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Sorry for my delay in reply guys. I came down with a bad flu last week and just got through it. Couldn't really do or focus on much effectively for a few days.
Thank you Gerry, scsexy, Rudy! It was an ordeal over the holidays for sure but had to be figured out. Rudy, for significant issues like this one I always want to figure out what I can myself before turning it over to my mechanic. Diagnosis can get expensive!
Gerry, I believe you are right. Either that first ECU was problematic to begin with or the old alternator's varying voltage began to affect it eventually causing damage to it. I can going to attempt to get that ECU's boards inspected and repaired at a later date. Worst case scenario it is a lost cause but best case scenario it might only be burned traces and not a failed chip.
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The upcoming work next is to get my power steering rack bushings replaced with some Figs poly bushings and have my SouthBend Stage 3 Daily R154 clutch kit installed...along with this SC400 3.92:1 differential courtesy of Gerry
I used a lot of Simple Green to clean it up, then rinsed it well with a hose followed by many passes with a hair dryer to get all the moisture out of the raw iron surface. This weekend I may give it one more cleaning pass, mask off all the parts that aren't the main pumpkin casting and then treat it to POR-15 Metal Prep followed by two coats of POR-15 semi-gloss black. Or maybe I'll just install it as is. I haven't decided yet.
It's an open diff so what I'm actually doing here is temporarily removing my MKIV TT Auto Torsen diff which has had a 4.27:1 ring and pinion custom installed for the last seven years. That diff will now be rebuilt a final time with its original 3.77:1 ring and pinion and then I'll reinstall it later.
That will take care of the last major mechanical work needed for this swap
Craig - make sure the fluid level of that diff is good or better yet , drain and refill it with new fluid . That diff came out from one of my first SC400 with 129k miles and I doubt fluid had been replaced. Been keeping it for emergency needs . The car it came out from is long gone to the scrap yard .
Gerry, not to worry I am going to drain that diff’s oil once it is in the car and fill it with fresh Mobil1 Synthetic 75W-90 gear oil. I have three quarts of it ready to go.
I could be running the diff for only a month or a couple of months. However long it will take to get my TT Auto Torsen diff sent out, rebuilt and reinstalled.
I know I am going to like the longer gearing over the 4.27 gears with this engine though.
A little minor update. I've been diverted lately into a lot of house projects and work and haven't spent much time on the SC other than driving it around. In the grand scheme of how this project has gone that's an achievement in itself, haha!
And I have some pictures of the car this time!
Since I last posted I had the 94 Supra TT Auto Torsen diff with the custom installed 4.272:1 gears pulled out and in its place went an SC400 3.916 (3.92) open diff (thank you Gerry!! ) for the time being. Now with a turbocharged JZ engine I do love the much better suited 3.92 diff ratio. It is SO much easier to drive with it now that boost and torque are plentiful.
When the car was NA I very much preferred the 4.27 ratio without question. With a turbo 3.0L I definitely like 3.92 or 3.76 much better.
Additionally a new Yellr YellowBox V5 speedo corrector unit was swapped in place of the older V4 unit and calibrated for the new ratio.
Then I got a brand new SouthBend R154 Stage 3 Daily clutch kit installed. The SB Stage 2 kit only racked up 1,600 miles and the disc was surprisingly still in good shape so I’ll let that one go soon.
I’ve got another 350 miles of grandma style driving left to break it in before getting aggressive but it’s been perfect so far!
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The next big projects are to get the Torsen diff pumpkin rebuilt back to its original 3.76:1 ratio and get that reinstalled.
(“You’re next, diff!”)
Then I’ll block off some time to send my instrument cluster to Tanin to have the gauges serviced (the speedo needle sticks quite often now requiring a light slap to the dash to make it work).
And for some reason my cruise control doesn't want to hold a set speed. No malfunction lights are present when it's on so I'll have to investigate that.
...and finally get the antenna up/down manual switch project completed which I will do a little writeup on once I've completed it. I've been inspired by the very neat little felt covered shelf that Jainla designed in his recent center console USB & aux-in port DIY: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...pod-input.html
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In the meantime though I decided to get some supplies and tools to teach myself how to do a proper wax and detail on the paint
After these photos were taken I did a lot of touch up and some minor tiny exposed metal surface rust removal, cleaning and touch up painting. It’s no $5k+ professional full repaint job but I think I did all right to protect and preserve the original paint for now.
I’ll show pictures of that result soon. Unfortunately flash rain curtailed my paint detail and wax session that afternoon :P
The sudden rain did not help. I threw a tarp over the car and managed to dry off the water and finish up with some wax but I'll have to give it another go very soon. The factory touch up paint work isn't so apparent in all of these pictures but it definitely helped. Yet it really needs a proper series of sessions with the Meguiar's Ultimate Compound followed by polish and then wax. The paint has held up remarkably well since the 1992 build date but it definitely has been overdue for some in-depth restoration and waxing.
Since the last posting life has been busy but some SC related projects have been ongoing.
Most recently my old remanufactured A/C compressor gave up the ghost and had to be replaced with a new Denso compressor. The inside ambient temperature sensor (for the A/C) also had to be replaced.
At first I thought I’d tough it out with no A/C for a bit. That lasted one day, lol.
Prior to that a couple of months before I’d had my SouthBend Stage 2 Daily clutch replaced with a SouthBend Stage 3 Daily kit. It’s been a significant improvement but it still won’t hold full power once I get into the second turbo.
