This is awesome! I never even thought about performance modding an RX 350. Will any of these mods void the warranty or be considered illegal in CA?

 

Lexmex.. you seem to know alot about the RX300. But as far as putting those numbers down, I seem to rememeber that the older RX had alot of tranny failures even in stock form. This is the reason why I decided to not pursue my Turbo GS300 because these trannies cant handle much beyond 9psi at least. I would have to either get a 2jzgte vvti clip or build my tranny. But that is beyond the scope of what ur covering. Thanks for sharing!

 

That's the question I have been waiting for someone to ask.

In California, none of the mods that I listed on my first post are illegal, but with some exceptions for the muffler and that is related to noise levels (like the aftermarket one on my RX300). In fact most of them are offered by our CL vendor, L-Tuned parts, www.l-tunedparts.com, which is Carson Toyota in California. The muffler itself isn't emissions sensistive since it comes AFTER the catalytic converter. I live with very different rules, including rules regarding emissions equipment replacement where I live (another country in fact).

Now, back to that issue about noise, here is the guidance I found (I knew it existed) from the CHP,

Aren't all exhaust system modifications prohibited?

No. Section 27151 VC prohibits the modification of the exhaust system to amplify or increase the noise emitted by the vehicle, making the vehicle not in compliance with Section 27150 VC or exceeding the noise limits established in Sections 27201-27206 VC. Section 27151 VC does not prohibit all modifications to an exhaust system. It also does not prohibit all modifications that increase the noise level of the exhaust system over that of the original, factory-installed exhaust system (as it did until 1980). It only prohibits modifications that result in a noise level higher than those specified in Sections 27201-27206 VC. Accurately determining compliance with Sections 27201-27206 VC for enforcement purposes is generally impractical. Enforcement personnel must make an informed professional evaluation to detem-iine if excessive noise statutes are being violated.

I can tell you with guidance from my RX300 colleagues, that they haven't had issues with noise and police in CA. The mufflers they buy aren't like what yours truly plays around with south of the border, and were well-designed to not emit strange, loud but delightful noises like this in my solo run, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u0ZYT0bFwg

I stayed clear, though we brought up some things like headers, which I don't want to get into and I guarantee you will be in an issue in CA.

Warranty: Legally, a vehicle manufacturer cannot void the warranty on a vehicle due to an aftermarket part unless they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or contributed to the failure in the vehicle, this is the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

I have never heard of an issue with the parts I listed in my first post and someone being denied a warranty. As long as you install them correctly, this is not an issue. Moreover, if something like say a transmission fails, they couldn't deny you say because you had a hypervoltage system per se, they would have to show that the hypervoltage contribute to the failure of the part.

 

Well, they older RXs in AWD had more than other years and the FWD. That is true. The RX tranny can't really stand much hitting above 5 psi. Now, Solara owners have had the TRD Supercharger (I'll get to that in a moment) that hits in the 5 psi range and a couple of delightful turbocharged models, too. Now the king of 1MZFEs is no doubt Tony "the Tiger" Leung , with his 1994 Toyota Camry turbo, a very mean machine that I have read has gotten up to 22 psi. However, even he had tranny upgrades from IPT (which I am going to do one day).

Keep in mind, I run at higher altitude so I have a margin of safety. I personally think the RX300 runs about 17.4 or so at sea level best stock. I remember reading a bit back in Consumer Reports, they tested the RX330 out to 17.0 in the 1/4 mile, and even if I took a crack at it, I could maybe in stock form eek out perhaps .2 to .3 better.

The TRD Supercharger which is possible on 1MZFEs with a single throttle body (RX300s/Highlanders have double) is no doubt much less in terms of $$$, but keep in mind that the maximum hps (and this goes for the TTE Compressor) are hit at the highest levels, not going at 20 mph, or just trolling down the track. However, with sympathy there really isn't much readily out there for a reasonable price (I beg to differe given all the modifications I have done, but a lot of people have neither the time, effor nor $$$ to do anything). I offer this thread to give peope the ideas and only that.

For the tranny of course I have mentioned I have removed the windshield wiper fluid reservoir blocking most of the front of the tranny cooler in my RX300 (awful design if you ask me) (see photo below).

Another thing I do (and have been doing for a long, long time) is pulling both the oil and tranny dipsticks out slightly to allow for better cooling.

Finally, as some of you may know in the not-to-distant future, there will be an RX300 turbo. I do plan to do it. I have the design and I know where to place everything. Only a matter of some parts, a little $$$ and a unique turbo, but even then I don't plan on running it much higher than 4 to 5 psi to start without additional modifications.

On a side note, some time ago, another member forwarded me a link (I no longer have it), of an alleged RX330 turbo. Had this huge HKS intercooler, but could not see any picture of the actual turbo setup, so I just brushed it off as a simple attempt of what they call in Asia as "dressing up" the vehicle.

