Building an IS350 6MT
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: California
I drove the car without other things working properly, basically. I did get one ECU reprogrammed, but I am going to have to try again, it didn't work 100% with my car.
Still, lots of fun!Jeff
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2016
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From: birmingham
It's complicated, haha. I've run the car on 3 different engine ECU's now to get a good understanding of how things work with the Lexus ECU's. It was more complicated than I originally hoped for! The car (and skid control/VDIM) wants certain things to happen from the ECU and the ECU wants certain things to happen from the car.
I drove the car without other things working properly, basically. I did get one ECU reprogrammed, but I am going to have to try again, it didn't work 100% with my car. Still, lots of fun!
Jeff
I drove the car without other things working properly, basically. I did get one ECU reprogrammed, but I am going to have to try again, it didn't work 100% with my car.
Still, lots of fun!Jeff
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,211
Likes: 746
From: California
Electronically doing a 6MT swap on a automatic IS350 would definitely be easier than doing the engine swap on a manual IS250. Of course I always knew this, but there are other components that either act differently or don't exist on the manual cars.
So I'm ending up having to swap a couple of other components and adding in a couple of relays to get things working. 
I still think it's probably the easier way to go than doing a 6MT setup on an IS350, though I'm not sure which would be a cheaper swap.
Jeff
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 41
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From: birmingham
There were a few hiccups, the ECU doesn't know how to deal with the clutch pedal, haha. After I did a few things I was able to drive with full power (my first ECU that was reprogrammed drove well once I figured out what was causing the issues, but I still had some issues with the Start button and the ABS/VDIM).
Electronically doing a 6MT swap on a automatic IS350 would definitely be easier than doing the engine swap on a manual IS250. Of course I always knew this, but there are other components that either act differently or don't exist on the manual cars. So I'm ending up having to swap a couple of other components and adding in a couple of relays to get things working. I still think it's probably the easier way to go than doing a 6MT setup on an IS350, though I'm not sure which would be a cheaper swap.
Jeff
Electronically doing a 6MT swap on a automatic IS350 would definitely be easier than doing the engine swap on a manual IS250. Of course I always knew this, but there are other components that either act differently or don't exist on the manual cars.
So I'm ending up having to swap a couple of other components and adding in a couple of relays to get things working. I still think it's probably the easier way to go than doing a 6MT setup on an IS350, though I'm not sure which would be a cheaper swap.Jeff
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,211
Likes: 746
From: California
If I had an IS350 I would probably just do that 6MT swap into it rather than buying an IS250 6MT to use, but if I didn't have either car, I'd probably try to find an IS250 6MT I think. Just physically much easier, bolt-in, nothing to fabricate, etc.
Jeff
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Joined: Apr 2009
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From: California
Driver
Joined: May 2014
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From: a tropical place
who reprogrammed the ecu? abs vsc and trac off also cruise but everything else was ok? I CAN LIVE WITH THAT!!! lol thats race-car status. I have an f-sport clutch with has the extra 15% clamping force so im missing the engine and ecu reprogram i have a 06 so no vdim which means i will probably have to leave with the abs vsc and trac off right?
You own my dream car right now jeff with the lsd and everything!!! im exited for you man!
You own my dream car right now jeff with the lsd and everything!!! im exited for you man!
There were a few hiccups, the ECU doesn't know how to deal with the clutch pedal, haha. After I did a few things I was able to drive with full power (my first ECU that was reprogrammed drove well once I figured out what was causing the issues, but I still had some issues with the Start button and the ABS/VDIM).
Electronically doing a 6MT swap on a automatic IS350 would definitely be easier than doing the engine swap on a manual IS250. Of course I always knew this, but there are other components that either act differently or don't exist on the manual cars. So I'm ending up having to swap a couple of other components and adding in a couple of relays to get things working. I still think it's probably the easier way to go than doing a 6MT setup on an IS350, though I'm not sure which would be a cheaper swap.
Jeff
Electronically doing a 6MT swap on a automatic IS350 would definitely be easier than doing the engine swap on a manual IS250. Of course I always knew this, but there are other components that either act differently or don't exist on the manual cars.
So I'm ending up having to swap a couple of other components and adding in a couple of relays to get things working. I still think it's probably the easier way to go than doing a 6MT setup on an IS350, though I'm not sure which would be a cheaper swap.Jeff
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,211
Likes: 746
From: California
Finally got the last of the parts (aside from the ECU) today. Will need to add the wiring for these new sensors and I swapped out one of the MPX ECU's in the dash earlier this week. Not sure the best way to get the new wires into the engine ECU box, but probably de-looming the body harness. Not sure yet. :\
In some ways it is nice that the engine ECU is in the engine bay. It's accessible and so on, however you always need to be careful not to disturb the seal around the box so moisture can get in (the connectors inside are all non-waterproof type).
All that's left is wiring in these sensors, a single relay and then tidying everything up and installing the ECU once I get it!
This project ended up taking me a couple of months longer than I expected, which I guess in the world of cars is actually to be expected, so I shouldn't complain, haha. Some electronics in the car are more flexible while others seem to be very strict about what they want. Sometimes it's not always possible to know which way things will go.
Jeff
In some ways it is nice that the engine ECU is in the engine bay. It's accessible and so on, however you always need to be careful not to disturb the seal around the box so moisture can get in (the connectors inside are all non-waterproof type).
All that's left is wiring in these sensors, a single relay and then tidying everything up and installing the ECU once I get it!
This project ended up taking me a couple of months longer than I expected, which I guess in the world of cars is actually to be expected, so I shouldn't complain, haha. Some electronics in the car are more flexible while others seem to be very strict about what they want. Sometimes it's not always possible to know which way things will go.
Jeff
Last edited by Jeff Lange; Dec 13, 2019 at 10:29 AM.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 5,211
Likes: 746
From: California
It wasn't used in any North American cars, I had to order the parts from overseas. Some sensors ended up needing to be added because of the hybrid programming used on my engine computer. 2ISx50 models in Japan, Europe and some other places used a smart charging control system that allows the engine computer to control how much the alternator is charging to enhance fuel economy and emissions.
All part of making sure it works just like it would have if the factory built it.
Jeff
All part of making sure it works just like it would have if the factory built it.
Jeff
Last edited by Jeff Lange; Mar 19, 2016 at 04:06 PM.