Full-Throttle

Sounds like you're really happy with it. Awesome mate. Have you done any exhaust work, or the sound difference is purely intake?

Yeah I'm really happy with it, definitely something I wish I had done sooner. The temptation to put my foot down all the time due to the intake sound is huge, so it takes a lot of self control :). The exhaust is completely stock, so the sound difference is purely the intake. I'll have to take a sound clip of it sometime as it truly has to be heard to be appreciated. I've probably watched every single Aurion intake (SRI) video on YouTube prior to the install so knew roughly what noise to expect, but as it sits right now it's better than I could have ever expected. I'd be interested to see what the sound comparison is if I moved the filter into the engine bay temporarily since it would get muffled quite a lot by the sound deadening on the bonnet and firewall.

Quick update on the cold air intake: Performance does 'seem' to feel better, but it could be a placebo effect due to increased noise at full throttle. The Aurion is fast as hell from factory, so noticing an increase in performance is quite difficult, especially if we're only talking a few hp. The noise is incredible - Dead silent with normal driving around town, throaty when you give it more than 1/4 throttle and it screams up in the higher RPM's. There's an audible change in sound at around the 5,500rpm mark, where it goes from a roar to a scream. Of all the videos I've watched of the K&N Typhoon intakes on Aurions and 3.5L Camrys I've never heard the noise change in the higher RPM like this one does, so my guess is that the sound resonates between the bumper and guard liner at that particular RPM. Whatever is the cause, it sounds awesome!!

Immediately after driving the intake pipes and throttle body is literally cool to the touch. The actual intake temperature does seem to be a tad cooler (measured with my UltraGauge) by a few degrees compared to the factory intake. Typically the intake temp is only 2-5 degrees hotter than the outside ambient temp, whereas the stock intake could be up to 10-15 degrees hotter.

One interesting/strange thing to point out is that the automatic transmission shifts are much noticeable when you're booting it - As in, you can feel the gears change due to a very slight jerking feeling. When cruising normally the gears are silk-like, but when you're on the throttle quite hard you can certainly notice it. At first I was worried about it, and ended up spinning the MAF sensor pipe so that the sensor sat straight up (like the factory orientation), but this didn't help. Don't get me wrong though, the split second pause between gears is actually something I like. It feels like you're driving a semi-auto/tiptronic rather than a slushbox that just slips into the next gear and makes that boring automatic gear change noise. As a result, the RPM's remain a little higher when it changes to the next gear, so it stays in the proper powerband and keeps pulling hard. It's almost like the shift points have changed slightly due to the increased air flow from the aftermarket intake.

All in all, this intake has changed the way the car sounds and feels. It's intimidating growl is enough to turn heads, but quiet enough when cruising not to attract the wrong kind of attention. It really makes you realize how well the factory intake muffles the sound of the engine, and how amazing these engines can sound with minimal effort. Unleash the beast! You won't be disappointed B)

Hey Dave, the only way to tell for sure if your Aurion has the metal lines is by looking at them. The easiest one to spot is the one at the back the engine near the firewall, on the driver's side. Once you open the bonnet you'll see it going down the back of the engine. The facelift Aurions typically had the 'revised' rubber hose on them, which was much more durable than the rubber hose on the 1st generation Aurion but still prone to leaking due to still being made of rubber. The latest shape Aurion (GSV50) had the full metal lines on all versions however. It is possible that you have a pin hole leak in that line or the oil cooler line at the front of the engine.

I have experienced both of these failing on my Aurion in the last 3 months - The rear one 2 months ago and the front one about a month ago, both of which I have upgraded to the full metal replacement. The rear one started as a pin hole leak and the only thing that caught my attention were tiny oil drops on my garage floor. Fortunately I got the car to my mechanic the next day as I was very aware of the potential disaster waiting to happen and caught it just in time. The front line however didn't give any warning whatsoever. One minute it was fine, and the next thing I know the engine temperature started rising and oil was spraying everywhere under the car. This was also a pin hole leak but squirted out the oil rapidly.

