RichGS11

Loi is doing the tuning and helping me get it where I want it. He can tune the gearbox settings too, so I chose him for all his rave reviews. You're completely right about the noise, the system will be getting valved. The main goal of getting an F was to track it and with the decibel limits nowadays, it needs to be more subtle for cold starts and track days. The car thankfully isn't a daily, so it's something I can live with in the short term, although that said, I have a weeks long trip around Scotland with some fellow car mates in mid September, it could be a long week 😆

So the verdict....I love it!!! They say once you drive an FBO ISF, you never want to go back and it's true. The sheer power that comes from it and it's not even tuned yet! So excited for the flash map and work from my tuner to get the car singing. Alignment next, but the handling with the USRS is night and day already. I'm a little annoyed I didn't do it sooner. The car is so much tighter up front with the mounts and the new bushes. Those USRS certainly give the car a more direct, BMW style feel to the steering. I'm shocked at how different it actually is. I'm very cynical, I don't try to find the positives, they're either there or not and the changes I've made, even before being dialled in, have made so much difference. It feels like years have been taken off the car! Next step....tune and alignment 🙏🏽

Now the noise.... DSC_7958_1.mp4 DSC_7959_1.mp4

So some last minute parts added that I've had rattling around in the garage loft space for a while....

Yes, luck was well and truly on my side! I still can't quite believe it! Thank you. It's been a tough process but thanks to the right tools and a great step by step guide by Sikky, on YouTube, I was able to do most of it quite quickly. I never want to take them off mind you! I'll use a ramp or lift next time haha 😄

A test post to see if I can upload a video file. This was taken a couple of days before the header swap and I will recreate the same conditions post PPE install. DSC_7943_1.mp4

Me too!! Hopefully today is the day for that. I have updated my build thread as to not hijack this post!

So Day 2 was a slower day, with the rest of the parts added including what is pictured here (engine mounts, USRS bushings and O2 extenders. The subframe was placed back onto the car and all nuts and bolts torqued to OEM settings. Which brings me nicely onto day 3, which is right this moment, where the build thread reaches me sitting on my sofa awaiting a brand new transmission mount. Hopefully today will see the cars first start since the upgrade and what I hope to be a successful swap! 🤞🏼

Then came D Day, getting the car on blocks and jacked up high enough to work on, laying out all the parts and readying my pen and paper for where each nut and bolt came from! After 3 and a half hours, the old headers were out and in the garage sitting next to their replacements. You can tell how the OEM units break so easily and why they strangle so much power from the engine! By the end of the first day the new headers were also on board!

Some more parts were ordered to assist with the swap, something I was going to undertake on the drive. I also took the opportunity to upgrade the top control arms, lower ball joints, rear lower control arm and engine mounts, plus the obligatory O2 sensors, gaskets, etc.

As the headers run rather hot, the next step was to look into heat management and keeping temps down in the engine bay. So I shipped the headers off to Zircotec in Oxford to ceramic coat them.

So with the trip to California came an unexpected upgrade, one I'd been pondering for a year or so. With the headers on my ISF cracked and the impending welding job on the horizon, I stumbled across gold dust whilst browsing Ebay. A set of RHD PPE headers for £1k in California! So after a 10 hour round trip, an extra £65 spent on another suitcase, I had in the hold of my flight home, the modification I'd been dreaming about for some time! Anyone that knows what these are and how much they cost to have custom made, shipped and taxes paid for, knows how much of a deal the £1,250 is I paid for them (fuel and a new case included in the total cost).

Modifications have been slowed by the decking and a holiday, as those both took priority, however I did manage to sneak in one upgrade before June and that was a brand new RCF mirror to update the older design. I also added a little F badge to the carbon bootlid.

So after some time away, a decking project and a month in California, I thought it best to update the build thread I forgot I'd created! So after having issues with discolouration in the lacquer of the SARD wing (I'm very fussy). I decided to remove it and to my delight I actually prefer the car without it and the unnecessary drag created by the wing. I also got a drone and took some snaps!

Thank you! I forgot I made this thread, time to update!

Not completely but almost. There's a knuckle in a very well placed area of the shaft that is removed, and this gives you the space to replace the drivers side header. It's a clever little addition that certainly helps. Today I managed to fit both headers in place. Tomorrow I need to run the O2 extenders after I've heat wrapped the wiring. I also have new RR engine mounts that are going in. Not to turn this thread into my PPE install story, but it's a manageable task if you can get the car up high enough, and you have some good air or power tools, and good mechanical know how. I think this is important to say because install costs might put people off from buying the set advertised here. This is a lengthy job, but you can do it yourself, which will save you a lot of money.

RHD and very different because of the steering shaft that has to run through the middle of the drivers side manifold.

Halfway through. Started yesterday afternoon. All stripped out now ready for the install.

That makes sense mate. Totally understand. Yeah I found the headers whilst in the States. The guy wanted to get them moved on desperately as they were worthless over there. I bought an extra suitcase and flew back with them lol.

For that price, no. Too close to the RCF and although a later model, the interest is lacking in the UK, hence why some sit on the forecourts for a while. Nearly 30k for an ISF just doesn't seem sensible to me and I own one. I'll happily watch them climb over 30k if they wish, but I can't see it personally, not with the impending financial gloom.

Hey man,sorry I never got back to you. I ended up finding a set for 1k in the States and brought them back with me. If you sell the intake separately and the tune I'd be interested. Thanks.

You're one of the lucky ones and I'm so happy for you dude!!!

Sorry to read about this. First 'performace' Lexus I've heard of being targeted. Looks like people are starting to work out the rarity of them and their cost in certain parts of the world! I hope you get it back or at least the money it's worth in insurance. I'd like to think they wouldn't have broken into your house for it, but you can never say for sure.

Sent

I had similar from the front left corner. Couldn't put my finger on it after constant testing. I changed out the old OEM shocks for coilovers and the noise went away. Can only assume the old shocks had seen better days.