Thanks guys, the decision hasnt been made and my abillity to obtain a certain price will factor into the decision as well.

I have been looking at the 05 or 06 GTO as a possibillity, but they may have similar tranny issues as well. Still researching

 

What are you going to do with an 800hp motor then? Just part it all out?

 

The engine has never seen 800hp the most I ever took it to was a bit over 500. But I had the abillity to make it hit 800 if I had the supporting components.

If I do sell it I will just sell the whole car plus or minus the rims.

 

Morris if my memory serves me right, I believe the A650E in the team lexus GS was built by a company somewhere in the North East called Level Ten. They replaced the clutch pack along with the 3rd gear sprag and cryo treated the gears. I'm not sure if Leroy is a member on Club Lexus, if not, I'll try to dig up his number for you so that you can contact him directly to find out who and where built the TL GS transmission.

 

You know now that you mention it I think it was level 10.

Maybe I should call them, Level 10 that is. But I am guessing that they werent pushing 500+++ hp. Level 10 does say they can build it for you but you never know. People are so full of BS today. I have more than one guy tell me that due to the design of the 650 it just cannot really be "built". Basically it does not have 4 real gears, some how it uses the overdrive to make 4 gears out of two and this is the achilles heel. But I guess it is worth a call.

Thanks

 

do a search on supraforums. level 10 doesn't have the best reputation there.

 

Racing is an expensive hobby. How do you get 800hp? Turbo/nitro? Wow!
How much do you had spent to achieve this power? So... the best is to swap a manual 6 tranmission... or get a good mechanic that reinforce you automatic knowing that you will have to repair it often.

 

Maybe look into a lentech? http://www.lentechautomatics.com/rwdmodels.html

 

Level 10's rep was one of the reasons that I didnt have them build the first tranny, but oh well things can change when you feel like you are forced into a corner.

You can make 800hp with a 4.0 decent sized turbo and a forged bottom end.

I dont race, this is a hobby not a profession or a money maker, so repairing a tranny at 3k a pop isnt a viable option for me. My option is to keep the HP down around 400 most of the time. Which really seems like a big waste of my time and money. Thats why I am thinking about other cars.

 

Hey i thought SRT had built a few turbo V8 Lexus's before and offered a Tranny upgrade build that our trannys ?

 

They do but SRT will take 12 weeks to blow there own noses from everything I hear from people that do buisness with them.


It looks like for the cars they build that make high HP they will use a TH400. They do offer a race built a650 but I dont know if it is really gonna hold. Again people I trust are telling me that the tranny just by design cannot be built to hold high HP

 

I remember reading somewhere that Team Lexus running GS400s (this was some time in ~2001) was experiencing transmission failures during racing. They took the transmission apart and traced the problem to plastic parts (washers, I think) that deformed from the heat and allowed the metal gears to come apart and commit group suicide inside the transmission. They replaced the plastic part(s) with brass ones and had no problems. That's as specific info as I can provide. Good luck!

 

i believe team lexus used a stock auto tranny on their 98 orange gs400

 

Leroy is a member here.. screenname Apex84. I was just with him on sunday. Hit him up via PM, he may be able to give you some insight to the Team Lexus GS. I'll give him a call and ask him for you.

 

Hey Morris,
One other bit of info. Why don't you give Chris at Anderson Audio and Performance in Swaunee a call. He has a 1100 hp Supra, and that is a Toyota Performace factory over there, you should see that shop ! He also built a TT SC430 think it dyno'd close to 600 rwhp. See what he thinks. He a real Performance thinking guy.

Another guy is Lee at Hesco performance in Birmingham AL. He dyno tuned my car's Unichip and Nitrious Kit. When I told him I wanted to run over a 125 shot to 200 shot, he told me and warned that the Lexus V8 Tranny on my car would not take it. He loves cars and actually knows quite a bit about that Lexus 1UZFE engine and tranny. He has a major shop there and builds parts for Chryslers Factory and was once a NASCAR engine builder.

Don't give up yet. Most Import cars would have the same issue. There's got to be a final one cost, one time work around that would last. Hang in there with the Lex !

I wish I had your problem !