Adding power to a 1UZ?

[forpinks]

Hey peeps, name's Biff, and this is my 1st post!

I'm about to get an LS400 or GS400 by April as Vip project car with a budget of only 17K including the V8 powered car and I'm wondering what more can I do to make the engine more powerful than when it was new. I'm hoping to squeeze out at least 300BHP and I want it to sound better than stock.


Thanks for the info...

 

[cjsupra90]

are you speeking 300 hp engine, or wheels. If you are talking engine, then the GS400 makes pretty close to that stock (high 200's like 275 or something like that IIRC), breaking the 300 mark shouldn't be hard at all. S&S headers and exhaust work should do it. If you talking whp, then you still have a little ways to go. A few pound of boost should do the trick, also convert it to manual. The manual conversion in itself will show a gain in WHP, less loss vs. an auto.

 

[rivmasta]

want more hp? Just add a bottle of Lextreme Instant Horsepower! Just one bottle and you'll be pulling 10's! You can burn a set a rears in seconds! Be the envy of your mates! Lextreme Instant Horsepower, only $9.99! But wait! theres more!!!! *giggles*

Seriously, without opening the engine do the standard stuff, extractors, intake, pollution gear and if youve got the budget, ECU and injectors for a better tune.

 

[forpinks]

I was talking brake horse power (BHP) so yeah! engine power is what I'm looking for. Does anyone have links for the certain performance parts needed for an LS/Celsior?

Currently, I'm looking for a Lexus with a 4L 1UZ and I only found a few in good cosmetic condition in my area and the only problem is all of them are past 180,xxx miles and I'm a bit suspicious on the engine and I'm unsure if it could last...

Can someone give me tips on what to check before buying a used 16yr old luxury car, if a Lexus dealer inspection is a good idea, and what's the cost of rejuvenating an old engine to have slightly more power and perform better when it was new? Thanks!

 

[forpinks]

BTW: Does anyone here still use their older LS400s on long drives? How well does it perform and is the ride comfort same as when you bought it?

Also, in case I can't find a GS400, could the 1stgen LS400 be converted to a manual transmission?

 

[Jake Breyck]

haha 180k isnt even broken in yet.

 

[stevechumo]

The '92-'94 LS400 has 250 bhp. The '95 LS400 has 260 bhp. I'm not sure but I think the newer year around '97-'99 has about 290 bhp. This is the truth about power. It's not easy to make 50 additional hp. If you only run the complete headers and exhaust system & a cold air intake, you'll more likely gain about 15 hp max. Lextreme just had a combo of a Tundra long block (2UZ) mated with SC heads (1UZ). The heads are ported. The stage 2 cams are included. No tuning, no headers and exhaust. He made an additional of 46 hp. This costs a couple of grands, but it'll be worth it. It's freaking fast. It's because with the intake, headers, exhaust, and tuning, it can be gained for a lot more.

 

[Lextreme II]

* Lextreme cams give easily 20 rwhp which is almost 30 bhp.
* SS headers: Around 15 rwhp which is about 18-19 bhp.

 

[forpinks]

How much are reliable turbo kits and other parts to make it run for the LS400?

I think turbo is always best when it comes to power since I have a mildly turbo'd tC and it gives me 290+WHP depending on boost and takes the I4 tC to the 4 second 0-60s, got a slight boost in MPGs by 3 on highway on vacuum and it cost me only $3400 for everything. I live in NV so I could drive it daily and still pass smog.

 

[Ursus]

well remember the tc is only 4 cylinders on one side. PLus it's half the length of the LS. The 2 manifold's and crossover pipe for a single turbo plus full exhaust and ic piping alone could be that much or greater. Then your looking into single or twin turbos as well as engine mamagement. Easiest / cost effective way to boost with the LS seems to be a supercharger.

 

[lafave]

I just picked up a '89 Cressida with a 1uz in it. Gonna do the Lextreme stall tc and throw a 100 shot on it. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[ihiryu]

wow a cressida with a 1u in it? I'd love to see that bad boy

 

[stevechumo]

How much are reliable turbo kits and other parts to make it run for the LS400?

