HeelAndToe

Thanks
First off, I need to give credit where credit is due. I need to thank Jeff Lange and following links on the Club Lexus forum. Between the many posts with Jeff and the reading the links before many, many times, I was able to do the conversion myself. It did help that I have ALL the shop manuals for the car.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...nsmission.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...heel-swap.html

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/bui...is350-6mt.html

Actual Part numbers and links
So, these are all the parts I used for the conversion. I tried to specify which parts were absolutely neccessary for the conversion, and which were optional.

Ebay (LKQ recyclers - they actually have 4 junk yards near me that I've been to a several times to get parts for other cars)
2010 IS250 gearbox 1 $500 + $250 shipping from Canada to Maryland...only took 5 days

http://www.performance-gears.com/sho...&product_id=67
Chromoly Flywheel FW1224005 1 $314.00 - Approx USD. This was ordered from Taiwan..only took 5 days as well.

https://www.discountpartsmonster.com
Bolt, W/Washer 90080-11293 5 $11.90 - NEW Bell housing top bolts (Optional)
Bolt, W/Washer 90119-10260 4 $11.76 - NEW Bell housing bottom bolts (Optional)
Clutch Flywheel Bolt 90105-10549 8 $12.48 - NEW Flywheel bolts (Optional)
Muffler & Pipe Gasket 17451-0P022 1 $32.96 - Rear gasket..most likely required
Bolt, W/Washer 90119-08079 6 $4.44 - NEW Pressure Plate (PP) bolts..required (in my opinion)
Pressure Plate 31210-53032 1 $245.80 - Required
Cover, Selecting Bel 33557-53010 1 $7.69 - Not required when replacing clutch...was missing from the 2010 tranny
Release Bearing 90903-63001 1 $66.48 - Required
Ring, Snap 96152-00500 1 $2.98 - Required
Bush, Control Shift 33546-53020 2 $5.08 - Shift linkage bushing (Optional)
Bush, Control Shift 33546-53040 2 $1.96 - Shift linkage bushing (Optional)
Collar 90386-10042 4 $11.00 - Shift linkage bushing (Optional)
Starter Mount Bolt 91642-81065 2 $3.10 - Optional
Disc Assembly, Clutch 31250-60501 1 $116.82 - Required
Ring, E 96160-00900 1 $1.01 - Optional (but should probably replace)
Collar 90387-26003 1 $2.60 - * Missing from donor gearbox..absolutely necessary (see * in tips below)
Damper, Shift Lever 33544-53040 1 $0.70 - Optional
Shaft, Control 33511-53060 1 $21.02 - Optional (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) purchase..didn't want to pay $18 shipping for the 2.60 par above, so I bought more stuff, plus the old one was rusty)

Other
Clutch Spline Grease 4200-080-050 1 $14 (approx)
EP Grease 1 Free (laying around)

Total cost of Required parts for conversion (not including 2010 gear box and optional, OCD parts) = approx $750 USD
The DMF flywheel ALONE was about $1400 USD from Lexus!
A shop should charge about another $700-750 to do the clutch job only.

Tips (in no particular order)
1. Gearbox can be removed WITH BOTH the exhaust manifolds intact (shop manual suggests removing driver's side manifold), but will need to be rotated about 30 degrees to the right
to clear the starter "hat" in the bell housing. Took me about 3 hours one night, and walking away and trying again next day, to figure it out.
2. Raised the car about 11" (on the wheels, about 15" at the rocket panels) (see pics)
3. Disconnect the pressure plate from the flywheel using BOTH clutch inspection covers..can do 2 PP bolts at a time, so 3 manual engine rotations at the crank to line up for access. No need to try to remove clutch fork with gearbox installed. Also, the bolts for the left and right inspection covers AND the actual inspection covers are different. Pay attention to these (I don't think you can mess up the covers, but the bolts can be..)
4. Rear gearbox bracket MUST be removed and gearbox lowered to get access to the top bell housing bolts..need about 36" extension
5. Used metal stock to secure the flywheel using the PP holes, so flywheel could be torqued. Didn't want to wait to order a flywheel holder.
6. Used teenager to hold the crank pulley while I tightened PP bolts
7. * Make sure you have the "collar" for the gearbox shaft control ( 90387-26003 ). NOTE: the shop just used a worm clamp after the rebuild, and that held up for months! I had to order this 2.60 part after the fact, and had to wait another 8 days to finish the job! The only indication I had that the collar was bad was that the shifter felt slightly spongy...so I kept messing with it, until it finally came apart...glad it did when it did, and not while I was test driving.
8. BIGGEST TIP OF ALL...walk away when you feel like you're stuck. It sounds cliche, but it works. Frustration gets expensive quick. It's amazing how things just seem to figure themselves out after a few hours or a night to clear your head!

