Project Rescue - SC300
12-05-11, 06:50 PM
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Project Rescue - SC300
I have been on CL forum for over 5 years and not have a single worthy post. So here I am posting the progress of my new SC300 project. I hope everyone found this post entertaining as I did enjoyed reading all the build thread from other members on this forum.
After exhausting search for a 5 speed SC300 for a decent price, I finally found one fit the bill and that is close by enough to haul her big *** home.
Here is a list parts that it came with:
1994 Lexus SC300
New Garrett 60-1 turbo
New Stage 4 Competition Clutch
New motor rebuild with Wiseco 86.5 mm pistons 8.5.1 compression.
Innovate Wideband
XS Turbo Manifold
XS Power Intercooler
XS Power turbo timer
Greddy turbo timer
Aeromotive FPR
Blitz Nur Spec Exhaust
440cc MK3 Injectors
MAP ECU
The car was not running when I got it. From the owner information that the car have a bad head…..He never get to drove the car when the engine got rebuild.
Here is the picture of the car from the previous owner listing. Trust me…she is not pretty as she looks in the picture but I’m in it for the engine, tranny and body etc…
Brought her home on our first date, she located in Arkansas and 400 miles away from where I’m at. It funny that Uhaul didn’t let me rent the flatbed with my 05’ Tacoma because of her weight issue so I decided to told Uhaul I’m towing a Honda civic instead. My Taco have no problem handling her weight, it was a piece of cake.
Got it in the garage
Engine bay shot – What a mess!
At first I wanted to pull the whole engine/tranny and redo everything but it was just too much to do it all by myself. I decided to remove everything except for bottom end. According to seller, the car bottom end is professional built.
Intake manifold remove
Turbo remove
Garret Turbo
Valve Cover Off – No wonder the car run like ****, all the camshaft bearing cap bolts are loose. Look like someone doesn’t follow the Toyota specs when torque these bolts.
Camshaft and gear off – So far the head look good, it look like it just came out of the machine shop.
Parts laying around everywhere
It was a pain in the *** to find the correct socket bit for this head bolt. The manual said 10mm bi-hexagon but when I check with autozone/oreily no one have clue what I’m talking about. I finally found what I’m looking for at Napa, it was a 12mm 12-point socket for $7 and it work wonderful. Everywhere on the internet sell this special Toyota head bolt tool for like $50 +
The head is off – The seller wasn’t lying that the bottom end is built with Wiseco piston kit. Look how shiny that thing is =)
Look appears to be a blown head gasket. I got the ARP headstud and GTE gasket on the way…
Decided to clean up the turbo a little bit and may polish it later on.
Someone fail attempt to paint the valve covers. Look at this crappy job! I went ahead and strip off the paint and it was a very messy job.
It look like this after 5-7hrs later…
Ok enough of the engine works for now. Let get down to the nasty stuff that she came with…
Carpet off – Mayn this is some filthy nasty piece of #@!#@!
Look what I found? It’s money and it like $10 total and enough to pay for the black SEM.
Pressure washes the hell out of it
Ready for black SEM
Finish product – I’m very pleased with how it turn out.
That’s all for now….Please stay tune!
After exhausting search for a 5 speed SC300 for a decent price, I finally found one fit the bill and that is close by enough to haul her big *** home.
Here is a list parts that it came with:
1994 Lexus SC300
New Garrett 60-1 turbo
New Stage 4 Competition Clutch
New motor rebuild with Wiseco 86.5 mm pistons 8.5.1 compression.
Innovate Wideband
XS Turbo Manifold
XS Power Intercooler
XS Power turbo timer
Greddy turbo timer
Aeromotive FPR
Blitz Nur Spec Exhaust
440cc MK3 Injectors
MAP ECU
The car was not running when I got it. From the owner information that the car have a bad head…..He never get to drove the car when the engine got rebuild.
Here is the picture of the car from the previous owner listing. Trust me…she is not pretty as she looks in the picture but I’m in it for the engine, tranny and body etc…
Brought her home on our first date, she located in Arkansas and 400 miles away from where I’m at. It funny that Uhaul didn’t let me rent the flatbed with my 05’ Tacoma because of her weight issue so I decided to told Uhaul I’m towing a Honda civic instead. My Taco have no problem handling her weight, it was a piece of cake.
