Engine upgrades

[Simon_LJ70]

Good luck wobbly, hope it's not too expensive, the Lexus idea has got me thinking... Started looking for a gs400 donor

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Engine upgrade options you say...

Now don't shoot me down in flames, you asked. And seeing as no one else has thrown it out there, putting in a 1UZ-FE V8 from an early 90's Lexus LS400 is an option. These conversions have been pretty well documented and become very popular in Oz and SA.

Seeing as you can pick up a LS400 for less than £600 on autotrader these days it could be an idea. Also the LS400 mpg figures are apparently between 18-23mpg, and considering the LJ70 is no doubt a fair bit lighter it might prove more economical than what your getting now, not to mention the added oomph...

How about seeing this under your bonnet every time you open it...

Go on, do it. You know you want to...

An LJ70 weighs in at about 1.7 tonnes. This will be in excess of the Lexus. When you then take into account the drag difference (LJ = brick on edge) the likelihood is that your mpg figure will suffer accordingly. Then you need to consider the torque output in comparison to a 3 litre and also where on the rev. scale it occurs and the pretty pictures of the installation suddenly take a back seat.

Or at least they should.

Roger

 

[Birder]

One of mates made a hot rod using a 1928 Ford with a Lexus LS400 engine, The engine was polished and painted to be a show car, it ran for a short time and the engine blew up. He now has it as a coffee table.

He found another engine and found the problem before starting it. The wiring is a nightmare, the instructions he had we out by one wire on the ecu.

Dont think its a simple engine swap.

Also i would think you will need to change the diffs as it revs a lot higher than a 2.4

 

[wobbly]

i know, I know, but its still a great idea....

Am going to give West Coast a ring tomorrow, see if I can get a price out of them for the 3.0 diesel - I'm guessing this is the later Prado engine (a 90?)

Pete

 

[Birder]

Then there is also the other problem, getting a hard on just revving it up.....

 

[MartinNaylor]

Have you considered a 1HD/1HZ series engine in there? I would imagine this could be done with relative ease as the 70 did have the 1HD/1HZ factory fitted on some models (still is in some places) so you could buy all the engine mounts etc from Mr T rather than making them yourself. Plenty of power, minimal electrics and no head issues (apart form the 1HD-FTE which
I would imagine would be difficult to wire in)

I believe it wont fit, well you could probably squeeze it in somwhow.
The non light-duty has a bigger front engine bay I beleive, I have seen reference to people doing it, but they use a half cut and put the larger front end on.
Its all from memory so could be wrong....

Martin.

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

An LJ70 weighs in at about 1.7 tonnes. This will be in excess of the Lexus. When you then take into account the drag difference (LJ = brick on edge) the likelihood is that your mpg figure will suffer accordingly. Then you need to consider the torque output in comparison to a 3 litre and also where on the rev. scale it occurs and the pretty pictures of the installation suddenly take a back seat.

Or at least they should.

Roger

An early 90's LS400 comes in at approx' 1.7 tonnes, so your quite right about the weight and drag issue. So mpg probably wouldn't get any better. I did say "might" after all

Torque wise, from the info i can find The LJ70 hits it's peak torque of 215Nm @ 2400rpm. The 1UZ-FE hits it's peak torque of 350Nm @ 4400rpm. But @ 2000rpm you have about 260Nm available and it isn't even breaking a sweat...

And hey, I like pretty pictures...

What figures would you expect from the 3.0

 

[wobbly]

So lets talk cost then....

Sourcing the 4.0 V8, fitting engine & ancilliries etc....what sort of cost, anyone know?

Will get a figure from West Coast, interesting to compare the two.

Pete

 

[Roger Fairclough]

[quote="Roger Fairclough":27o44nfl]
An LJ70 weighs in at about 1.7 tonnes. This will be in excess of the Lexus. When you then take into account the drag difference (LJ = brick on edge) the likelihood is that your mpg figure will suffer accordingly. Then you need to consider the torque output in comparison to a 3 litre and also where on the rev. scale it occurs and the pretty pictures of the installation suddenly take a back seat.

Or at least they should.

Roger

An early 90's LS400 comes in at approx' 1.7 tonnes, so your quite right about the weight and drag issue. So mpg probably wouldn't get any better. I did say "might" after all

Torque wise, from the info i can find The LJ70 hits it's peak torque of 215Nm @ 2400rpm. The 1UZ-FE hits it's peak torque of 350Nm @ 4400rpm. But @ 2000rpm you have about 260Nm available and it isn't even breaking a sweat...

And hey, I like pretty pictures...

What figures would you expect from the 3.0 [/quote:27o44nfl]

Day to day driving 26 mpg. Best ever 32 mpg but that was unusual.

Roger

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

and torque wise?

 

[Simon_LJ70]

Spoke to west coast today, they have plenty of experience of the kzt upgrade, just a little expensive getting hold of the engines, they have a comp 70 series running a v8 lexus 1uz-fe currently and said it was cheaper for the engine, more expensive for the fit, approx a weeks work. They did say the v8 was excellent but can drink fuel. Don't know which option to go...

 

[Birder]

Depends if you want to drive it or show people under the bonnet!

 

[wobbly]

Simon - pm me the figures if you've got em - saves West Coast having the same conversation twice!

Pete

 

[Simon_LJ70]

No probs, pm sent

 

[Roger Fairclough]

and torque wise?

The torque figure is 218 lbs/ft @2000 rpm. The beauty of a diesel is it's lugging capacity from low revs. On mine I've had the engine on 500rpm, pulling hard through mud, in third gear low range. How many petrol engines will do that?

A point of interest with electronically controlled engines is the tick over speed. This is usually set at around 750rpm, a figure, that on a mechanical system, can be lowered depending on circumstances. See my comment above. On the electronic system however, the ECU will not allow this to happen and if the revs are pulled below the tick over speed, the engine will automatically speed up to compensate. This, as I found out on snow covered roads, can be very disconcerting.

Roger

 

[PaulH]

...How many petrol engines will do that?...

Any of the straight 6 Landcruiser units. 2F, 3F and 1FZ-FE will all pull right down to 200 or so revs, they just keep going long after you think they should have stalled.

They may be the exceptions that prove the rule though...

 

[spackrackman]

Ermmm I wonder if one if these ls400 engines would fit in a 40? Will start looking later

 

[Gav Peter]

I've seen Pauls Comp 70 & the engine conversion - very nice... The added bonus is that you get a Lexus to part out & sell the spares

Paul got his donor car 'very' cheap & actually came out in front after he'd sold on a few bits & peices!!!

Food for thought

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

...How many petrol engines will do that?...

Any of the straight 6 Landcruiser units. 2F, 3F and 1FZ-FE will all pull right down to 200 or so revs, they just keep going long after you think they should have stalled.

They may be the exceptions that prove the rule though...

I'll second that, my cruiser can pull at some pretty low revs

Ermmm I wonder if one if these ls400 engines would fit in a 40? Will start looking later

.

It will...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MqKy0ZRLFs,
...and you know you want to.
Your Ali 40 is screaming for a V8

 

[spackrackman]

wow