2002 Toyota Mark II Blit
Discussion
Not sure if this will be of interest on here, but there's a few 1JZ cars knocking around, so here's mine.
It's a 2002 Mark II Blit IR-V which is basically a JZX110 with a boot - you can really see in the side profile where they have just plopped on the boot. It's quite hearse like! Only ever came with 4 speed autos but all the saloon stuff fits just fine if I decide to change it. It came with R34 GTR wheels, Tein IS200 coilovers which are way undersprung and it's otherwise standard.
Pictures while in Japan
Collection day, making a 7 series look small
Chucked £30 of V-Power in on the way home and.. oh wow just a quarter of a tank! I'm pretty sure this will take £100 to fill from completely empty. Last fill up was £80 and I had just under a quarter of a tank left. It averages around 20mpg so the huge tank is probably a good thing!
I first set about removing the junk japanese radio and toll card reader which was cool for all of about 2 days before it got annoying. Replaced with a Kenwood Android Auto/Apple Carplay unit. The front speakers are great, but the rears are shocking so I might look at upgrading those sometime. Interestingly there's only 4 speakers and 2 tweeters in the whole car, really doesnt seem like enough!
Pretty soon afterwards I had quite a bad blow out, thankfully only going 40mph, not motorway speeds! Tyre had completely shredded itself.
Fitted 4x Michelin PS4's. Much better!
Cleaned up nicely
Since then I've put a couple of thousand kilometres on it and it started to develop a misfire at low revs under high load. Toyota have fitted an OBD2 port, but it doesnt connect to a conventional scanner. So to scan any fault codes I had an HKS OB-Link imported to read it, but by the time it arrived I had already fitted new oem spark plugs which rectified the problem. It's now running better than ever!
I found some brand new GTR Centre caps for sale, but can't decide whether to have the wheels matched to the colour of the caps or the caps done silver...
Photoshop of colour matched silver (and lowered!):
Next up, I'm going to do an oil and filter change as it needs doing every 5000km, I have valve cover gaskets to do and I've got an Apexi intake coming from Japan at some point. It needs undersealing still, but it wont get much use over winter so I'm not too worried for now.
Thanks for looking!
It's a 2002 Mark II Blit IR-V which is basically a JZX110 with a boot - you can really see in the side profile where they have just plopped on the boot. It's quite hearse like! Only ever came with 4 speed autos but all the saloon stuff fits just fine if I decide to change it. It came with R34 GTR wheels, Tein IS200 coilovers which are way undersprung and it's otherwise standard.
Pictures while in Japan
Collection day, making a 7 series look small
Chucked £30 of V-Power in on the way home and.. oh wow just a quarter of a tank! I'm pretty sure this will take £100 to fill from completely empty. Last fill up was £80 and I had just under a quarter of a tank left. It averages around 20mpg so the huge tank is probably a good thing!
I first set about removing the junk japanese radio and toll card reader which was cool for all of about 2 days before it got annoying. Replaced with a Kenwood Android Auto/Apple Carplay unit. The front speakers are great, but the rears are shocking so I might look at upgrading those sometime. Interestingly there's only 4 speakers and 2 tweeters in the whole car, really doesnt seem like enough!
Pretty soon afterwards I had quite a bad blow out, thankfully only going 40mph, not motorway speeds! Tyre had completely shredded itself.
Fitted 4x Michelin PS4's. Much better!
Cleaned up nicely
Since then I've put a couple of thousand kilometres on it and it started to develop a misfire at low revs under high load. Toyota have fitted an OBD2 port, but it doesnt connect to a conventional scanner. So to scan any fault codes I had an HKS OB-Link imported to read it, but by the time it arrived I had already fitted new oem spark plugs which rectified the problem. It's now running better than ever!
I found some brand new GTR Centre caps for sale, but can't decide whether to have the wheels matched to the colour of the caps or the caps done silver...
Photoshop of colour matched silver (and lowered!):
Next up, I'm going to do an oil and filter change as it needs doing every 5000km, I have valve cover gaskets to do and I've got an Apexi intake coming from Japan at some point. It needs undersealing still, but it wont get much use over winter so I'm not too worried for now.
Thanks for looking!
d_a_n1979 said:
That is absolutely lovely 
I’ve been looking into these as a possible replacement for my Japanese import BMW E39 530i touring... I’ve not had it 12months yet, but the appeal of going back to a JDM car, an auto touring 1JZ one at that, is seriously tempting
Yours is a stunning colour! How did you source it and do you mind me asking the ball park figure you paid for it?
