Correction, not all '97 had VVTi. My '97 is not VVTi unless I missed something. Care to explain where you see VVTi sign?


directQL, the VVTI is on smack middle of my engine cover. you can't miss it!
I'm really suprised that not all '97 would have it, you'd figure if one's got it, why make diff models for the same year?

you know guys, the more I drive my SC, the more i'm beginning to enjoy it. My original purchase plan was a 330ci. This weekend, a couple I know bought a 325ci convertible. While it's a very nice car, I'm so very glad I bought a '97 SC instead. The manual is a must, and so is the redesigned front and back. And because black was the only color for me, there really aren't that many SC's out there for me to choose. Out of the 100-200 sold in the US, I was able to get one and it was in mint shape and ceritified.
Did I mention I also saved $15k by not buying the 330ci?
is all i can say

I have heard rumors that they did make the sc400 in a 5 speed version, but I heard there were only like 10 or so of them, not sure though.

Jason

Check your chassis number to see when your SC was made.

http://www.jkwebdesign.co.uk/lexuscl...tiontables.htm

I'm not sure this applies to the US cars, but the numbers should sort of co-incide if it doesnt. The SC400 is UZZ30 and the SC300 is JZZ31.

For those of you with an SC300 five speed, how fast is your car in terms of 0-60 and qt.. mile, because im interested in replacing my sc4 with it but ive seen that the sc300 is pretty slow, as in slower than the IS300, so im just curious as to how much you need to put into the car to get it in the 6 second range and in the low 15s...

PS..

a manual doesnt have a torque converter, right?

I recently bought a 98 because it was the first year of the 290hp engine and the last major redesign. I really didn't need the 99 and 00 options added to basically a 98 car.

I know cash is steep on some but if you are patient and look real hard like I did you will find a good seller that wants to move it.

The 290 hp engine really pushes the car... it gives it a huge boost compared to the 250/260 hp and the redisigned style also looks a lot better... amuch cleaner look.

hmm, if you are talkin about stock, 0-60 and qt mile will not impress you one bit.
even as an expert driver and really wring out the gears, you can achieve pretty close to pre-98 SC400 times.
however, i believe that the joy in the 5spd is the shift for urself, mountain twisting roads, downshift double clutch type of driving.
and also, the turbo with 400hp comes 'relatively' cheap.
i hate to make the turbo argument because reality is, most ppl won't get it, no matter how much they say they will.
but, you COULD....

yah the 1998 sc400's got 5 gears (the 5th gear is overdrive or i like to call it mr. gas saver)

i think its pretty fun using the gated shifter, and it probably is more convienent then having to use a button to enable/disable the overdrive gear.

the 290hp offers me a good amount of power, i've raced a 250hp sc400, ur not gonna blow the older ones out of the water but the 290hp will at least let you race the Jaguar XK8 ---

--- The Jaguar XK8 was released for the 1997 model year and it has 290hp @ 6100rpm and
290(lb-ft) torque @ 4250 RPM

and then lexus for the 1998 SC400 model introduced the VVT-i engine which gave it:
290hp @ 6100rpm and
290(lb-ft) torque @ 4250 RPM

(good thing the lexus is 200lbs lighter than the jaguar)

I guess once youve driven faster cars you can never downgrade. But the 0-60 time of 6.3 is not bad at all, i dont really think its slow. Through in a TC and ECU, headers, exhaust, it should be in the very high 5s...

6.3 compared to 6.9 may not look like such a diff, but it actually is. Its about 1.1 carlengths, so if your gonna race, youll be about 8-10 feet ahead.


Considering the fact that a 1992 had those numbers... thats pretty impressive.

DIrEctQL is right, I have a 1997 SC300 and DON'T have the VVT-i. Having the VVT-i decreases the power from 225hp to 215hp (correct me if I'm wrong). The 97s are the first years with the "new" front lip grille and the last with the N/A 2JZ-GE engines without the VVT-i.

Variable valve timing does not decrease horsepower, on the contrary it helps to improve fuel efficiency and thus increases horsepower. The 1997 SC400 was 260bhps, the 1998 SC400 was 290bhps. The difference being VVTi.

It does decrease the power. '98 + SC400 had more modifications than just the VVTi.

i've never heard that VVTI decreases horsepower. But for SC300 for example, isn't the HP rating in 98+still 225hp ? same as pre 98's?

Also, just to solve the mystery, i'm going to have snap pictures of my car and post here soon. Just to show you guys the VVTI badge on my engine. The 5spd in my cockpit. The revised grill and taillights. That should proof that I have a '97 and a 5spd and a VVTI. And believe me, it's completely stock, not like I modded anything (auto -> stick) or put a fake VVTI badge up there.

right

does anybody know of a site or something with a decent collection of quarter mile times for the SC (by model, trans., year) i know its a lot of data but im just tryin to get some kind of an idea of comparison based on performance

come on your going to shift yourself on mountain twisting roads ...by "double clutching" .. maybe if your really good or going slow but by the time you match rpms you will be through the turn or off the side of the moutain Generally "double clutching" is used when your syncros are bad or the transmission doesn't have any. maybe you meant to say Heel-toe Downshift ...