The Top 5 Infiniti Q50 Mods. The Infiniti Q50 went on sale in 2014, after beginning manufacturing in 2013. The Q50 vehicles are the successors to the Infiniti Q40/G37. The Q50, like the 370Z and G37, is built on Nissan’s FM chassis and features the same VQ37VHR engine choice. It’s a fantastic engine with a lot of room for engine changes and upgrades. However, the Q50 has other amazing engine alternatives, such as the VR30DDTT, that deliver even higher aftermarket performance.
When it comes to the Infiniti Q50, there is a lot to unpack. The finest Q50 alterations are determined by the exact model and engine in question. As a result, this article will delve into all of the background information on these engines. Following that, we’ll go over the top Infiniti Q50 engine tweaks, including costs, power improvements, and more.
Engines for the Infiniti Q50
The Infiniti Q50 has four basic engine options:
- 2014-2015 Nissan VQ37VHR
- Mercedes M274 DE 20 AL (from 2016 to 2019)
- VQ35HR (2014-2018) Nissan
- Nissan VR30DDTT (from 2016 to the present)
There were several gasoline engines available in the early days of the Q50. The VR30DDTT, on the other hand, is audacious for good reason. The Infiniti Q50’s longest-running engine is the subject of this article.
The VR30DDTT is a 3.0L V6 twin turbo engine. The VR30 is not just the most popular engine in the Q50, but it’s also the simplest to modify for significant power gains.
When it comes to basic bolt-on modifications, turbo engines can outperform most normally aspirated (NA) engines.
The Nissan VQ35 and VQ37 engines in the Q50 are also capable. Some of the finest tweaks, however, are highly dependent on whether the Q50 is turbo or NA. After that, let’s go over the finest upgrades for the VQ35HR and VQ37VHR. Following that, we’ll look at the Infiniti Q50 VR30DDTT mods.
Modifications for the Infiniti VQ35 and VQ37
Among the best Q50 mods for NA VQ engines are:
- Tune
- Intake
- Headers (exhaust)
- Cams
A tune and intake will also be on the list of the top 5 greatest mods for the VR30 Q50 engine. These are usually the simplest beginning upgrades for almost any engine. Exhaust is also an important modification, although the exact portion on turbo engines is different.
For NA engines like the VQ35HR and VQ37VHR, headers provide some of the highest increases. Downpipe improvements are essentially to turbo engines what headers are to NA engines. In any case, header improvements on VQ engines can add 10-20 horsepower.
Camshafts are another excellent Infiniti Q50 upgrade. However, selecting the correct set of cams is critical. Certain cams may produce significantly more power at the top but compromise lower-end power and torque. With the correct cam upgrades, you may get the best of both worlds, with improvements ranging from 10 to 20 horsepower.
*In the future, we’ll write and link to an in-depth guide for Nissan VQ35HR and VQ37VHR engine mods.
5 Best Engine Mods for the Infiniti Q50 VR30DDTT
Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s move on to the dual turbo V6 engine. Since 2016, this 3.0T has been one of the major engines in the Infiniti Q50. It already delivers tremendous performance with 300-400hp and 295-350 lb-ft of torque from the factory.
The VR30DDTT engine, on the other hand, is capable of 450-500whp on standard turbos. With so much potential, it’s no surprise that the Infiniti Q50 is a popular vehicle to customize. Simple bolt-on Q50 tweaks are all that is required to add 100-150whp. So, what exactly are those mods? What are the greatest upgrades for the Q50 to take it to the next level?
In the following sections, we will discuss the top 5 Infiniti Q50 upgrades, as well as the cost, power improvements, and other factors. As an aside, the Q50 Red Sport and Silver Sport have the same power and performance. However, because the Silver Sport Q50 has a lower starting point, power gains appear more spectacular.
1) Tune Infiniti VR30DDTT
A tune is the obvious choice for the single most effective engine enhancement for the Q50. When customizing the Infiniti Q50 VR30DDTT, a tune is the ideal place to start. Only the VR30 engine can gain 40-100whp with a tune. The power gains will be more noticeable on the Silver Sport 300hp vehicles. The RS400’s power increases will appear less significant.
Regardless of the particular gains, expect to see 350-400whp and 375-450wtq with simply a tune. That’s a lot of power for a simple tune that’ll only cost you $400-600. Even better results can be obtained by using a tiny amount of 30% E85.
Not only can tunes provide excellent performance benefits, but they also serve as the foundation for further power enhancements. Without proper tuning, additional Q50 alterations simply do not reach their full potential.