What’s the spec also?
Thank you!I’ve been looking into these as a possible replacement for my Japanese import BMW E39 530i touring... I’ve not had it 12months yet, but the appeal of going back to a JDM car, an auto touring 1JZ one at that, is seriously tempting
Yours is a stunning colour! How did you source it and do you mind me asking the ball park figure you paid for it?
What’s the spec also?
It's very good at wafting around with a bit of boost thrown in for good measure.
I would say its probably on par with an E39 in terms of size at just under 4.8 metres long.
The only slight let down is the gearbox being a proper old school 4 speed slusher. It will still be quicker than a 530i though.
Theres a silver one on eBay currently, I bought mine from the same chap for pretty much the same price! I can definitely recommend buying from him. My car's done 170k Km which still isn't really a lot for a 2002 car,
has a sunroof, optional body kit and grill and a fujitsubo exhaust. I'm pretty sure my car was a grade 3.5/B but aside from a couple of scratches it does look good!
Mine has apparently had the timing belt done, but I've no actual proof of this other than some really faint scribbles on the cover. Seems like service history isn't really a thing in Japan!
d_a_n1979 said:
Cheers
Yes I’m watching that silver one... Not rushing though so will see if any others crop up come the new year and after winter probably
I’ve been asked by a number of folk on the BMW forums and FB pages that if I look to sell, to let them know first, so I’d like to think that if I look to sell, I could have a few buyers in tow
Yup, the 530i shifts, more so as it has a better diff for acceleration rather than top end speed and TBH it’ll soon get to losing-your-license speeds. But the 1JZ engine is a c300BHP turbo engine, so I’d hope it’d be faster Still, it’s a chunk of a car to carry round haha.. They’re a capable engine though and very tuneable... 
Know what you mean re SH too... Mine was a grade 4, but with little paperwork. It’s had a ton of work since I’ve owned it though, all preventative maintenance & some upgrades
Well if you’re still looking for one next year, shoot me a PM if you’re interested, I never tend to keep cars for too long so I might be ready for something else by then! Yes I’m watching that silver one... Not rushing though so will see if any others crop up come the new year and after winter probably
I’ve been asked by a number of folk on the BMW forums and FB pages that if I look to sell, to let them know first, so I’d like to think that if I look to sell, I could have a few buyers in tow
Yup, the 530i shifts, more so as it has a better diff for acceleration rather than top end speed and TBH it’ll soon get to losing-your-license speeds. But the 1JZ engine is a c300BHP turbo engine, so I’d hope it’d be faster
Still, it’s a chunk of a car to carry round haha.. They’re a capable engine though and very tuneable... Know what you mean re SH too... Mine was a grade 4, but with little paperwork. It’s had a ton of work since I’ve owned it though, all preventative maintenance & some upgrades
swampy442 said:
Very nice, unusual Toyota colour as well.
Yep first thing I generally do with my imports is card reader out, stereo out lol.
Re the cone filter, a KnN panel filter is by far a better option in terms of performance and filtration but if you must, make sure you remove and clean the AFM before you fit it, and clean it regularly as they can cause some running issues. I was chasing a boost problem for months on an old Crown which turned out to be a dirty flowmeter!
It’s Toyota Black Cherry Pearl, not sure if we got it in the UK but it looks like it was popular in America after a quick google! It’s great in the sun, very deep.Yep first thing I generally do with my imports is card reader out, stereo out lol.
Re the cone filter, a KnN panel filter is by far a better option in terms of performance and filtration but if you must, make sure you remove and clean the AFM before you fit it, and clean it regularly as they can cause some running issues. I was chasing a boost problem for months on an old Crown which turned out to be a dirty flowmeter!
The thing with the intake kit is that the sensor is actually fitted to the air box, so it’s not as simple as just throwing a cone on. It needs a jzx110 specific kit and the Apexi seems to be the best reviewed of the lot! And rather than performance, I want some more turbo noises if I'm being honest... (chav!!)
grudas said:
love that! as a jzs171 owner that is right up my alley! colour pops too!
It was your thread that prompted me to post this one actually! Love the way yours looks, very cool in black! as a jzs171 owner that is right up my alley! colour pops too!Scooobydont said:
Brilliant, I am really loving this type of thing. Currently in my first ever jap car (blobeye wagon, non JDM) and think I am going to something silly next time and get something like this, they look like so much value for money.
