1FZ-FE Failed, help decide what to do (1 Viewer)

[MPolley]

I think I'm leaning toward.maybe trying to band-aid my 1fz until I move and then start a 5.3/6.0 LS swap.

If I spend $1500-2000 replacing or rebuilding the 1fz I will still want a swap, so I should put that money toward the V8

The diesel is my dream, but even doing the work myself I can't find any way to keep it under $10k. Even if I could afford it, I can't justify that much money just because "I want it."

I can get an engine, trans, ECM and harness out of a junkyard truck or partout for under $1000, and think I can finish the rest of the swap for another $2000, maybe less if I find a way to save on the adapters. I can't for the life of me figure out why the 4l60e to hf2a adapter kit is $1300.

I plan to keep the rig a long time, so I probably should just pony up and do what will keep me happy.

 

[slow95z]

Buy the adapter from Australia and use the exchange rate in your favor. I still think you are going about this wrong. I too am going to do a 5.3 swap but not until I am ready with everything on hand. I would never begin one just because.

 

[Proven]

While I have no idea what or how I would do this, my dream would be to find a totaled V8 Tundra on COPART to use as a donor vehicle. I don't have the tools to do what would be necessary, but I can dream.

 

[bloc]

Buying the engine or trans is the least of your worries for a swap. It’s all the little things that take time and money. I would say the last 20-25% takes as much time and money as the first 75-80%. Lol

Having done quite a few engine swaps in various vehicles, the latest being in my signature, this is absolutely true.

OP, If you are worried about the cost of the adapter you need to spend some time REALLY thinking about the hundreds of other little things you'll have to buy.

Also, you need to find a way to drive an Isuzu swap before you jump off the cliff of actually doing one. I completely get the draw of diesel (on my 5th vw TDI) but those engines don't do a very good job of moving an 80 around, and vibrate like you wouldn't believe while doing it. 4 liters of modern common-rail engine would be a decent match.. but those older industrial engines leave a lot to be desired.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

@MPolley If you find a 4BD2t on Craigslist in Springfield Oregon don't email the guy a bunch of questions that are answered in the ad He really doesn't like it. He's a real jerk,
I've known him all my life (it's Me) and he has a bunch of cheapskate mud members asking a million questions. And he also has a running 1fz long block he'd sell for sub $400 but doesn't know how long it would last. By the way I voted 5.3l $1300 for an adapter set is cheap. It's the standalone stuff that will probably get you but if done yourself is probably the most economical option. The gas savings over I 2uz and 1fz will be what makes it more economical.

 

[MPolley]

Buy the adapter from Australia and use the exchange rate in your favor. I still think you are going about this wrong. I too am going to do a 5.3 swap but not until I am ready with everything on hand. I would never begin one just because.

I'm not going to jump in half cocked, just having to do SOMETHING sooner than planned or expected. I'm going to gather everything. i need before I start, and maybe band-aid the 1fz so I can drive it a little until then

Having done quite a few engine swaps in various vehicles, the latest being in my signature, this is absolutely true.

OP, If you are worried about the cost of the adapter you need to spend some time REALLY thinking about the hundreds of other little things you'll have to buy.

Also, you need to find a way to drive an Isuzu swap before you jump off the cliff of actually doing one. I completely get the draw of diesel (on my 5th vw TDI) but those engines don't do a very good job of moving an 80 around, and vibrate like you wouldn't believe while doing it. 4 liters of modern common-rail engine would be a decent match.. but those older industrial engines leave a lot to be desired.

The adapter price isn't going to stop me, but is the one part that surprised me and costs double what I had expected. There are LS swap kits complete with adapters, mounts, and wiring harnesses, etc for other vehicles around the same price point. Still way better than $9000 for a Cummins swap kit.

I've driven NPRs with that engine but forgot how rough they were. Looking more at it, it's not as simple as the ecomodder thread led me to believe anyway. I'd rather go Cummins or a 2.7 Sprinter engine, but as sad as it is to say, I think diesel swaps are all more money than they are worth for a weekend toy that only sees a couple thousand miles a year. A V10 TDI swap would be worth every penny, but more pennies than I can afford

@MPolley If you find a 4BD2t on Craigslist in Springfield Oregon don't email the guy a bunch of questions that are answered in the ad He really doesn't like it. He's a real jerk,
I've known him all my life (it's Me) and he has a bunch of cheapskate mud members asking a million questions. And he also has a running 1fz long block he'd sell for sub $400 but doesn't know how long it would last. By the way I voted 5.3l $1300 for an adapter set is cheap. It's the standalone stuff that will probably get you but if done yourself is probably the most economical option. The gas savings over I 2uz and 1fz will be what makes it more economical.

I'm in Ohio, so I think shipping would offset the great prices unfortunately. I am in the freight brokerage business, so i might be able to LTL it cheap but still probably more than it would be to scour for one closer.

Fuel savings is a huge draw for the swap, plus cheaper/more,common parts. LS parts are cheap and everywhere, but 1fz parts are never in stock anywhere

 

[1973Guppie]

it isn't 'outrageously expensive' to rebuild the 1fz-fe if you do the labor yourself. In fact it will be thousands cheaper than any swap.

