Hey I have a stock NX2000 with a j-spec SR20DE. I have a kind of rusty exhaust, a stock intake, and the stock 14 inch rims and stock height. What should be the first thing that I upgrade?
And yes I did do the j-spec swap, I didn't buy it like that.

ok, with what ive learned and so called "experience" (yeah, right) it depends what you like. if you want to drag, exhaust, power. if you want to autox, then get suspension. since you said the exhaust was rusty, id get a custom 2 1/4 mandrel bend system with muffler of choice. hope that helped ya. later!

I was thinking about getting a complete 2 1/4 mandrel bent tubing exhuast and topping it off with a Flowmaster 60 series Performance import muffler. What do you think of Flowmaster?

I honestly would not go with the Flowmaster. A good friend of mines had a Flowmaster on his Classic and he said it was loud as hell and he really did not like it much.

I have heard Flowmasters on many cars and I honestly do not like it. With the price of a Flowmaster you could get a nice aftermarket stainless muffler. just MHO!

Flowmaster? More like blowmaster. Dont go with that one Serican is right. They sound like shit on our cars.

TIMING!!!

I dont know about anyone else here, but I lost 4 ft. lbs of torque when i bumped my timing from 15* to 17* - have a dyno chart that shows it, too..

i'd start off with an intake, to get rid of your restrictive stock airbox, then after that of course fix your rusty exhaust...unless it needs attention quick..

air intake ...definitely 1st!...then exhaust to compliment your extra air. stock suspension aint too shabby compared to other cars. besides alll you can really do is struts springs and sway bars/stb's. flowmasters are more for bigger engines(v-8's). any other company that deals with import engines only would make ya alot happier.

Thanks for the warning bout Flowmaster. I have decided not to go with Flowmaster but I don't know what to get now!

tenzo-r is pretty cheap and will do the job as long as you got headers(hotshot racing) and good tubing (2.25"). There are several others. if you got money to blow theres always Greddy or HKS. Flip thru any SCC mag ull see plenty there bro! good luck

thanks for the ideas

What do you think of OBX Racing mufflers?

I dont know about anyone else here, but I lost 4 ft. lbs of torque when i bumped my timing from 15* to 17* - have a dyno chart that shows it, too..

Did you do the timing adjustment proceedure, per FSM, correctly?

If yes, what octane gas are you using?

Knock Sensor? If it has been removed, it should be torqued down properly, per FSM, or it will "vibrate" against the engine block, and the ECU will pull out ignition timing advance.

Are you using any of the JWT cams? If so, you'll LOSE HP with advanced ignition timing. The same goes if you're using the JWT upgraded ECU.

I have a kind of rusty exhaust

Well since your exhaust is rusty, you can replace it first.
My recommendations;
2.25" cat back pipe with Mandrel bends.

A 24" "perforated core" glasspack to use as a pre-silencer. Thrush makes an excellent one that doesn't cost much.

A "perforated core" straight through muffler. Thermal Research etc.

That should get you started.

After that;
intake, pullies, CAI, cams, ECU, etc.