APS Twin Turbo Installation

Before Commencing Installation

• VERIFY WITH YOUR SUPPLYING DEALER THAT YOU HAVE THE CORRECT APS COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COMBINATION OF GASOLINE OCTANE AND EXHAUST COMPONENTS
• Verify that you have all necessary tools as listed.
• CLEAN ALL AIR DUCTING PRIOR TO COMMENCING INSTALLATION.
• The sequence of installation of each part is very important. It needs to be carried out exactly as outlined in the instructions. Failure to do this will result in an unnecessary level of frustration.
• Choose a NGK spark plug, per the following application outline and ensure you have a set on hand.
• PLFR5A-11 - Stock - Should only be used with totally stock exhaust system. Boost below 8 PSI, ambient temperature below 60°F.
• PLFR6A-11 - Service Option - Should be used for general street operation work with cat-back exhaust system. Boost 8-9 PSI, ambient temperature 60°-100°F.
• PLFR7A-11 - Service Option - Drag racing in an ambient temperature range of 60°-100°F.
• PLFR8A-11 - Service Option - Road racing or any other forms of competition in an ambient temperature over 100°F.
• Always use fuel with a minimum octane rating of 91 (R+M)/2. (Equivalent to 96 RON).
• Always use an oil graded for use with gasoline turbocharged engines.
• Depending on your chosen application, an engine oil cooler and/or larger capacity radiator may be required.
• The APS turbosystem is primarily intended for installation by qualified technicians in fully equipped workshops. If this installation is attempted in a non-professional environment, all personal safety obligations rest with the individuals(s) concerned.
• The minimum requirements (and by no means an exhaustive list) are:
  • Well ventilated environment.
  • Clean flat and level floor.
  • High quality vehicle stands.

Required Tools

350Z Disassembly

• NOTE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL BE FOLLOWED WITH STOCK COMPONENT REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT.

1. Remove the retaining clips and screws and remove the front bumper. (If unsure of this procedure, you should use the factory service manual or have qualified personnel undertake the work). This is suggested as the first step since the vehicle is still mobile at this stage and the work can therefore be undertaken away from the actual turbosystem installation location. In addition, it reduces the likelihood of body damage to the vehicle while undertaking the mechanical work.
2. Remove the battery shroud and RHS false firewall cover. Disconnect the earth cable from the battery. RAISE VEHICLE
3. Remove the plastic undertray from beneath the engine, along with the plastic vertical side panels, which run from the undertray to the frame rails. Retain for later use.
4. Remove plastic vertical front panels from aluminum bumper beam and discard.
5. Remove aluminum impact beam and retain.
6. Remove washer bottle and retain.
7. Drain all the engine coolant, (retain for later re-use). The drain plug is in the bottom of the radiator.
8. Drain all the engine oil, (replace with new oil after installation completion).
9. Remove the front ‘Y” pipe of the stock exhaust system.
10. Remove the catalytic converter support bracket from the bottom of the transmission. Remove the rear 02 sensors.
11. Remove both catalytic converters.
12. Remove the front 02 sensors from the exhaust manifolds.
13. Mark the upper/lower steering shafts with a straight alignment line made with a straight edge and marker pen. Loosen the clamp bolts on either end of the universal joint and remove that component. NOTE: DO NOT ROTATE STEERING WHEEL OR FRONT WHEELS AFTER DISCONNECTING THE SHAFTS.
14. Remove the bolts retaining the steel oil pan and remove same, avoiding damage to the gasket sealing surface. Remove the two retaining bolts and stock oil pickup. Discard the pan, all bolts. Retain the pickup.
15. Remove the stock oil pressure sensor from lower front RHS of the engine. (Beside oil filter). Retain the sensor for re-use LOWER VEHICLE
16. Drain power steering pump oil, (retain for later re-use).
17. Remove the stock power steering cooler, mounting brackets and cooler lines back to the stock connection immediately behind the radiator, adjacent to the RHS frame rail. Retain only the power steering cooler for re-use.
18. Remove the air ducting between throttle body and MAF meter and discard.
19. Remove the complete air cleaner/MAF meter assembly and discard.
20. Remove the MAF sensor and screws from the MAF housing and retain for later use.
21. Remove the fuel cap in order to vent the fuel tank.
22. Remove the front strut tower brace and the cosmetic engine cover.
23. Unplug all the electrical wiring, coolant hose (below throttle body) and vacuum hose connections to components attached to the plenum chamber – upper.
24. Remove the plenum chamber – upper.
25. Remove the plenum chamber – lower.
26. Remove the fuel rail assembly retaining bolts and isolators.
27. Unplug the stock injector wiring loom from the injectors. Remove complete fuel rail assembly, together with all six injectors.
28. Remove the injector retaining clips and remove the stock injectors from the fuel rail assembly. Discard the injectors.
29. Cover the six open ports in the intake manifold lower, in order to prevent foreign object entry.
30. Remove the stock fuel injector wiring loom. This unplugs from the main loom at the rear of the intake manifold and will usually require the cutting of a band of electrical tape around the main loom. Discard the stock fuel injector loom.
31. Remove the stock spark plugs and discard.
32. Remove the top radiator hose and disconnect thermostat by-pass hose, from the RHS steel water tube and retain.
33. Disconnect the upper heater hose and rear by-pass hose, from the RHS steel water tube. Remove the stock plastic air bleed Tee piece from the upper heater hose. Retain the clamps, discard the Tee.
34. Disconnect the large wiring loom from the bracket on the RHS steel water tube.
35. Unbolt the RHS side steel water tube and remove carefully in order to avoid damaging the sealing ‘O’ ring where it connects to the cast water tube at the RHS rear of engine.
36. Remove the coolant recovery bottle and mounting bracket and discard.
37. Release the belt tensioner and unbolt the air conditioning compressor from its mounting position on the side of the engine. Do not disconnect any air conditioning lines.
38. Remove LHS coolant pipe above exhaust manifold and retain.
39. Remove the 3/8” BSP tapered seal water drain plug from the side of the block immediately adjacent to the upper rear point of the air conditioning compressor and discard the plug.
40. Remove the exhaust manifold heat shields and discard.
41. Remove the exhaust manifolds, gaskets and all twelve manifold retaining studs. Discard the manifolds / studs. Retain the gaskets for re-use.
42. Remove both stock horns, the ambient temperature sensor and frontal impact sensor. Retain all parts for re-use.
43. Remove the access trim in the cover panel behind the RHS seat. Remove the access panel in the floor covering the fuel/pump sender unit and disconnect the wiring harness.
44. Disconnect the hard plastic line from the discharge port of the pump/sender unit. Cut the hard plastic line from both the stock quick connect hose end and the hard metal line running forward to the engine. Retain the stock quick connect hose end for re-use. Discard the hard plastic line.
45. Remove the bolts retaining the pump / sender unit and remove same without damaging the fuel level sender float. Disassemble the unit and remove the stock fuel pump and stock fuel pressure regulator and discard.