I think turbo is always best when it comes to power since I have a mildly turbo'd tC and it gives me 290+WHP depending on boost and takes the I4 tC to the 4 second 0-60s, got a slight boost in MPGs by 3 on highway on vacuum and it cost me only $3400 for everything. I live in NV so I could drive it daily and still pass smog.

Is your car the Scion TC? If so, the engine must have been rebuilt to withstand 290 whp, closely equaling to 360 bhp. I think the stock Scion only has about 160 hp. I haven't seen any of these small stock enginse that can gain 125% power.

 

[lafave]

wow a cressida with a 1u in it? I'd love to see that bad boy

I'll post pictures tonight. The seller is smogging it today and I'll be picking it up this afternoon.

 

[mshawari1]

I'll post pictures tonight. The seller is smogging it today and I'll be picking it up this afternoon.

I love that Cressida… I was exciting to swap 1UZ into one of these MX83 ​

 

[forpinks]

Is your car the Scion TC? If so, the engine must have been rebuilt to withstand 290 whp, closely equaling to 360 bhp. I think the stock Scion only has about 160 hp. I haven't seen any of these small stock enginse that can gain 125% power.

Internals are all stock for now, I only did the 290-307whp at 11-12PSI when I was on dyno and I had to set the max boost to 6.5PSI after that so I could get a nice fuel eco on hwy and a max whp of around the 230 range, wheel spin is less too but can still play with stock EVOs and STis. I'll get to the internals later on, since everything right now seems fine from AFRs, EGT, and Oil temps are all very close to the stock norm... Adding low comp pistons, new cams and tougher stuff into it can make it go to 420+whp with no problem... (except costing alot of dough!:naughty


Anyway, I have been searching online and I still haven't found a turbo kit for the LS400, it may have to be a custom job with a bunch of pre-turbo checks and trial and error getting a nice tune... Turbocharging will cost more than the whole LS and just may be better to swap a "UR" Family engine in there!:lmao:

 

[stevechumo]

Internals are all stock for now, I only did the 290-307whp at 11-12PSI when I was on dyno and I had to set the max boost to 6.5PSI after that so I could get a nice fuel eco on hwy and a max whp of around the 230 range, wheel spin is less too but can still play with stock EVOs and STis. I'll get to the internals later on, since everything right now seems fine from AFRs, EGT, and Oil temps are all very close to the stock norm... Adding low comp pistons, new cams and tougher stuff into it can make it go to 420+whp with no problem... (except costing alot of dough!:naughty


Anyway, I have been searching online and I still haven't found a turbo kit for the LS400, it may have to be a custom job with a bunch of pre-turbo checks and trial and error getting a nice tune... Turbocharging will cost more than the whole LS and just may be better to swap a "UR" Family engine in there!:lmao:

Just out of curiosity, what type of dyno machine did you have the car on?

 

[forpinks]

It's a Mustang Dynamometer... (We had to strap and hold the tC because it almost jumped out the treadmill nearly hitting the fan!)

BTW: I'm only using a GReddy turbo kit, a GReddy RS BOV, EManage ultimate and Dezod PnP harness, 550cc RC injectors w/ Walbro fuel pump, manual, used from my friend's "ACME" boost controller, and Autometer Boost/Vac, wide band AFR, EGT, and oil temp gauges in silver.

 

[stevechumo]

It's a Mustang Dynamometer... (We had to strap and hold the tC because it almost jumped out the treadmill nearly hitting the fan!)

BTW: I'm only using a GReddy turbo kit, a GReddy RS BOV, EManage ultimate and Dezod PnP harness, 550cc RC injectors w/ Walbro fuel pump, manual, used from my friend's "ACME" boost controller, and Autometer Boost/Vac, wide band AFR, EGT, and oil temp gauges in silver.

Thanks, Forpinks. Actually, the Mustang dyno has a different hp calculation from the Dynojet, which is a lot lower. And most of us use the Dynojet to determine the actual power at the whees. I hope you don't feel hurt by what I'm saying. I'm just pointing out the technical issue. However, your turbo TC could be a street killer for 350Z, G35, and many more.

 

[och]

With 17K you can get 01-02 GS430, add some headers, and you will have a lot more than 300hp, more like 340. You can add supra gears and Lextreme high stall converter, but then I don't know if you will want that much power without AWD.