Need advice (and maybe a motor)

[kc95sc400]

So trying to get some stuff together.

Have purchased a few things:

MLS headgaskets and ARP head studs.

A Megan Racing radiator. Any ideas on how to plumb this would be good. Not sure what to do about the stock thermostat bypass setup.

Enough stuff from Devils Own injection to do direct port water meth. Figured I'll have an extra intake to play with mise well give it a try.

Engine leads:

93 SC400 1uz with 76,000 miles. No AC, PS, ALT, oil pan. $200. Have to drive 6.5 hours each way to pick it up.

JDM pre 95 with "30-40,000" miles on it. About $740 shipped and includes everything. Not sure if the harness is cut or complete.

JDM "to 97" with "low mileage" $620 shipped. Includes everything. Need to call them and see if they can / will confirm a pre 95 for me.

94 SC400 with 86,000 mile. $600 shipped from Aligra on Club Lexus. Not yet sure what this includes.

93 SC400 with 118,000 miles. $300 picked up. Another 6+ hour drive each way. Includes just about everything I think.

The JDM companies supposedly compression test the motors along with some other checks.

Still looking around but might get one of the above soon..............

KC

 

[spf_lexus]

Hey KC, with the amount of air you are moving at high rpm, you will really benefit from a straight runner lower manifold. Straight versus curved lower runners will keep the power curve from falling off at 5500rpm and will keep making power to 6500. I remember Justin_gt8 estimated a 50-75bhp improvement on his uz running 15psi or so. He also stated zero tq loss with the mod.

I just swapped another used UZ 3 weeks ago. 140,000 miles but it still had 155psi across all 8 (5,000ft elevation).

 

[RedPhoenix]

Dont remember.. I think the 95 is larger though (i have both around somewhere and they are not interchangable... Also the 95 has a smaller IAC casing too... they look different, the 95 looks better

 

[Cobber]

Just pull the heads off the engine throw on some new head gaskets and see how she goes. You can do all of this while the engine is in the car and it only costs you time and a few bucks for head gaskets.

My way of thinking is having the std head bolts allows the head gaskets to be the first thing to fail.

Did you set the retard if knock detected feature?

 

[kc95sc400]

Pretty sure its not the headgasket. I put air into #8 and it is definately leaking into the crank case. If I held my hand on the oil filler I can feel the pressure build with a bit of whoosh when I take my hand off it. Also checked #1 as a control and it did not do the same thing.

I already have the ball rolling on a few things.

Bought a 92 82,000 mile SC400 motor. Should be on its way next week. Have my ARP studs already. Head gasket should be on the way soon. My Innovative unit is back (again, second one now). Have a Megan Racing 3 row huge aluminum radiator on the way. Going to fit the biggest fans to it that I can.

Couple of things I have planned.

Gonna give direct port water meth injection a try. Gonna use 8 nozzles (smallest ones that Devils Own makes) in the runners of the upper intake manifold. I'm going to try and flip the intake manifold to make the piping a little shorter and just to be different. I'm planning on using a bosch 2 wire IAC valve so as to free up a couple of the Adaptronics outputs for use with the water meth. Probably going to go back to a bypass valve setup.

Couple of things I'm considering.

I will very likely be getting some cams and maybe springs. Will probably port match the intake gaskets to the intake and heads. Might give head polishing a try, I know a guy that has the tools to do it.

The new (used) motor.

The first thing I'm going to do when I get it is put oil in it, rig up the starter and do a compression test. Depending on these results I may rebuild the bottom end. Maybe put in pistons. If the compression is good I probably won't mess with it although I tend to think that I should re-ring it. I will take apart the heads and clean them up when I do the headgaskets. As said, might do some light porting / polishing and cams. Will replace all the seals. Will probably use some parts from my current motor. My timing belt is maybe 5000 miles old, new tensioner, coils are newer, the LS400 fan bracket and a few other things. Gonna go back to using the Denso IK27 plugs.

I'd love to send the thing to a machine shop to get bored and prepped for me to do a complete performance build but I just don't have the funds. I really should find myself a sponser since I go to the track allot and usually get some attention, LOL.

KC

Just pull the heads off the engine throw on some new head gaskets and see how she goes. You can do all of this while the engine is in the car and it only costs you time and a few bucks for head gaskets.

My way of thinking is having the std head bolts allows the head gaskets to be the first thing to fail.

Did you set the retard if knock detected feature?

 

[ihiryu]

What about an engine from a LS? It might be cheaper, and then you can just swap all your parts from your long block.

 

[bartledoo]

Good news!