BLK ISF

On 1/30/2019 at 2:03 PM, _ISF said:

Luckily the replacement motors are cheap: https://bestmufflers.com/bshop/index.php?id_product=5166&id_product_attribute=0&rewrite=xforce-varex-universal-sports-mufflers-replacement-motor-unit-vk03-&controller=product

At $50-60 a pop, i dont mind having to replace a motor every few years. There's only a few bolts holding them on. 

Cheers, never looked into sourcing one of these motors as its always been a warranty issue for me but now its the other side which has been 3 yrs hassle free, i know the warranty wont apply.

Ill probably end up using that link, cheers.  

Yeah looks like 3 bolts (allen key, hex shape or something like that).  Just need to get under and see if the motor is accessible without having to drop the rear section.  Not sure if the motor is side or top mounted, cant remember

On 1/24/2019 at 4:16 PM, _ISF said:

Hopefully a new electric motor will get it up and running again BLK ISF. The workings of the valve is pretty simple, so unless the butterfly valve is damaged (or the shaft is bent/broken) then i cant see what else could go wrong apart from the motor.

I took advantage of the Sparesbox.com.au sale last night and bought the Varex Smart box unit (saved $100 with the sale). The sale finished last night so it was now or never.

Yeah im sure not a difficult fix but to get it to Xforce is a pain for me, installer guy usually busy and after work i have other committments etc.  So i know its something ill have to do myself.  Just wish the motors was a bit more bulletproof although in my experience for the drivers side it was the muffler that caused me the issues. Ah well its stuck open vs close so not that urgent i attend to it.

Didnt even think to look at sparesbox.  I get their emails all the time but never bother looking so sounds like you got it at a good price

On 1/27/2019 at 2:39 PM, LTuned said:

I hope you get you varex motor fixed, it sounds like a great idea to be able to quieten the exhaust down when you need to be quiet.  I do like my JoeZ exhaust, but there are times I would like it to be quieter.

Unfortunately not yet, need to find the time when not driving, car is cool, get underneath it and have a look.  Funny enough when i close it now (only drivers muffler valve closing) its not much different to both being open but when both are working and closed, wow what a difference it makes.

Just saw your reply.  With my varex and remote control setup i can definitely partial open the valves.  i.e. From an 100% open/closed state, if i briefly press the remote, it will operate in about 3-4 increments before either fully open/closed.  Of course as its a brief press its no where as accurate as pressing a button for 25%, 50%, 75% etc but still, it can be somewhat controlled.

On the flip side, can you believe the motor on my passenger side has just stopped.  I used the varex last on the weekend and now the passenger muffler is permanently open.

Grrrr.  I though the issue was finally fixed, might have to reconsider singing their praises lol.

All my previous issues was to do with the drivers side muffler/motor.  They ultimately fixed it after replacing the muffler vs motor.  I have had the passenger side muffler with no issue to the motor or muffler since i got it about 3 yrs ago now and then all of a sudden over the last few days its stopped.

I wander who long the other valve exhausts like PPE and the other brands.  Dont thing Armytrix do one for the ISF, could be wrong.

Well when it works its great.  Until now they have always fixed mine under warranty but as its the other side and well past the 12 month warranty, im not sure if they'll come to the party.

Good luck.  Cant recall what Varex ones i have installed on mine.  After they changed one of my mufflers due to motors playing up on the Varex, its been working great ever since.  So that was my issue from day one.  I use the remotes more often now to keep it quiet (wife hates it), leaving early morning etc.  Naturally as im in the car alone most of the time it stays open over 90% of the time lol.

Curious, are you going for the remote setup or bluetooth module to control it via phone?  

Mine closed even with headers is very quiet.  When i only had the exhaust (no headers) it was as quiet as stock

I never get bored watching these ones:

ISFASTER, he posts alot of races against high HP cars with good success

another one i cant find, german driver pushing it hard and very sideways on a track carrying out a review.  Not in English but great fun to watch

21 hours ago, LesterLau said:

Hi buddy,

  I really like your all black ISF, excited to receive your message. But the black cars get dirty or scratch easily so I get it into a transparent film.