Some engines have a tendency to use more oil than others, but, depending on when your last oil change was, to go through 6 litres of oil on a 39,000km motor is rather concerning. I'd be checking both the front and rear oil lines, the sump nut and the oil filter, to make sure everything is tight and leak-free. It could be nothing, but it's definitely worth getting under the car and having a look. Bear in mind that the oil lines will only leak when the engine is running, so you may have to get the car up on a hoist with a torch to properly inspect everything.

These guys do one for the Aurion which is shown on a Sportivo: http://www.clevelandexhaust.com.au/towing.asp

I've seen a number of Aurions with the towbar that comes out underneath the bumper rather than through the rear lip like the factory optional one. This one for example should fit no problem, even with the Sportivo rear lip: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TAURUS-Aussie-Made-TOY033-Heavy-Duty-Tow-Bar-For-Toyota-Camry-Aurion-07-On-/120964504122 - I'd suggest giving a few local towbar dealers a call however, as you may find something cheaper and/or more suitable.

I decided to custom make this cold air intake this weekend. It took me just under 3-hours from start to finish but it sounds amazing. The filter is routed between the fusebox and battery and sits just behind the LH fog light.

The list of parts I used is as follows:

* 1x 3" 45-degree alloy intercooler pipe.

* 1x 3" alloy MAF sensor adapter pipe.

* 2x 3" black silicone joiners.

* 1x 3" black 45-degree silicone joiner.

* 3x 3" stainless T-bolt clamps.

* 2x 3.5" stainless T-bolt clamps.

* Simota extra long (220mm vs 130mm) 3" pod filter.

* Simota mini breather (for crankcase ventilation hose).

'

I managed to get a couple of mods done to the Aurion today. The first thing on the 'to do' list was to make a cold air intake from scratch, using a bunch of parts I bought last weekend from various online sellers and performance shops. All of the parts are designed to be a universal fit for most makes and models, not specifically for the Aurion, so I had to modify certain things to make it all fit. I didn't end up using the straight 3" alloy pipe seen in the first photo, but all of the other parts I ended up using. I still have to buy one more 3.5" T-bolt clamp as I was one short due to the throttle body opening being bigger than I thought, but aside from that the set-up is complete and it sounds AMAZING!! :D. It's too hot here today to tell if it's made a difference in performance but on the cooler mornings during the trip to work next week I should be able to tell - However to be honest, I only did this mod for the noise enhancement, so any performance increase will simply be a bonus :)

The list of parts I used is as follows:

* 1x 3" 45-degree alloy intercooler pipe.

* 1x 3" alloy MAF sensor adapter pipe.

* 2x 3" black silicone joiners.

* 1x 3" black 45-degree silicone joiner.

* 3x 3" stainless T-bolt clamps.

* 2x 3.5" stainless T-bolt clamps.

* Simota extra long (220mm vs 130mm) 3" pod filter.

* Simota mini breather (for crankcase ventilation hose).

'

The second mod I got out of the way was the installation of this 'Potent Booster' throttle controller. I installed the unit next to the ashtray in the centre console, which gets hidden when you shut the flap. This works by amplifying the signal sent from the accelerator and makes the ECU think that you're applying more throttle than you really are. The benefit of this is that it eliminates the lag when you push the accelerator (typical of drive-by-wire systems) and makes the car 'feel' faster. You don't gain any horsepower or torque with this mod and I was really skeptical about it's effectiveness when buying it, but after driving the car after the install I can confidently say that it livens it right up and transforms the whole feel of acceleration.

I thought it might have been a case of just having to press your foot down harder to achieve the same result, hence why I was so skeptical to spend good money on this product, but after testing the difference between the 'normal' mode and 'sports' mode the responsiveness definitely can't be replicated by pushing your foot down quicker/harder, so it seems like it was worth the money overall. There are a number of other modes you can put it on too (including a fuel economy mode), each with 9 intensity levels for each mode but I found that Sports 5 is the optimal setting for my driving style.

