V8Lexus

back in november of last year i got a great deal on trading in my 02 Subaru WRX wagon for this 01 GS430 with 99k miles(yes a lot i know but it came with a warranty so since i knew lexus are one of if not the most reliable luxury brands out there i decided to go for it). Anyway, i didnt have a whole lot of mods on my wrx back when it was in its prime but damn it sure was faster than my GS is. I figured with tons of torque and a V8 it would have more get up and go but it doesnt seem like it can get out of its own way(freeway is nice but im talking street driving). So then i figured a search online would yield some performance mods that could make it noticeably faster. so i did the exhaust, slight performance gain but not much. air filter is clean so no need to change that for a k&n which i may gain A horsepower if even that. Any suggestions out there for something that will really give it a kick in the pants? right now it has 111k miles on it runs very nicely. about 3k miles ago i put in a fresh set of OEM denso iridium plugs and made sure all the coils werent in bad shape. car runs very very smooth so no complaints there. im not going for cheap but im not sure i want to drop 8 grand for a GOOD supercharger kit for it. if there is nothing else out there for it, what about nitrous? again, engine has 111k miles on it, no leaks at all tight as a drum, doesnt burn oil. any suggestions are greatly appreciated....any flames will be responded to with harsh remarks maybe even a little fist shaking on my part. :-D

BLKGSON20s

SRT Intake and Precision Industries Torque Converter. A significant bump in performance.

You will be all smiles.

Good luck!

Theo

IS0LD0UT

iTrader: (1)

You also forgot the LSD.

TexasGS

Yea, torque converter first 3.76 LSD second. It will really bring out the beast of the V8 .

fireballs gs400

exhaust and headers 1500.00
pi tc 600.00
trd lsd 900.00
srt cai w/ecu 400.00
this makes your ride totally different beast.
throw a 50-100 shot on there...not many sedans will win from stoplight to stoplight.

s/c and tt are weekend cars.

DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I agree with the Precision Industries High Stall Torque Converter (2800 stall is typical for our cars) and a 3.76 set of gears will offer you the most bang for the buck off the line.

Be aware there are some limitations

- The PI TC has been known to set of the check engine light (CEL) in several member's GS430's. No real adverse impact, but it may cause problems getting your car inspected depending on your state laws.

- The 3.76 gears sometimes cause GS4s to hit the rev limiter, especially for the 1st to 2nd gear shift at WOT. This only happens for maybe 20 - 25% of members that do the mod, and does not happen all the time.

I would personally recommend doing both of these mods, just wanted you to know some of the caveats before taking them on.

TeeLex

iTrader: (24)

I would recommend S&S headers and a custom mid-pipe ( 2.25" duals from header cats to an X-pipe and then 2.25 back to your mufflers -or- resonators ). This is a mod that will actually give you more power ( I'm going to estimate ~ 25HP increase with both ). This power gain is not just at the top of the RPM range, but really improves the mid-range and general drivability overall. The 3.76 LSD is a good mod, too, and will really wake the car up around town. The SRT intake and ECU mod give a great sound, IMO, and will help some relative to power ( but not as much as the headers and mid-pipe ). I've been reluctant to do the PI TC because of the CEL most GS430 owners get - I really would like to try it, but I've held off due to the potential CEL. Good Luck!

AZDesertGS

iTrader: (4)

Save your money with the SRT......Put it towards something else...like is mentioned above.

sbgs400

where can i get these at these prices? thanks.

AZDesertGS

iTrader: (4)

Keep an eye on the classifieds.......these are used prices

V8Lexus

sounds promising. 7500 installed for GS430 supercharger kit according to steve at LMS. ill also go with the PI TC but is there a way to prevent the CEL from coming on because i know 1. its annoying and 2. sometimes CELs will put the car in limp mode and then im not getting the performance im supposed to. also with the LSD is there any issue with the speedo being out of calibration or the odometer putting on miles faster than it should or slower than it should? are these mods that i can do myself in my garage or should i have LMS do it?

TeeLex

iTrader: (24)

The LSD does not cause any problems with the speedometer. As far as DIY, it can be done, but the unit is heavy, so you'll need a jack to help support it during the install. Be sure to use a quality synthetic gear lube ( Amsoil, Red Line, Royal Purple, Mobil 1, etc ) in the LSD.

You might want to check with Morris about FI ( supercharging ) and the PI TC with a stall of 2800. The combo of the 3.76 LSD, PI TC and supercharger may cause you to hit the rev limiter often. I believe Morris has experience with this ( GS400 ).

GSing430

i think the SS headers gives alot more punch in the 430's. very responsive especially in the mid range.

V8Lexus

also how will the LSD affect my car at freeway speeds where it really shines currently?

V8Lexus

i dont want to keep hitting the rev limiter, which will give me more performance gain PI TC or supercharger,(although im pretty sure its the supercharger). perhaps the best combo would be LSD + Supercharger?