You do get a lot of kit on these old Toyotas, electric heated and folding mirrors, climate control with the cool swing vents, sunroof, electric drivers seat... and this isn't really a luxury model either!I actually tested out a Subaru wagon before I bought this and really enjoyed it, only thing that put me off was that it was misfiring intermittently and I dont know the first thing about boxer engines!
RC1807 said:
That's an interesting car, although the side view, with the rear as it is, I can't help but think of the Ssangyong Rodius or Skoda Roomster.... sorry, OP.
Haha yes to the Ssangyong, couldn't quite put my finger on where I've seen the rear window design before but I think that's it! Shame as it would have looked decent with a different shape to the rear windows...BlameItOnGT2 said:
Absolutely loving this JDM Toyota 1JZ content recently on PH!
Alongside the Crown Estate I am pining for, the Mark II Blit is another car I have been seriously considering but been put off by the marmite looks. However, yours looks much nicer than others I've seen because of that beautiful colour!
Are you planning to modify the car further?
I do like the Crown estates, they do look very cool! Think I'm right in saying they're even bigger than this too!Alongside the Crown Estate I am pining for, the Mark II Blit is another car I have been seriously considering but been put off by the marmite looks. However, yours looks much nicer than others I've seen because of that beautiful colour!
Are you planning to modify the car further?
These are very odd to look at, I'll agree with you there. I think a dark colour definitely helps to hide the weird rear end.
Lots of plans, but whether or not I'll go through with them remains to be seen. I tend to go through cars quite quickly, but I am quite enjoying this one!
I think it needs some slightly stiffer suspension as it's a bit under-sprung currently. Would probably benefit from some fresh bushes also. I dont want to go too mad with power without upgrading the turbo due to the ceramic exhaust wheel, and if I'm upgrading the turbo then it's the start of a slippery slope!
BlameItOnGT2 said:
I think that is what it is, the rear quarter panel just looks too odd. It's not the first car to be the estate version of a sedan but things like the Impreza get away with it, this I haven't decided yet.
Am I right in saying that this also shares parts with the first generation IS/Altezza?
It's honestly comical how lazy the designers were! I think they just tried to distract everyone with a different front end!Am I right in saying that this also shares parts with the first generation IS/Altezza?
Normally the rear door and C pillar is changed when an estate version is made, but I guess it's cheaper this way!
I'm sort of tempted to make the chrome trim around the windows black, and then add a piece of black gloss vinyl to the C pillar to blend it all in. Bit much perhaps...
Yes essentially all of the suspension is IS200, control arms, hubs, bushes etc. Even stuff like the IS200 clutch pedal, master cylinder, front half of the prop shaft and gearbox mount all just bolt straight in. Thats what I've read anyway, and I'm hoping to put it to the test if I end up keeping it long term!
Edited by JoeyD on Wednesday 4th December 10:17
BlameItOnGT2 said:
I don't even understand why Toyota needed to create the Mark II Blit anyway.
They already had the Crown Estate, the Caldina and the Altezza Gita. Proof that it was not needed is that they killed it off immediately when they consolidated their product range and ended the other three as well.
Makes you wonder...
I mean they made the Chaser, Cresta and Mark 2 saloon for years and they were all the exact same car! Toyota seem to have a habit of doing it!They already had the Crown Estate, the Caldina and the Altezza Gita. Proof that it was not needed is that they killed it off immediately when they consolidated their product range and ended the other three as well.
Makes you wonder...
TommoAE86 said:
Great car OP 
the colour is stunning and really unusual. Personally I'd match the centre caps to the current wheel colour but that's just me.
I'm on my second Japanese car now and wish I'd done it sooner. Can't believe that they stuck with 4sp auto's for so long but then I guess you don't have far to go in Japan! Shame we didn't get more of these over here
I think I I about the centre caps, just seems a shame to remove all the factory paint! the colour is stunning and really unusual. Personally I'd match the centre caps to the current wheel colour but that's just me. I'm on my second Japanese car now and wish I'd done it sooner. Can't believe that they stuck with 4sp auto's for so long but then I guess you don't have far to go in Japan! Shame we didn't get more of these over here
Yeah 4 gears really isnt enough! Especially having driven a few modern BMW's with double the number of gears! At least those 4 gears are reliable... haha
designforlife said:
Love it, I'm all about the JDMs (on my third import now)... more people should consider it as a viable alternative to the boring sh*te we get peddled over here in the domestic used car market.
Totally agree! Think a lot of people get scared by the potential cost of spare parts etc and information on stuff can be hard to find. Had a decent couple of months with this thing doing estate duties.