Watch this space ;)

I decided to get the personalized plates remanufactured to freshen them up with the new font, and opted to add a couple of spaces between the zeros :)

Thanks mate :D

I slapped this personalized plate on the car a couple of days ago. It doesn't stand for anything as such, but adds a little more character:

A small but effective addition:

Yesterday I found myself stranded on the side of the road due to a leak in the infamous oil cooler hose at the front of the engine. This is a VERY common problem which is well documented online by other Aurion, Rav4, Camry, Sienna, Highlander, and Lexus owners that have the 2GR-FE engine. Some of you may remember my post on page 1 of this thread where the VVTi oil line at the back of the engine decided to spring a leak in the same sort of way and I replaced it with a full metal line as found on the latest shape Aurion (GSV50). Fortunately that time I noticed oil dripping on the garage floor and managed to get it replaced the next day before it created a serious leak. This time however I wasn't so lucky, as out of nowhere the oil cooler pipe ruptured seemingly out of nowhere, and began to squirt the engine oil out at an alarming rate. I noticed the smoke straight away as it leaked down onto the exhaust and burnt off, so I quickly pulled over into a gas station which was conveniently right there.

I immediately looked under the car, expecting to see a coolant leak but when I wiped my finger along the plastic undertray it was hot engine oil that greeted me. I called my Dad, whose house I had just been visiting 5-minutes earlier, and asked him to kindly bring me some oil so I could get my car to a mechanic ASAP. Even in the short space of time that it all happened (about 100m and 20-seconds as I was stuck at a red light) the hose had squirted out almost all of the oil. My digital UltraGauge only indicated an engine temp of 90-degrees (regular is 85-degrees) when I switched the engine off, so there was no engine damage thankfully.

After refilling the oil and letting the engine cool down to around 60-degrees, I set off to my mechanic, which was only about 2km the opposite way. As luck would have it, I caught every single red light on the way, so I turned off the engine until it went green again as the oil only pumped out when the engine was running. I got there as quickly as possible, with the engine temp not exceeding 87-degrees when I arrived, but when I checked the oil level after I arrived it was almost empty again. So in that very short space of time almost 6-litres of oil had been lost. God must have been on my side that day because even though it was a Sunday, the mechanic had popped into the workshop briefly and I was able to explain the problem, give him my keys and leave the car overnight until this morning. Funnily enough, I had the full metal replacement line sitting at home this whole time, 'just in case'.

As a side note, I had been meaning to replace the alternator pulley at some stage too as it had started to make a chirping sound at idle once warm, so I decided to get it done at the same time and chucked in a brand spanking new genuine Toyota alternator that I had sitting at home. I dropped off the parts this morning, plus some more oil, and 4-hours later the job was done. All up it only ended up costing me $278, which is a damn side cheaper than replacing the engine . The leak in the oil hose was literally a pin hole prick - So it's amazing how a leak so small can squirt out such vast amounts of oil and make so much mess when it's under pressure.

TL;DR version: Oil cooler hose started leaking, oil everywhere, new metal one put in, alternator replaced due to squeaky pulled, no more squeaking, engine fine, everybody happy.

This is a photo I got from Google but it shows the comparison between the two lines. With both oil lines now replaced with metal ones this problem should never happen again, but I urge other Aurion owners (or any owners with the 2GR-FE engine that have the rubber oil hoses) to replace them with the metal version ASAP as it could leave you and your family stranded when you least expect it:

Hey, nah the one on the outside of the door.

Chrome trim on the lower half of the door.

Only the series one has it.

Ohhh the door mouldings. They're held in with clips and double-sided tape. You have to remove the inner door panels however to access the clips, as you can't pop them off from the outside.

Hey Geoff, are you referring to the inner door panel/trim? If so then there's only a few screws to remove and the lower part is clipped in. You pop the vertical piece of plastic off the hand grips and this will expose two screws - Remove those. Get a small flathead screwdriver or credit card and pop the plastic 'cupped' piece off the inside of the door handle and this will expose one more screw. Last but not least is the small plastic clip on the door panel nearest the dashboard. Push the centre of the clip in and then it'll simply pull out towards you. Then get a firm grip on the bottom of the panel and pull. One the clips are popped out, lift the door panel up and off. It's a really simple procedure - Just be sure to unplug the window switch and door light after popping the panel off.

