Turbo Charging The Is200

[andyk134]

Hi all, looking for some advice. have seen a turbo kit on eBay fitted for £2299.00 does anyone know anything about this company and the guy called "Squint" who has built some very fast IS200's please? seems too good to be true, which means it usuyally is......

thanks

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-is200-Turbo-Charger-Kit-Supplied-Fitted-SQT-Stage-1-240bhp-/161813435193?hash=item25acd51339

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[noby76]

Ask him if any form of warranty comes with the install. I don't think we have heard of him on this forum. worth asking him for contact details of past customers he has dealt with so you can contact a few for advice if he's worth it or not before you commit ££'s.

[andyk134]

thanks for the feedback. I have had a long chat with them and they have done loads of custom and show cars and a 600bhp IS200 and the owner drives an IS200 as his daily car with the stage 2 conversion. he loves the car and only charges £200 to fit it because he doesnt want to make any money out of it but just enjoys making the Lexus go as it always should have done.

I am going for the stage 1 at around 240BHP, lightened flywheel, new clutch and LSD. Hoping to get it done next month so will let you know what it is like and how it goes.

Cheers

[TigerFish]

Just keep in mind that when he mentions the 1jz is200, that not a standard is200 engine.

The is200 1G-FE engine internals are not that strong, so you wouldn't want to go too high, 240 is probably at the limits for reliability for stock internals. If he doesn't mention that, I would be very cautious.

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[marko369]

Have a word with TDI North in Warrington pal

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[andyk134]

Thanks all for your help. they give a 12 month warrenty on the parts and labour they supply. have been doing this 18 months and completed 15 cars and only 1 came back, but only because it had 200k on the clock and was already blowing smoke and he really didn't want to do it but the guy insisted and it let him down. he has the conversion on his daily driver an IS200 Sportcross and never missed a beat in 18 months. my car has 69k on the clock and always been looked after by a specialist and I have owned it the last 6 years so I know how it has been driven.

Going for a stage 1 turbo (approx. 240 bhp. his car does a 1/4tr mile in 14 seconds), lightened flywheel new clutch, recon lsd from a sport model, all fitted and set up for just under £3.5k. I did speak to TDI a few years back when I had my sway bars on order and they wanted £6k just for the turbo.

I know some will say what is the point on a car of that age and value, but to me a car (and anything really) has 2 values. the value that someone else will pay when you want to sell it and the value to you of the pleasure you get from owning it. would you rather have a turbo Lexus to drive or a brand new Fiesta 1 litre for 10 grand?

Will let you know how it all goes. Life is about putting a smile on your face I say!

[TigerFish]

Nowt wrong with wanting to do something with the IS. I'm up for spending money on my GS430 if I could actually find someone who could do something. If I could get a decent gain for only £3.5k, I'd be in there like a shot.

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[andyk134]

The work is being done 2 weeks today starting on 5th October. Work being done is:

Turbo conversion, approx. 240BHP

lightened flywheel

new clutch

LSD

Poly Bushes

Big Brake kit with red calipers

Rota Gravel 18 x 8.5 in Gunmetal with Michelin Pilot Super Sports

Work already done is:

Meister R coilovers

Eibach anti roll bars

Cusco front strut brace

Earthing kit

B & M quickshift

Whole lot comes to just over £6k for the new bits. Cant wait to pick it up on the 9th.....

[andyk134]

work has been donw, will post pics. drives the way the Lexus always should have been, it isnt a supercar but puts a smile on your face every time you drive it even if its just going to work! Really great job by Simon at MJS in Ipswich, a man who really cares about his work and reputation.

[TigerFish]

Good stuff B)

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[ColinBarber]

any pics?

[DutchOven]

I was thinking about buying the turbo kit from him.

I haven't bought it yet because i couldn't find any info about him, and i still need to upgrade my suspension.

I am very curious how the car drives and about how it looks.

so how does the car drive and can you post some pics?

[andyk134]

Hi

I have only had the car a week since the work was done and haven't really had a chance to drive it too far. it feels the same as I did standard off boost and then then it just pulls and pulls to the red line. You do have to remember to watch the rev counter in first and second as it gets there a lot quicker than it used to.......

the conversion took a week, but then I was having more than the turbo fitted (see above post). I have been told that the turbo itself it probably a Chinese or Taiwanese copy of a Garret one and is quite a large one meaning it takes longer to spool up than a smaller one would. But then at £2300 fitted it is a lot for your money and a custom smaller one would be at least double that. it is running 6psi which is pretty safe for the standard engine, but I went for the lightened flywheel too, to lessen the initial strain and help it spool up a bit quicker. the guy who fits it clearly knows his stuff and takes great pride in his work and actually only charges £200 to fit the turbo as he just loves doing them so is worth having him do it and he developed the kit so knows how it fits.

I will post some pictures when I have some time to take them and give a more full assessment after I have done a few more miles. at the moment I just cant get the grin off my face every time I drive it which clearly says a lot!

for your suspension, I went with Meister R coilovers as the are a bit softer spring rates than, BC or the Japanese ones and have been really happy with them. also do the roll bars, TDI are still advertising Eibachs, or get some Hotchkiss ones from the states if you can find them. And uprate the brakes which goes without saying really

[andyk134]

sorry a couple of pics as to how it now looks

[TigerFish]

Looks good.

Some pics of the turbo install would be cool though

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[andyk134]

these are some pics of the turbo install

[DutchOven]

Looks awesome!

