Manual Conversion (SC400)

[xirforever]

Ok so im going to need your guys' help on this one because this will be my first conversion of any sort.

Ok so where am i at right now... well I bought all the parts for my clutch pedal and master cylinder (bought the stock sc300 one) and drilled the holes and installed all the stuff yesterday. So im done with that hassel. I have the transmission (R154) and transmission mount, and im pretty sure i am going to extend the shifter myself rather than finding a soarer or chaser R154 box. I need help on deciding what clutch setup im going to use. So may the questions begin....

1.) When i extend the shifter, can i cut the linkage and weld on an extension? I heard they break if you do this sometimes, so is it just in the quality of welds or should i call up my machine shop and have them make me a billet one? Here is a reference to what i am talking about http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183050
2.) I plan for this setup to be hold a good amount of power (turbo in future is a serious consideration), so what clutch setup would YOU go with. The push type deal from CRS or Dellow (seems like its using the W58 but im not sure). Or just buy the bellhousing alone, have a custom flywheel made to suit my R154 PP and clutch disk. If i did that, the problem is the R154 is a pull type ive been told, so is it possible to modify the bellhousing from CRS or Dellow to accept my frankenstein pull type clutch setup? Id like to go with the second option because the r154 clutch is bigger, and my car not being exactly light with a lot of power id like that, it would be easier to drive around on and probably a little easier to hold power without going with a very high performance clutch. Also i have heard that a pull type puts less stress on my crank so it would prematurely wear out my bearings. What do you guys think? I want to keep this project rolling....

If i made any factual mistakes in my post, sorry, please correct me (have to start somewhere). Anything im forgetting and/or you want to comment on, please do!


Some pics of the clutch pedal

 

[WDoherty]

Nice work man, i'm glad you got the clutch pedal in, looks clean. So how do you like the sc over the ls and are you still working on the ls?

 

[Lextreme II]

Xir,

Nice.. did u have to change the brake padle too? Looks like the brake padle is smaller then stock. How much are the parts.

 

[xirforever]

WDoherty - thanks man, umm the LS was totaled, i mean i do miss my LS sometimes, but i do love the new SC! its actualy more comfortable than my LS, the seats are just sooooo comfy, your but never hurts, even for 6 hours driving straight.

Lextreme - yeah i forgot to mention that, you have to switch out the manual brake pedal for you auto one, its like 70$ for a new one or if you can find one. Swapping it out is cake. When i get done ill put a FULL list of every single part i bought for this conversion, i have the list now, but obviously im not done, so i dont really want to post it yet.

Anybody have some answers for me now? lol please please

 

[Lextreme II]

Awesome.... keep us updated

 

[Quadcob]

Xirforever,
Bullet Supercars sell a gear stick shift extension. It is $195Aus. It is for a W58, but might fit a R154.

Warren

http://bulletcars.com/performance_parts/index.php?id=82

 

[xirforever]

Awsome info warren, thanks a lot! I just sent them an email asking if it would work on the R154 because i do not know if the two shifter assemblies are interchangeable, lets hope so

 

[jtjerry]

when you do clutch pedal you must drill in metal holes or they are already there (and pluged) from factory?

about clutch: maybe ACT will be good (TD2-HDR6) from M70 supra turbo (mk3). holding 518 lbs. they do not make extreme plate for that supra....
that 518 may be to little for forced 1uz. that v8 when turbo even 7-8 psi is torque monster....

 

[xirforever]

when you do clutch pedal you must drill in metal holes or they are already there (and pluged) from factory?

about clutch: maybe ACT will be good (TD2-HDR6) from M70 supra turbo (mk3). holding 518 lbs. they do not make extreme plate for that supra....
that 518 may be to little for forced 1uz. that v8 when turbo even 7-8 psi is torque monster....

There is a sort of template drawn out, if you have any SC car just look under the dash and you should see it. You will want to drill in the very center of these drawn out holes, and make sure you dont drill out the complete cirlce. For the master cylinder main hole i used a 1.25" drill bit thing. For the other two bolt holes, you should be able to figure out what to use as i forgot.

interesting point on the clutch, i didnt even realize this. hmmm more searching around to be done...

 

[jtjerry]

so looks the same as supra mk4 auto to manual:
http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/auto_to_6spd_swap/inside/index.html

clutch pedal from supra is litte different form soarer but it should fit too.
Jerry

 

[cowboy bebop]

Ok guys, I talked with the SC owner who did the V160 swap last year, and he says it was much easier than evern he thought. The manual pedals fit directly into the SC because there's knockouts where the pedals should go. There's a minor bit of demel work that needs to be done, and the driveshaft needs to be cut and rewelded. He said that once all the parts were there, and they got started, it took around 2 hours to get all the work completed.