 

I abosolutely agree with Lexmex that cooling mods such as TRD thermostat helps 1mz-fe by giving the OEM cooling system a head start by allowing coolant to circulate at lower temperature.
Sun products are proven to smooth out power spikes, I have a ground wire disconnected on my Acura due to vibration over 120K miles. At idle, my gauges flicker. You would think the car have multiple grounding points and missing one won't matter.
Better grounding is needed because a car does not have a true ground: the earch is isolated by rubbers on the tires, no metal actually touch the ground. Hook a scope and you will see voltage spikes and valleys, how do you guarantee all 6 cylinders are firing 100% of the time when the engine is reved >2500 RPM in fwy speed?

 

Going back to the tranny and forced induction. I also have my doubts about how much the tranny can support without modification. Realistically, I wouldn't try much in my 1MZFE above about 300 hp or 5 psi. Moreover, obviously the trannies (despite the lag and other issues you have had) is much more able to support power than the one of my generation of RX.

One thing to keep in mind that both of those superchargers from Europe primarily go into RXs that don't have the same amount of power (they are detuned) as we do in U.S. RXs, and when they use those power ranges on those superchargers, that is a way of saying what is possible not necessarily what will happen when you step on the gas and expect magic. Personally, for the money easier to do things in small steps and pieces one modification at a time.

 

I'll go over air intake now

Aftermarket custom air intake- Keep in mind that the 3MZFE and 2GRFE engine groups are a virtual pair in the air intake design over the 1MZFE. They both take engine from a small snout about the radiator and from the front grill as shown below.

 

However, the aftermarket intakes below are only confirmed for the 3MZFE as I noticed what appeared to be an increase in the number of vacuum lines on the air intake for the 2GRFE. Several Toyota Solara owners have gone as far as to modify the intake using Injen air intakes (they do sell a model for the 3MZFE Solara) as shown in this photo, http://www.injen.com/galleries/produ...32_install.jpg

From Solaraguy member NightRider,

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63...31-07_0934.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a63...31-07_0933.jpg

Another possibility is the Custom Performance Engineering intake

http://www.cp-e.com/2018.html

This has two versions, one of which you can hook up to a computer to modify A/F flows.

However, these types of tubes are expensive, in the 200s for the Injen and the 400s for the cp-e. I actually from what I know about these that the cp-e is tad better intake, even in the non-tuneable version. They did a good deal of independent research just for the Solara of each of the three generations.

 

However, if it were up to me, I would develop my own intake, whether it is from PVC or aluminum. If I had a test vehicle, such as a Solara, Sienna or other 3MZFE or 2GRFE as a test vehicle, I know I could probably develop and put something together in a day with the material in front of me, the hardest part would be fabricating a holder for the MAF sensor. It would still cost me a good $200 USD or so in material if aluminum were used, for the MAF sensor it must have an aluminum piece to sit on.

In my idea below, I would utilize a combination of the idea employed by Custom Performance and Injen using a pipe as you have seen in the links above, but link it in a y pipe to the throttle body to an extension from the front snout, thereby drawing air from two different sources. I could readily fabricate vacuum lines and weld them or make plastic attachments in the case of PVC. I would also put a heat shield (I use cooking pots as shown by the gray around the yellow. The MAF sensor is the black square.

On the side facing toward the front of the engine, I would use a 3 inch wide pipe with BMC Carbon dynamic airbox (yellow rectangular piece) as shown, http://www.bmcairfilters.com/infoCDA.asp or develop a similar piece using an aluminum cylinder with conical air filter placed inside the box.

This kind of device would employ taking ramming air from the front of the engine in much less restrictive fashion along with somewhat cool, but warmer air in the engine bay, toward partially protected by the heat shield. This should be a double digit hp intake easily.

It also appears there is a lower air entry through the lower bumper, however, I could not readily see this on the Sienna, but I do see these on the RXs. I would have to take a close look at an RX in person or see more pictures of the driver’s side of the engine bay. In the RX300, I employ this to efficiency as you have seen on page 6 and in this current thread, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=289830

 

Now, I am not good at photoshop, nor do I have it, so I had to use a combination of Powerpoint and some screen capture programs to kind of show from this front view what I have in mind. The only thing missing is the heat shield on the intake on the right.

 

Looking good...looking good Lexmex!

 

or instead of a heat shield you could use a thermal wrap.

 

Quite true. At the track I manage, we have a few racers who have done exactly this and they actually found it better than a heat shield.

 

Also 3MZFE powered, http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/03/m...ing-announced/

 

plus the thermal wrap will be easier to install and you dont have to worry about making a heat shield fit in that tight space.