The misfire came back after changing the plugs, and after investigating it turns out the valve covers have been leaking (the bolts were barely finger tight!) And the crossover tube that connects them has disintegrated. I removed the plug from cylinder 5 (directly below the crossover tube) and it was drenched in oil!
I think that should be the end of it!
I've also purchased a set of HSD's from Driftworks with the correct spring rates, they'll go on when the weather gets a little better.
Thinking more and more about manual swapping it; I really am enjoying this thing!
The misfire came back after changing the plugs, and after investigating it turns out the valve covers have been leaking (the bolts were barely finger tight!) And the crossover tube that connects them has disintegrated. I removed the plug from cylinder 5 (directly below the crossover tube) and it was drenched in oil!
I think that should be the end of it!
I've also purchased a set of HSD's from Driftworks with the correct spring rates, they'll go on when the weather gets a little better.
Thinking more and more about manual swapping it; I really am enjoying this thing!
swampy442 said:
Ah the old leaking cam cover trick. People over tighten the washers (theyre plastic with a metal cap) so they break up and you lose your clamping force. new washers is the key.
Re manual swap, its pretty/very expensive nowadays for very little if any gain, and unless you buy a Toyota box you can run into issues with adaptors, gear ratios etc. Just stick with the tiptronic box
Yes, I'll look into the washers! The new gaskets have definitely helped but I will keep my eye on it.Re manual swap, its pretty/very expensive nowadays for very little if any gain, and unless you buy a Toyota box you can run into issues with adaptors, gear ratios etc. Just stick with the tiptronic box
I've found a kit that utilises the IS200 J160 (not the strongest but good for at least 400hp) for around 1500 quid all in. Not bad considering an R154 alone costs more than that now! A GT86 diff drops right in too so the gearing would be pretty sensible.
I wouldnt mind leaving it auto if it was a good gearbox, but it's not even tip-tronic - just an old school 4 speed slusher! Time will tell, I change my mind almost daily about what to do with it.
Matt Cup said:
Are you from Chadderton/Oldham by any chance? I’m sure I saw this car driving past B&Q on the bypass towards Oldham Royal this evening around 6ish . The car stood out due to the roads being pretty quiet and it being something I have never seen before.
Hi Matt, I live further towards Huddersfield but I would have been visiting Pets At Home (via Tesco petrol station as per) if it was last week! Managed to fill up for a full £20 less than normal which I was completely stunned by... It's gotten real cheap!!A small update, I finally got round to fitting the HSD's I bought around Christmas time. I have to say, they're so much better suited; the stiffer springs have really helped with body control and it actually handles really well now for a big old bus!
Stripped them all down and sprayed the shock body with copper grease (recommended by Driftworks), set the spring pre-load to roughly 10mm. Seems ok!
The Teins featured a bracket to hold the ABS sensor wire which isn't on the HSD's, so had to improvise with a couple of cable ties.
Had to take apart most of the rear to get to the top mounts, which was fun trying to remember where everything went! I could really do with buying some extended preload adjusters, it's not really practical having to take apart the boot to adjust the stiffness!
I then moved onto the engine. I've been working under the assumption that the oil was changed on arrival to the country at around 171k km, and it needs changing every 5k (filter every 10). Having gone over 175k I thought now was as good a time as any to do the oil and filter. I used Fuchs Titan 5W40 and a genuine Denso Toyota filter. FYI it takes exatly 5 litres (the other 10 are for the E36!)
The old filter was covered in Japanese text, so I guess I was probably wrong about the oil being changed when it landed here! Never mind.
I fitted the Apexi intake also, quite a nice piece of kit with a heat shield and two mounting brackets, seems very sturdy. Makes some cool whooshy turbo noises too!
And here's how it sits now. Tried playing around with the heights but it probably still needs adjusting some more. The front tyres are still scrubbing the arch liners occasionally and I'd rather not remove them, but I think I might have to.
You might be able to spot I've fitted a boost gauge to the OEM clock - this shares a generic Toyota clock with a few models so I managed to pick up a spare one to gut. Think it needs a bit of tinting film as it's way too bright!
I'll be honest, I was planning on getting rid of this car for a few reasons; but I'm really not sure I can now! It's brilliant, and I think I need to spend a bit more time with it yet. I still believe it would be so much better with three pedals and a manual gearbox and I'm more inclined to try it now that I know the chassis is a competent one. Fitting the HSD's has improved it massively, although it has highlighted how tired it feels after 175k. To try and sort this I've ordered around 200 quid's worth of oem rubber bushings for the front end. The rear end needs attention too, but I'm not quite sure rubber will cut it for things like the rear subframe or diff mountings, so I may look into polybushes for those. I want to keep it comfortable, but still have it handle well which can be a difficult thing to do... Trying to find a good balance!
