Low cost modifications

[lemonhead401]

Does anyone have any recomendations on lower cost, power increasing mods?

 

[Lextreme II]

I think BFI, SS Headers, Y pipe Upgrade and cams will be a good addition. With the above combo should yield about 50 rwhp.

 

[jibbby]

S@S Headers cost me $1300 installed...Not so sure that one is a cheap mod...

-I think the BFI intake on planetsoarer.com...
-Non mandrel bent 2 1/2 exhaust pipe.
-Ebay straight thru replacement mufflers/
-Highflowing center cat like the magnaflow 2 into 1 high flowing cat with the built in high flowing Y design...
-Lextreme torque converter

 

[WDoherty]

yeah a cam install would in total cost about half the value of the car so pretty much what jibby said and you should pick up about 20rwhp, except try to go 2 1/4 mandrel bent and an x pipe. you could look into adapting cheap ssautochrome headers, but i have no idea if it would work, you didn't even mention what car you have. I guess the main thing you need to ask yourself is it worth it to make a 180rwhp car a 200rwhp car with x amount of money. Too me a 200rwhp 3700-3800 pound car is still way to slow so i have kept mine stock and saved the cash.

 

[jibbby]

200whp is way too slow, but the stock 165whp or so is even slower which is probably what an older SC would dyno at....

WD - I suggested the 2 1/2 non mandrel piping to save a few bucks...If you V out the rear section of the exhaust to meet up with the center cat to the mufflers the bends are very minimal...Instead of the funky S stock designs....

X member instead of the center cat would make for a little better exhaust flow maybe..Say good bye to passing state smog emissions if you have any....If your going to delete cats the two little cats up front should be deleted as well then the exhaust flow will really kick...

200whp with a upgraded torqued converter is fun in first gear and that is about it......Decent in second gear but nothing special...Much better then stock....

 

[lemonhead401]

I have a 1990 and 1994 LS400 and i am just looking to get a little more power out of the engine. I thought the 1st gen LS400 had around 230 hp?

 

[jibbby]

The first generation Lexus 400 motors are rated at 186whp at stock new...We are talking about horsepower at the wheels and not at the crank...

 

[WDoherty]

since you have an ls400 you could go with a header-back exhuast as we have suggested, but will the sound match the style of the car, to me the sound of a mustang on a 4 door 4000lb car doesn't fit. You also have a higher (lower-numerically) rear end than the sc, so as far as n/a performance, i'd basically forget it and enjoy the smoothness of the engine.

 

[jibbby]

Actually there is maybe a 10% increase in exhaust noise when just installing headers on the Lexus Sc's and Ls's to my suprise.....Open up the rest of the exhaust and then the noise comes.....Headers by itself you will barely notice the difference in sound....

 

[new2mud]

I had heard that the stock LS exhaust manifold were strikingly efficient--I'm assuming there's not a lot of cost+effort/benefit in addressing these?

i.e. in the flow of upgrades tpward, let's say a 300-350rwhp setup, I don't the stock exhaust manifold is a major restriction to address?

(The SC, I understand, is a different story--i.e. more restrictive)