Faq Lexus Es, Corrections That Need To Be Made.

Toysrme · May 29, 2005

Corrections I think should be made, and why.

If you are thinking of buying a second gen ES do not buy a 92-93 model as they all have overheating issues, save the money and buy a 94 or newer it isn't worth the few dollars you save.

Whoever gave you that impression is an idiot. The 3vz-fe is horribly OVERCOOLED. Normal operating temperature barely opens the stock 190-212*F thermostat, as the engine stays in the 180-200*F range during normal operation. It's inconceivable to get it close to the 220*F area where it would make peak power. Let alone the engine OVERHEAT.

The suspension may be serviceable meaning you can just buy a regular shock not a whole strut with outer casing to replace it with much cheaper i think 92-94 where non serviceable and 95-96 are.

Exactly opposite. 92-93 have serviceable struts into the 94 production run. 94.X - 96 have sealed.

There is a company called whiteline in Australia who makes front and rear sway bars

Whiteline does make front an rear sway bars, but only rear sway bars for 92-96, as the front sway bar is large enough. Front sway bars are only made for 97-01 cars, and the same diameter as the previous years OEM sway bar.

Use stainless steel piping with a 2.5 inch diameter as it works very well .The stock exhaust starts at 2.5 to the resonator then goes to a smaller 2.25 to the muffler. I changed mine from the res. back to keep the noise down and it is nice and deep

Intake, cat-back exhaust, and headers on the Toyota v6's make next to no power. It might as well be considered bling, and sound upgrades, with minor performance differences.

Instead, for someone looking for power should look into the Y-pipe.

Having 2" down pipes merging into a 2.5" y-pipe provides a near ideal balance between exhaust velocity, and exhaust restriction.(The stock y-pipes reverse flow the rear hed into the Y, while choking diameter to 1.75" or less in the pressed curves. Along with a flat plate with holes in it running across the merge to try to equalize pressure) The stock y-pipe's are all extremely restrictive. Doing just the y-pipe will provide more power increase than an intake, headers, and cat-back exhaust can provide combined.

Typically 10-15 horsepower can be found with a y-pipe upgrade. For anyone that can ditch the cat convertor at the same time. Look for closer to 20hp.

ECU Chips so far one person has said they got one and felt a difference but there are too many variables like age of car, no base run and a tune up plus a K&N drop in filter change at the same time to link all gains directly to the chip,jet makes one but they are listed as scammers , so buyer beware.

There are no actual chips that can be re-programmed, or swapped into the Toyota v6 ECU's.

You *can* use a piggyback (A-la SMT, SAFC, E-manage, ect) to intercept the AFM / MAF signal to lean / richen the fuel curve. using the 3vz-fe as an example. 92-93 made 185hp & 199lb-ft. The overseas 94-97 3vz-fe made 200hp, 204lb-ft. There is no mechanical difference, nor is higher octane fuel required to do so.

Toyota v6's run incredibly rich, with very conservative ignition timing.

All of them can make 10 peak horsepower with any of the piggyback controllers. No dyno tuning required.

(A VZ-FE owner can simply advance his distributor 7*, to 17*btdc, cut his Air-Flow Meter top off, and tighten the flap 3 clicks to lean the engine out. Giving 10-15hp for FREE)

Things such as JET, and VENOM are scams. JET is proven not to do anything, while VENOM simply triggers open-loop mode at 50% throttle, instead of 75-80%. Same power when you hit the gas, much lower fuel economy.

intake also got an acoustic control for the intake

VANOS is variable valve timing.

Are you kidding me!? VANOS is variable valve timing. NOT A VARIABLE INAKE! Who was feeding you this stuff???

All Toyota transaxle (fwd) v6's from 1988 (2vz-fe) on have ACIS. Normally the flap is open, to "promote economy, and low end torque". That's a load of crap. The acronym really does tell it's only function. "Acoustic Controlled Induction System". When the flap is open, the noise of the intake is greatly reduced, as the sound pressure waves have much more room to expand, much earlier. peak power at ANY rpm is not achieved with it open.

