Sc400 needs more power
There are no easy ways to significantly increase power on a 1UZ. There are harder and expensive solutions though. Supercharge, build out motor, Turbo. Everything else adds negligible power increases. At least you have the fastest one. A 5 speed swap wakes that car up big time.
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From: Tri-State
There are no easy ways to significantly increase power on a 1UZ. There are harder and expensive solutions though. Supercharge, build out motor, Turbo. Everything else adds negligible power increases. At least you have the fastest one. A 5 speed swap wakes that car up big time.
That and the car feels a lot more responsive with a 5 speed. But he's right, there's no easy way to increase power with these cars. You'll be looking to spend at least 50% of the cars' value if you do the work yourself, but more like 100%. You're also in the wrong section of the forum, might receive better responses in the performance & maintenance section. And that's a sweet looking SC you have there, they always look elegant in white.
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It is harder to make a 1UZ put out more power than stock but as mentioned you *do* have the version with nearly 300hp and more torque than the early versions. If you were to get into a supercharger build you'd have to replace the rods and pistons in your VVT-i engine. The irony is the oldest 1UZ has the strongest rods but makes the least power. The newest 1UZ has the weakest rods and makes the most (stock) horsepower.
With what you already have under the hood you can do a lot to change your car's performance with an R154 5-speed swap, an LSD, suspension and brakes. It won't make more horsepower but it will put it down in a completely different way. You'll need a 3.769 TT Auto rear end or a 92-97 SC400 3.196 rear end to better match up with the R154's gearing. Your stock 3.26 rear end works well with your 5-speed automatic transmission (and V160 transmissions) but without more engine power you will want a more aggressive final drive ratio between those two choices (3.769 and 3.916). I think you'd be surprised at the result.
The main question should be what do you want to use your car for?
With what you already have under the hood you can do a lot to change your car's performance with an R154 5-speed swap, an LSD, suspension and brakes. It won't make more horsepower but it will put it down in a completely different way. You'll need a 3.769 TT Auto rear end or a 92-97 SC400 3.196 rear end to better match up with the R154's gearing. Your stock 3.26 rear end works well with your 5-speed automatic transmission (and V160 transmissions) but without more engine power you will want a more aggressive final drive ratio between those two choices (3.769 and 3.916). I think you'd be surprised at the result.
The main question should be what do you want to use your car for?
Last edited by KahnBB6; Nov 7, 2014 at 12:20 AM.
He already has a 5 speed guys, its just an automatic =(
But in all seriousness the 5 speed autos are pretty quick already for an auto transmission.
Its a v8 so intake and exhaust work should net a decent increase.
I would not recommend a supercharger on the vvti version unless the boost was set very low and thats if it even fits the vvti.
But in all seriousness the 5 speed autos are pretty quick already for an auto transmission.
Its a v8 so intake and exhaust work should net a decent increase.
I would not recommend a supercharger on the vvti version unless the boost was set very low and thats if it even fits the vvti.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 79
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From: Tri-State
That and the car feels a lot more responsive with a 5 speed. But he's right, there's no easy way to increase power with these cars. You'll be looking to spend at least 50% of the cars' value if you do the work yourself, but more like 100%. You're also in the wrong section of the forum, might receive better responses in the performance & maintenance section. And that's a sweet looking SC you have there, they always look elegant in white.
Ill look into that thanks guys
lol when my motor goes i want to go 2jzgte
It is harder to make a 1UZ put out more power than stock but as mentioned you *do* have the version with nearly 300hp and more torque than the early versions. If you were to get into a supercharger build you'd have to replace the rods and pistons in your VVT-i engine. The irony is the oldest 1UZ has the strongest rods but makes the least power. The newest 1UZ has the weakest rods and makes the most (stock) horsepower.
With what you already have under the hood you can do a lot to change your car's performance with an R154 5-speed swap, an LSD, suspension and brakes. It won't make more horsepower but it will put it down in a completely different way. You'll need a 3.769 TT Auto rear end or a 92-97 SC400 3.196 rear end to better match up with the R154's gearing. Your stock 3.26 rear end works well with your 5-speed automatic transmission (and V160 transmissions) but without more engine power you will want a more aggressive final drive ratio between those two choices (3.769 and 3.916). I think you'd be surprised at the result.