Here's a link to a DIY with photos and a video on YouTube:

http://www.paulstravelpictures.com/Toyota-Camry-Interior-Door-Panel-Removal-Guide/

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/42721-easy-diy-instrument-cluster-colour-change/

Bro what do you reckon of the sound chip? Are they any good or better than the stock?

I wouldn't say better than stock, but it's not any worse than stock either. I get deep bass and good clean midrange through the speakers when listening to music via USB stick, but I have changed the front speakers to 6.5's, so that could alter the results a little. The stock Toyota systems are usually pretty well built in terms of output these days, but are often stuck in the dark ages when it comes to functionality.

You might want to edit your HU post.

Its confusing.

The Erisin used to boot up almost instantly, with only about a 3-5 second boot logo time, whereas the Erisin seems to take around 20-seconds to boot up. Admittedly, you can still use your reversing camera during the first 5-seconds of booting, but you can't play music or use video inputs (such as my front camera) until the unit has finished booting up, which is somewhat annoying.

Otherwise its a great post! lol

Edited ;). Too many Erisins and Eonons going through my head!

On Friday I upgraded headunits from the Erisin ES7668AU (WinCE OS) to the Eonon GA5164F (Android KitKat OS). At almost half the price of the Eonon unit, the Erisin was great value for money, but the age old saying of "you get what you paid for" definitely rung true this time. The Eonon has a much more powerful processor and doesn't seem to have random freezes and hiccups like the Erisin did, plus being Android based it essentially future-proofs itself by being able to use the Google Play Store to download the latest apps etc with the built in WiFi. When I initially bought the Erisin unit 4-months ago I didn't think that an Android based headunit would be necessary for me since I use my smartphone for apps, games, messaging etc, but I'll gladly eat my own hat on this occasion and say that I wish it had have been my first choice

Sadly, Customs stung me with fees when it arrived in NZ, which made this unit even more expensive than normal, but after using it for only a few days so far I can confidently say that it's worth every cent. My only real complaint is the time it takes to boot up after the ignition has been off for a few minutes. The Erisin used to boot up almost instantly, with only about a 3-5 second boot logo time, whereas the Erisin seems to take around 20-seconds to boot up. Admittedly, you can still use your reversing camera during the first 5-seconds of booting, but you can't play music or use video inputs (such as my front camera) until the unit has finished booting up, which is somewhat annoying.

Apart from that, the WiFi works well, the screen is super responsive (it's just like using a phone), Bluetooth works well and music quality sounds great. All in all, I got what I paid for and it's a definite upgrade from the Erisin. If you're someone who just wants to use the stereo for music and phone calls then definitely consider the Erisin as for the price it's not bad, but if you're someone like me who likes to keep up with the play and have the ability to customize things in as many ways as possible then there's no looking past the Eonon in my opinion.

On Friday I upgraded headunits from the Erisin ES7668AU (WinCE OS) to the Eonon GA5164F (Android KitKat OS). At almost half the price of the Eonon unit, the Erisin was great value for money, but the age old saying of "you get what you paid for" definitely rung true this time. The Eonon has a much more powerful processor and doesn't seem to have random freezes and hiccups like the Erisin did, plus being Android based it essentially future-proofs itself by being able to use the Google Play Store to download the latest apps etc with the built in WiFi. When I initially bought the Erisin unit 4-months ago I didn't think that an Android based headunit would be necessary for me since I use my smartphone for apps, games, messaging etc, but I'll gladly eat my own hat on this occasion and say that I wish it had have been my first choice

Sadly, Customs stung me with fees when it arrived in NZ, which made this unit even more expensive than normal, but after using it for only a few days so far I can confidently say that it's worth every cent. My only real complaint is the time it takes to boot up after the ignition has been off for a few minutes. The Erisin used to boot up almost instantly, with only about a 3-5 second boot logo time, whereas the Eonon seems to take around 20-seconds to boot up. Admittedly, you can still use your reversing camera during the first 5-seconds of booting, but you can't play music or use video inputs (such as my front camera) until the unit has finished booting up, which is somewhat annoying.