The stock ECU applies vacuum to the ACIS's actuator under these conditions:

1) The car has a load on it (in motion)

2) RPM's are at, or above 3900rpm

3) The throttle position sensor is at 50% or higher.

A free mod is to take a vacuum line onto the ACIS's actuator, and directly T that into the vacuum port on the top of the throttle body marked E.

Now the ACIS will snap shut at any rpm (even idle), provided the throttle is approximately 20% open. This will give an increase in power from roughly 2800rpm-4100rpm. It's a linear increase, so it's not something a butt-dyno will reveal, but it is there.

Most cars have crappy alternators which never make the heated seats seem to work.

They're all 80amp denso units. These can be directly swapped with 130amp Highlander units.

the rear brakes are not though, I thought they were but when i got my rotors to put them on the rears are a smaller diameter than the lexus ones, but they do still bolt right in.

Correct. An FYI, ES's share the same rear rotor size that v6 Camry wagon's had.

97-98 complete redesign of the head and intake system but the same engine code and block. They added vvt for improved response and mileage ,the camry does not have this option. ( like vtec for Honda)

Again. You're wrong on your "camshaft trickery". All versions of Honda's vtech change both cam timing, AND can duration/lift. Toyota still doesn't make a camshaft system that can alter the basic cam profile itself. Only the timing of such.

SnesleyWipes · May 30, 2005

Corrections I think should be made, and why.

(A VZ-FE owner can simply advance his distributor 7*, to 17*btdc, cut his Air-Flow Meter top off, and tighten the flap 3 clicks to lean the engine out. Giving 10-15hp for FREE)

Thx for all the expert advice... would you mind laying this out more descriptively so I could try this?

Thx

Snes

SKperformance · May 30, 2005

Quite intersting , the reason you are so knowledgeable in all of this is...........

Toysrme · May 30, 2005

Quite intersting , the reason you are so knowledgeable in all of this is...........

Joined: 9-March 03
Member No.: 744

I'm not a newb, and unlike everyone else with an ES 300, I'm concerned with real performance. I have inherited the most powerful N/A v6 ES 300 / camry engine right now (Since sean went turbo) And I've got my turbo sitting in the garage, waiting on some equipment to weld it into the car.

That and I figure I know more about the entire v6 family in general than anyone else. I *know* I know more about the 3vz-fe than anyone in this hemisphere. Atleast... Anyone "known" on the internet.

Sean McElligott is the mack-daddy tho. He'll always be the power/speed king of ES 300's, and 3vz-fe's. He's just too good.

mcelligott · May 30, 2005

This guy has done more performance R&D on the internals of a 3vz-fe than anyone i'vs ever seen. You guys should listen to his tech advice.

SW03ES · May 30, 2005

I'm more than willing to have him write our technical and FAQ articles. That is, IF he can do it in a respectful, friendly, and community oriented way. Having knowledge and having information that someone else may be incorrect is fine, we want only the best and most accurate information presented to our members, but this does not give him the right to be rude or arrogant. This type of talk is simply not neccisary, appreciated, or welcome here, regardless of how educated or informed the source:

Whoever gave you that impression is an idiot.

Who was feeding you this stuff???

and unlike everyone else with an ES 300, I'm concerned with real performance.

That and I figure I know more about the entire v6 family in general than anyone else. I *know* I know more about the 3vz-fe than anyone in this hemisphere. Atleast... Anyone "known" on the internet.

If you would like to submit some tech articles or alterations to the FAQ you are more that welcome to do so, and will be given full credit for their contents. Simply submit them to me via email and I will see they get posted with your byline.

You do however owe skperformance, the original author of the FAQ an apology for the way you've addressed him here. While obviously well versed on the ES you are certainly not well versed on our rules here at the LOC, rudeness to anyone is simply not tolerated.

Thread closed.