450HP/tonne

There is no permanent way a dealer can change your idle speed. Disconnecting the battery may have lost any ECU learning? Possibly related, I had a battery that was basically flat, so swapped it into the car. The idle speed was higher during driving and in neutral (when hot). The fuel economy went up as a result of the charging. Which reminds me, it's time to swap it back! Other thoughts ... Was your air conditioner turned off, or your coolant temperature could be lower than when you previously noticed. The ambient air could be warmer or your fuel quality could be lower - As determined by the magnitude of sensors. Or it could be placebo ...

Piston slap may not be what you are hearing. Remove the engine cover and listen to the VVT-i soleniod valves (2 per bank), which make a noise similar to what you describe: As for the 'crunch' you will find this is a normal noise - it is the skid control ECU performing a system check when the vehicle reaches 6-10 km/h on first take-off. You should find about 100 topics on this in this forum ...

Just make sure it is done by the real pro, not by a bunch of kids who are still in their first year of apprentice. Like was in my case, where you can really tell the sort of people that are hired by the dealer to do the work, by the quality or lack of it, when it comes to the re assembling of the parts that's been removed. A friend who used to work for a Toyota dealer explained, most of the workers are just made up of apprentices, when it comes to changing oil, oil filter etc they're fine but get them to do anything other than the standard routine job and they stuff up. This is a concern, however this kind of damage may get a new long engine (sump to cylinder head covers). The dealer and the regional office will determine what is required. The last thing Toyota want is for a return visit with a related concern. New engines like the 2GR are high tech and many technicians are not fully comfortable working on them. The repair manual seems to be never ending and an engine repair can easily take over 30 hours to complete!

At work, so I don't have a copy I can share. Piston #1 was in 2 larger pieces, 6 small pieces and hundreds of tiny pieces in the sump with the rings.

Did you ask the dealer to check for "brake shudder and wheel wobble"? Yes I have heard of it happen, but hoping not to have it happen to me. The transmission does not share 'bodily fluids' with the engine, so is safe from debris (I saw photos of your engine torn down - ouch!). Also, torque converters are fluid couplings, so any sudden change in speed from the engine can be damped and prevent mechanical damage in the transmission.

I'll go on a cruise day once it is done. If you can keep up, you can see it! Just to scare you ... calculated 0-200km/h time is 10.2 seconds. I'm working on some weight reductions to improve that, plus trying to source the right manual transmission to get it under 10.

As the vehicles 'manufacturer' it is quite easy in that I can specify almost anything I want! The registration approval process for an ICV (individually constructed vehicle) is simpler than many engine swaps and some suspension modifications - and cheaper too! What is looked at closely is the rigidity of the frame, quality of construction, checking for control arm defects (if not off the shelf they need X-Ray crack testing) and durability of components used (ie suspension bushes required as they last longer than ball joints). Other than that, if you meed the ADRs you pass. If the seatbelt has an ADR approval tag, the it ticks the box. Another example is that I am not using any of the Aurion lamps, so had to buy all ADR approved lamps and indicators. More info here. Sorry for hijacking the thread ...

I do recall him saying this: Nothing at all like an Aurion ... (this is not my car, just an image for you) The 2GR-FE engine goes in the back, where it belongs. The chassis will be made from mild steel tubes. It will have no bodywork, windscreen or airconditioning (accept the right foot 'fan speed' control). It will both be registered to drive on the road and comply with CAMS to race on the track . It will be extremely light weight and have a power to weight ratio of 450 HP per tonne! Hence the username. As a result, I don't need these and other parts from the Aurion (just the engine, transmission & electronics). Once I have removed the parts I need, I will also get rid of the Aurion shell. DJKOR, you're faster on the search than I am! The car it is going into will by my own design, with a similar concept to the Ariel Atom. I know about cars, but want to build one to learn more (and improve motorsport job prospects?). I was going to have a bit more fun with the image this time though ... and use this one to explain it: The exhaust on this one could be worse than droning, if it were women doing the work ... But seriously, I will need to make it street and CAMS legal (but not a dB under if I can help it!).