Edited by Deadbod on Thursday 30th April 18:51
swampy442 said:
You know how to stop the arch liner scuff? raise it up a bit
Good to see someone using a genuine filter as well, they'e so cheap there really is no reason not to
Haha of course that would be the easiest way! I'd quite like to keep it at this height if I can, the wheels fill the arches quite nicely. I'm sure if the likes of BMW can get a competition pack M3 to sit the way it does, I can make this work!Good to see someone using a genuine filter as well, they'e so cheap there really is no reason not to
Silly not to use genuine stuff really, you can still get pretty much all of the consumables new from Toyota so theres no excuse!
Tackled a job I've been wanting to do for a while this weekend. Headlights!
They've been one of the major things letting the car down; all discoloured and hazy. I think it's quite common with Japanese cars, they must get left out in the sun a lot!
Decided to give the Meguiars kit a go, mainly because it has a drill-bit polisher.
Befores:
And about 5 minutes of polishing later...
Probably the easiest thing I've done on a car. Definitely recommend!
They've been one of the major things letting the car down; all discoloured and hazy. I think it's quite common with Japanese cars, they must get left out in the sun a lot!
Decided to give the Meguiars kit a go, mainly because it has a drill-bit polisher.
Befores:
And about 5 minutes of polishing later...
Probably the easiest thing I've done on a car. Definitely recommend!
Edited by Deadbod on Sunday 3rd May 20:58
Thanks! Unfortunately the paint is one thing letting it down cosmetically.
I've done the bushes on one side at the front, forgot to take pictures as it's not the most fun task in the world, but here it is all missing!
Feels much better on that corner, no more thudding around over bumps etc. Will get round to the other side sometime soon. Then the rear needs redoing!
I also had a parcel show up from Jesse Streeter in Japan. For those that don't know, you can't simply buy stuff on eBay in Japan and expect them to ship it. They use Yahoo Auctions over there, and you need a Japanese residence in order to create an account. There are a few English speaking companies based over there who will bid for you and send it for a fee and Jesse Streeter is one of the more well known/reputable ones.
Anyway, I had a bit of a wobbly arm rest and tried taking it apart to investigate and tighten it up.. of course it crumbled into a thousand pieces rendering it well and truely broken! Toyota used plastic for the sliders, so it was never going to last forever!
I decided to use this opportunity to purchase the interior parts needed for the manual gearbox swap.
For anyone who wants to know, you need a handbrake armrest which doesn't slide back and forth (the standard car has a footbrake instead of a handbrake, so the centre console is completely different!) the handbrake itself is the same as an IS200 item, except its on the opposite side of the centre console so the mounts are the wrong way round, it's worth getting a JZX110 specific item for this reason. The handbrake cables are a straight swap with the IS200. You also need to get the trim that surrounds the gearstick. The ECT transmission/throttle button is relocated when changing to a manual transmission and the opening itself is bigger. I also decided to get a brochure, owners manual and a moulded boot liner at the same time. It only took a couple of weeks from buying them to arriving at my front door, so I definitely recommend using Jesse Streeter.
Be warned, buying parts from Yahoo Auctions is a rich mans game that's for sure!!
Still waiting on the IS200 handbrake cables to fit the centre console, but it only looks like a few bolts and clips.
Also waiting on the DVLA who are really dragging their heals on extending my MOT, so I don't really know if I'm allowed to drive it at the moment!
I've done the bushes on one side at the front, forgot to take pictures as it's not the most fun task in the world, but here it is all missing!
Feels much better on that corner, no more thudding around over bumps etc. Will get round to the other side sometime soon. Then the rear needs redoing!
I also had a parcel show up from Jesse Streeter in Japan. For those that don't know, you can't simply buy stuff on eBay in Japan and expect them to ship it. They use Yahoo Auctions over there, and you need a Japanese residence in order to create an account. There are a few English speaking companies based over there who will bid for you and send it for a fee and Jesse Streeter is one of the more well known/reputable ones.
Anyway, I had a bit of a wobbly arm rest and tried taking it apart to investigate and tighten it up.. of course it crumbled into a thousand pieces rendering it well and truely broken! Toyota used plastic for the sliders, so it was never going to last forever!
I decided to use this opportunity to purchase the interior parts needed for the manual gearbox swap.