The links above should have pretty much all the details you will need to do the conversion.

Back Story
So, I originally purchased my IS250 with 127K miles in 2018. On the test drive, I noticed a slight issue with 2nd gear, and at the time, I figured it needed a clutch, so I bought the car. After a few days of driving, I soon realized it was the 2nd gear synchos. Drove the car like that for 1 1/2 years while researching dual mass flywheel to single mass flywheel conversion options. Info was scarce, especially reviews, so I settled on Fidanza flywheel with ClutchMasters clutch. The stock DMF flywheel was also on it's way out!

In the meanwhile, a slight grind while shifting to 5th gears worsened into what I figured was also a 5th gear synchro issue, so after aquiring the conversion parts, I decided to have a shop rebuild the gearbox and do the DMF to SMF conversion. I guess I wasn't clear about also replacing 5th gear synchros, so while the gearbox was pretty much rebuilt, the 5th gear syncho was not replaced. Upon picking up the car, I immediately noticed the clutch chatter at idle, which I was kinda familiar with b/c I also race a MK1 MR2, with a 4 puk solid clutch..but I kinda also thought (more like wished) it would be ok..or smooth itself out. It did not, and I soon realized the 5th gear synchro wasn't replaced either (I did get back all the other internal parts, so I know most of the other internals were in fact replaced). I didn't want to
deal with the downtime again, and I had originally intended to do the clutch myself so I decided to do this go around myself. I have never done a front engine RWD before, although I've done several FWD trans-axles.

I finally got a hold of Jeff Lange on here, and he patiently walked me through the parts I would need for the conversion, and despite everything I'd read (mostly on the BMW forums, mostly after the initial conversion), he assured me he had no issues with chatter or noise.
I guess I didn't pay enough attention when I originally did my research, but after the initial paid conversion, it seems like everything I read reported chatter issues with the conversion, which most people were ok with, as a trade off for the added performance of the lighter flywheel.

I found a 2010 gearbox on Ebay, and figured with the lockdown from Corona virus, it was a good time to do the conversion..as this car is my daily driver, and I wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. Good thing, as it turned out that the parts that were ordered locally took twice as long as the part from Canada and Taiwan..it didn't help that I was missing the collar form the shift control shaft, which basically caused the gear stick to divorce itself from the transmission soon after installation, but thankfully before test driving...good thing I tested the shifting BEFORE I bolted up the exhaust (I did have the drive shaft installed..which I had to uninstall). Luckily, the collar was replaceable without removing the gearbox again..That would suck!

Thoughts
All in all, I am very happy with the setup. So far, I have less than 50 miles on the setup, but I had some back country roads on which to test, and so far, so good. And the response doesn't seem any worse than with the Fidanza/Clutchmasters setup, even thought this setup weight about 8lbs (of rotational mass) more than the the old one. I did not get the OEM parts back to compare.

Overall, while I don't think that the Fidanza/Clutchmasters was a bad setup, it just wasn't suited for my driving. I do stop and go with hilly terrain, and my OCD doesn't do well with any types of noise on my daily driver. If this was a less of a daily driver, I think the setup would be ideal. Of if you're the type that is ok with a droaning / loud exhaust, this might not be an issue.

So, I will have a 2008 mostly rebuilt gearbox with all the spares for sale soon, I'm thinking. :-) And yes, condition would be fully disclosed.

HeelAndToe

4 cinder blocks and approx 16 feet of 2x10

Car jacked up 11 inches at the wheels (approx 15 inches at rocker panel)

Big and small jacks to remove gearbox

Out with the old, in with the new. Note the shiny silver part (I cleaned and painted it) on the gearbox under the car. That part is new on the 2010 vs 2008 gearbox.

Fidanza flywheel..might need a new disc plate.

1/4 inch of thread with the old setup? I don't think that's good.

This was the length of the threads on the old setup using the bolts that came with the Fidanza flywheel. I don't think that's good.!

Now this is more like it with the OEM Lexus flywheel bolts on new flywheel.

Comparison between new (left) and old (right)

Clutch / flywheel surface comparison (new on top)

Weight of old setup (incl flywheel)

Weight of new setup (incl flywheel)

First round of parts ordered

DIY Flywheel holder (2 holes in alum. stock, attached to bell housing and PP bolt holes)

Pointing out collar that was missing

Worm clamp on old shift control shaft (for reference). This worked surprisingly well for the several months it was on the car.

Pin on old shift control shaft. The collar keep the pin secure...and needs to be staked once installed. Kinda hard to do while under car.

