1FZ are they worth keeping/moding or swap them? (1 Viewer)

[Gasaxe12]

I have recently picked up a 1994 FZJ80 mostly as a tow wagon for my track car but have been enjoying a few trips out the dunes and tracks and am getting more in to this as a side hobby.
My issue with the 1FZ is it chews gas(like nearly 20L/100km) and seems gutless for a 4.5L
I have been thinking of doing o2 sensors and a new airflow meter to try get the fuel use down but want to know your opinions on the engine and if it's worth getting some more life out of it or going down the swap avenue.
I have a lot of mechanical experience so can do all the work my self but seems like getting stuff in New Zealand is a lot more expensive then other parts of the world (Example used Vortex 5300 $2500 USD)

 

[Feistl]

Depends how much you’re going to drive it I guess. Doing some basic maintenance will help with economy a bit, but it’ll always use fuel. That said, even a modern engine swap will still use a decent amount of fuel (unless you go diesel). Could convert to LPG although that can decrease overall range and ground clearance.
To be honest you could sell and buy a turbo diesel model, will give you the power and economy and probably wouldn’t be that different in price to doing an engine swap (once you factor in all costs).

 

[AussieHJCruza]

Haltech, compushift if you have an auto and a big turbo - party time. The 1FZ turbos very well and I used to get 17 litres per 100km in my turbo 1FZ corrected for 35s - best I've ever seen N/A is 16, but there is a step up to 98 octane fuel.

 

[Toyo Boyo]

I have recently picked up a 1994 FZJ80 mostly as a tow wagon for my track car but have been enjoying a few trips out the dunes and tracks and am getting more in to this as a side hobby.
My issue with the 1FZ is it chews gas(like nearly 20L/100km) and seems gutless for a 4.5L
I have been thinking of doing o2 sensors and a new airflow meter to try get the fuel use down but want to know your opinions on the engine and if it's worth getting some more life out of it or going down the swap avenue.
I have a lot of mechanical experience so can do all the work my self but seems like getting stuff in New Zealand is a lot more expensive then other parts of the world (Example used Vortex 5300 $2500 USD)

These FZ engines are very low stressed, eat gas but if maintained go on for ever.

Enjoy the truck.

Where in NZ are you?

 

[mudgudgeon]

I don't think 20l/100 is too far off normal.
Mine gets about 17/100 on a long road trip. Around 18-20/100 around the city. All on 33" tyres with manual trans. I think the authors will use a little more

Basic maintenance of filters and oil etc, fresh spark plugs, ignition leads dizzy cap and rotor, and check timing etc is worth doing.
Also check valve clearances.
Flush and refresh trans fluid or gear oil, transfer case, and diff oils

All low cost, DIY stuff that is worth while doing.


An engine swap of any kind is not going to recover the cost on fuel savings alone, unless you do huge amounts of highway miles

 

[LandLocked93]

Wheel speed is not a 1FZ trait by and large.
If dunes are your party place, just throwing out the suggestion to sell the 80 and go with a factory V8 platform.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Wheel speed is not a 1FZ trait by and large.
If dunes are your party place, just throwing out the suggestion to sell the 80 and go with a factory V8 platform.

Or get used to running tires at 12psi, and burning fuel at triple the rate of that 20l/100

 

[SNLC]

Clean out the TB and intake. Give it a major tune up. Set timing to 8*. Don’t be afraid to rev it to 4krpms or more. Down shift and make it hold the gear where the power band is.

This all helps wake them up a lot.

Cheers

 

[AussieHJCruza]

3200 rpm is max torque and 4600 is max power, IMHO most people are too scared to spin them fast enough to get into the power band!

 

[LandLocked93]

...most people are too scared to spin them fast enough to get into the power band!

100 miles, inside nowhere, from nowhere? Solo? In the winter? lol
Yes I am one of those people. lol Not to say it doesn't happen. But it's like 4th on the list.
Just think a factory V8 gives more options for power in the sand when the cost for a swap is negated.

 

[AussieHJCruza]

100 miles, inside nowhere, from nowhere? Solo? In the winter? lol
Yes I am one of those people. lol Not to say it doesn't happen. But it's like 4th on the list.
Just think a factory V8 gives more options for power in the sand when the cost for a swap is negated.

