2 GO B4

Well....just installed the block plate on my 02SE AT......The actual install was not too bad...except that there were 3 bolts holding the wiring harness....the front two were quite easy to remove (the two bolts mentioned in the diagram sent from NWP)...the third was somewhat of a biotch....because Nissan in their infinite wisdom put the bolt directly beneath the plastic casing on the harness.....on a metal hitch that the plastic casing is latched onto from one side....that would not come off....I had to basically bend the biotch out of the way enough to get a socket down there to turn....the rest was a piece of cake once that was done..(including the #3 bolt on the VIAS plate that everyone seems to have a hard time with)....I also had disconnected the negative terminal of the battery during the install

VERDICT.....I was first and foremost happy that the car started..lol... I let the car idle for about 5 minutes then took it for a test drive...

All I can say is......the car is soo much more responsive than before....I noticed a very minute loss of power in the midrange...between about 3200 to 4000 RPM....but once it hit 4K.......the car just freakin took off like a bat out of hell....WOW!

I was a bit hesitant at first to put it on because I kept reading about some people having what seemed to be a significant amount of low end loss and in their words not really any changes on top end....BUT I have to say.....the very small amount of loss on the low end is definitely a worthwhile tradeoff for the top end rush!

I recommend this to anyone who still is on the fence...its a cheap and easy enough mod that is reversible.....worst case scenario...if you don't like it...you could easily go back to stock in no time.

Oh....sorry...I forgot to mention that I just plugged the solenoid nipple and left the other vacuum tube in place....followed the instructions from NWP exactly....AND....the test drive was in the pouring rain....with the tires breaking loose multiple times (and I have good tires).....can't wait to test on dry pavement...

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Not sure if you read my thread about the block plate installation but I mentioned what a PITA that third bolt is.

Agree with your assessment, the small amount of midrange is more than offset by how the car pulls from 4000 and up. Did you notice the tires seem to break loose around 4000 rpms?

Z-Powered

This makes me want to get a block plate... But I'd miss the sound of the VIAS valve popping open at around 4,000 RPM.
That, and removing features from my engine feels backwards.
Congrats on the upgrade though.

2 GO B4

Thanks Z!

mist max2000

iTrader: (16)

oh its still loud from 4K up and sounds great i might add

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

We will see if Z33/SSIM/, etc is better when Pair of me dynos

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

Maybe my **** dyno it not calibrated or maybe its not even a dyno but I felt absolutely no difference, while I know its there it wasn't something eye dropping or to make me scream wow... 3-5whp isn't wow to me

2 GO B4

it's funny that you say that. Interesting enough when I removed the vias from the intake manifold and I was shutting It manually I noticed it would sometimes get stuck in that closed position and I would have to manually open it. I'm starting to wonder if it's been malfunctioning and I am actually feeling the power the car always had but was subdued????? I don't know. Nevertheless, it pulls a hell of a lot better than beforeand when it hits 4k. You feel as if a strong gust of wind hit the tail of the car and is pushing you along. Really neat!

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

maybe... maybe mines was working perfectly fine...

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Kind of hard to sit on the fence after reading a post as enthusiastic as yours, 2 GO B4.

The VIAS-delete mod has been on my list for half a year, scheduled for May. And since May is next week (psyched!)... I'm getting kind of jazzed up. You sir, are only making me more so.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

definitely on the list of mods to get...open to others opinions.
with the gab mod, i love the sound the motor makes hitting 4 k (more pronounced on cooler days/nights) will this noise subdue much after the vias delete?
if i understand, it should go away..
right?? wrong?

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

i think people make this mod to be a bigger than what it is

2 GO B4

In researching the threads here and on other sites....I came to the conclusion that it seems that most of the cars had a positive response with the plate and some did not. I am sure it probably has something to do with the state of the car when the mod was performed...i,e...I think cars that are very lightly modded may tend to respond more than cars that are not ...(more likely to notice the subtle differences I guess)....furthermore....it seems that there was also a spectrum of responses that I came across.....some people seem to notice more of a difference than others....can't tell you why....but perhaps the condition of the car may come in to play as well....I don't know..just thinking out loud...

I am pleased with my results...so much so that I recommend it to others......and that is all it is....a recommendation.

2 GO B4

Go for it!...if your car responds the way mine did...you will not be dissapointed.