Another pic of old shift control shaft

Side by Side #1

Side by Side #2

Side by Side #3

"Walking" gearbox back under car...only way to clear rocker panel. Finished job using transmission jack and big jack.

HeelAndToe

Wanted to post a follow up to this install after about 1200 miles.
Due to the lockdown/pandemic, my trips were initially limited to a few miles around town. As things started to open up, and I started doing more highway driving, I noticed that after the car warmed up, it would grind going from 3rd to 4th. I was like "here we go again". Similar to the rebuild transmission (which would grind from 4th to 5th). I narrowed it down to when it was warm. I had filled the tranny with AMSOIL gear oil when I did the install. So I thought it would be a good idea to try the OEM stuff. It was cheaper than pulling the gearbox again. The OEM GL-5 75W-90 Toyota Gear Oil Super (08885-02106) solved my issues. I have heard that the gear oil makes a difference, but this was a BIG difference. Unfortunately, I did not have the presence of mind to try that with the rebuild tranny, but I suspect that The Redline 75W-90 NS might have also been causing problems in that gearbox. Especially since it was rebuilt.

My local dealer told me to just use off the shelf gear oil, and that the Toyota stuff was only available to dealers. But I was able to source it online (not cheap, at $25/liter...need 2 for gearbox), but I'd rather pay $50 all day than redropping the tranny.

I hope this helps someone if they every run into this situation.

Jeff Lange

iTrader: (1)

I've always been happiest with the factory gear oil in there for sure. Glad to hear things are good on your end!

Jeff

IS250_6MT

I am planning to go with this SMF set up sometimes next year, and got most parts in your list including the Toyota transmission oil, and added a pilot bearing.I appreciate you putting this list together!

By the way, did you change the rear engine main seal when the flywheel was removed?
I am debating if I should replace the rear main seal or not.
I know that it is generally a good idea to replace RMS when doing the clutch job but I also heard about people experiencing leak after replacing the RMS.

HeelAndToe

The rear seal was changed when the original work was done when the shop originally did the rebuild.
I would highly recommend doing the rear seal while you have it apart.
It should not leak unless it installed incorrectly.
I would do the RMS and the tail shaft seal as well.
I've replaced maybe 6 clutches myself (Honda Accord, MK1 MR2, Matrix and the IS - this was my first non-transaxle), and never had one leak.
And I'm no mechanic :-)

IS250_6MT

Thanks for your feedback and I will get the RMS (90311-A0027) replaced as well when putting in new flywheel and clutch.
I am not planning to do this job myself as I live in apartment and it is too big of a job to do without the lift or garage.
But my father in law owns auto shop so I am planning to get this done at his shop sometimes next year.

conradcee

great thread! i was wondering where you got the trans fluid at? also do you have the part number for the tail shaft seal?

I also noticed that my trans leaks oil, haven't had time to look under but it seems to be towards the diff, im not sure what or where to identify it so i can buy the seal when the trans is out!

ps. how does the clutch feel? i was a bit skeptical at first with the tacoma clutch, but if it works, it works!

Regards,

HeelAndToe

I'm sorry I'm just seeing this, but here is the link to where I got the part:

https://www.oempartsource.com/oem-pa...-90-0888502106

I got it at oempartsource. Part number 08885-02106.

I tried the part number at other online Toyota/Lexus sites and they said it was not for sale.

HeelAndToe

I missed the second part of your question..the clutch feels pretty much stock. It was much much more driveable than with the previous lightened flywheel setup. And the annoying noise at idle is completely gone. Less "rev hang" than with the stock setup, more than the full lightened flywheel, but as a daily driver, it's the best compromise to me in terms of $$$ and driving experience.
I'm teaching a 16yo to drive manual and he's managed to only stall it once.

Jeff Lange

iTrader: (1)

My one comment is that the rev hang is definitely a big part of the ECU's programming. Even with the full DMF setup on my 2GR it had basically no rev hang. Of course, will be reduced with the lighter flywheel, but to really reduce it, a retune would be required.

Jeff

AlanNguyen

I am having the same issues grinding when warmed up, ive tried Redline GL5 75w90NS, Amsoil 75w90 severe gear, and Royal Purple 75w90, all have the same grinding issues for me when warm. My 07 IS250 has 88k miles, grinds from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. Can you tell me where you got the OEM toyota gear oil super? I cant find it anywhere.

IS250_6MT

I bought Toyota OEM 75-90 gear oil from Discount Parts Monster last year.

ercs

Do you need a 2010 transmission to make this conversion work? definitely thinking of going SMF when the clutch needs changed on my 08 is250 6mt. If I need another trans then that would complicate things..


Also, I know this is an old thread, but how is the setup working still??