Best Q50 VR30 Music
There are numerous tuning options for the Infiniti Q50 and VR30DDTT engine. However, the most common and best available songs for the VR30 are the following two. The Burger Motorsports JB4 and the EcuTek Bluetooth OBD2 Module are the two.
The JB4 is a piggyback tune that connects to two sensors in the engine compartment. It communicates with the factory ECU to remap boost, fueling, timing, and other parameters. It differs from standard flash tuning yet is a very basic and straightforward method of tuning the Infiniti Q50.
We’ve had a lot of success with JB4 tunes on our BMWs and have always admired their offerings.
EcuTek allows you to directly load flash tunes to the ECU. These flash tunes essentially remap the computer. With the EcuTek OBD connector and phone app, you may work with a variety of tuners to create a base or custom flash tune. For good reason, AMS Performance is a popular choice.
Finally, the JB4 is the less expensive option at $529, and it has a plethora of outstanding features. However, if you want to use E50+ fuelling or upgraded turbos (450+whp), flash tuning using EcuTek is the superior option.
$529.00 (with a $40 wired data cable or a $149 wireless kit)
Gains in power: 40-100+ horsepower
2) Improvements to the Q50 Intake
Next on the list is one of the simplest and least expensive Infiniti Q50 upgrades. Dual intakes are used by the VR30DDTT 3.0 twin turbo engine. At stock boost, they provide plenty of ventilation. On stock VR30 engines, intake improvements may only provide 0-5 horsepower.
When a tune is added, the factory intakes rapidly become inefficient. Replacement of the restricted factory airboxes with two cone intakes can result in significant Q50 horsepower improvements. Expect to see performance intake power improvements of 5-15whp with a tweak. The more the boost, the more power you’ll get with intake mods.
Throttle responsiveness is also improved with performance intakes for the Infiniti VR30DDTT 3.0T engine. Expect to hear more turbo spool and induction sounds as well. This is especially true with open cone filters, as removing the airboxes eliminates a lot of engine noise.
Options for Infiniti VR30DDTT Intake
On the Q50 VR30 engine, we highly advocate using an open intake design, such as these BMS Billet Intakes. An airbox is not required on intercooled turbo engines such as the VR30DDTT. The air temperature at the filters has little to no effect on the effectiveness of the intercooler to cool the charge air.
Finally, open intakes provide the best flow and turbo/induction noises. Heat shields and CNC machined MAF housings are included with the BMS intakes.
They’re reasonably priced at $329 and provide good power improvements, flow, and tones. Upgraded Infiniti Q50 turbo inlets are available for an additional $80 to optimize power gains.
Price: $329.00 (optional turbo inlets are $80).
Gains in power range from 5 to 15 whp (gains are more with more aggressive tunes and boost).
3) Modifications to the Infiniti Q50 Downpipe
One of the greatest basic bolt-on mods for the Infiniti Q50 is downpipes (DP). Downpipes are perhaps the best simple performance increase outside of a tune. The restrictive catalytic converters (cats) are housed in the downpipes, which are bolted directly to the turbochargers.
Cats are excellent for reducing emissions but not for performance. Excess backpressure is caused by restrictive cats, which traps heat, slows turbo spool, and increases exhaust gas reversion. When it comes to increasing power, the downpipes are the single most significant component of the Q50 exhaust.
The Q50 can see power improvements in the 20-40whp range with fully catless downpipe upgrades. Under excessive throttle, you’ll also notice a deeper, more aggressive exhaust tone. Downpipes will, however, sound similar to stock whether driving or idling.
Q50 VR30 LDP versus Complete Downpipes
The Infiniti Q50 is equipped with four catalytic converters, two main in the upper downpipes and two secondary in the lower downpipes. The most frequent improvement for the Q50 VR30DDTT engine is a lower downpipe (LDP). This is due to the secondary cats being the most limiting section.
As a result, the Q50 LDP generates the majority of the power gains. This is where you’ll most likely notice 15-25whp improvements. However, increasing the upper DPs still provides significant power improvements. Some claim that full downpipes provide up to 20whp more horsepower than the LDP alone.
Price: $439.95 – $1,899.95
Gains in power: 15-40whp
Upgrades to the VR30DDTT Heat Exchanger
Many turbo engines used air-to-air intercoolers in the past. These were commonly referred to as front mount intercoolers, or FMICs for short. The Infiniti Q50 and VR30DDTT, on the other hand, use air-to-water intercoolers. The VR30 has two intercoolers, both of which are top-mounted in the engine area.