2 GO B4

I never did the GAB mod ridah.....matter of fact...I decided to go against an intake and just dropped in a K&N in the factory intake....

I believe Scottwax has the GAB with his block plate.....Have you noticed any changes in the noise level of the GAB with the installation of your block plate Scott??

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

no no, its definately worth getting... i would also recommend it to others also, but to me a block plate is like an intake, its just not thread worthy to me... its like somebody coming on here and saying the samething you said only instead of using block plate they said intake... get what im saying???... if you mod your car i would recommend an intake but thats a given, same way i feel about this... especially for the price

jowo9

iTrader: (1)

I have the GAB w/ block plate and didn't notice any change in sound. Sounds as awesome as ever!

2 GO B4

What's your experience with the VIAS delete jowo?

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

definite buy soon. is there anything to relearn after that costs $$$??
idle? ecu? tuning?

2 GO B4

Nope...not that I know of...I just disconnected the negative terminal when I did the install because I was going to be messing around with the wiring harness with metal socket wrenches and it was a tight fit in there etc....better to be safe than sorry..

jowo9

iTrader: (1)

My experience is exactly the same as Scott described on previous threads... A bit of a torque loss around 2800-3700 (give or take) that kind of annoys me, but anything from ~3900 and up is noticeably better. I'm still not sure how much I like it. Also, I'm not sure how it responds to other "breather mods" like different intake and especially headers/exhaust. I have a full Cattman setup coming my way(see my sig), so I'm excited to try that out with my existing mods (Block plate, spacers, and GAB) ... Once I install all of that, I might even try with and without the VAIS.. We'll see. I have the 4AT, and really the only time when the BP is annoying is, as Scott described, right after the point where the tranny will downshift into 1st when floored (at around 35-40mph). Instead, it goes into 2nd, and the rpms are around 3000. There is a noticeable performance loss there. But, as soon as I'm doing around 45-50+, there's a noticeable gain in performance, because if I floor it at that point, the rpms are 4000 or more.
-Also, I don't like how I can feel a loss from ~2800-3700 if I go WOT from a standstill... I feel like I'm just waiting for the car to kick me back, and it takes longer than normal. I'm not sure if I like that, cuz if I'm ever trying to beat anyone off the line, I like that low end that helps me pull ahead at the beginning... I can still spin the tires easily on takeoff, but right after they stop spinning is when I notice a dip in performance... So I'm still kind of "on the fence"

Hey Scott, how do you feel about that last little qualm I mentioned that I have with my VAIS delete?

maxima dude

wait till u get their spacers... =0

tookrzy4u192

iTrader: (19)

i think this mod is a must considering how cheap it is.. i have a dyno that showed 5whp increase on a stock auto 02

2 GO B4

That is next on my agenda. It's too bad I didn't know about them before. Had the spark plugs all changed out about two years ago. I would hate to pay 2 something again to just put in the spacers by themselves. Will wait until next spark plug change I guess.

essential1

iTrader: (5)

3.5 intake manifold is so easy to take off. You really dont need to pay anyone to do it.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

I agree and IMO the main reason that people feel the "gains" so much with the block plate is because of the low end loss.

Loss of lowend + a small topend gain can make it feel like your car is accelerating much faster just because you feel the power ramping up so much more steeply.

Just adding 3-5whp to the top end, I doubt anybody here would be able to tell there were gains. Now watch someone who thinks their butt dyno is incredibly accurate get butt hurt by this post...

2002AltimateV6

iTrader: (7)

Do it now!

Honestly I never noticed a difference when I did the BOP mod.

2 GO B4

Actually I was totally surprised at how negligable the loss was....I was expecting to push the gas pedal and perceive the loss instantly....instead...I had to really pay attention to the RPM and the speedometer and drive around a little while to barely appreciate it....don't forget...our cars are torque monsters to begin with.

In fact....after driving the car around to day...I feel that it drives even better than yesterday!

Don't know what to tell you guys otherwise....all I know is my car responded well to this mod and I....more than anyone else....should know MY car...

Finally, don't worry....I am not easily offended...sparks...I just know that I have a more technologically advanced butt dyno than you do....

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

There's some sense in the idea that low end loss plus high end gain translates into a heightened perception for that gain. But the added high end is real. Lots of testimonials (and dyno sheets) attest to that. Most mods are incremental. Do them right, one at a time, and they add up nicely.

