griderjn

hey micromarc, I can assure you that over here, the Altezza AS200 is indeed the same car as the Lexus IS200. No disrespect intended, but they are somewhat avoided by tuners, as the RS200 has so many more options. But I have seen some really nice ones with superchargers/compressors. The AS200/IS200 model is generally owned by those not too interested in performance. And not too many Altezzas are luxury oriented over here, not a lot of leather, heated seats and that sort of thing. Like Bazza said up there, the engine code (1G-FE) is stamped on the ID plate.

if you disconnect your battery, it will not die. full tank of gas would be advisable as well.

hey ormi, i used to have a mkII mr2 as well, a '93T. wish i never had sold that thing... but i move around too much. it was the aquamarine teal color. at least i have an altezza instead of the IS200, so i kind of know a little about my motor. high comp instead of turbo, more sophisticated don't you think... oh, and your cars look great, i honestly have no idea when the last time mine was washed, much less waxed... i am working on it though, jeremiah

hey man, do you think you could do a thread in the brakes and suspension about your TEIN setup. i have the opportunity to acquire a used EDFC w/type flex dampers. i am really itching to get it, but very hesitant on the used coil overs. it is a combination deal, so i can not opt only for the controller. a bunch of my friends tell me you can refurbish/rebuild coil overs... wondering if it is worth it, because i am trying to get some other stuff taken care of before i ship the car to England. my exhaust is not in very good shape, the stock lowering springs have taken their toll on the cat and muffler. plus with all the snow, those scratches got pretty infected with rust, not a big deal, since i caught it before it went crazy. already got a Kakimoto R muffler, looks like it may give better clearance, but i am waiting on the TRD sport center pipe w/catalyzer. the local NETZ Toyota dealership is closed for a Japanese holiday, so it should be here around the first of October. and i know that i will not be able to get this gear anywhere near the price i can here. plus, the guy that is holding the TEIN stuff, waiting for me to make my decision is getting anxious to sell.

i believe it is an issue of square peg round hole, the as200/rs200 6MT bolt pattern just does not match up to the 2JZ. if you had a mkIV Supra 6MT, the bolt pattern would match the 2JZ. and as far as i know, you would not have to modify any wiring or electronics. removing and installing a transmission is not difficult. not sure about the drive shaft measurements though. but i know of at least one guy over here who has a Supra 2JZ-GTE w/6MT in an Altezza. i have never talked with him, so i do not know if his drive shaft is stock or fabricated or what. i am sure it would not take too much research, or you could ask a tech at the local toyota/lexus dealer? http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/ind...upra+conversion

i will double/triple check, but i am 99.99% sure that you can not use the 1G-FE/3S-GE is200/rs200 6MT on the 2JZ-GE is300 motor; find a supra transmission like above suggestion.

the figures posted in handbooks and magazines for fuel economy and performance are based on data acquired from professional drivers. i have been driving for about 20 years, and i am very confident about my driving. but i believe that drivers with proper training, attendance at driving schools, hours of track time, and experience driving all kinds of different cars, are capable of much more consistent and efficient driving results than the common individual. those numbers are as close to best possible as one can get. i am under the impression that the average guy would be hard pressed to reproduce those figures, on a daily basis. all that to say this, manual = best possible performance and fuel economy for experienced drivers auto = better decision for the novice if fuel economy and consistency is your goal the difference in fuel economy and performance would be most likely be negligible anyways... maybe you should buy a cheap manual transmission to drive around for a few months, and get an idea for yourself.

when you shift from 1st to 2nd the distance in between those two positions is called the throw. a "short throw" shifter shortens the "throw" or distance between 1st and 2nd, and subsequently between all the gears. this is done by altering the shifter. this can done by bending the shifter at an angle, changing the shifter center, or, as you have assumed, making a physically shorter shifter. it depends on how you go about doing it. personally i believe the best option is the TRD short shifter kit. the toyota/lexus/trd part number is 33530-SE100. i am sure you can see the pros of having a shortened "throw" now that you know what it is.

i am almost 100% sure that my timing belt had not been changed, i changed it myself at 100,000 kilometers, and the car is/was 10 yrs old. and the timing belt was in immaculate condition, and could have been reused in my opinion. the materials and covers used for traditional timing belts have vastly improved since the implementation of the current preventative replacement schedule. but it is like checking for cancer, be happy that you don't have it, but keep checking. the fact that your timing (cam) belt is in good condition is a testament to the engineers and previous owner(s) of your car. a lot of my friends have Silvia's and 180's, which have the SR20DET, and it is uses actual timing CHAIN, not a belt. they all make fun of me for my "obsolete" technology... and i make fun of them for not having much room in their back seats. if you take your car to Lexus for servicing, they usually do not replace (or advise replacement) of the timing (cam) belt until 100,000 kilometers. but if you want it done before then, by all means, next time you take it in for an oil change/tire rotation, have them change the timing belt and assoc pulleys. there is nothing wrong with doing that, nothing wrong at all. your owners manual should have a maintenance schedule, i would just follow that.

i had to use a strap wrench on my filter as well. not exactly like the one monster-mat displayed... the strap was leather, w/clamp down attached to the other side. i used a rag to get the filter as dry and oil free as possible. you know, if you still do not have it off, and if you really want to get it off, you could just stab a screwdriver through it... makes quite a mess, but it will get it off.

never driven the IS250 or IS350. I pick my cars based on the engine, not the looks. never been a fan of V6 engines. me personally, i prefer a 6 cylinder to be inline, if you go V, might as well go V8. the IS-F V8 is an immaculate engine/motor. it is very much like a cute girl who is no good in bed. nice to be seen with her, but are you satisfied with the performance? just my opinion.