Yep, no worries! My turbo 1FZ saw the limiter at 5500 on rare occasions and saw 5k rpm reasonably often. Never any problems and it had been turboed for 150,000 km when I sold it.

 

[mudgudgeon]

3200 rpm is max torque and 4600 is max power, IMHO most people are too scared to spin them fast enough to get into the power band!

I agree.
Toyota is realistic with the redline.
I have no hesitation ringing a bit more it of these things by running it into higher RPM when it's warranted

 

[SNLC]

I agree.
Toyota is realistic with the redline.
I have no hesitation ringing a bit more it of these things by running it into higher RPM when it's warranted

The power band is not really under 3,000. Lugging the engine or trans is not a good thing.

2,800-4k is where I run mine since break in when I need to pull a grade or pass or whatever. It pulls strong for old technology and an in-line six. No probs at all jumping from say 65 to 80mph or more to get around a semi. Country road up a steep grade, no probs holding 65mph. It would be in 3rd and if needed I will grab second and hold it.

The 1FZFE is a robust engine, its not going to fall apart if you run it hard.

People complain about the 343 and even 442 searching for a gear and down shifting to much and back and forth between 4th and 3rd. Toyota gave you an OD button and a shifter. Down shift and make it stay there. I wouldn’t recommend running at 4k rpms for 1,000 miles but it has no issues doing it for 20 or 30 minutes. Simply monitor your water temps via scangauge as these are related to trans temps as well. And your trans gets hottest when it searches for a gear, its is much happier when you down shift and make it stay in 3rd or 2nd even if you are reving it to 4k.

That is my professional opinion and how I drive my well sorted 1FZFE, well a new one but same thing more or less. I drove my 94 with 442 the same with 225,000 on it and besides drinking oil because the valve stem seals were 27yrs old it didn’t care either. In fact I got it to consume a lot less oil simply by changing grade and type/brand.

These are robust trucks folks, top tier Toyota. Once you have baselined it, got it well sorted and or say a rebuilt engine. It is fine to run it hard as long as you monitor the engine and preform good regular maintenance. Don’t trust the stock gauges and fix your crusty PHH and yellow heater valve and yellow radiator. What kills a 1FZFE is lack of oil changes, ignoring codes and blown coolant lines resulting in overheating. It is an aluminum head in a cast iron block so you need to service and maintain your cooling system. You also need to change your oil depending upon how the Cruiser is used and how dirty it is not just at a set interval. Short drives and or dusty environments require much more often oil changes vs highway miles.

Cheers

 

[mudgudgeon]

100% agree! Except. . .

Toyota gave you an OD button and a shifter.

Toyota gave me a stick, and 5 cogs to select.
Wouldn't want it any other way.

Teaching my son to drive on his learners a couple of years ago, it took time to get him to understand not to be timid with the cruiser.
They are a big strong heavy vehicle with an engine to suit. You just have to not be afraid to use it as it was designed to be used.

 

[SNLC]

100% agree! Except. . .


Toyota gave me a stick, and 5 cogs to select.
Wouldn't want it any other way.

Teaching my son to drive on his learners a couple of years ago, it took time to get him to understand not to be timid with the cruiser.
They are a big strong heavy vehicle with an engine to suit. You just have to not be afraid to use it as it was designed to be used.

Yup, a dear friend of mine now gone, bought a brand new 1994 6m1 with diff locks. I went with him that day cause I had an 87 FJ60 and knew a few things about Cruisers. We were 20yrs old he had just got a settlement a few months earlier. He had bought a brand new Cherokee, when they first went with the v8 and new body style. It was a total pos and fell apart in six months. He traded in the Heep for the Cruiser + cash he had in his pocket and we drove the Cruiser home that night with plastic on the seats.

Point is, at the time the 80-series was competition for the new Heep with a v8, Tahoes, Suburbans, Exploders, you name it. They were Toyota’s full sized SUV of the 1990’s with hundreds of millions in R&D and engineering behind them. There is a reason they cost $50k in 1994 and there are reasons they were toyota’s #1 vehicle as well as built with a 25yr service life. Shame those days are a thing of the past, glad I am old enough to have been there.

Cheers

 

[White Stripe]

In my opinion it depends on your uses, how long you will keep it, personal finances, mechanical ability, and parts availability in your area.