Hello everyone, As most likely been realized by just about every sc430 enthusiast on here, I'm new to this. So please excuse the ignorance. I have been a motorcycle technician for 30 years and know my way around a wrench pretty well. I'm just now learning about these really cool cars!
I'm trying to get some performance out of this engine and can't seem to find anything for them. Besides the cold air intake w/ramair, I found a throttle response helper. It is from APEXi.
It alters the throttle position so as to eliminate any "Lag" time when accelerating. It has 7 different "modes" and is quite fun to play with. Kind of like a boost button. Well that fun is over and now I'm looking for something a bit more like power. I've contacted a couple of well respected tuner shops in my area and I've been told that there really isn't much that can be done with the stock ECM. I've read a thread regarding a mod in the transmission for shifting and am going to get right in that. Any engine mods available? Cams, induction module, chips or sensors? I don't have a ton of cash left after all of the work needed to bring this back from the teenager curse, so any suggestions would be very helpful. Thank you

 

Rods are the weak point I understand.

several shops tried turboes and blowers and gave up.

Luxury motorcars the lux link maker will not even talk about mods anymore.

steve is in Monrovia, ca

 

Welcome to the forum backseat. It sounds like you obtained yourself a project car? Post some pictures when you get the chance.

Your sources are fairly accurate. There aren't many things that can be done, at least not that we are aware of. It sound like you have found most of them already. You may gain a little by tweaking the exhaust and possibly a small bit on the intake (more of a sound improvement though, possibly for both). Happy modding.

 

Installing headers is just about all you can safely do for a modest power increase but wheels, tyres and suspension improvements can transform the way it handles.

 

PPE headers and a nice exhaust system is pretty much your next step.

where did you find your Apexi throttle controller? I seriously hate the lag with a passion on this thing. I know blitz used to make one l, but that’s a rare find.

 

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the great info! Maybe I just need to learn to drive it better. As far as the APEXi throttle controller, I got it from "Carid". I found it
when looking for a chip. APEXi® - SMART Accel Controller (Racing Only) more details on - https://www.carid.com/apexi/smart-ac...cing-only.html. It's a ton of fun. My wife calls it my "turbo button" LOL. I just found JDM performance parts where I seem to have located a $200.00 chip. I hope so. So now I'm waiting for my K-sport coilovers, should be here tomorrow. I need to set them up on the bench and don't have any baseline settings to go by. If anyone knows about the spring size/rate of stock springs, that'd help. As far as the compression/rebound valve, I need to know if setting it up to work faster or slower in each direction. They say to set it at 18 clicks. They have 36 I believe. So right in the middle I suppose. What do y'all think, do they need to be compressing or rebounding faster or slower? I'm thinking slower but I'm not sure. Thanks all for your help. This club is righteous!

 

He Caflashbob, I would really like to be in control of my quarter windows. You mentioned a quarter window control, what is that? The only things I've read about this issue seem to be really involved and maybe even difficult. Have you found an easy way? A bolt on switch? If you could tell me that'd be great.

 

This really helped me locate answers to my questions...this thread is in the stickies.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...430-forum.html

 

Please read more here... post 28 and beyond are my install.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...-module-3.html

 

You are doing your mods from a different starting point than I am/did.

my Sc had 19k miles on it when we got it 2 years ago.

Drove it hard on very bumpy back roads here and broke in the shocks, loosened them up as it were.

then started. Shock tower brace. Helped. Rear sway bar upgrade. Helped. Two tire changes. Both helped.

took away some handling going to 45 ratio tires, better ride and road noise. Pluses and minus’s on the tires.

addec front figs sway bar. Another plus. More than offsetting the taller aspect ratio tires. Net gain.

now I am getting to your shock and spring change.

tempted to go with the Meister expensive coil overs but do nit want to cut the floor in the trunk for the remote cable adjusters so far...

i got lucky and sourced a luxlink version 3 control box here that allows quarter window control and allows external top control and remote engine starting and one touch to0 up and down from inside. Versus hold the button down on the dash.

interested in how your coil overs work out.

I orderec a set of front only inexpensive Gabriel struts to test with the stock springs. The springs are too long I understand.

rate is correct but too long.

may shorten the springs and use a spacer to restore tide height. Just needed a little more initial stiffness.

dampening is still poor but maybe still useable

fixed the rafio first then the luxlink then the tires and suspension then the windshield(back to oem) then enjoy

 

you can get custom springs made by ground control systems i believe. Find out the spring rate you need and they can make it fit your struts. They are based out in cali.

 

Pnue88, Thank you for the great info. I looked up a Luxlink on ebay, I found the VT-1301-3 for 90 bucks. What do you think? Is this version 3? is it the same as you bought and what does an "electrically challenged" new guy have to do to get something like this to start working his quarters? Is it all that involved and if so, where might a guy come across the wire diagram and/or installation instructions? Thanks again. Oh, as far as my coilovers go, well, the wrong part got shipped to me. I was supposed to get CLX060-KP but they sent the CLX100-KP which fit a sc300-sc400. They couldn't tell me whether or not they are compatible and could work so I had to agree to send them back and wait for the correct ones to be built and shipped to the manufacturer. It's going to take 2-3 weeks as opposed to 6 weeks (the time it'd take if they didn't get them shipped express). Anyhow, if anyone knows the difference between the two chassis (sc400 & sc430) and why I couldn't have used these that I already have, I'd love to know.

 

Backseat... that product on EBay is NOT the Luxlink we discuss here on CL from time to time. Your best bet is to call Steve at Luxury Motorworks in Monrovia, CA. to find out if he knows if any units are available anywhere. He can also point you in the right direction if you’re just looking for a rear window modification only. But there are a few threads here on CL dealing with just a rear quarter window mod. Here for example: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...ow-module.html

 

There was a group buy from Steve long ago for the luxlink. I was lucky enough to post my needs here and a member here sold me a spare he had never used. Took the car to Steve to have him install it. Lucky. Another one sold here a year ago or so.

bought a set of front Gabriell struts that may fit my 08. The rear struts are not as noticeable to me as far as being soft.

the engines weight seems to show the too long of spring and the shock dampening rates being wrong.

hopefully the shock dampening rate can be a reasonably priced fix. We will see.

There are three cat converters in a Sc’s exhaust. The engine is 262 cu. inch displacement and has limited torque. Revvy.

interested in your “chip” find. Look forward to a report.

i have a blitz throttle control I have not installed yet. The simpler version without the visible settings remote.

the car does seem to “learn” the drivers throttle “habits”

driving ours aggressively over time seems to have lessened the lag enough so I have not installed the blitz unit.

car now responds more aggressively on initial throttle inputs from a stop than it did a while ago.

still have to use a lot of throttle input for may power.

i assume the blitz’s altering of the throttles response curve will lower the mpg. Not important just of interest.

the shock tower brace and changing both sway bars has helped the handling quite a bit.

car at high road speeds with a non smooth road was a handfull.

sway bars. Brace, tires, now front shocks are a help hopefully

 

The real project would be to put my ls460 engine into our Sc 430. I doubt it would fit but the results would be fun