Jonnystan

Alright my fellow Rexers, lets think outside the box about all the possible performance mods. I'll start with the generics...

RMM Exhaust
WR Intake and Cold Box
Spark Plug upgrade
ECU upgrade
Lowering Springs
Tom's High Pressure Radiator Cap
K&N/ TRD Performance Air Filter
NOS
Performance Brake Pads
Performance Brake Discs
Fuzzy Black Dice (o ya Daddy-O)

Okay....what else?

Daddy-O

Hehh, you said Fuzzy Black Dice.

CK1_RX3

Now your TALKIN Jonnystan!!! This is exactly the type of thread I was talking about... I'm gonna state the obvious in case there happens to be RICH RX lover amonst us... Two words...
TUR and BO!!!!!!!
I know that Swing913 was puttin a ZEX nitrous system in his RX - how's that going Swing? Installed yet? I REALLY like the concept of the ZEX "intelligent" nitrous system - kicks in automatically when you've got the throttle wide open - seems like the way to go w/ a vechicle like the RX. Is nitrous legal in the US though?

Swing, you mentioned to me at one point that you also had a high performance catalytic converter in your RX - any more details about that?

Another performance mod is to port and polish the throttle body - I know guys at the GS forum have done it, but I've not heard of anyone here doing that.

Funny you mentioned the spark plug upgrade - I just e-mailed Steve Ganz today to find out about getting Torquemasters for my RX. I'm not really scared about the breaking failure that occurred in the Mazda RX7 rotary engines - that is a VERY different operating environment than the RX3's VVT-i engine.

Along those same lines, you can also upgrade your spark plug wires.

I also got an e-mail from Leo at Weapon R this morning - he said that their ECU for the RX3 is almost complete, and they ARE going to run a DYNO on it!!! He's expecting 20 hp and 20 tq gains! At $745 you're paying more than a GReddy or APEXi piggyback, but those last two are just for air/fuel mix managment... the Power ECU from Weapon-R adjusts many more parameters than that - check out the website www.weaponr.com

As far as brake upgrades (I happen to think that the performance of the brakes on the RX3 is already very robust), you could go to stainless steel brake lines... Looks wise, I think painted calipers is a real nice touch (hey, at least it L@@KS fast )

I have also heard that going to the 235 size tire is a nice steering/handling upgrade... When I need new tires, I plan on getting the H-rated Bridgestone Sport Truck tires in 235's...

I'm running out of ideas - Jonnystan, you already mentioned most of the easy/good modz. Get your RMM yet? I've got a STORY for you about mine if you wanna hear it... the saga continues.

Oh yeah, and Daddy-O, don't forget that go-fast BAREFOOT gas pedal!!!

Daddy-O

Hehheh...You said BAREFOOT gas pedal.

CK1_RX3

Almost forgot a simple one... more of a tip than a mod really...

RESETTING your ECU. I do it about once a month these days - started when I got my WR intake. That's a VERY talked about topic in the GS forum, but it works well on ALL Lexus vehicles including the RX.

You should also reset each and everytime you do an engine performance mod - i.e. exhaust, intake, ECU, whatever.

DJ SprinklesNJO

very nice thread, something interesting for once. just a quick question, how do u reset the ECU, also doin that (i think u have to disconnect the Bat) will that effect the navigation.
also what does that exactly do by resetting the ECU?

CK1_RX3

You can do a search for this that'll tell you more than you want to know, but you won't find it in the RX forum, so I might as well post a few tidbits...

You just disconnect the negative battery terminal for about 1/2 hour or so... you can also pull the ECU fuse, but I haven't done any checking in the manual to figure out which one that is yet. The other important part of the ECU reset, is to drive as hard and fast as possible after the reset... the word on the street is that it takes about 200 miles before your ECU will really start to gather enough data to fall into a rythym again.

Will it reset the nav system settings? I don't know for sure because I didn't pay attn since I don't have nav, but I'm somewhat sure I remember reading that it won't reset the nav system... What I DO know, is that you WILL have to reprogram your radio stations and clock.

