,
 |
| The Gen 3 air intake uses these quality reinforced silicone molded couplers |
Stillen’s intake wins the fair prize by looking really good, fabricated of polished aluminum with high quality clamps and couplers. We think the Stillen intake’s power secret comes from its most unusual feature, its length and the relationship of the MAF sensors to the ends of those long pipes. The intake tubes go from the throttle bodies, there smooth inner walls probably flowing better than the stock pipes accordion molded plastic sections, through the core support, bending towards the center of the car and terminating in two large K&N air filters underneath the bumper covers. This makes the tuned length of the Stillen Intake more than a foot longer than anything else on the market. Although the Stillen system flows better than stock, we think the stock system flows so well, resonate tuning is going to make the gains more than freeing up restriction in the case of the 370Z.
 |
| Stillen uses this CNC machined billet MAF sensor adapter TIG welded to the intake tube. The tube diameter and MAF placement is critical in getting a air intake to work correctly on a late model car |
The other factor for power gains we think, is that the MAF sensing elements are a 90 degree bend and about two feet from the end of the tube. Sometimes adding cone filters causes turbulence and when the filter is mounted close to the MAF sensor, the turbulence gives irregular reading that upset the engines ECU. This can give inconsistent power and even less that stock power in some cases. The Stillen system has enough length from the filters to the MAF’s for the flow through the tubes to become laminar again.
 |
| The long tube length and MAF placement around these 90 degree bends are what account for the Stillen intakes huge power gains |
The Stillen intake has a pretty involved installation for an air intake. The front bumper cover must be removed as the upper part of the core support. The core support must also be ground slightly for clearance where the tubes pass through. This isn’t that hard but installing this intake will probably take the average wrench several hours to install. Also the front bumper cover has to come off every time the filters are cleaned.
After installing it was off to the dyno. With the stock airboxs in place, our six-speed 370Z pulled off an average run of 277 whp@7500 rpm and 204 lb/ft@3500 rpm of torque. Next we installed the Stillen Gen 3 intake and redynoed. We immediately were rewarded with a big jump in power. The Stillen Gen 3 intake made an impressive average power of 286 whp@7600 rpm and 208 lb/ft of torque@ 3600 rpm, that’s a 9 whp gain with 4 lb/ft more torque, the gains distributed throughout the powerband with the greatest gain on top end. It’s interesting to note that the VQ37VHR engines power has a real flat delivery, the torque curve being nearly flat all the way across the board. This is big wide meaty and useable power.
 |
| The Stillen Gen 3 Nissan 370Z air intake made 9 more whp and 4 lb/ft of torque over the stock airboxes |
Since our previous test of this intake on an automatic transmission model showed a big power increase with the bumper cover off, we also tested the Stillen Intake with the bumper cover removed. The 370Z rocked out with 292 whp@7600 rpm and 216 lb/ft of torque @5600 rpm. That’s 6 whp and 8 lb/ft of torque more.
 |
| Our six-speed Sport Package 370Z baselined at 277 whp@7500 rpm and 204 lb/ft of torque @3500 rpm. With the Stillen Gen 3 intake installed we got 286 whp@7600 rpm and 208 lb/ft of torque at 3600 rpm. When we removed the bumper cover we got 292 whp@7600 rpm and 216 lb/ft of torque @5600 rpm |
Stillen if you are reading this, you can first pat yourselves on the back. Your intake makes 3x the power of the previous best intake we tested before. Then get to work and design us a cold air bumper vent kit. 15whp and 12 lb ft of torque applied over a wide rpm range is awesome, awesome, awesome. Stillen’s Gen 3 intake now gets our 370Z bang for the buck award.
Sources