The main question should be what do you want to use your car for?
With what you already have under the hood you can do a lot to change your car's performance with an R154 5-speed swap, an LSD, suspension and brakes. It won't make more horsepower but it will put it down in a completely different way. You'll need a 3.769 TT Auto rear end or a 92-97 SC400 3.196 rear end to better match up with the R154's gearing. Your stock 3.26 rear end works well with your 5-speed automatic transmission (and V160 transmissions) but without more engine power you will want a more aggressive final drive ratio between those two choices (3.769 and 3.916). I think you'd be surprised at the result.
The main question should be what do you want to use your car for?
He already has a 5 speed guys, its just an automatic =(
But in all seriousness the 5 speed autos are pretty quick already for an auto transmission.
Its a v8 so intake and exhaust work should net a decent increase.
I would not recommend a supercharger on the vvti version unless the boost was set very low and thats if it even fits the vvti.
But in all seriousness the 5 speed autos are pretty quick already for an auto transmission.
Its a v8 so intake and exhaust work should net a decent increase.
I would not recommend a supercharger on the vvti version unless the boost was set very low and thats if it even fits the vvti.
^^ You won't see 350hp (even at the crank) with just an exhaust system, intake (BFI is the only one to consider) and a tune. Not sure what tuning options are even available for the stock 1UZ VVT-i ECU. Unfortunately the 1UZ is not as easily worked over as an LS1 or LS2 without forced induction.
I'd recommend staying with 17" rims and getting wider rubber. 290hp and 300lb-ft of torque stock in a V8 is pretty good. From your pictures it looks like your car is almost completely stock. I wouldn't focus on the engine so much as the rest of the chassis and possibly the transmission (but do some reading about that in regards to VVT-i's especially in threads posted by Cartmill). But your 5-speed automatic is much improved over the older 4-speed automatics. It comes down to what you want. From experience I have found a transmission swap to be tedious but far less of a headache than custom engine work.
I'd recommend staying with 17" rims and getting wider rubber. 290hp and 300lb-ft of torque stock in a V8 is pretty good. From your pictures it looks like your car is almost completely stock. I wouldn't focus on the engine so much as the rest of the chassis and possibly the transmission (but do some reading about that in regards to VVT-i's especially in threads posted by Cartmill). But your 5-speed automatic is much improved over the older 4-speed automatics. It comes down to what you want. From experience I have found a transmission swap to be tedious but far less of a headache than custom engine work.
Last edited by KahnBB6; Nov 7, 2014 at 02:33 PM.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Tri-State
^^ You won't see 350hp (even at the crank) with just an exhaust system, intake (BFI is the only one to consider) and a tune. Not sure what tuning options are even available for the stock 1UZ VVT-i ECU. Unfortunately the 1UZ is not as easily worked over as an LS1 or LS2 without forced induction.
I'd recommend staying with 17" rims and getting wider rubber. 290hp and 300lb-ft of torque stock in a V8 is pretty good. From your pictures it looks like your car is almost completely stock. I wouldn't focus on the engine so much as the rest of the chassis and possibly the transmission (but do some reading about that in regards to VVT-i's especially in threads posted by Cartmill). But your 5-speed automatic is much improved over the older 4-speed automatics. It comes down to what you want. From experience I have found a transmission swap to be tedious but far less of a headache than custom engine work.
I'd recommend staying with 17" rims and getting wider rubber. 290hp and 300lb-ft of torque stock in a V8 is pretty good. From your pictures it looks like your car is almost completely stock. I wouldn't focus on the engine so much as the rest of the chassis and possibly the transmission (but do some reading about that in regards to VVT-i's especially in threads posted by Cartmill). But your 5-speed automatic is much improved over the older 4-speed automatics. It comes down to what you want. From experience I have found a transmission swap to be tedious but far less of a headache than custom engine work.
