If I were to tell you that for a few Benjamin's and less than one hour of your time, you'd be able gain more than 10 wheel hp on your VQ35-powered Nissan/ Infiniti, would you think I was insane? Well crazy as it might seem, Skunk2 Racing, known for campaigning two of the fastest all-motor Honda's in the world, have developed and debuted their High-Rise Plenum Spacer, guaranteed to add that extra jolt to your engine.
Notice the increase in horsepower...
Notice the increase in horsepower
from 4500 to redline after installing
a 350Z with an S2 Riser.
The 3.5-liter VQ35 delivers a respectable 287hp and 274 lb-ft of torque but often falls flat on its face when altering or adding off-the-shelf products. For those who sport a VQ-powered vehicle, recognize how difficult it is to extract additional horsepower. Marginal gains of 1 to 3 hp are the norms with aftermarket products. Imagine spending 500 dollars on an exhaust system, only to net a total gain of 2 wheel hp-how demoralizing is that? Sure there are forced induction kits that produce double the factory-rated horsepower, but are you willing to sell your kidney on the black market to obtain one?
Engineers developed the VQ35 High Flow Intake Plenum to deliver unparalleled low-end torque and optimum air consumption. Unfortunately for Nissan, the design of the factory two-piece upper and lower intake plenum for the VQ engine has its faults. Less than 1/8 of an inch in clearance separates the upper front two cylinders of the G35/350Z engine from the intake plenum. The limited air intake design causes air intake starvation to the two front banks, limiting horsepower potential. Using a Skunk2 spacer raises the upper intake, effectively increasing plenum volume and increasing throttle response. Unique to the Skunk2 spacer is the special carbon composite material (carbon impregnated nylon-6) each unit is laser etched from. Scientifically, Nylon-6 is high-tensile strength and offers superior thermal insulation over competitors' aluminum-type spacers.. Placing this white piece of plastic between the two intake halves will lower intake air temperatures, which calculate into creating more horsepower. With an MSRP of $225, what's holding you back from obtaining some serious ponies?
 |  1. Using an Allen wrench,...  1. Using an Allen wrench, remove the throttle body to gain access to the two coolant hoses marked by the red arrow. |  2. Remove the factory coolant...  2. Remove the factory coolant hoses and vacuum hoses before removing the 18 nuts and bolts to separate the upper and lower half of the intake manifold. |
 3. Carefully remove the upper...  3. Carefully remove the upper portion of the intake manifold while managing to salvage the factory gasket. For any reason if the gasket tears, don't attempt to salvage it. Replace the torn gasket immediately. |  4. Remove the two outer studs....  4. Remove the two outer studs. Don't worry; you'll be replacing them at the end with the longer supplied studs, provided in the kit. |  5. Apply a thin layer of silicone...  5. Apply a thin layer of silicone sealant to the top of the S2 spacer. |
 6. Reapply the S2 spacer while...  6. Reapply the S2 spacer while paying close attention not to pinch the oil fill rubber seal. Binding the seal will cause oil to spew when changing your oil. |  7. Once again apply a thin...  7. Once again apply a thin layer of silicone sealant to the base of the supplied spacers marked by red arrows. |  8. You're almost done! Install...  8. You're almost done! Install the throttle body and intake filter while remembering to refill your coolant. Connect the battery terminal and check for any minor leaks or drips. If all looks good, jump in your ride and go feel your new found horsepower. |