INTAKE AND EXHAUST

The next problem you’ll encounter is the intake manifold. If you go to install the Primera, Pulsar or X-Trail intake manifold with the head, you’ll notice that the throttle body is facing the firewall, which is not ideal. Any seasoned fabricator will be able to sort this out, and all they require is your intake manifold so they can use your original runners to fabricate the rear-wheel-drive plenum onto them. This will cost you around $850, but will net you some serious gains.

Last but not least is your exhaust manifold. Although the manifold does bolt on, it needs some modification to fit correctly. Slotting of the original holes on the manifold is necessary to match the manifold ports to the head correctly, as it needs to be slightly lifted. To make the most of the amount of air the VE head can flow, we recommend upgrading from the factory turbo set-up.