For anyone who wants to know, you need a handbrake armrest which doesn't slide back and forth (the standard car has a footbrake instead of a handbrake, so the centre console is completely different!) the handbrake itself is the same as an IS200 item, except its on the opposite side of the centre console so the mounts are the wrong way round, it's worth getting a JZX110 specific item for this reason. The handbrake cables are a straight swap with the IS200. You also need to get the trim that surrounds the gearstick. The ECT transmission/throttle button is relocated when changing to a manual transmission and the opening itself is bigger. I also decided to get a brochure, owners manual and a moulded boot liner at the same time. It only took a couple of weeks from buying them to arriving at my front door, so I definitely recommend using Jesse Streeter.
Be warned, buying parts from Yahoo Auctions is a rich mans game that's for sure!!
Still waiting on the IS200 handbrake cables to fit the centre console, but it only looks like a few bolts and clips.
Also waiting on the DVLA who are really dragging their heals on extending my MOT, so I don't really know if I'm allowed to drive it at the moment!
Time for a small update on this, I completed the drivers side re-bushing and took a few more pictures this time. You can see how cracked and aged the rubber looks - not sure if they're original bushes, I wouldn't think they are though after over 100k miles with a 1600kg car... Who knows!
In total, there are 4x bushes in the arms, 2 ball joints plus the ARB drop links. I've not done the ARB bushes yet as I think I'm going to fit bigger anti-roll bars. I also still need to renew the inner and outer tie rods - there's no play in them, but they're old and not that expensive so why not!
I should've painted the arms in hindsight but I can always do it at a later date...
Also managed to break an eBay ball-joint splitter... buy cheap, buy twice I guess!
And more excitingly, the first step of the manual swap process is complete - the handbrake conversion!
You can see below where the footbrake would be in the way of the clutch pedal, it even uses the same mounting holes as the clutch pedal would!
With the arm rest removed, it's possible to see the footbrake cable which travels along the side of the transmission tunnel underneath the carpet - it's held solid against the transmission tunnel in two places, meaning you need to get the carpet from under the dashboard in order to remove it.
There's also a hole which needs to be drilled and tapped for the handbrake to mount properly. I didn't take many pictures of the process as it was raining and quite an annoying job to be honest. But here are the before and after interior pictures!
Before
After
That's all for now. I've been flicking through the brochure that arrived from my previous Japan order and spotted an optional foldable storage box - back onto Yahoo auctions and I've won one for about £20... Plus god knows how much postage! I did also try to grab some newer headlights as I'm still not quite happy with mine - they're a bit discoloured still, but I missed out by about a fiver annoyingly! Never mind.
In total, there are 4x bushes in the arms, 2 ball joints plus the ARB drop links. I've not done the ARB bushes yet as I think I'm going to fit bigger anti-roll bars. I also still need to renew the inner and outer tie rods - there's no play in them, but they're old and not that expensive so why not!
I should've painted the arms in hindsight but I can always do it at a later date...
Also managed to break an eBay ball-joint splitter... buy cheap, buy twice I guess!
And more excitingly, the first step of the manual swap process is complete - the handbrake conversion!
You can see below where the footbrake would be in the way of the clutch pedal, it even uses the same mounting holes as the clutch pedal would!
With the arm rest removed, it's possible to see the footbrake cable which travels along the side of the transmission tunnel underneath the carpet - it's held solid against the transmission tunnel in two places, meaning you need to get the carpet from under the dashboard in order to remove it.
There's also a hole which needs to be drilled and tapped for the handbrake to mount properly. I didn't take many pictures of the process as it was raining and quite an annoying job to be honest. But here are the before and after interior pictures!
Before
After
That's all for now. I've been flicking through the brochure that arrived from my previous Japan order and spotted an optional foldable storage box - back onto Yahoo auctions and I've won one for about £20... Plus god knows how much postage! I did also try to grab some newer headlights as I'm still not quite happy with mine - they're a bit discoloured still, but I missed out by about a fiver annoyingly! Never mind.
giblet said:
Daft question but what do you use to access and bid on Yahoo Japan auctions in English?
If you've got Google Chrome you can add Google translate as an extension and it will just do it for you. Searching can be annoying, you need to basically just search the chassis code ("jzx110" for my car for example) and kind of search through pages for what you want.Bidding is more complicated since you need a Japanese address in order to create an account. This is why you need to use a Japanese agent to bid for you; there's plenty out there but I use Jesse Streeter as he seems like the safest/most reputable and the two orders I've made so far have been really straight forward.
gareth_r said:
I'll say they are! BC51NWT doesn't (yet) show up on the online registration database or the online MOT database.
