You suggested doing the ram air setup, but that seems to be a little confusing, and maybe expensiv. Can you explain to me what exactly you did, so I can forward this thread to my mechanic and see what the estimate would be?

 

A warning first. To set up something like mine, identically can be a major pain. I spent hours upon hours trying to refine it. Go with the Weapon-R system up top as I mentioned in my other post. What you really need is the custom modification from down below similar to what Tuned RX300 did (which is close to what I did, too), https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=158249

He has an excellent system that still uses the stock airbox and he is actually the inventor of the ram air system for the RX300 as his came a little bit before mine. Thus adapting his system for your RX300 is better than adapting the one I have, though we are very similar below and I will try to comment on this, but I would want him to comment, too.

The idea was to utilize the entrance below the driver side headlight on the bumper to force in air to the engine. Granted, there is a vacuum effect that actually sucks air into the engine, but more air means the ECU throwing in more gas and more power.

Thus, once you hit the gas, the air goes through this tube you have see on my page and the link above and as you accelerate the air keeps increasing. This registers in the MAF sensor (shows air cooler and higher volume) triggering increased fuel flow and when it combines with the increased air (really more oxygen) to make an increase in power.

 

KeepDaBeat,
Welcome to the mod club of RX300
Lexmex has spent a lot of time on track and optimize his intake system. I admire his passion and energy. Correct me if I am wrong, Lexmex actually lost some power by certain changes but later he rectified it with more experiementation and verified with track time.
My setup is not that hard to do, probably not optimal but way better than stock. Two principles I utilizes: 1) change source of inlet air from the engine bay to outside cooler 2) use RX's own speed to ram air into the engine. Higher flow and cooler air mean more oxygen, both are detected by the MAF and signal ECM to allow more fuel to be packed into the engine.
When I was researching for port and polish for the intake throttle body, I find an excellent web (go to the Porting FAQ tab). http://www.oflmotorsports.com/
Fluid dynamic is very complex, common sense will tell you that a smooth and large intake passage will give more air but actually it is not. So this may explain why some changes we think will improve air flow but in fact may hurt the performance, but takes time and effort to optimize it. This is the main reason I did not further improve what I have so far. Besides, there are other ways to obtain gains.
Lexmex always looking for ways to improve his RX and willing to share what he knows. One of the main reasons he could beat many cars at the track

 

You got that right TunedRX300

 

where's the turbo!!!

 

It´s still on hold. The only way I will be able to run that turbo when installed will be on low boost (3 psi or less) as the tranny cannot handle it. I talked with someone the other day who is a much more knowledgeble on the subject. There is group called IPT that I want to work with to do the tranny upgrade, but there is no one here in Mexico that can install the IPT tranny kit.

I guarantee you $$$ is not the problem, nor time as the RX300 sits at home during the week.

 

what is the HP rating/spec for the factory unit?
is the tranny the weak sister or the torque converter/rear end?
I'd like tothink it could handle an extra 100hp on the factory oem stuff..

 

220 stock, though I think it is more like 213.

I think the tranny is the issue, never heard a peep of an issue on an RX300 with the transfer case or the rear differential. When I went to Toyota for an alignment, a good friend who works there told me the tranny looked a lot like the one for the RAV4. I hope the one in the newer RX350 and RX400h is improved, though I have read about those RX330 issues.

When you say 100 hp, you are not too far off.

I talked to someone the other day who is light years ahead of me. With some of the modified Camrys and Solaras he has worked on and he sent me another email this morning, he reasoned after checking his figures that about 280 to 290 would be a comfortable range for an OEM tranny as long as you weren´t flooring it all over town.

If I had put a turbo or TTE Kompressor on a stock RX300, with no other mods, it could take 5 to 6 psi with ease. Solara TRD Superchargers I believe have something different and they can support them.

My issue is that with my existing mods, I have already surpassed the carrying capacity so to speak of the turbo or TTE Kompressor, both of which will give you close to or at the same times that I get at my track when converted to sea level, about 1 to 1.5 second range difference from stock.

Now, I could proceed with the turbo project, but the boost would have to be kept very, very low...almost like it being a trophy. It is not hard to put the turbo on there, and I have already spilled most of the beans in my post on how to do it.

What I need to do is get a transmission upgrade or reinforcement from IPT before I start even thinking about going up to 300 hp.