Got it in the garage
Engine bay shot – What a mess!
At first I wanted to pull the whole engine/tranny and redo everything but it was just too much to do it all by myself. I decided to remove everything except for bottom end. According to seller, the car bottom end is professional built.
Intake manifold remove
Turbo remove
Garret Turbo
Valve Cover Off – No wonder the car run like ****, all the camshaft bearing cap bolts are loose. Look like someone doesn’t follow the Toyota specs when torque these bolts.
Camshaft and gear off – So far the head look good, it look like it just came out of the machine shop.
Parts laying around everywhere
It was a pain in the *** to find the correct socket bit for this head bolt. The manual said 10mm bi-hexagon but when I check with autozone/oreily no one have clue what I’m talking about. I finally found what I’m looking for at Napa, it was a 12mm 12-point socket for $7 and it work wonderful. Everywhere on the internet sell this special Toyota head bolt tool for like $50 +
The head is off – The seller wasn’t lying that the bottom end is built with Wiseco piston kit. Look how shiny that thing is =)
Look appears to be a blown head gasket. I got the ARP headstud and GTE gasket on the way…
Decided to clean up the turbo a little bit and may polish it later on.
Someone fail attempt to paint the valve covers. Look at this crappy job! I went ahead and strip off the paint and it was a very messy job.
It look like this after 5-7hrs later…
Ok enough of the engine works for now. Let get down to the nasty stuff that she came with…
Carpet off – Mayn this is some filthy nasty piece of #@!#@!
Look what I found? It’s money and it like $10 total and enough to pay for the black SEM.
Pressure washes the hell out of it
Ready for black SEM
Finish product – I’m very pleased with how it turn out.
That’s all for now….Please stay tune!
Last edited by vugoodoll; 12-05-11 at 07:06 PM. Reason: picture not working
12-05-11, 07:42 PM
#2
geez, that pressure washing did WONDERS..im about to pull mine for a good steam clean and was honestly not motivated because i expect less then stellar results..but my carpet is not as bad as that started out to be..and wow!!..maybe this weekend ill rip that out 
12-06-11, 09:12 AM
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Got the new water pump and alternator in yesterday. This is a 145amp alternator from ebay, I have good luck with these in the past on my SC400. The water pump is OEM
Check out this nasty stuff from the old water pump. The block is full of these sludge in there. What is the best way to flush these out from the block without starting the engine? I know they have they have the coolant flush kit that you attached the garden hose to the heater inlet and start the engine with the heater turn on....
Check out this nasty stuff from the old water pump. The block is full of these sludge in there. What is the best way to flush these out from the block without starting the engine? I know they have they have the coolant flush kit that you attached the garden hose to the heater inlet and start the engine with the heater turn on....
12-06-11, 10:50 AM
#6
Wow. When I saw the interior I wondered where the original owner was going with this. I'm trying to be an optimist and hope that he just ran out of money and gave up. I can't wait to see how you end this project. Hopefully it's a good restore and you get a fast car out of it.
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12-06-11, 12:30 PM
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Just for future reference you should not get coverage for the AT if you're gonna lie about what car is gonna be on the trailer. If anything happened and you didn't have a civic on the trailer you woulda still been held responsible. Coulda saved $24. I'm just sayin........
12-06-11, 12:34 PM
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I decide to polish the intake manifold last night. Polishing is so time consuming and no wonder it cost $$ to get it done.
Someone decided to drill holes in the intake manifold and put two 2 inch screws to mount the throttle bracket + JBweld it. This will work but what happen if these screw break off later on?? Mayn, I'm no builder expert or anything but I'm glad my common sense is working OK =)
I litteraly to chisel off the JBweld.
After little sanding a polish. More on this later
Someone decided to drill holes in the intake manifold and put two 2 inch screws to mount the throttle bracket + JBweld it. This will work but what happen if these screw break off later on?? Mayn, I'm no builder expert or anything but I'm glad my common sense is working OK =)
I litteraly to chisel off the JBweld.
After little sanding a polish. More on this later