N/a z
 

hi everybody! i own a 1990 Z N/A with 172K miles and just did a fresh paint job on it so i can mark that off my checklist. I want to start tuning it up engine wise. I want to get as much horsepower as possible without needing a swap. I don't know where to start so i need help with that. i want to set up a full blueprint of this car and what i want to do with it step by step. PLEASE HELP?!?! (No set Budget, i am doing everything one step at a time with money being saved up in the process.)

There's intake/exhaust. And that's about it. I don't know, does someone sell a stroker kit for these engines? There's also the ridiculously expensive and not-worth-it route of turboing the NA. So not many HP options for the NA, but you can still upgrade the rest of the car like any TT (lighter, better stuff).

As said, there's really only so much you can do with the N/A engine. Stillen and SGP had upgrade "stage" charts that I can't seem to find right now, but some of the things that come to mind are:
Intake
Exhaust
ECU upgrade
Underdrive pulley
Headers
Ported throttle body
Light weight flywheel
Cams
Water/meth systems
And if all that still doesn't get you where you want to be there's always nitrous oxide.

I have a feeling you'd need to seriously beef up the internals to run nitrous.

Do anyone make a supercharger for the Z? but then again if they did it would be a lot of money for the kit.

Do some of the bolt on's (selin translator, underdrive pulleys..etc) and save up for a TT swap if you want power.

Wht about brands for all of those options.? There r so many but i wanna make sure i look into the right ones.

Like many things, brand choice is often down to personal preference as long as you get a certain "proper type" for your application.
HKS makes a high flow intake that can run as high as $200, Stillen makes a K/N style cone filter intake for around $120, while Z1 makes a cone style intake for like $75. Cone and dome types seem to be the most popular. Make sure to get something with a cleanable/reusable filter.
You could also go the dual intake route, but that's significantly more expensive.

Exhaust is similar in that its really down to choice. Look for something 2-3" and you should be good. Greddy SC2 and HKS HIPER seem to be really popular. The HKS system is the one I plan to go with when I start my project.

ECU upgrades come in several types. Stand alone units are overkill for anything but the most high end application, chips are available, and some shops can flash or reprogram your ECU for you based on the modifications you've done to your car. Talk with a local shop that has experience working with Z's when/if you decide to go this route.

I know AMS makes an underdrive pulley for the Z32, but I haven't looked into other brands since its not something that I'm super concerned about doing for my project.

AMS, Stillen, and Z1 make N/A headers. You could also do test/down pipes if you don't have to worry about emissions where you're at.

Z1 offers upgraded throttle bodies. Others probably do as well, I haven't really dug into the issue.

RPS and Z1 sell light weight flywheels. Tomei has adjustable cam gears for about $200 each.

AEM and Snow are the only two water/meth kits that I know of off hand. Make sure you have a safety mechanism in case the pump malfunctions or you run out of fuel mixture otherwise engine damage is probably going to occur quickly.

Nitrous is nitrous, there are a hundred kits and all have people who swear by them and against them, or against nitrous all together. Make sure you have taken the proper precautions, had it professionally/properly installed, and use an appropriate amount for your application (no dual 100hp shots IE. The Fast and The Furious) and you should be fine.

thnks for all the info i really appreciate it..so what kind of horsepower would i be looking to get if i do most-all of the mods for my N/A.? i know its not all about horsepower and im not tryina kill myself either i just want something that has just enough to move but still be a classy car @ the same time.

My current J-Spec N/A did ok for HP output. With intake, header and exhaust it came to 171 whp and 149 tq.