Resetting the ECU takes your Lex out of "grand daddy driving mode"... meaning that it restores a performance based air/fuel mixture rather than a conservative, environmental, smooth old man driving mode that the ECU tends to fall into. This happens because your ECU observes your driving style constantly and adjusts based on the data it records - since nobody drives hard and fast all the time (due to rush hour, lazy moods, etc.), your calm driving gets averaged into the mix which makes your throttle and mixture less responsive/performance oriented.

All that said, when you do something like put on an intake which affects the amount of air going into your engine, you want to do an ECU reset so that it's not using it's old average that was calculated using data from your stock airbox which provided less air flow... Resetting in this case will allow your ECU to immediately compensate for the higher/faster air flow by richening the mixture and ultimately allowing you to maximize your goal by putting on the intake in the first place - bigger hp and tq numbers.

I think that's pretty complete, but just run a club lexus wide search on "resetting ECU" to find more than you'll ever want to know... this isn't one of those topics where the jury is still "out" on the results - I don't think I've seen anyone refute the end result on this one... Tried, tested, and approved by "butt" dynos across the globe!

Funny that it isn't talked about in the RX forum much at all thus far, as there seem to be at least a few hp/tq engine performance minded folks here. Although I know mrsypher brought it up at least once before w/ regard to resetting after putting in a intake...

CK1_RX3

oh yeah, you're right DJ SprinkelsNJO - something interesting for once.... The RX forum is soooo tame these days it seems - like we've lost our mojo or something...
I traveled into the GS forums yesterday and had a good old time reading about all kinds of different modz and tips... that was all prompted by my old man asking me to help him tweak out his GS430, but I've already gotten a few ideas for my RX3 in doing this research... Now that GS430, that's gonna be a REALLY fun project!

gsenthil

This is one thread I have been looking for....and am sure many others are too.

I am due to change my air filter. Should I go for K&N or Weapon R? Pros/Cons?

One of my friend has a 94 ES that he bought used. Would resetting the ECU help him make it better suited for his driving instead of the previous owners?

I hope this becomes the longest thread!

CK1_RX3

Well, if you want to spend less, are willing to settle for less, and want a generally easier and more tame mod, go w/ the K&N... You'll feel a little better throttle response, get better gas mileage, it doesn't change the amount of volume coming out from under your hood, and you won't have a million questions about how to install because you just drop it in...

Now the Weapon-R ... It's more $$$, you can actually feel the extra hp and torque, you still get better gas mileage but you'll be racing around more so you'll be using more gas that way, it's got a nice HUGE ROOOOAAAAAAARRRRR when you really step on it, but quiet otherwise (maybe a little drone, but it's slight at most)... actually the sound is not dissimilar to the sound of a dual 4-barrel carb winding up on an old Chevy.

Yes, resetting the ECU on your friends ES3 would help performance - it "erases" all data collected from his everyday driving, so when he resets and really starts driving around hard right afterwards, there'll be some benefits, yes.

Good luck - do some searching here on the forum as there's more good info to be found on all of these topics... if you have any other questions I'm sure someone here has an answer.

spinteews

nice topic guys... why didn't i think of something like that earlier

So let me get this straight? I should be resetting my ECU every month about and after i reset it i should be driving hard for a bit? Interesting indeed... i think i should start doing that... I resetted after my intake install, just not the cold air, nor the exhaust... mabbie thats why car aint pushing as much as i want it too

Another thing you can add to that performance list... TTE SUPERCHARGER... despite the high cost of it... i still like the idea of having a supercharger up in the ride... imagine that... but the cost... don't imagine that hahah

Tein Coilovers. They make em also.

Tom's Exhaust... VERY EXPENSIVE

I have those torque master spark plugs sitting on my desk... havn't had a chance to get them installed yet due to school and work work work... Also trying to finalize my system so i can have it installed... but once i have time, i'll get them installed asap.

I was also gonna get those slotted/drilled brake disc from steve but i pulled back on them due to money and warrenty. I think if i can find some brembos for the Rx i'd rather get those and because drilled would crack much easier.