I'm building my own car, a 2-seat mid-engine spaceframe chassis, which is similar in concept to an Ariel Atom. I purchased an Aurion and removed the engine as shown. Before photo (= unhappy wife) testing my unnecessary wire removing skills: After photo (= not unhappy wife ...) testing my skills at leaving in wires required to run the engine: Setup for engine testing: Result ... if only this were road legal: Just thought you might all like the sound! I may have the unique exhaust problem, in that the back of the engine is the back of the car. I need my exhaust to be modified so that the final cat and any mufflers are much further forward. I'll go see what the guys doing MR2 conversions have been up to ...

Add to that ensuring that the centre stop lamp is ADR approved.

Here is one source for this kind of normal noise: These are the solenoid valves that control VVT-i and can be easily found under the engine cover (2 per cylinder head on the drivers/right side).

The oil pressure wire changed colour with facelift, but other than that all the other pins are the same, accept the display button input. The AT-X does not have the display button wire in the connector. Probably of bigger concern is what the combination meter gets over CAN. As the body ECU is a different part number, With additional features (park sensors and certification ECU for example on various grades) who knows what will happen?

For the same RRP you can get a touring ... which has the instrument panel you want. Only the AT-X has the lower spec part. Your pretty right with knowing the functions. Most functions would work straight away, but you would have no means of changing what is displayed, as the other models have a button on the steering wheel (plus a series resistor which you have to match), which you would want. In the repair manual that dealers have, from memory, it suggests you remove the steering wheel. But I remember being able to remove one without doing that (but think I did remove the steering column cover). Not sure about cost sorry. But if you can get a touring for the same price then it will cost nothing ... The odometer (km) is stored in this part. Check your state government regulations, as you may need to have someone who is certified to put a sticker in the front of the owners manual to record the km of both combination meters at the time of exchange. Otherwise you can get in trouble for winding the odometer forward or backward (imagine calling your insurer to make a claim and the km is less than their records, plus you failed to get it signed off). Please check. The image below shows my testing of an AT-X wire harness (engine ECU not connected). The odometer reads the same as when in the vehicle. Good luck! Edit: added pretty picture.

I know it is unheard of, but the owners manual contains information on the subject. Anyway, I'm sticking with 98 (I did some testing that showed 95 as the best $/km, with 98 only marginally behind, whilst 91 was the most expensive per km. I have not used E10 because, in my humble opinion, it's the devil).

To me the camera is best at showing you what you will hit rear-on. For a gutter, the field of view is there, but you have no reference point to know if you are going to hit or not (the factory Sat-Nav should show some green lines to help with predicted path, but I didn't cough up the extra $3,500 for that and the moon roof on a ZR6 [standard on Presara]). The mirrors being best in combo with the camera for a corner hit and the tilt looking down assists with how well you line up in a 90° park (rear to curb). Even with the mirrors down, its not 100% in protecting your rear alloys from getting damaged in a reverse park (parallel to curb). I was lucky that my previous car had a very flat left hand mirror, so I could see the ground where my rear wheel was when I lifted my head a little, but also gave correct rear view when driving. In 103,000km I did not damage a wheel (but a family member drove it about 1,000km over its life and scratched one wheel and got the windscreen chipped twice [both times needing repair]).

I remember seeing some testing videos when I was working at Holden and thought it was in the TV program Billion Dollar Baby. The closest was testing at . The test I saw had the car cold soaking in a freezer (shipping container) at high altitude, the car was started and within seconds was at wide open throttle driving down a runway (maybe the same as the above video) until it was time to brake to stop going over a mountain. But like DJKOR said, be gentle until in the normal range.Anyway, there was a Top Gear Test which saw a Citron making it to -40°C before dying. Manufacturers are still smart and make genuine accessory "block heaters" (that plug into mains power) for vehicles operating in environments that may have trouble starting. Even the coldest parts of Australia there is no need for this (and I had no troubles with -12°C last year ... thank god for electric blankets!).

At least it was all the same info.

I would imagine it is possible but you would most likely need to do a fair bit of tinkering (and some custom design) to get it to work... much like in that attached link. If you choose to attempt that, you are on your own sorry. The part number is as follows: 89430-33100 COMPUTER ASSY, OUTER MIRROR CONTROL You will firstly have to buy some aftermarket power folding mirrors, and then wire it up with the included wiring harness. Such example would be this one (same fit as the Aurion even though it says Camry): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOYOTA-camry-power-folding-signal-side-mirror-assembly_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3ef741225dQQitemZ270436213341QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories Yeah, what we said ...

