RX isn't fast enough
09-15-07, 09:39 PM
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RX isn't fast enough
I have a '99 RX300 with all stock engine equipment. I know next to nothing about performance and upgrades, but I do know that my Rx is sloow.
I saw some videos and read that people are getting to redline but the automatic shifts at about 2-3. Is there any easy way to knock that number up to about 5 so I can get a little more speed? Or am I in way over my head
I saw some videos and read that people are getting to redline but the automatic shifts at about 2-3. Is there any easy way to knock that number up to about 5 so I can get a little more speed? Or am I in way over my head
09-15-07, 11:41 PM
#3
I have a '99 RX300 with all stock engine equipment. I know next to nothing about performance and upgrades, but I do know that my Rx is sloow.
I saw some videos and read that people are getting to redline but the automatic shifts at about 2-3. Is there any easy way to knock that number up to about 5 so I can get a little more speed? Or am I in way over my head
I saw some videos and read that people are getting to redline but the automatic shifts at about 2-3. Is there any easy way to knock that number up to about 5 so I can get a little more speed? Or am I in way over my head
09-16-07, 05:21 AM
#4
Out of Warranty
In most cases, while the sound of the engine thrashing away may give the impression of greater speed, a stopwatch may indicate otherwise. Pull the negative battery cable, wait ten minutes and reinstall, then go out and "retrain" your engine/transmission for your driving habits. The ECM is probably able to make more informed decisions than you or I, particularly in straight line acceleration. I will defer to our resident RX drag expert, Lexmex for the definitive techniques for low ET's. He has a bucket of timeslips to support his advice.
09-16-07, 06:54 AM
#5
Super Moderator
Tips hat to Lil4X 
Tom44vip, all mentioned above by my colleagues is excellent advice and I'll try to add from my experience.
One thing I recommend immediately to do is adjust your throttle cable. Move the nuts to the left in the direction shown below. This will give a better throttle response (this was an idea of Pheonix over in the ES forums).
When I drive at the track I always use PWR on and overdrive off, and the PWR on will hold those RPMs longer (you may have seen my videos on youtube). However, on the street, PWR is off and overdrive is on. PWR on and overdrive off unfortunately eats up gas.
Lil4X mentioned resetting the ECM and this is absolutely necessary. Your RX's computer is hitting those shifts where it does because it has a history of that occurring. Same reason I reset my ECM before going to the track, to get my history of commuter driving out of the computer and get it prepared for hard grinding action at the track.
Thing to do is adjust accelerator cord, reset ECM, and then drive hard at the light and on the highways, a.k.a., when you are going to hit the gas, hit it with some authority, not half way down not a 1/4 of the way down, but at least 3/4ths of the way down, enough that you can hear the engine roar. This takes by my calculations at least an hour or so of driving it around, but you have to keep it up.
Bad thing about this, is that inevitably this will eat up more gas and put strain on the tranny.
Only other steps are to modify things like I have done, exhaust and air intake, especially exhaust.
Tom44vip, all mentioned above by my colleagues is excellent advice and I'll try to add from my experience.
One thing I recommend immediately to do is adjust your throttle cable. Move the nuts to the left in the direction shown below. This will give a better throttle response (this was an idea of Pheonix over in the ES forums).
When I drive at the track I always use PWR on and overdrive off, and the PWR on will hold those RPMs longer (you may have seen my videos on youtube). However, on the street, PWR is off and overdrive is on. PWR on and overdrive off unfortunately eats up gas.
Lil4X mentioned resetting the ECM and this is absolutely necessary. Your RX's computer is hitting those shifts where it does because it has a history of that occurring. Same reason I reset my ECM before going to the track, to get my history of commuter driving out of the computer and get it prepared for hard grinding action at the track.
Thing to do is adjust accelerator cord, reset ECM, and then drive hard at the light and on the highways, a.k.a., when you are going to hit the gas, hit it with some authority, not half way down not a 1/4 of the way down, but at least 3/4ths of the way down, enough that you can hear the engine roar. This takes by my calculations at least an hour or so of driving it around, but you have to keep it up.
Bad thing about this, is that inevitably this will eat up more gas and put strain on the tranny.
Only other steps are to modify things like I have done, exhaust and air intake, especially exhaust.
09-16-07, 08:22 AM
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Wow, thanks. I'm going to do this first chance I get.
TunedRx300, I'm not familiar with the term gate shifting. I assume you're talking about rev'ing in Neutral then switching it up to D?
Thanks for the tips though!