Especially that intercooler.

Can't wait till I boost my car...

[andyk134]

Give Simon a call and he can talk you through prices and options. but always good to get the suspension sorted first. you wont regret it trust me

[DutchOven]

I have had email contact with him via eBay.

It is not easy for me just to hop by him sinds I live in the Netherlands.

A suspension opgrade is the first thing on my list.

[Stew-R]

Hi mate,

How have you found the flywheel? I was looking at the same as you have had done - stage 1, lightened flywheel and new clutch (as the basics). Is the Lex still running good so far? Do you have boost gauges all over the A pillar? Going to give the guys over there a call to have a chat - just really interested to hear more from someone who's had it fitted.

Thanks

Stew

[andyk134]

Hi Stew. in answer to your first question, I don't really know what difference the flywheel is making as it was all done at the same time so have nothing to compare it against. in theory it should help to spool up quicker and take a little stress of the engine, so something I would always suggest doing and a new clutch goes without saying. I see you have the sport model so will have the lsd which was something I had done on mine.

it has only been two weeks since it was done. the drive home was appalling but this was because the ecu hadn't been reset, once I did that, it was smooth as anything off boost and progressive on. I then took it to my own tuner to look over and he was concerned that the fuel pressure had been reduced down to 2 1/4 bar from the standard 3 as he found it running very lean at the top end, so he altered it back. with the "thinking" ecu it is the only thing you can alter as it controls everything else. Simon at MJS advised me to put it back to 2 1/4 as his experience with the kit was that it ran better that way and would get a misfire at 3. it did start to get bit lumpy after a few days but again resetting the ecu cured that and it has been fine ever since. for me running lean at the top end on full boost is not something I would want so would rather have it a bit lumpy lower down than risk it at the top end.

as I said above, it is a fairly big turbo and too big really for the stage 1 which is why it does take a while to come on boost. That said for the price, you do get a lot of smiles for your buck so it is a compromise. a custom smaller turbo and manifold fitted by TDI is £5k ex vat without the flywheel and clutch so for £2300 fitted for the turbo and another grand for the flywheel and clutch and oil change it is good value for sure. I also went for the big brake kit which works really well and again makes sense when pushing bhp from 155 to around 230. I also did super pro poly bushes. it wasn't cheap, about a grand fitted as it takes so long but has tightened up the handling and made you feel more secure and also quickened up the steering which really is nice. I have also had the mid cat taken out (as it was chewing itself to bits) which has given it a bit more responsiveness, the engine light is on but that's a small price to pay.

I am 61 years old, so boost gauges, 0 to 60's and top speed don't really interest me. what I was looking for was a "driveable" Lexus and the way it should always have been. I did change the wheels and tyres and tried to get as close to standard looking ones as possible to not get noticed too much and keep the car looking as "normal" as possible, but with the wheels and intercooler that hasn't happened! the lower front grill is removed to fit the intercooler, which is a shame but Simon has painted his black which I will be looking to do.

Overall yes I am very pleased so far, but is till very early days. I have been running my car on vpower (optimax) since I bought it which will also help if you aren't already. Give Simon at MJS a call and talk through the options with him. All my work took a week that he did in Ipswich. Good luck

[Stew-R]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the response, and very detailed. Really appreciate that. I'm glad you've managed it without stupid dials all over the place ( apologies to those that do like that ) as I personally think it detracts from what the IS200 is supposed to be.

I'm toying with the idea of this upgrade, or getting a celica T Sport, as I've owned a stock VVT-I previously and that drove very similar to the IS200. I'm just worried that I'll miss RWD and the comfort on longer journeys, and the smooth inline 6!

Thanks again

Stew

[andyk134]

Hi Stew,

the 2 cars are very different, one is a salon and the other a 2+2 sports car so I guess it depends what you want your car for. I just love the way mine looks now, lowered with nice wheels filling the arches and the car was very good looking to start with. For me it is also about the reliability and reputation of the car, but very much about the individuality, there are BMW;s, Audi's and Honda's everywhere and the usual 4 wheel drive "rally" replicas. But in the six years I have owned my car, I only ever saw one with the same body and wheel colour combination, I wonder how many can say that.

Before I took the plunge to have the conversion done I spent a lot of time on Autotrader looking at cars around 10 grand and i can honestly say I couldn't find anything I would rather have than how my car is now. Having spent the weekend driving I would say again that the poly bushes have transformed the handling and steering and it feels like a different car to drive in a very good way. We are very different but for me I have the car I want and am looking forward to many years of very happy driving.

[rickya]

Hello mate, I followed the progress of this build on the IS200 facebook group. I'm considering having it done some time after Christmas, but unsure if to sell up and get a newer manual as mine is an auto. I'm pretty impressed at how quickly he managed to get it done, especially as you had the full polybush kit etc done too!​ Sounds like he knows his stuff.

Keep us updated, if any issues arise etc.

[noby76]

Before I took the plunge to have the conversion done I spent a lot of time on Autotrader looking at cars around 10 grand and i can honestly say I couldn't find anything I would rather have than how my car is now.

there are lots of performance cars out there to be had for around 10 grand. your IS does look nice and you right i personally dont see a lot in your colour. was there issues sourcing a smaller spooling turbo? i wouldn't enjoy driving it if i have to wait an age until it comes on boost and do you have some dyno figures?. so long as you like it that's what counts..