[IS3Jem]

Any ideas on boosting my 2002 IS 300 to around 400 hp with the auto trans. Something not too expensive but a safe route for my car. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[01 SolarYellow]

You will need to go into the engine.

 

[Tunernoob]

Expense is relative…

 

[_zaclemore]

I cannot recommend you boost a stock motor. You at least need rods, pistons, bearings, head studs and a head gasket. Chances are that your cylinders aren't 86mm anymore, I thought that it would be fine to get 86mm pistons and I paid the price, so add on machining. Then you need new seals. Shimming the auto is super easy and the hardest part is flipping it upside down and taking out the 25 or so bolts that hold the valve body on. Don't reuse the factory flywheel bolts, get ARP or new stock ones. Then you have to figure out a turbo kit. CXRacing is cheap, but I haven't had issues with them. I know someone who has a CXRacing manifold and it's cracked everywhere. I've had good luck with their turbos, but I never ran one above 20 PSI. You really get what you pay for, so buy once, cry once. Do it right or don't do it at all, unless you're okay with spending more money in the future.

 

[scnonah]

Couldn't agree more with _zaclemore. If you're on a tight budget I would steer clear of it. If its your daily for work I would also steer clear of it. I once had dreams of a cheap boosted auto. Its never as cheap as you think its going to be.

 

[IS3Jem]

Couldn't agree more with _zaclemore. If you're on a tight budget I would steer clear of it. If its your daily for work I would also steer clear of it. I once had dreams of a cheap boosted auto. Its never as cheap as you think its going to be.

whats an estimate if i'm wanting tk do it the right way?

 

[scnonah]

The "right way" is subjective. But I spent somewhere around 8k on parts, machining and assembly for my longblock. Then you have things like the turbo, manifold, downpipe, exhaust, boost controller, wastegate, blowoff valve, intercooler, intercooler piping, larger injectors, upgraded fuel pump, afr monitor, fuel control, ignition timing control to think about.

Obviously you can get away without some of these and you might be able to save by buying from ebay and china parts from CX racing. But you need to sit down and write out what you want. Do you have the budget for you plan? Can you afford the car being down for months for the rebuild?

Lots of people come here wanting people to tell them exactly what to do. But its your build you need to figure out what YOU want. We can offer better advice/guidance when you decide on a plan.

 

[IS300 2001]

If you're dying for boost, some have successfully run a cx racing type kit off the stock ecu pushing a few pounds of boost without issues. Assuming maintenance is up to par and auto transmission is stout, this could be feasible with responsible driving.

400hp won't be cheap. You enter the realm of building the motor then.

 

[Gosurfun]

Plenty of people have used the CX Racing kit. Stay at 300-350 absolute MAX hp and the motor and auto trans will last, you will need engine management, (look up FIGS Engineering). The electronic management will double the cost but good management is totally necessary. If you go this way it will have double the power, relatively cheap, be fun and last. Any more HP than this and the motor and trans will need $$$, or try to do it cheaper and suffer the inevitable fate and $$$$. The IS300 cars are front end heavy and suffer from traction problems with any more power, as well as understeer if trying to go around corners at high speed. There are other manifolds available including I think a thicker walled one from CX Racing if it cracks. That's about as simple and truthful answer as your going to get for fun and cheap, or do lots of googling.

 

[DemonIs300]

Before turbo'ing the car, do a health check on the engine. Compression and leak down test to ensure that you can turbo the car. Any sign of an unhealthy engine is an immediate no go for turbo. As for price, everyone is different. Some got for cheap, some go for quality. All depends on you. As the saying go....Cheap, fast, reliable...pick 2. I've spent upwards of 20k on my car already in labor and parts...that's with me doing most of the work. Is300 isn't a Honda where you can boost in 5k. This will cost you a lot more than that.

 

[ill_mannered]

Get off the internet and put your wallet back in your pocket. Go to work with a stock is300 and pat yourself on the back every night you saved yourself from stress.