Performance Forced induction, intakes, exhausts, torque converters, transmissions, etc.

Best performance bang for the buck

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Old 09-02-02, 10:15 PM
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garnet92
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Default Best performance bang for the buck

Guys, it’s time to break open the piggy bank, sell blood, or get a paper route. The Precision Industries torque converter is available at a great price NOW! This is the best performance mod available for under $3-4K. Improve your 0-60 and ¼ times by a half second. That might be enough to dust that car or cars that you’ve not been able to hang with. You’re looking at $859 (shipping included) and $4-500 to install. No, it ain’t cheap but NOTHING else will give you a half-second improvement for $12-1400 (NOS excepted). In case you’re unsure about whether it’s really worth it – following are some comments by other members:

“It's a good modification - probably the best "bang for your buck"! Enjoy!!” – Mean Gene

“You'll just about shoot yourself in the head for not doing it sooner.” And “After having it installed, the car is a whole new car now, and I would recommend that everyone do this mod”.– Keith13b

”I had the opportunity last weekend to pull off the line with another member with SRT intake, but no TC and I pulled away from him pretty hard off the line. On the highway we were dead even.” – DaveGS4

“Add a Precision Industries torque converter and I would not be surprised if you are in mid to low 5s.” – Hermosa

“now the best mods to go with without going F/I would be a torque converter, although it wont add any more HP to your car, it will put more power to the ground and probably knock 1/2 a second of your 0-60 and 1/4 mile” – biggie27

“The TC I have will knock 1/2 seconds off your 0-60 time. Drivability is the same, no maintenance, most bang for the buck.” And ““The torque converter STILL amazes me after 2 years of having it how much advantage it gives.” – Anthracite SC

“We got the Dragon torque converter and it works great! It jumps every time when we step on the pedal! And yeah Anthracite SC is right, it should knock off about 1/2 sec off your 0-60 time.” – ACleanSC4

“I would just get the TC and you will jump him off the line real bad! That is probably the best bang for the buck!” - GS400_PUSHER

“Were you racing the SC model or the base model? In any event, I agree that getting a TC will be the best mod for the $$$.” – LXOGOOD

“If you wanna stay quiet, the best first mod, and bang for the buck mod, is a SRT / Precision Industries higher stall torque converter.” – Dex

“Also off the line, if you punch it, it will jump out of the hole faster, develop rpm faster. You may even be able to roast the tires from a standing start without power braking depending on traction and the converter.” – SC300T

“Torque converter is a must have for the SC400. Our off the line performance is pathetic at best, and this is a very good fix. If you read the racing stories forum, someone's SC400 (name escapes me at the moment) held it's own in 0-60 acceleration with a GS400. Pretty impressive I think. This will likely be my next major mod.” – lex400sc

“Between the two mods, the TC makes the biggest difference at low end. I have both - TC definitely wins.”

I’ve already ordered mine – I just wanna make sure that we have enough for the group buy – just go to the Group Buy section of the Classified section.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=55802

Last edited by garnet92; 09-02-02 at 10:17 PM.
Old 09-02-02, 11:47 PM
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Neo
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Will there be a noticeable difference for the GS300s? I can see the GS400 guys getting more of the power to the ground. Would a GS300's power be too low to notice the TC -> worth the $$?

Also, is there (if any) day to day attention necessary with a TC? I am hearing that with a Turbo, there is more frequent maintenance, adequate warm up/cool down time, ...

Other that the added power -> modified driving style, is there anything else involved after this puppy is installed?
Old 09-03-02, 01:30 AM
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redgs4
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Actually, I would bet that a TC is the best bang for the buck for a GS300, also. The problem is then -- what next? Personally, unless I were to run an SC or Turbo, I would not spend that type of money on a GS300 [for invisible performance mods]. I would spend on eye and ear candy, though, and if they happen to make the car faster then that's a bonus.
Old 09-03-02, 10:12 AM
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DaveGS4
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Originally posted by Neo
Will there be a noticeable difference for the GS300s? I can see the GS400 guys getting more of the power to the ground. Would a GS300's power be too low to notice the TC -> worth the $$?

Also, is there (if any) day to day attention necessary with a TC? I am hearing that with a Turbo, there is more frequent maintenance, adequate warm up/cool down time, ...

Other that the added power -> modified driving style, is there anything else involved after this puppy is installed?
No extra maintenance or daily attention required. Install it and drive. Also one of the most stealth mods you'll ever make, the dealer will never know its in there unless they are working in that area.