To achieve this, models with this have a different switch that connects with an "Outer mirror control ECU" that is not on grades without this feature. This ECU connects via CAN to get seat position, reverse status, door status, ignition status and a few others. The mirror also has an additional 4 wires for position. To achieve this, you would have to design something from scratch (or get hold of what is shown in that thread and adapt it). This would require new parts (new mirror assembly with motor for folding) and new contol circuit. I can't see any grade with this already. Unless someone else finds the info, that means no parts to do this trick. Doesn't the car beep when you lock it?

Now includes STANDARD 16" Alloy Wheels (spare is steel), see AT-X Specs and in PDF: If you still dont't like, buy some aftermarket ones you like (hold on to the standard ones for sale time and use the aftermarket ones again on your next Aurion). So you wouldn't spend that much time in the car to miss all the additional features. If you had the Presara, you would be less likely to use it. Consider getting one that you will WANT to use at every opportunity! Have a look online and visit a dealer. All grades have the same performance (accept some are heavier) and same safety. 2008 production price guides from Redbook: Grade 2008 Price Private price guide Presara $49,990 $29,900 - $33,000 ZR6 $42,990 $26,800 - $29,700 SX6 $38,990 $22,600 - $25,200 Prodigy $39,990 $24,700 - $27,400 Touring $34,990 $21,000 - $23,400 AT-X $34,990 $19,400 - $21,800 2010 RRP: Presara $49,990 ZR6 $43,490 SX6 $40,490 Prodigy $41,490 Touring $35,990 AT-X $35,990 Check out Touring for low price (has premium combination meter, duel-zone climate control, park sensors, reverse camera, rear spoiler, fog lamps, etc.), if you look at Prodigy or SX6 you might as well go for ZR6 and if you go all out its Presara. I would ask lots about the Touring (click for PDF).

First 300km: Don't race then engine! I also made sure I didn't sit on constant rpm for very long. I don't remember seeing over 3000rpm until 300km (then I let it free for the first time). After that, drive it like you want it to perform for the rest of its days. This part of the engines life is generally where components get into a rhythm for doing the same thing over and over. Police patrol cars are driven hard, so accordingly for the rest of their lives they will consume a little more fuel (with marginal performance and response benefits). If you drive from Sydney to Melbourne straight away, the engine will run in to like a particular piston speed (corresponding to 110km/h), giving you smooth performance and economy at that rpm (but other speeds may seem less smooth or consume more fuel due to higher friction). This effect should be less with modern low friction engines, so I wouldn't expect to see differences that the average driver could detect. After 800km you can start towing.

What was the procedure you used for checking the oil level before you added more? Starting from "I got up in the morning and ..." The reason I ask is to see if the below quote is true (obviously only when it comes to cars and intended in the nicest way):

I have in the past had some brake shudder issues (in my pre-Toyota days) and it cost $220 front and $120 rear for rotor machining (at 90,000km). Unless you have a complaint, I wouldn't recommend it, as it uses up rotor thickness, which means you'll need to buy new ones sooner (or have other possible issues). At a guess for an Aurion, you would be up for probably over $500 for a set of new front rotors and over $250 for rears. Which reminds me, I have a full vehicle set of pads and discs (taken from a new Aurion which was never registered or driven) that I could either sell, or keep for when my Aurion needs them (but currently only at 15,000km) ... probably will keep them and sell them later if I no longer have an Aurion.

It is from the Camry platform, so for me I have no issue if someone called it a Camry. But I would still point out the different engine. At lest when you work for Toyota, people do know more about the differences than most. The differences are like comparing an Omega V6 with an SS-V V8. Holden has a V6, V8 and Duel Fuel Commodore. Toyota respectively has the Straight-4, V6 and Hybrid. Then you get to HSV & TRD. Same same, but different. Toyota has maintained the weight advantage (lighter). Holden the rear wheel drive (not that its an advantage in most 'normal' driving). Toyota the overall economy advantage. And the list goes on ... for and against with both. Main plus for me is that the Toyota has an ideal engine / drivetrain to use in a mid-engine rear wheel drive creation ;) 200 killer-wasps pushing only 500kg down the road ... thats my idea of fun!

Someone I know visited a dealer near the NSW/VIC border and saw one with twin-blowers ... thats what they told me anyway. I have no proof :(