• NOTE: IF NOT PROCEEDING WITH THE FUEL PUMP MODIFICATIONS STRAIGHT AWAY, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE OPENING IN THE TANK BE COVERED WITH STRIPS OF TAPE, IN ORDER TO PREVENT GASOLINE FUMES ESCAPING INTO THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.

Completion of Installation

1. Engine Oil: Re-fill engine with oil. Due to the enlarged oil pan capacity, this will take 5.0 quarts, without oil filter. Check level on dip stick. This should be at the low level line. This is correct, as the pan floor/pump pickup has been lowered 12.0 mm. Do not over or under fill! Below 0°F ambient temperature, use SAE 5W-40 or 5W-50. Over 0°F ambient temperature use SAE 10W-40 or SAE 10W-50. Ensure the oil grade utilized is suitable for use with gasoline turbocharged engines.
2. Power Steering Oil: Re-fill power steering system with its previously drained oil.
3. Engine Coolant: NOTE IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE BE FOLLOWED EXACTLY! IT IS TIME CONSUMING, HOWEVER, ESSENTIAL! NOTE THIS PROCEDURE CAN BE MOST FRUSTRATING; HOWEVER IT IS A FUNCTION OF THE STOCK COOLING SYSTEM DESIGN AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE APS TURBOSYSTEM. IT MUST BE CARRIED OUT IDENTICALLY WITH A TOTALLY STOCK VEHICLE!
   1. Remove water return line (Item 166) from Tee piece (Item 167) in stock upper heater hose.
   2. Fill radiator and coolant recovery reservoir (Item 126), with anti freeze coolant. It should take 10 quarts, including reservoir. It is important that the coolant is poured through the radiator filler neck at less than 1.5 quarts per minute, in order to allow air in the system to escape.
   3. When the engine coolant overflows the connection at the Tee piece (Item 167), re-install water hose (Item 166) and tighten the connection.
   4. Warm the engine to the normal operating temperature with the radiator cap installed.
   5. Run the engine at 3,000 RPM for 10 seconds and then allow it to return to idle speed.(Repeat this action three times.)
   6. Stop engine and allow coolant temperature to drop below 120°F. Use a remote electric fan to assist in this process. If necessary, refill the radiator and reservoir up to the filler neck.
   7. Repeat steps 3.3 to 3.6 at least two more times (it may take more) with the radiator cap installed, until the engine coolant level no longer drops.
   8. Check the cooling system for leaks with the engine running. Remember, water now runs through both turbochargers.
   9. Fully warm the engine and listen for the sound of coolant flow through the heater unit, inside the car; while running the engine from idle to 3,000 RPM, with the heater control set at several positions between cool and warm. (Repeat this action three times)
   10. If any sound is heard, continue to bleed excess air from the cooling system, by repeating steps 3.3 to 3.6, until the coolant level no longer drops.
4. Accelerator Pedal Released Position/Butterfly Valve Closed Position Learning: This must be performed whenever the harness connector to the “Drive By Wire” butterfly assembly or stock computer has been unplugged. This is a standard Nissan requirement
   1. Make sure that the accelerator pedal is fully released
   2. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and wait at least two seconds.
   3. Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and wait at least ten seconds.
   4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position and wait at least two seconds.
   5. Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF” position and wait at least 10 seconds.
5. Hoses Clamps: Verify all hose clamps are tightened.
6. Clearances: Verify all components which are affected by engine movement have sufficient clearance to adjacent body panels.
7. Fluid Leakage: Verify there are no oil, water or most importantly fuel leaks in either the engine compartment or on top of the fuel pump / sender unit. Replace the trim cover.
8. Steering System Check: Verify the universal joint in the steering shaft has been correctly re-installed. Spin the steering wheel left / right enough times to bleed the air from the power steering system.
9. Completion Of Assembly: After a final check for fluid leaks, replace the cosmetic engine cover, strut tower brace and front bumper. Then replace the plastic undertray.

• NOTE: ENSURE THE CORRECT PROGRAM IS LOADED INTO YOUR APS COMPUTER FOR YOUR PARTICULAR COMBINATION OF FUEL OCTANE AND EXHAUST SYSTEM COMPONENTS.