I am not sure how to tune and modify my car, do you have some recommendation for the workshop?

cheers buddy I am convinced that we would love our baby car more and more.

I didnt think about the clear film but went with Ceramic coating.  Got a detailer to carry out the work, minor paint correction etc before applying the ceramic.  Still gets dirty despite what some people think (Ceramic cars cant get dirty lol) but everything does bead off being hyrdrophobic.  Cleaning is much easier and it has a deep gloss in person.  Especially in shaded areas, parking lots, garage etc.  Always looks glossy/reflective even when dirty.  Might wrap it next time, who knows.

Depends where you are located, what state.  In Syd there are several choices to tune an ISF but GSF not so sure.  I think RR from the states provide a tune given they do supercharge kits for it and their tuned intake etc but its not 100% custom to your car, more to the mods you are purchasing.  Some like it (after sales support, ease of download for the tune/install etc) but others prefer local tuner specific to your car, you can go revisit if any issues in person etc.

Others might have to chime in but im sure there are few who can tune a RCF/GSF (could be wrong but im sure ive read some who have done it).

Anyways id get the tune last, get whatever mods you intend on getting and then get the tune to match all of that vs retunes which just cost more.  i.e. Exhaust, headers, intake (questionable regarding power, you'll find sources proving HP gains but also more heatsoak unless covered, retaining some kind of air box) etc.

Awesome machine and congrats on the purchase.  Im a little biased as my ISF is all black and ive since got black wheels and before i knew it, almost all my exterior is black (badges, trim etc).

Harder to keep clean but looks mean when clean.

So what mods do you intend on doing (Ps Even though you may say keep it stock, im sure you'll mod it in due time).  I swore to keep my ISF stock and before i knew it, i had an exhaust, tune, headers, Vline and other goodies installed lol

Not as flash as your new beast but my trusted old ISF is still going strong :-)

On 11/26/2018 at 12:30 PM, my_toy said:

what type of front lip is on your car TOI_ISF

His looks the same as mine and many others who have the same or very similar front lip.

Good el Ebay = https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/A-Style-Front-Lip-Urethane-Fits-08-14-Lexus-IS-F-4dr-Sedan-ISF-Bumper-Only-/351584645752

9 hours ago, banserki said:

Did you manage to get the reverse camera working? I have a feeling RHD cars will have an issue as no americans have come up with this problem.

My reverse camera works perfect.  All OEM functions are as they were prior to the install, i cant think of anything that ive lost due to the Vline.

Sorry to hear about your shocking experience.  Buying something cheap like a shirt, well we often leave the store and chalk it up to a poor experience but something as expensive as a new car, as a consumer, why on earth would the dealer expect you to pay for something you didnt order.  Did they assume, they would know better than you as to your colour preference and the sign the dotted line.  Talk about pressuring.

Have you provided feedback requesting a response from the actual Lexus website.  Im sure you have the option to leave feedback and be responded via Email or a phone call.  Im sure Lexus Head Office would not be impressed on how the dealer made a bad situation worse and not only lost the transaction but potentially a customer for life and more potential customers based on the experience you are sharing.

Ps Then to have their focus on the tickets they gave you.  Hmm they seemed quite efficient in that department lol

9 hours ago, _ISF said:

I think its even more of an improvement over stock considering you had the older style steering wheel to begin with (missing the blue leather at the bottom and the silver inserts around the control buttons either side). Personally i think the updated MY11+ steering wheel looks much nicer (more modern, more sporty and more at home in the ISF) than the older style wheel.

Aftermarket wheel certainly does look nice, but as careful as i am i know i would scratch that carbon finish with keys/zipper/belt buckle etc when getting in our out of the car...it would only be a matter of time. The black carbon on the new wheel clashes (in my opinion) with the silver carbon on the centre console so do you have any plans to do something with the silver carbon?