nissansilvia, I had a skyline r33 before. then we had a little boy in march. so i sold the skyline, and bought the lexus. fortunately the price difference has allowed me to take care of most of the stuff i have been doing. and also kept my ol' lady off of my back, sort of. It looks like i will be arriving to London sometime in February/March. Not sure when all of my stuff will arrive, we will be shipping it. If there are a few things, ridiculously overpriced over there, that i could pick up for not so much, i would do my best to stockpile some stuff. the thing is, though, i would much prefer it be for the altezza, that way, if someone is unable to pay for what they ask for, I may be able to use it, or get rid of it on here. I plan on starting a thread in the near future. I have recently been looking for a garage that can order the aftermarket stuff for me. So far i have been unable to beat the website http://www.nengun.com/ as far as prices go. there are a few others if you search it out. thanks for the advice and the inquiry. i have decided not to get the rear diff cooler, after much the same advice from many different people. jeremiah

VKapur1986, you have pm, jeremiah

http://www.japanvehicles.com/newcars/toyota/Altezza/main.htm would you say silver metallic, or white pearl mica according to above link?

VKapur1986, what color is your car? if you are interested in a rear wing, i may have a solution.

the Netz dealer told me that there is a number on the door that corresponds with your key. I only have the one key myself, and plan on getting one or two more. they have to pull the panel off of the driver side door, and get a number, or code or something. i will do my best to be on the spot when they do it, the mechanic knows me fairly well now, and they do not seem to have a problem with me nosing around in the garage when i am there to pick up parts. so, when i get my back-up key, i will chime in again.

I know the price is in the opposite direction you are looking for, but I have known a few people who had the Tokico Illumina, and they can not complain. That was on the MR2 though. I am pretty sure they have a set for the IS series Lexus. If I am not mistaken, the Illumina are 5-way adjustable, so you could have the best of both worlds... you get what you pay for.

hey arty, please forgive me, but that price is not much better than the price for TRD version. are those ones that much better, or are you just trying to save a nickel? the complete set is almost $2000.00 (US) over here. i am really contemplating the entire set is why i ask. did you see the post in the brakes and suspension area? jeremiah http://www.trdparts.jp/english/parts_arm-set.html http://www.l-tunedparts.com/product/?id=2413

not that it carries that much relevance, but man, am i impressed... one question: Did you choose to drop that specifically into an IS200, or was the IS200 just what you had?

http://www.toyota-europe.com/innovation/te.../gloss_trc.aspx "TRC = Traction Control System When TRC detects wheel spin in the driving wheels during acceleration it automatically reduces engine power to suppress the spin and restore traction. This ensures better power transfer to the road (saving fuel), gives your tyres a longer life, and adds to overall safety. At the same time, TRC also controls the brake system to reduce the torque transmitted to the road, should it be higher than the road/tyre friction available." Handy feature... but much like the buttons on the collar of a button-up shirt, if you know how to fold your collar down, then you don't really need the buttons, nice to have, sometimes even looks neat, but does it really do anything all that special, which you should already be able to do for yourself?

since everyone else is chiming in, i might as well too. i am with arty-is200sport, i have almost always owned RWD cars/trucks. and to my knowledge this is the first one with TRC or any type of traction control. In fact, i had an MR2 turbo with basically my same engine, and it did not have TRC. and like the transporter says, magic buttons only exist in fairy tales. but if a magic button is what it takes to give yourself the confidence to drive your car very fast, by all means, carry on, makes mine worth more when yours are all wrecked. incidentally, if any of you do figure out how to defeat it permanently, let me know, i would be interested in doing the mod.

monster-mat, thanks for the info. i just saved a few bucks. off topic, you got any pics from your engine swap? or of the motor as it sits in your car now?

I was up at my local Netz (Toyota) dealership the other day. I was there to pick up my quick shifter kit, will install soon. I was thumbing through the TRD catalog, as I often do. I stumbled across an item that made me very curious. I guess TRD makes an intercooler/oil cooler for the rear differential (as opposed to the front diff? ) I got to talking with a buddy of mine who has a Sil180; he told me that the Silvia's, 180's, or 240's whatever you guys call them, come with those stock in Europe. So, I guess I am asking if those come stock on the IS200 and IS300 series? And if not, is that something that anyone would be interested in? I could get you the part number, and you could check at the local Toyota/Lexus to see if they could order it... I am on somewhat of a budget, and I am trying to buy certain things for my car before I head to England. Do any of you think that this would be a wise investment? I do not see myself racing this car on a circuit, but I do see myself traveling in it every now and then to the occasional European country. And truth be told, my old lady has me looking at Range Rovers once we get over there... so, I may end up selling this car once I get settled; would the investment pay off? Also, I got the guy to make copies for me of the Altezza pages of the TRD catalog. Once I find a place to scan them, I can post them or send them to some people. Anyone interested?

Calling Dr. Wozza, Dr. Wozza, telephone please... I am in need of the radio removal instructions that everyone says you have DJ Wozza. Hopefully you could email me that? griderjn@hotmail.com Maybe this should be pinned? Thanks in advance

i just did my timing belt (i believe this is what you guys are calling a cam belt). i also replaced the water pump, and flushed my radiator, replaced my spark plugs and did the oil/filter change, rotated tires... i did all the work myself, and that water pump was a pain. other than that, everything else was pretty much self explanatory. i think i spilled antifreeze on my intake when i was removing my radiator, because my maf sensor went out. if you do decide to do this yourself, make sure you are in a facility that has pneumatic/air drivers. getting the crank bolt out without it could be difficult if you don't. the timing belt i pulled out, looked fine, i honestly think that it could have lasted another 100k, but, it is a belt, not a chain. definitely better to do the scheduled preventative maintenance. plus, having all that stuff apart, and off of the motor, gives you a chance to look around in there, see if anything else looks like it needs replacing.