Although BC51NWS and BC51NWU (also imports) do, and with extended MOTs.
The MOT expiry date should be extended automatically just before the original date.
They did eventually update it, but I just chucked it in for an MOT last Saturday anyway so it's got a full year now! No advisories, as expected, although I am still getting a bit of a knocking noise from the front passenger coilover. Tempted to switch the top mounts to rubber ones instead as I'm convinced this is the source of it! Although BC51NWS and BC51NWU (also imports) do, and with extended MOTs.
The MOT expiry date should be extended automatically just before the original date.
Edited by gareth_r on Monday 6th July 00:41
I also think I need even stiffer springs; the Blit weighs a good 120kg more than the saloon so its still a little on the soft side in my opinion.
Got my optional utility box in the post today. Properly nerdy but it's just nice to have all the optional stuff they sold for it.
Its simply a foldable box that slots into the rails in the boot
So now with the boot liner and parcel shelf, its all optioned up!
Next up, I want to do the rear subframe bushes and the diff bushes and maybe give it a coat of Dinitrol while the sunframe is off. Priced up re-bushing the rear arms which is going to be considerably more than the front so that might have to wait a while...
Update time.
I managed to get to the bottom of why the front end was still knocking and it wasn't the pillow ball top mounts like I originally suspected. It actually turned out to be a blown damper! Driftworks were excellent to deal with and a replacement HSD damper has sorted it.
New one with a fresh coat of copper grease on the right
With the front end now feeling really good, the rear end is definitely in need of some attention. There’s always been a good amount of squidge and there was always a good “Thunk” when putting it into Drive while stationary – a very common thing with all variations of JZX.
I discovered the rear subframe bushes were looking a little worse for wear so decided replacing those would be a great place to start trying to get it feeling a bit tighter.
I wanted to use polybushes for these due to their much longer service life and the fact that they’re a bit stiffer than OEM rubber – a good thing in my opinion… why would you want movement in the subframe?
After searching the usual brands, it soon became apparent that this wasn’t a common mod amongst IS200’s, so had to go with the only available brand: Strong Flex.
Yellow subframe bushes on the left, red front diff bushes on the right (I didn’t end up using these just yet)
I set about removing the subframe, it was pretty straight forward. First remove the exhaust, driveshaft, handbrake cables, rear calipers and coilovers. Then just 4x 19mm bolts holding the subframe to the car.
I made the mistake of leaving the diff attached to the subframe, I’d recommend to anyone thinking of doing this to their JZX or IS2000 to remove the diff first! It makes the whole thing extremely heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, I thought it was going to knock the car off the axle stands at one point!
Into the garage to inspect the bushes..
The rear diff bushes are quite clearly perished, cracked and in need of replacement – I had OEM rubber ones to replace these to try and keep transmission NVH to a minimum.
The subframe bushes didn’t look much better either!
I gave it a going over with a wire wheel and a few coats of hammerite, no time for powder coating unfortunately but it still doesn’t look bad!
I decided while this was drying it was a good time to underseal the shell. I’d used Dinitrol before and love the finish so decided to order an MX5 kit which turned out to be a really decent amount for this car surprisingly!
I snow foamed the underside to try and get rid of any dirt and grease before applying the underseal, it was already quite clean due to how little I drive the thing!
Applied above where the subframe would be
And side skirts removed to get to the sills properly
Cavity wax injected inside the chassis rails and on top of the fuel tank. I’ve really tried to get everywhere covered in some way or another! Really happy with the overall finish, can’t recommend Dinitrol enough!
Back onto the subframe, I didn’t take too many pictures of removing the bushes due to how difficult it was to begin with! I started by trying to press them out, but the rubber centres came away from the outer race. A lot of chopping and hammering later and they eventually came out – I found the best technique was to pop the rubber centre out using a press, and then a hammer and big flat head screwdriver was enough to deform the outer race and remove it. Same applies for the rear diff bushes.
Inserting the new polybushes was a dream, apply grease and push them in by hand! Easy. They fit really well too which was a relief – it can sometimes be a problem with cheaper brands not fitting properly.
All ready to go back in the car
I was dreading re-fitting the subframe after how awkardly it came out, but it was actually really easy, mostly down to removing the diff this time.