TunedRx300, I'm not familiar with the term gate shifting. I assume you're talking about rev'ing in Neutral then switching it up to D?
Thanks for the tips though!
09-16-07, 01:56 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
tom...
gate shifting is when u turn off OD and shift it down into L and then when you want to shift into 2nd (yea you can bounce off the limiter!) you just shift up to the 2 position and then when you want to shift again you go back up to D. I've tried to launch with N->D, but it doesnt work haha. and Lexmex said to not hold down the brake and gas together cuz you could drop the tranny!
and also, def do the throttle body tightening...i did it and there's a definite difference. Lexmex is basically the RX man, no not a doctor, and he's always available to help!
gate shifting is when u turn off OD and shift it down into L and then when you want to shift into 2nd (yea you can bounce off the limiter!) you just shift up to the 2 position and then when you want to shift again you go back up to D. I've tried to launch with N->D, but it doesnt work haha. and Lexmex said to not hold down the brake and gas together cuz you could drop the tranny!
and also, def do the throttle body tightening...i did it and there's a definite difference. Lexmex is basically the RX man, no not a doctor, and he's always available to help!
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06-01-08, 09:17 AM
#10
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lex so move left nut closer to that rubber grommet piece and tighten right side close to braket? so eventually is the cable were nuts are on but not the cable wire the black cable should be going to rightand nuts to left so left nut goes closer to grommet blackrubber and tighten the right nut to bracket? it hard to tell because i think mine looks a little longer then the one pictured... thanks lex thanks
Tips hat to Lil4X
Tom44vip, all mentioned above by my colleagues is excellent advice and I'll try to add from my experience.
One thing I recommend immediately to do is adjust your throttle cable. Move the nuts to the left in the direction shown below. This will give a better throttle response (this was an idea of Pheonix over in the ES forums).
When I drive at the track I always use PWR on and overdrive off, and the PWR on will hold those RPMs longer (you may have seen my videos on youtube). However, on the street, PWR is off and overdrive is on. PWR on and overdrive off unfortunately eats up gas.
Lil4X mentioned resetting the ECM and this is absolutely necessary. Your RX's computer is hitting those shifts where it does because it has a history of that occurring. Same reason I reset my ECM before going to the track, to get my history of commuter driving out of the computer and get it prepared for hard grinding action at the track.
Thing to do is adjust accelerator cord, reset ECM, and then drive hard at the light and on the highways, a.k.a., when you are going to hit the gas, hit it with some authority, not half way down not a 1/4 of the way down, but at least 3/4ths of the way down, enough that you can hear the engine roar. This takes by my calculations at least an hour or so of driving it around, but you have to keep it up.
Bad thing about this, is that inevitably this will eat up more gas and put strain on the tranny.
Only other steps are to modify things like I have done, exhaust and air intake, especially exhaust.
Tom44vip, all mentioned above by my colleagues is excellent advice and I'll try to add from my experience.
One thing I recommend immediately to do is adjust your throttle cable. Move the nuts to the left in the direction shown below. This will give a better throttle response (this was an idea of Pheonix over in the ES forums).
When I drive at the track I always use PWR on and overdrive off, and the PWR on will hold those RPMs longer (you may have seen my videos on youtube). However, on the street, PWR is off and overdrive is on. PWR on and overdrive off unfortunately eats up gas.
Lil4X mentioned resetting the ECM and this is absolutely necessary. Your RX's computer is hitting those shifts where it does because it has a history of that occurring. Same reason I reset my ECM before going to the track, to get my history of commuter driving out of the computer and get it prepared for hard grinding action at the track.
Thing to do is adjust accelerator cord, reset ECM, and then drive hard at the light and on the highways, a.k.a., when you are going to hit the gas, hit it with some authority, not half way down not a 1/4 of the way down, but at least 3/4ths of the way down, enough that you can hear the engine roar. This takes by my calculations at least an hour or so of driving it around, but you have to keep it up.
Bad thing about this, is that inevitably this will eat up more gas and put strain on the tranny.
Only other steps are to modify things like I have done, exhaust and air intake, especially exhaust.
Last edited by archangels; 06-01-08 at 10:05 AM.
06-01-08, 10:28 AM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
I think that's about what my '95 Celica GT does, maybe even worse.
06-02-08, 07:44 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
Keep in mind,that this vehicles is around 4,000 lbs.(if I remember correctly) and that is asking a lot from this motor and trans.Also,this motor generates max torque sooner than you would expect.
Last edited by lexus114; 06-02-08 at 07:45 AM. Reason: added
06-02-08, 10:15 AM
#15
Lexus Champion