Apart from that, the WiFi works well, the screen is super responsive (it's just like using a phone), Bluetooth works well and music quality sounds great. All in all, I got what I paid for and it's a definite upgrade from the Erisin. If you're someone who just wants to use the stereo for music and phone calls then definitely consider the Erisin as for the price it's not bad, but if you're someone like me who likes to keep up with the play and have the ability to customize things in as many ways as possible then there's no looking past the Eonon in my opinion.

Anyway, enough about the stereo - Today I also painted the factory brake calipers red. This isn't a decision I made without putting a lot of thought behind it as I know how some cars can look really tacky with painted calipers, but considering how well the TRD model pulls it off (not a model we got here locally) I decided to bite the bullet and do it. The final outcome is something that compliments the car but isn't 'in your face'. Sure, it doesn't have the braking ability of the TRD Aurion, but we all know that painted calipers yield an extra 5hp at the wheels :P

The speed is read though the ABS sensors on each hub, which goes to the ABS computer, then to the ECU and then to the cluster......The UltraGauge is connected to the OBD-II port which reads the information received by the ECU. My wheels are factory optional TRD's with the same equivalent tyre size to the factory 17's, and the speed on my GPS is the same as what's shown on my UltraGauge, hence why I ignore what my cluster is telling me after 70kph.....

I have an UltraGauge in my Aurion which gets connected to the OBD-II port under the dashboard (reads the data directly from the ECU) and when my speedometer shows 110kph in reality I'm only doing 100kph, so the ECU knows exactly what speed you're doing but they program the cluster to read slower. So at any speeds over 70kph I ignore the speedometer and just watch the UltraGauge instead.

They're a 2x2x2 seating arrangement. The very rear seats fold flat so you have a normal size boot space when not needed. The engine bay is quite a lot more cramped towards the firewall compared to the Aurion, much like the Blade, so doing any work back there wouldn't be much fun :) - More info here: http://www.miyazono.jp/auto/toyota/car/to_markx-zio_0902.html

^ The closest in wagon form would be the Mark X Zio. Some of them had the 2GR in them. It weighs an extra 70kg more than the Aurion due to it being a 6-seater, but would definitely be a good combination of power and space.

Here's some pics of an 'Aero Tourer' version:

Welcome aboard Andy and congrats on the purchase! The Blade Master is a very quick car indeed. My dad currently owns a 2.4 Blade S but is on the hunt for a 'perfect' Master G (leather/suede interior, radar cruise control, front and rear lips etc), but finding that perfect combination is no easy feat. Funnily enough, I have a Blade Master G steering wheel on my Aurion, working paddle shifters and all :). The Blade is 120kg lighter than the Aurion which makes it a bit quicker, and the shorter body definitely makes it 'feel' like it pulls harder. Glad that you decided to go with the Aurion though. Much more legroom and you can run them on regular 91 octane instead of 95 premium.

See you around the forums B)

heyheyhey

Im liking this set up very much :) So many things i want! I just got to ask you a few questions, please help me

1. I just want to ask if those door courtesy lights are the same for the front and back doors, the seller(your link) has them listed in pairs and i just want to make sure.

2. Could you also get a link to the listing for the v6 dual vvti sticker you bought? I can only find the genuine one from a toyota dealership and the black wont look that nice on my tint :(

Thanks, Richard

Hey Richard, thanks! Yep the door lights are the same front and rear and are sold in pairs, so you'll need to change the quantity to 2 if you want a set of four :). Here's a link to the V6 Dual VVT-i sticker: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-Prado-stickers-decals-x2-for-V6-dual-VVTi-premium-quality-/252027890259?hash=item3aae086a53&vxp=mtr