So... an OS Giken STR2CD twin plate clutch is the very next thing to do.
Jared @ SpeedForSale took care of getting my Supra TT Auto Torsen T-1 diff rebuilt back to the original 3.76 ratio. That’s back now awaiting installation
And then there have been a couple of other small projects I’ve done since April.
First, I wired up a replica harness for an HKS 10th generation turbo timer and got that installed.
Now for most I would say that a turbo timer really isn’t necessary. All you NEED to do is either drive modestly for 2-5 minutes before you shut the engine off or let the engine idle for a couple of minutes before shutting off the ignition.
This is to allow the turbine speed to slow down and allow the oil running through it to cool down so as to prevent “coking”. In the case of my OEM Toyota CT12B turbos they are also water cooled.
Still, I daily drive my SC and sometimes it’s not reasonable to sit with the car until it has a chance to let the turbos cool down. That’s where a turbo timer comes in for older cars. The unit can be left totally off or turned on to different modes as needed.
I wanted my installation to be reversible and plug and play, hence constructing a replica of HKS’s discontinued TT-5 harness for Z30 Soarers.
And the finished product mounted in the SC’s center console. It’s super easy to use or to shut off completely when it is not needed. Lowering the handbrake cancels its function as a safety precaution.
Since my Neutral Safety Switch is disabled with the R154 transmission (to protect the rear 2JZ thrust bearings on cold startup) it is required to always check for neutral before turning off the engine when the turbo timer is activated.
Great added safety/longevity feature for when its really needed
Finally I got around to installing a Supra MKIV TT cone filter isolator box that I bought from Dusty at MVP Motorsports some months ago.
It may be a little overkill but it only required one single cut to fit the SC’s engine bay with an aftermarket Koyo MKIV TT aluminum radiator. Hope it helps in keeping that K&N filter just a little more contained away from the hot air blown from the main engine cooling fan.
Finally the SC got a much needed new set of BFGoodrich Comp2 front tires that are newly balanced in 245/45-17 up from the previous 235/45-17’s. So much smoother now and I do think I prefer the 245 front and 275 rear combination best.
That’s quite some work Craig. Mine is still sitting on my driveway wrapped in plastic. Slowly but surely.
You will get it finished, Chris! Doing it this way takes time. It certainly did for me and I still have a couple of final things to finish even as the car has gone back to DD mode. Steady as it goes will get you there
You will get it finished, Chris! Doing it this way takes time. It certainly did for me and I still have a couple of final things to finish even as the car has gone back to DD mode. Steady as it goes will get you there
What part of it are you currently working on?
Well my manual trans tunnel just arrived last week from Dubai. I’m currently sourcing a brand new OEM clutch pedal (already ordered an OEM manual brake pedal from Japan). Next will be stacking that $ for that Grannas Magnum 6spd. From there we can begin tear down and rebuild of the GTE all while the car strolls around on the GE for now.
Meanwhile I’m currently eyeballing my 2nd Toyota out the corner of my eye.
Well my manual trans tunnel just arrived last week from Dubai. I’m currently sourcing a brand new OEM clutch pedal (already ordered an OEM manual brake pedal from Japan). Next will be stacking that $ for that Grannas Magnum 6spd. From there we can begin tear down and rebuild of the GTE all while the car strolls around on the GE for now.
Meanwhile I’m currently eyeballing my 2nd Toyota out the corner of my eye.
Excellent!! Things are moving along for your project! From what I have learned you will be very happy with the Tremec Magnum.
Take your time with that and the 2JZ-GTE teardown and rebuild. I also drove my SC on its original GE for a long time while the rest of the chassis and even the beefier and built R154 transmission were already set up to handle a boosted engine. You'll be ready to swap in the new engine before you know it
Excellent!! Things are moving along for your project! From what I have learned you will be very happy with the Tremec Magnum.
Take your time with that and the 2JZ-GTE teardown and rebuild. I also drove my SC on its original GE for a long time while the rest of the chassis and even the beefier and built R154 transmission were already set up to handle a boosted engine. You'll be ready to swap in the new engine before you know it
What second Toyota(s) are you considering?
CFO at my job has a mint Lexus pearl white 2001 GS400. Man the sound of that 1UZ... I told him 3x already remember me when he’s ready to sale it. He said ok. It’s not rusted because he doesn’t drive it everyday in Chicago. He said it originally a California car. I must have it before something happens to it. Lol
^^ Those late model GS400's are very nice! I hope he'll let you know if/when he's ready to let it go. They're excellent full size sport sedans as compared to the laid back cruiser feel of the same era LS400's (which are also great).
Of course... you could always find a 1998-2004 GS300 in great condition, swap in one of your two 2JZGTE VVT-i + A340E motorsets, throw in a 3.92 LSD and then have yourself a monster Aristo V300 conversion
I thought about it, but I have the SC fort that. Plus it would be the only V8 I own. I kinda want to supercharge it and cruise. Got plenty of other fast toys. This would be that car that would be like, “Grow up!” Lol
02-01-19, 06:25 AM
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) for the time being. Now with a turbocharged JZ engine I do love the much better suited 3.92 diff ratio. It is SO much easier to drive with it now that boost and torque are plentiful.
Doing it this way takes time. It certainly did for me and I still have a couple of final things to finish even as the car has gone back to DD mode. Steady as it goes will get you there 