retrodrive

Here is how you find out if you have an ECU. You go to a performance shop, get a guy who knows Lexus cars, ask him to check for whatever was done to a car, an hour later he tells you what you have.

R u enlightened enough?

zushwa

Could you please tell us what performance shop you frequent. I think there are many members here that would be interested in someone who "knows Lexus cars". If you could, please be a sport and find out what company made the ECU. As far as being enlightened enough, there's no such thing.

Manaray

An easy way to tell if your ECU is stock or not is to simply look at it. Every ECU manufacturer puts a label on their product...unless the ECU was custom programmed or someone just swapped out the internals...

Considering very few companies (Mine's Sard, and TOM'S is all I can think of) make a ECU for the LS and I don't know of any shops that custom program 'em (Dinan can do it I suppose), I'm seriously curious to know what ECU it is too...

Remember, a guy that knows Lexus cars doesn't necessarily know what's available in the world of aftermarket parts...

LOTC

Manaray what parts does Mine's offer for the LS's.I already have the TOM's catalog.

retrodrive

There is a shop in SD that is called Penn's Auto. I would say its the largest import aftermarket parts place in this city. I will go there and ask the guy I dealed with to tell me what ECU I have.

That will happen as soon as I get my car from the impound...hopefuly tomorrow.

Manaray

edogg - The VX-ROM is the only thing I have come across from Mines for the LS but I haven't really "looked" for any specific LS parts from Mines...I'll look through my Celsior "bible" and some other sources and see if I can find anything else...

Retrodrive - Please let us know when you find out. I'm sure everyone would be very interested in knowing what ECU will get them up to 170MPH (with an intake and exhaust of course)

JBrady

Retrodrive, it is extremely UNLIKELY that you were able to get anywhere near 170mph. Notice I said unlikely not impossible. I have no idea what mods you have nor do I know what your speedo does at those levels or how accurate it is. It would take around 255rwhp(at the wheels) to run 170mph. The stock engine makes 250hp at the flywheel and looses about 70hp in the drivetrain to make about 180hp at the wheels. The LS400 is very aerodynamic and that allows 150mph. To reach 160mph you would need about 210rwhp. To reach 170mph you would need around 255rwhp. A bone stock GS400 has 225-230rwhp. If you can get to an honest 160mph you are making EXCELLENT power. I would strongly urge you to get your car on a dyno and report the numbers. We would also love to know what exhaust and what ECU your car has.

BTW, with 210rwhp your car should run apx a 14.6et and 95mph in the 1/4 mile. With 255rwhp the apx numbers are 13.9et @ 100mph. A stock GS400 typically goes 14.4 @ 98mph and can run apx 165mph without the speed limiter.

LOTC

Man if those numbers that you just posted are true Jbrady that must be one fast a$$ LS400 that Retrodrive has.It would be a sedan rocket.

Hey Manaray is the VX-ROM from Mine's a ECU?

JBrady

The faster a vehicle goes the more resistance the air is. It only takes about 15hp to go 60mph. If no increase happened you should be able to go 180mph with 45hp. Actually, it takes about 100hp to go 100mph and apx 250hp to go 150mph.

Rate of acceleration is based on engine power and vehicle weight. If you know both, you can predict performance. Many computer programs are available. I have a simple one. I took the numbers and added 4 tenths of a second because of the poor launch a Lexus has and took off 1mph for the same reason.

LOTC

Jbrady as for the 150mph limiter can that be acheived by a stock LS is it has enough of a straight away?

Would the engine have enough hp to get to that speed?

JBrady

Car and Driver rated (tested?) the '90-92 LS400 at 150mph WITHOUT a speed limiter. The 93-94 got wider (215/15 to 225/16) tires and C&D states 145mph as the top speed due to the increased aero and friction drag. The 95-97 has better aero, less weight and more power and C&D lists 156mph as top speed, again with NO speed limiter. I have read conflicting informantion on when the cars got limiters. I haven't yet topped out my car. The '98 an newer cars all have limiters at 150mph.

That said, many things will affect a cars speed. Larger wider tires will increase drag and lower speed. Lowering springs will lower drag and raise top speed. Test condition variables: altitude, temperature, road surface, up or downhill, head wind or tail wind, etc., all contribute. A bone stock 90 LS400 in perfect tune, downhill with a tailwind should eak past 150mph. The exact same car going slightly uphill into a headwind could top out under 140mph. This is why they run top speed events in BOTH directions and use the average speed.

retrodrive

OK. I just got my car out of the impound and I will prolly find out what ECU I have. Exhausts are custom...without brand name...fits any car. Piping up to the resonator part looks like Borla, however from the middle i have some custom piping. I have a bad pic of the car in "member rides" of the site and it shows you a part of the exhaust section. I did that speed with 2 people in a car and I think I can do it again when i come to one of the SoCal meets. Just make sure there are no cops around!

Actually I might not be aware of some mods my car has since I bought it this way :/

LOTC

Retro you should try to take a pic of the bottom of the car so i could see the pipping pattern, i need some ideas.

As for the SoCal meet,hehe you could suprise them that you have not limiter to your speed.

At the last meet Ted (disc108) was beggin me to go up agianst a IS300 over there.They would all be shocked if your LS kept going and going and going while their car cannot go any faster.

retrodrive

my car needs a lot of things like oil change, general maintainance and such. IS will probably kill me from the start but as far as catching up goes, i can do that "slowly"

LOTC

Haha that was what i was telling everbody,you will get the jump,but i will be pulling on you.