The Brief
Owner brought in his NISMO 370Z wanting more power across the rev range and the ability to run E85. The car was being used for a mix of street driving and track days, so reliability and thermal management were just as important as the power gains.
The Approach
We specced a full Stage 2 package built around Fujitsubo ceramic coated headers, high flow cats, and a catback exhaust to open up the breathing from top to bottom. Z1 cold air intakes were chosen for their proven performance on the VQ37 platform. An HKS oil cooler was included to keep temps stable under sustained load — essential for track use on a naturally aspirated engine working hard. A flex fuel kit with ethanol content sensor rounds out the package, allowing the ECU to read fuel content and adjust the tune automatically between 98 and E85.
The Build
The engine was pulled for the header install — on the VQ37, this is the cleaner and faster way to access the exhaust manifolds and get everything torqued properly without fighting the chassis. The Fujitsubo headers went in with ceramic coating for heat management, followed by the high flow cats and catback. Z1 intakes and the HKS oil cooler were fitted with the engine back in place, along with the flex fuel sensor.
The car was tuned on our Dynapack using EcuTek, with the map built from scratch to account for all the hardware changes. Fueling, timing, and throttle response were calibrated across both 98 and E85. The flex fuel setup means the ECU adjusts automatically depending on what’s in the tank — more aggressive timing and fueling on E85 for additional power, with a safe map on 98 at all times.
The Result
The car breathes properly now from intake to exhaust, with noticeably stronger pull through the mid-range and top end. On E85 the gains are even more pronounced, with cooler operating temps as a bonus. Oil temps stay in check under hard driving thanks to the HKS cooler — the full package works together as it should.
