and save as...
Maxaccel.mov___File size: 4.9Mb
06-03-08
New Quicktime movie clip I've made today. In this one the 0 to 100kph is done 2.5 seconds faster thanks to my new transmission, even though the temperature was under 30'F, so I did had my weels spinning at launch (see the needles go up and down). Even though my ride now suffer from a leek in my stock Y-pipe, it feel a bit less powerful under 2500 rpm. I will replace the Y-pipe this spring as it will be my next performance modification.
Right click and save as...
New_trans_Maxaccel.mov___File size: 4.2Mb
06-03-30
Now My Y-Pipe leaks very much and cause engine troubles.
I get error code 0606, Cylinder 3 Misfire,
and later, error code 0701, Multiple Cylinder Misfire.
CRAP!!!! NOW MY CAR SOUND LIKE A FORD TEMPO!!! :-(
I will buy a Warpspeed aluminised steel Y-Pipe very soon.
06-04-04
I've just ordered a Y-Pipe and a highflow cat. from WarpSpeed Performance. They will ship them in 7 to 10 days. ;-) Way faster than Custom Enterprise... :-p
06-04-09
I have recently done a 9004 to 9007 headlights
conversion. See how to do it yourself on page 5.
06-05-08
I've got my Y-pipe and cat delivered by the mailman today.
They will be installed tomorrow night.
06-05-12
Warpspeed Y-pipe and Magnaflow cat instalation.
Pics on page 4.
Do you recognise my mecanic's shirt? It a GOODWRENCH shirt for GM stealership's mecanics. Generally, GM build crappy cars(or use to), so they need great mecanics to repair those cars that are still under warranty! lol!!
This is how bad my stock Y-pipe was.
Final step of instalation before the test ride...
06-05-14
I've hit the pavement today, because I wanted to test
my newly added power. :-)
So I've emptyed my trunk to make my car a bit lighter,
keeped the spare tire(just in case I would have needed it)
and with an half full gas tank, I was cruising around town
searching for red lights.
Never before my Maxima pulled this hard, I realy have
to be more careful to prevent wheel spin through 1st gear.
I noticed faster rev-up, a very good power gain through
the whole rpm range, but the big gains are after 4000rpm.
This is where you feel the engine power rising quickly
and constantly until it reach 6200rpm.
The power drop above 5500rpm caused by the too
restrictive stock Y-pipe, has vanished.
Equiped with my digital camera, I've done some few video
clips of my gauge cluster. The best time I did is 7.7sec
for the 0 to 100 kph and I have barely make my tires
spin at launch. Not bad for an automatic Maxima ;-)
Quicktime movie clip: Y-pipe cat intake trany mods
Right click and save as...
7.7sec Maxaccel.mov
06-05-22
I have put blue led lights in my interior lighting.
See how to do it yourself on page 3
06-05-29
What's new this weekend?
Well I've made myself a grounding kit, with some amplifier wiring.
See how to DIY on page 4!
06-08-17
Since our last meet at Napierville Dragway, I had braking problems. Yesterday I've changed my front brakes myself.
Here they ares, stacked in my oven before the instalations.
I always clean the oil on a new rotor so it wont smell like shit when I will brake.
I dry them in my oven to prevent rust.
Installed with my grey painted caliper! It is hard to see but the brakes pads are blood red.
This saturday we will meet again for a drag event. Thank god I changed these before. The rear ones ares as much wraped as the front ones, so I'll change them soon.
06-08-25
I have bought and installed a Vibrant FSTB.
WOW! Huge improvement of handling, especially when I hit pot-holes! More pics on page 4!
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Does anyone is interested to meet in Montreal or surrounding in 2006?
Come one come all...
Info or comment at montrealmeet@yahoo.ca
PAGE 1: Summary (you are here)
PAGE 2: Exterior pics
PAGE 3: Interior pics and how to DIY blue leds
PAGE 4: Engine bay pics and how to DIY
PAGE 5: Lighting mods and how to DIY
PAGE 6: Pics of mods I want to install
PAGE 7: Various pics of my Max and friends rides
PAGE 8: NPClub's First Annual Maxima Meeting in Quebec, June 17th 2006.
PAGE 9: NPClub's Drag meeting at Napierville Dragway, July 29th 2006.
PAGE10: NPClub's Drag meeting at Napierville Dragway, August 19th 2006.
Page11: NPClub's Car-Wash meeting in Laval and at the Julep, September 4th 2006.
Page12: The VQ35DE engine swap in pictures.