The heat exchanger is an essential component of an air-to-water intercooler system. It is located right behind the bumper and functions similarly to a radiator. The heat exchanger cools the water/coolant mixture, which then goes to the intercoolers to cool the charge air.
Heat exchanger surface area is increased with Infiniti Q50 heat exchanger modifications. This contributes to maximum cooling and the lowest intake air temperatures (IAT). Cold air is not only denser, but it also keeps the engine from drawing boost and timing. Because hot air increases the likelihood of knock, the ECU reduces timing and boost to make the engine safe when temperatures rise too high.
The Q50 heat exchanger mods aren’t substantial power boosts for “glory runs” right now. The default VR30DDTT heat exchanger is adequate for a single, brief pull. However, the heat exchanger and intercoolers are easily overloaded during multi-gear or back-to-back pulls.
Heat exchanger upgrades, in other words, may not provide significant peak benefits, but they do ensure consistent performance and reduce power loss.
Related : The Honda K20 vs K24 Engine Comparison
Upgrades for the Q50 VR30 Heat Exchanger
Surface area is an important consideration for heat exchanger modifications. The heat exchanger, like a radiator, uses outside air to cool the water/coolant mixture. A bigger surface area captures more air and hence enhances cooling. Another critical factor is fluid volume within the heat exchanger.
Keeping with the theme, we love BMS items (such as the Q50 JB4 and Billet intakes). A VR30DDTT High Capacity Heat Exchanger is also available for the Infiniti Q50 and Q60. When compared to the conventional Q50 heat exchanger, it has twice the surface area and three times the volume.
At $429, it’s a very reasonably priced, high-quality device that’s sure to please. Mishimoto and AMS Performance also have some fantastic solutions, but they will cost you an additional $200-400.
Price: $429.00
Gains in power: 0-5whp on “glory runs” (the true gain is on back-to-back runs where heat exchangers prevent power loss).
5) Infiniti Q50 Fueling Modifications
Last but not least are fueling modifications for the Infiniti Q50 and VR30DDTT engines. It’s usually better to begin with the simple bolt-ons listed above, as well as low E85 blends or pump fuels. However, once you’ve reached your limit, you’ll need better fuel to go any further.
Three excellent fueling alternatives are race gas, water-methanol injection (WMI), and E85. Race gas is straightforward because it requires no greater fuel flow than ordinary pump gas. However, it can be costly and difficult to locate.
Then there’s water-methanol injection, which this BMS Q50 WMI kit provides. WMI is a fantastic upgrade for forced induction engines, but it has some drawbacks of its own. It’s a big topic, and E85 is our main focus since it’s a tried-and-true approach to create greater power. Anyway, we’ll return to WMI in a separate piece.
Finally, E85 is the finest solution for producing greater power. It is a biofuel derived mostly from corn. E85 has a substantially lower stoichiometric ratio than gasoline. As a result, your fuel system must flow significantly more fuel, which quickly overwhelms the original Q50 fuel system. E85, on the other hand, is particularly resistant to engine knock and burns much cooler than gasoline. Regardless of the engine or car in question, E85 is frequently the greatest fueling alternative for safely producing tremendous power.
Modifications to the Q50 VR30DDTT Fuel System for E85
As previously stated, E85 requires significantly more fuel flow than standard pump fuels. Because the VR30DDTT uses direct injection, there is a high-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) as well as a low-pressure fuel pump (LPFP). If you want to run full E85 on the Infiniti Q50, you’ll need to update both fuel pumps.
Both improvements are available from AMS Performance and are quite popular. Additional enhancements may be considered depending on the exact E85 blend. Direct injector improvements, fuel rails, sensors, flex fuel kits, and other fueling changes are available from AMS for the Q50 VR30. If you wish to use E85, we recommend consulting with a tuner and conducting extensive study before proceeding.
What kind of power can the VR30 produce?
The first four upgrades for the Infiniti Q50 are commonly referred to as full bolt-on (FBO). The precise significance of an FBO VR30DDTT can differ. Some people regard the HPFP and LPFP enhancements to be part of FBO as well.
In any case, an FBO Q50 with no fuelling changes can produce 440-475whp and 475-550wtq. To go much further, fuelling improvements to handle large E85 mixes or turbo upgrades are usually required. The VR30 engine can produce 500-525whp and 500-575wtq with standard turbos and E85.
Increasing those numbers will almost certainly necessitate turbo improvements and other possibly costly tweaks, depending on how far you want to go. The VR30DDTT can create 550-600whp with turbo improvements, and AMS even took their Q60 to over 800whp. Whatever your objectives are, the Infiniti Q50 and VR30 are remarkable platforms with a lot of potential.