CK1... do you know the size of our Weapon-R intake tube? 3 or 4"? I need to change the air filter to a K&N or something cuz my current one is very dirty and i'd rather use somethign new now. If you can check it out that'd be great cuz i bearly have time. Thanks...

BTW... yesterday nite some durango pulled up next to me... and of course he had to look at me and i had to look at him... so we ended up racing. We were neck to neck both times we raced but every time i would pull ahead of him until we reach the next light hahahah... then at the end it was a longer stretch and i pulled far enough to get in front of him ... so of course... i want more POWER hahaha...

ALSO i was driving back from work a week or 2 ago late at night on a dead empty freeway... so what i did was WOT the baby just for the hell of it... WHAT DO YOU KNOW... theres kinda like a fuel cut off around 120-130 i think.. i'm not too sure and i don't remember exactly, but it was somewhere at that speed. I was WOT and then all of a sudden the car just chugs a bit and then loses it speed... Will the Piggy back ECU stop that also? Hrm... that ECU is really getting to me... i don't want to pay for it yet i do...

hahha alrite i'll stop talking... its getting too long... peace out guys...

CK1_RX3

hahha alrite i'll stop talking... its getting too long... peace out guys... [/B][/QUOTE]

Spin, was that Durango runin a V6 or a V8... If it was the V6, I think you would've smoked him...

How many plugs do I need for the RX? 6 I think, right? Did you get 'em from Steve Ganz? That's gotta be killing you not to have time to put those in... it's killing me too because I'm dying to know how they perform in a RX!!! What'd the set you back by the way - did you pay the standard $12.50 a piece?

I don't know what size the pipe is, but 'kay, I'll check it out and then post.

Yeah, that s/c would be sooooo nice, but I'll settle for the ECU if I can get myself to cough up the change to do it... If I'm still hungry for hp and tq after that, I'd probably go w/ ZEX nitrous - sounds pretty safe, and it's WAY cheaper than a s/c...

Now to raise another question... does anyone make a torque converter for the RX?

Daddy-O

Alright, we're going to let this thread hang out here for a while and see what happens, but it really does belong in the Engine/Transmission Section. That's where one should find "Discussions regarding aftermarket performance products like intakes, exhausts, super/turbo kits, transmissions, etc..."

Now...What's all this "This is exactly the type of thread I was talking about", "very nice thread, something interesting for once", "The RX forum is soooo tame these days", "This is one thread I have been looking for".

Geez...You guys...The RX forum has been pretty busy...Not exactly a modhound's haven, but consider this:

This thread is a public forum. Anyone can start a new thread anytime.

76% of the new threads started this month were started by people with 30 posts or less. 50% started by people with 9 posts or less. No mojo lost...Just some noobs added to the mix.

CK, you fired off 3 yesterday...Great!
Again, anyone can start a new thread anytime. C'mon, Gents...Let's go!

CK1_RX3

That a way Daddy-O - get everybody FIRED UP!!!
That's all I was tryin to do - not bein critical, just want to get things REALLY MOVIN!
Man - you came at us w/ the hardcore stats Daddy-O - NICE!
Yeah, I was second guessing whether I should've lit up the forum w/ 3 new threadz yesterday, but now that I think about it, anything that's gonna spark a new conversation that hasn't happened yet is beneficial to all in many ways:

1. educates those about the options they have for the RX

2. shows aftermarket companies where interest lies in performance parts, and increases the likelihood of new developments for the RX (WR's ECU comes to mind)

3. makes an otherwise BORING work day go MUCH faster!

and the list goes on...

I just wanna see some threadz that take this forum in new directions - don't let Daddy-O's invite to start new threadz make you lazy and keep you from doing a search for an existing topic thread first, but don't hesitate to post something either... Listen to me - you'd think I thought I owned the place or something and I'm a relative newbie here - I just really enjoy this place and I guess I've gotten pretty excited about using it as a resource over the last few months.

Daddy-O

Excellent...New threads from experienced members make CL what it is.

Next up...How to become a paying member.

We now return you to the thread already in progress...