I’ve been for a drive and it’s a huge improvement; feels really solid and tight when cornering and over bumps. I would definitely recommend these Strong Flex bushes if you’ve got a JZX, IS200 or any RWD Toyota/Lexus that uses this set up! At £100 they're really good value
And finally, a free “mod” I’ve been wanting to try for a while; re-circ delete plate… Yes, it’s a bit chavy but it’s only a couple of bolts and maybe 3 minutes to remove if I get sick of it!
CLICK, on Flickr
Click above for a video!
I managed to get to the bottom of why the front end was still knocking and it wasn't the pillow ball top mounts like I originally suspected. It actually turned out to be a blown damper! Driftworks were excellent to deal with and a replacement HSD damper has sorted it.
New one with a fresh coat of copper grease on the right
With the front end now feeling really good, the rear end is definitely in need of some attention. There’s always been a good amount of squidge and there was always a good “Thunk” when putting it into Drive while stationary – a very common thing with all variations of JZX.
I discovered the rear subframe bushes were looking a little worse for wear so decided replacing those would be a great place to start trying to get it feeling a bit tighter.
I wanted to use polybushes for these due to their much longer service life and the fact that they’re a bit stiffer than OEM rubber – a good thing in my opinion… why would you want movement in the subframe?
After searching the usual brands, it soon became apparent that this wasn’t a common mod amongst IS200’s, so had to go with the only available brand: Strong Flex.
Yellow subframe bushes on the left, red front diff bushes on the right (I didn’t end up using these just yet)
I set about removing the subframe, it was pretty straight forward. First remove the exhaust, driveshaft, handbrake cables, rear calipers and coilovers. Then just 4x 19mm bolts holding the subframe to the car.
I made the mistake of leaving the diff attached to the subframe, I’d recommend to anyone thinking of doing this to their JZX or IS2000 to remove the diff first! It makes the whole thing extremely heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, I thought it was going to knock the car off the axle stands at one point!
Into the garage to inspect the bushes..
The rear diff bushes are quite clearly perished, cracked and in need of replacement – I had OEM rubber ones to replace these to try and keep transmission NVH to a minimum.
The subframe bushes didn’t look much better either!
I gave it a going over with a wire wheel and a few coats of hammerite, no time for powder coating unfortunately but it still doesn’t look bad!
I decided while this was drying it was a good time to underseal the shell. I’d used Dinitrol before and love the finish so decided to order an MX5 kit which turned out to be a really decent amount for this car surprisingly!
I snow foamed the underside to try and get rid of any dirt and grease before applying the underseal, it was already quite clean due to how little I drive the thing!
Applied above where the subframe would be
And side skirts removed to get to the sills properly
Cavity wax injected inside the chassis rails and on top of the fuel tank. I’ve really tried to get everywhere covered in some way or another! Really happy with the overall finish, can’t recommend Dinitrol enough!
Back onto the subframe, I didn’t take too many pictures of removing the bushes due to how difficult it was to begin with! I started by trying to press them out, but the rubber centres came away from the outer race. A lot of chopping and hammering later and they eventually came out – I found the best technique was to pop the rubber centre out using a press, and then a hammer and big flat head screwdriver was enough to deform the outer race and remove it. Same applies for the rear diff bushes.
Inserting the new polybushes was a dream, apply grease and push them in by hand! Easy. They fit really well too which was a relief – it can sometimes be a problem with cheaper brands not fitting properly.
All ready to go back in the car
I was dreading re-fitting the subframe after how awkardly it came out, but it was actually really easy, mostly down to removing the diff this time.
I’ve been for a drive and it’s a huge improvement; feels really solid and tight when cornering and over bumps. I would definitely recommend these Strong Flex bushes if you’ve got a JZX, IS200 or any RWD Toyota/Lexus that uses this set up! At £100 they're really good value
And finally, a free “mod” I’ve been wanting to try for a while; re-circ delete plate… Yes, it’s a bit chavy but it’s only a couple of bolts and maybe 3 minutes to remove if I get sick of it!
CLICK, on Flickr
Click above for a video!
quigonjay said:
So you removed the recirculating valve altogether?
Don't think it sounds chavy at all, it is the vent to atmosphere valves that sounds chavy, compressor surge makes it sound like a rally car (until it blows your turbo)
It’s all still attached, you wouldn’t know looking at it. The plate sits between the recirc valve and the turbo intake “J” pipe. It’s all after the MAF so it all still runs fine, just with more turbo noises! And the turbo is probably due for a refresh anyway if it hasn’t already had one.Don't think it sounds chavy at all, it is the vent to atmosphere valves that sounds chavy, compressor surge makes it sound like a rally car (until it blows your turbo)
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