If you drive your car HARD, some will recommend adding a transmission cooler to your car. I drove mine with the TC for almost two years without one, but before I took it to the quarter-mile track where I anticipated a day of hard driving, I had had a Permacool transmission cooler put on. Click here for a picture that shows my tranny cooler. Just happened to upload that pic last night. The cooler is the silver curved metal thingy in front of my radiator and right behind the horn. Some folks spray their cooler black so it's a bit more stealth.

For some reason, I recall someone saying that the TC did not fit the GS300 - or maybe it was the LSD. It's entirely likely that my advanced age and lack of sleep is causing this confusion, but I'd check to make 100% sure it works for the GS3. If it does fit, I'd imagine you'd see similar performance gains as the GS4. {EDIT: I read the TC GB thread and it sounds like there IS a difference in the TC for the GS3, but it's just a different part you'd get}.

Highly recommend this mod as the best bang for the buck in straight line performance. Beware that it works so well you might need to invest in better traction (tires, wheels, LSD) . You CAN control the wheelspin without the LSD but it takes a bit of practice. Also sometimes it's fun (also expensive) to break the wheels loose...

Last edited by DaveGS4; 09-03-02 at 10:43 AM.
Old 09-03-02, 10:33 AM
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Shinchan
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Yes.. beware... TC.. maybe best bang for the buck.. but...it most likely will cause more wheel spin.. or burn rubber.. than your performce gain...

TC is great.. but needs its evil twin brother.. LSD to get all that TQ to the ground.. Think about this.. right now, the stock car uses VSC.. which de-throttle.. and some brakes for traction. The TC will just allows you to be instantly loose traction. Now turn off the VSC and WOT with TC.. burn rubber.. and tail goes to right.. no useful...

So.. think twice.. if you are not install LSD in future MOD>.. beware...
Old 09-03-02, 11:06 AM
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That was what happened to me after spending the money on TC. I got the TRD LSD about 2 months after the TC. I got wheel spins at almost every corners

Now with TC+LSD, everything is under controled
Old 09-03-02, 01:05 PM
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Neo
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What! You guys want me to spend even more money?
Old 09-03-02, 08:47 PM
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lex400sc
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275mm tires will take care of that wheel spin , of course you have to have 9.5-inch or wider wheels to wrap them on.
Old 09-04-02, 08:31 AM
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lex400sc,

Well, I have 18x9.5s with 265s in the back. I will probably go to 275s when I replace the tires. Are you saying I can get away with not having a LSD? Even my mechanic advises to do both TC and LSD together. That would mean bad news for my bank account.
Old 09-04-02, 09:19 AM
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Originally posted by lex400sc
275mm tires will take care of that wheel spin , of course you have to have 9.5-inch or wider wheels to wrap them on.
True. I've got my 275s on 9.5s, TC and LSD (3.76), but I can still chirp 'em from a stop in a straight line, and completely bring the butt around in a curve, but, that is just screwing around.

From a stop, making a turn, if I stab it, the butt will move maybe a couple feet sideways, then snap back to center.

In the wet, or on damp roads, be very careful.

HTH
Old 09-04-02, 12:21 PM
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I've got 285 at the back and with TC, I still got my butt all over the places at corners. You really need to LSD to put you back in place
Old 09-04-02, 05:06 PM
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fireballs gs400
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Default tc and lsd

on the tc, any type of fluid recommended more than others? also on the lsd, who can sell them at a fair price. 859 shipped is a fair price for a tc. anyone with info let me know, bstylecustoms187@hotmail.com
Old 09-04-02, 06:15 PM
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JacobT
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Default Re: tc and lsd

Originally posted by fireballs gs400
on the tc, any type of fluid recommended more than others? also on the lsd, who can sell them at a fair price. 859 shipped is a fair price for a tc. anyone with info let me know, bstylecustoms187@hotmail.com
Toyota Auto Tranny fluid is what every one's using.
Steve Ganz @ Carson Toyota can get you the LSD for a reseanable price.
Old 09-04-02, 07:40 PM
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i would do the LSD and TC together as well to have the true benefit, otherwise the TC just burns tires and you don't get much out of it. but this is a $2k mod, which is about halfway to a SRT stage I turbo.
Old 09-05-02, 08:14 AM
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Shinchan
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yeah.. its halfway to SRT stage 1, but again.. turbo stuff is easy to be spot by dealer when service the car. Your dealer will blame most of the problem to the newly install Turbo.. might have a huge warrenty problem.

But as far as the TC and LSD goes, they can be hard for dealer to spot.. less problem with waranty.... get the point? Plus, TC and LSD is probably the last thing you can do to make the car more efficient without force induction. IMO.. Turbo is way to go.. after your warrenty expired.


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