If you want to hate on a common mod, there are far more deserving targets that aren't worth the typical cost. UDP comes to mind.

On a frustrating note: I was planning on ordering Aaron's $60 plate next week, when I just noticed he was out of stock. Why is it every time my plans mature according to *my* schedule, the supplier is out-of-stock? Grrrr!!

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Yeah I'm sure you do

My point was that it's much easier to feel a 10whp loss down low + 5whp gain up top (you are feeling a 15whp difference in the power curve from before) than it is to just feel a 5whp gain up top by itself.

So you think that you're getting more than the normal 5ish whp gains from this, or are you over exaggerating the "huge" difference?

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Can you really read my sig, then say I'm hating on a mod that I have? On top of that, I have that mod instead of the SSIM that I was using. Hmm...

I'm just pointing out that the "huge" gains people feel aren't necessarily all topend gains talking, but moreso a mix of the lowend loss and topend gains making it feel like more than it is.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Sparks, give it a rest. Let the OP enjoy his mod already.

Yes, of course I can read your sig. I realize you have the cred to speak with expertise. But I also believe you've elevated the performance of your Maxima to where a 3-5hp shift to top-end-gain is just not that big of a deal in your eyes.

However, to the OP and many people here, the mod rocks. Probably because it's so inexpensive and easily DIY.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

Of course this mod is good, when did I say it wasn't? I think you're taking my posts the wrong way and getting butt hurt over it. Are you implying that the OP will no longer enjoy this mod because of my posts for some reason?

3-5 whp matters a lot more to me than it does to you when I'm at the point where there are VERY few mods to gain power anymore at all, and none of them are remotely efficient compared to the cost.

Regardless, it's still just 3-5whp as shown in dynos (just like you said) and wouldn't be very noticeable if not combined with a loss in lowend.

2 GO B4

Thanks Rochester....Sparks....I totally can understand your point....but like I said before...I really don't notice a drastic loss...the car pulls exactly the way it did below 3K...from about 3-4K...a very miniscule loss (had to really pay attention to the car to notice it)...and up top....a very noticeable and worthwhile gain...

If all this mod did was change the power curve and moved some of it up top...then that is totally fine by me...because up top was winded before and now it isn't.....

Like I said in a few posts back...maybe it depends on how modded the car was before the plate???? I don't know......but the good thing is....is that it is a cheap mod and is reversible...so if you don't like it...you just put the VIAS back in....solved...

Did you remove your Sparks....?

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Well, if you say so.

sparks03max

iTrader: (7)

I love how you two are getting defensive and misinterpreting what I am saying. I removed my SSIM in lieu of a block plate stock manifold because I run better at the track with it. And yes, I have the block plate for the same reason that you and everybody else does. It's cheap, easy, and gives me very usable gains from midrange up to topend.

Again, I'm just pointing out that the topend gains aren't huge and the lowend loss makes it much more noticeable than it would be otherwise.

edit: also again, I did not say the lowend loss was "drastic," but thanks for putting words in my mouth, it really helps your argument to make my statements seem unreasonable.

2 GO B4

Trust me Sparks....I am in no way getting defensive...and I know you are just giving your opinion...and I appreciate it....no hard feelings at all!

edit:....drastic was my choice of a word to use to imply that I am not perceiving a marked loss in power down low.....never tried to put words in your mouth......just the alphabet soup I decided to go with to convey my point.

Grand_hustle17

iTrader: (22)

I agree with sparks.... and I believe the term "huge" difference is. Loosely used on this forum... I think most of these things are mental more than actual... its like those FSTB "huge" difference threads... or saying an intake made a huge difference... what is huge??? I can understand making a difference, but a "huge" difference???... wonder what kinda difference do headers make much less force induction... explain those difference or even a RSB what would you say about those things VS a BOP

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Again, if you say so.

What's I'm hearing is the sound of 3 men agreeing with each other on subject, but disagreeing on context. Not sure why.

VIAS-delete mod. Free-the-whales.

2 GO B4

I don't ever recall using the words "HUGE" & difference to describe the mod...I mean come on guys...I am well aware that I didn't install a supercharger mod equivalent.....with like 70 hp gains.....

I am not so sure why some of you are getting upset...if you didn't notice a change or it changed for the worse...then put the VIAS back in and sell it....at least you will recoup some of your investment.