For reference this persons screen name is srowdet on Orlando Forums, and SupraForums. Also JS4KIKZ on DragVa.com, Tidewaterracing.com, and Supraforums has also completed this swap by himself.

Thanks guys,

Hope this helps.

 

[xirforever]

I assume this was done on an SC300?
Anybody have any advise on the bellhousing/clutch issue?

 

[cowboy bebop]

Right, the swap was in an SC300. With the bellhousing, unless the tranny came from a JZ series motor, you can't use the adapter plate. You have to get a whole new bellhousing. A 3s-gte clutch should work fine.

 

[jtjerry]

did you saw that long topic on clublexus.com?

there is man that converting sc400 to manual using r154 tranny.
he use dellow bellhousing (or another aussie company).

he reporting that can be used mk3 supra turbo clutch and flywheel. but some work for flywhell must be done: must put on that flywheel ring (for starter) from flex plate from any 1uz engine and next must be redriled from 6 to 8 bolts.

He use custom made flywheel but reporting that stock mk3 turbo flywheel can be adapted as well.

there was post too how one man longered shiftter so supra mk3 r154 will have shifter in right position on sc/soarer and there is no need for use ultra rare soarer r154 but can use ordinady mk3 turbo tranny.

did you solver how cheat stock ecu so it will work with manual transmission without check codes?

Jerry

 

[xirforever]

did you saw that long topic on clublexus.com?

there is man that converting sc400 to manual using r154 tranny.
he use dellow bellhousing (or another aussie company).

he reporting that can be used mk3 supra turbo clutch and flywheel. but some work for flywhell must be done: must put on that flywheel ring (for starter) from flex plate from any 1uz engine and next must be redriled from 6 to 8 bolts.

He use custom made flywheel but reporting that stock mk3 turbo flywheel can be adapted as well.

there was post too how one man longered shiftter so supra mk3 r154 will have shifter in right position on sc/soarer and there is no need for use ultra rare soarer r154 but can use ordinady mk3 turbo tranny.

did you solver how cheat stock ecu so it will work with manual transmission without check codes?

Jerry

Yeah ive read that thread and posted in it, his shop is doing it and he really doesnt know whats up. I mean all his part numbers are wrong on his list of parts. I can get any flywheel i want really so im not going to redrill the stock supra one, thats a bad idea anyway, or so ive heard.

I also read the post on how to extend the shifter, infact, i have a link to that thread in my first post in this thread. My question about it though (still unanswered) is, is it a bad idea to cut and weld on the extension, ive heard they can break. Or is it just the quality of the weld and maybe the ones that broke just had bad weld jobs. I did contact bullet and they said they could extend it to any length using tig welds. I think im going to have them do it because i only have access to a mig and arc welders, and tig is the best for the job.

I havent made up my mind about what im goign to do about the ecu, when the car is on, itll be in drive, i might use one of the clutch sensors to put it in neutral so itll start. But like i said, i havent fully made up my mind, maybe ill put a button somewhere i have to press so itll go into neutral, pretty good theft deterent if i hide the button.

 

[jibby]

Xirforever- So how did the SC400 manual/clutch conversion work out for you, I recently was giving the idea alot of thought with the V160.. I decided to try and build up the stock automatic tranny instead of the manaul conversion tranny that you did or are still doing. Was it worth it in your opinion? Seems like a hell of alot of customising and fitting going on.

 

[xirforever]

Im still at where i was from my first post, so its not done yet, not close. The pedals and master cylinder was all stock for the 300, and everything bolted up with ease. When i get some answers to my questions from either here or from somewhere else and i start to collect more parts, ill update this for sure, i wont leave you guys wondering.

 

[cowboy bebop]

Jibby, the V160 goes in the SC400 like it was meant to be in there. We have a V160 in an SC300 out here in Orlando, and the swap was surprisingly simple. More simple than we had anticipated.

Eric

 

[jibby]

Xirforever- Sounds good, and I wish I could help you with some of your questions. I also wish you the best of luck on this conversion job...

Cowboy Bebop with the awesome Supra- I did read up on the V160 and the adapter plate group buy you put together. For me it's just hooking up and fitting all the clutch and shifter crap in the sc400 that turns me off to the whole idea. It just sounds like you need to really get after it...more then I want to mess with right now. I guess it's going to depend on how it goes for Xirforever, then maybe I will try it. I give all the perks to Xirforever for even trying this conversion without a guide to follow.
Cowboy, if I owned the SC300 I would have already been done with V160 swap but the SC400??? We will see....

 

[jtjerry]

Hi Jibby,



The clutch selection is pretty straight forward. Use a 3S-gte clutch, and you have the porper bolt pattern and proper ring gear size.

Eric

not, bolt pattern in 3s gte is not the same: sure it is on 8 bolts but that are on smaller circle (70 mm on 3sgte versus 80 mm in 1uzfe) .