I was in the same boat as John with the older wheel but to be honest, i wasnt a fan of my old wheel nor the newer ISF wheel.  Never liked the red, blue etc on the base of the wheel and the silver finish steering wheel controls.  Looked tacky to me and a bit of an after thought (but still better than my old wheel lol).  I thought with the other upgrades like the LSD, cluster etc, Lexus had the opportunity to really improve the look of the wheel like some of the Euro competition.  Atleast made it thicker.

Thats the beauty of Elvin's wheels and others who do similar work.  You can literally get whatever combo's you want from Carbon, alcantara and all sorts of colours.  Ive seen some of his customers post their blue carbon wheels etc.  Not to my liking but everyones got different tastes.  Mine would be considered too boring for some lol but i love it.  Looks and functionality achieved.

Ive thought about changing my centre, side silver carbon pieces but hard to justify the price given its purely for looks.  Centre console and 4 door trim was more expensive than the wheel and that was already costly enough (awesome quality though).  If i changed the centre console then id definitely have to finish the whole thing (centre, door trims, aircon vents etc) but the wheel on its own is acceptable to me

Atleast driving with the wheel feels so much better so its practical too.  Its actually quite robust too, besides wearing a ring etc, i cant see how it can be scratched.  When i get in our out of the car, on or off, I dont come near the wheel in its retracted position.

^{Pics dont do it justice eh.  It does look great in the pics but even better in the flesh.  Happy driving with your new wheel :-).  All the more excuse to drive it more than you do now lol}

On 11/12/2018 at 8:01 AM, LTuned said:

Thanks Chris it does look good.  I very happy with it.  I’ll contact Lexus today about getting it fitted.  I wouldn’t have it without your assistance, I’m not compatible with this Instagram thing.  Elvin has so many options you can do. it’s a great looking wheel.  Once fitted I'm sure the ISF will handle better & have more power.  lol.

What a coincidence, i was told the wheel would result in more power as well, hmm i think we have been scammed haha

Looks awesome John, welcome to the "Carbon Wheel" club lol.  On its own it looks great but once positioned and mounted in the car, it looks even better and feels great to drive. 

I love my blue/red stripe but saw one of his wheels with a yellow stripe that looked unique too but better to keep it simple, dont want a rainbow of stripes on my wheel haha.

Take some before and after shots, youll have a laugh when seeing the comparison

1 hour ago, 2bling said:

Did the F logo come with the wheel, and does Elvin take PayPal cheers.

Yep comes with F logo but he can do without as well (wouldnt think thats a popular choice though lol).

Once confirmed what you want, he'll send you an order template that you complete via Instagram or email (but initial contact via instagram).

Then he'll raise an order to pay via paypal, then you'll get the DHL tracking info etc

Ps It is an awesome wheel, one of my favourite mods to date, so much nicer to hold/drive with vs OEM.

On 11/4/2018 at 3:53 PM, biscuit said:

Looks fantastic! I agree the wheel is too skinny - my old Megane RS 225 had a thicker wheel as does my son's Megane 3 GT-Line diesel!

Did you install yourself or a mechanic - wondering if changing over involves all the airbag clock spring etc?

Cheers mate.  I had my car serviced so got the guys to change it over for me same time so cant comment on the install details sorry. 

47 minutes ago, _ISF said:

Yes i have seen that thread previously and that's where i got the idea to open the flanges up on the manifolds. So i guess im hoping for a similar result (approx 10kw) but im hoping its not all just top end...it would be nice to get some more low/mid range out of this engine as its a bit lazy under 4,000rpm.

You should net a decent increase throughout the rev range.  It will vary pending what other supporting mods you have but here is one of my older dyno runs from a while ago.  The before was only with the Xforce catback (no other mods).  The after is after the manifold mod (no tune either).  So a decent increase.  

19 hours ago, _ISF said:

Back to the dyno again this week to see where i am at now after doing the following since the last dyno run:

- header flanges opened up from 2" to 2.5" to increase flow
- 200 cel hi-flow metallic cats welded in to the xforce front pipe
- New larger and chambered stainless steel rear mufflers installed to replace the xforce mufflers (new mufflers are quieter but may also be a bit more restrictive)

The car certainly feels a bit stronger up top with the header flange mod so it will be interesting to see what that actually translates to on the dyno. Im hoping for an extra 5-10kw which would be around 270-275kw.

 

Good luck with the tune, i know when i had a xforce cat back only and got the stock manifolds 2 inches exit from the cats increased to 3 inches to get rid of the restriction it made a big difference.  Sparky explains it in his thread.  All dyno's are different but my before and after at the time went from 239 to 252kw @ wheels.  That mod evenutally got scrapped went i went headers and retune but bang for your bucks it was a great mod as i didnt intend on going headers at the time

19 hours ago, _ISF said:

She's a beauty mate. Looks like i will have to get my wife to look this guy up on Instagram for me.

Thanks :-)

Yep 1.5 weeks on and still loving it lol.  Surprised me how nice it is in the flesh, much better to hold as the wheel is much thicker and the carbon parts feel great.  It does make it a nicer driving experience.

Its the right blend of standing out but looking OEM

His Instagram name is Elvin_6188

7 hours ago, 2bling said:

Looks great where from and how much, is it one of Elvins  cheers.

Yep one of Elvins.  Been eyeing off his stuff for ages and finally took the plunge.  Whilst its not cheap its great quality, feels great to drive with, much thicker to hold and something ill enjoy as its used all the time when in the car.

I liked the fact the wheels are very customisable from the 12oclock stripe, thickness, colour, colour of carbon, colour of stitching (even the blue i have is more pronounced then the OEM blue), alcantara, perforrated leather blah blah.  

Guess could of waited for the Au to increase but ah, that could take ages lol.

For my setup it was $850 USD.  Took about 6 days to build and then left Singapore on the Friday and think by Wednesday-ish it arrived DHL.  So all up about 2 weeks from payment to arrival.  I think its about $950-ish if i got the carbon paddles as well.

He has all the combo's on his Instagram page (i dont really use it but had to join up to order etc)

Installed a new toy today so just thought id share in case anyone else was contemplating the same thing.

Would i consider it a value for money mod, well no.  Cant say i think any mod for the ISF is value for money really.  Im yet to install something on the car and think "Damn that was cheap, what a bargain lol"

Do i regret it then........HELL NO

Does it look better......Are you blind, of course it does :-)

Does it feel better in the hand when driving......ABSOLUTELY (makes the OEM wheel look anorexic

Enough jabber, here are some pics :-)

Ps Decided to keep my OEM paddles, i like the contrast it gives to the rest of the carbon

And best of all ive gained atleast 5kw @ the wheels (well thats how im trying to justify the purchase in my head haha)

19 hours ago, LTuned said:

That is all I have in my Lexus black leather pouch, except for your photo copied bits.   not sure where it would fit in the pouch as mine is full with just the 4 book & a couple of leaflets.

I went through my books, & I cannot see the list for each service, just where they stamp after each service in section 5, of the Warranty and Service book.  There is a Lexus scheduled maintenance list on page 18 of the same book.  where did you get the photo copies from? 

So if you dont have it, i may just be confused.  Im sure i had a hard copy of the photocopied booklet but perhaps i didnt given you dont have it either.

I honestly cant recall where i downloaded it from.  Given its in miles i probably got it from a US source and i maybe i never had it in the first place.  

This is basically what i have in my black leather pouch.  Bottom right (warranty and services guide) is the one im missing (photocopied for now).

Other pic shows the detail of whats in that one

Hi all,

Somehow ive misplaced my scheduled service maintenance book that came with the car.

Was fortunate enough to get a photocopy from someone for the ISF service intervals, what work is required etc but would prefer the actual book.

Anyone know where i can source one without paying carbon fibre prices if you get my drift, thanks.