The most costly swap would be the 2UZ, those vvti engines are not cheap.

exactly, if you pull the motor and take the top end and bottom end apart and take it to a machine shop it won't be outrageous. You also have to remember all the trouble, time and money that will go into making a conversion engine fit into the vehicle. Many more variables with a conversion IMO.

 

[shocktower]

I did not vote, and I do know the Isuzu diesel is crap, I was curious when you said you would use the 343 and just change the throttle body, I am pro Cummins I DD mine and love it for trips and wheeling , I think the LS swap is going to cost you a lot more than you think, you need a stand alone then you need one for your fuel injection then they need to work together and you have to set it up, all of the parameters and shift points TC lock up and unlock, nobody will do it for you, people do not realize this and think hey it's plug and play, I have worked on 6 swaps all Cummins and things change as you do more, improvement of products . I wish you the best and look for a motor and just replace it, I may come across one soon ( I hope to be working on a swap next week) and I usually sell them for $400 if they run

 

[Technician1985]

Have you checked car-part.com? If I were you I’d get another 1z.

 

[NCFJ]

I can get an engine, trans, ECM and harness out of a junkyard truck or part out for under $1000, and think I can finish the rest of the swap for another $2000, maybe less if I find a way to save on the adapters.

As a few others have already stated, the motor and trans are the cheap parts. Parts add up in a hurry and if you do manage to pull it all off for $4-5K total you will be fiddling with it forever. If your goal is a dependable daily driver every support system around the motor needs to be upgraded. OEM fuel lines for example, barely adequate but will work in a pinch. They are 20 plus years old, why mess around with that stuff?

Recent advice to a buddy...
Take the time you would spend fighting to make the "almost right" parts work and sort them out and work overtime at work. Take that money and get better stuff

 

[MPolley]

I think the recent discovery of a cheap 1FZ on craigslist 150 miles from me may change the game a bit. It's been sitting 2 years so needs a refresh but sounds healthier than mine.

I think I will do a quick/dirty refresh with all new gaskets bearings and rings but skip the hard parts and extensive machining. I can do that later with my bad engine if need be.

This will make everything cheaper, plus I can leave an engine in the truck to move it around the driveway instead of having the truck stationary and apart the whole time I rebuild.

 

[MPolley]

I did not vote, and I do know the Isuzu diesel is crap, I was curious when you said you would use the 343 and just change the throttle body, I am pro Cummins I DD mine and love it for trips and wheeling , I think the LS swap is going to cost you a lot more than you think, you need a stand alone then you need one for your fuel injection then they need to work together and you have to set it up, all of the parameters and shift points TC lock up and unlock, nobody will do it for you, people do not realize this and think hey it's plug and play, I have worked on 6 swaps all Cummins and things change as you do more, improvement of products . I wish you the best and look for a motor and just replace it, I may come across one soon ( I hope to be working on a swap next week) and I usually sell them for $400 if they run

After I got past the surface I realized the Isuzu swap isn't what I had thought it would be. Cummins swap would be great, but I don't daily this rig and so can't justify the price tag.

I don't quite understand why people say the LS swap requires a stand alone. My plan was to get engine/trans/harness/ecu from a wrecked truck and just use the original ECU. I can have the antitheft flashed out of it so I could wire in the Yota controls and it be all oem GM otherwise, unless I'm missing something as to why the factory GM ecm wouldn't work

Have you checked car-part.com? If I were you I’d get another 1z.

As a few others have already stated, the motor and trans are the cheap parts. Parts add up in a hurry and if you do manage to pull it all off for $4-5K total you will be fiddling with it forever. If your goal is a dependable daily driver every support system around the motor needs to be upgraded. OEM fuel lines for example, barely adequate but will work in a pinch. They are 20 plus years old, why mess around with that stuff?

Recent advice to a buddy...
Take the time you would spend fighting to make the "almost right" parts work and sort them out and work overtime at work. Take that money and get better stuff

My goal isn't daily driver. I have a 40mpg diesel VW for that duty. I'm already turning 18-20 hours OT a week. I have the money, but not necessarily willing to spend it all, especially on a truck that is just my weekend/fun vehicle

 

[shocktower]

So on your LS swap you will just drop it in and everything is going to be peachy, if it was that simple everyone would be doing it, yes if you use the stock tranny it is supposed to be easier, but remember you cruiser has a plethora of electronic crap still in there, and just stuffing a LS and tranny does not work you need adapter for TC wire the ECU into the stock harness, to get everything working. Hey good luck with the swap but I believe you are going to get a shocker JMHO

 

[Technician1985]

What about turbocharging the replacement 1z then doing a mild build on the old one over time, I don't see how you couldn't end up with plenty of power that way but it seems like most LC guys just go straight for the v8 swap instead of a FI setup. From my perspective an inline 6 is ripe for turbo power!

 

[White Stripe]

I don't think I would spend another dime on the 1fz. If it's dead, the time is now. Their is plenty of info on swaps here. I would stick with drive by cable for a little extra simplicity. Give yourself a budget of 10k ish. Try and use a 4l80 if u can for a little extra beef.

 

[bugsnbikes]

imho it depends whats important to you:

if your prime objective is power/daily driveability and you dont venture too far off the beaten path to where a AAA call is within reach, then you have lots of options.

if you plan to go far off the beaten path well out of the range where standard recovery is an option - hands down the most reliable is going to be the lowest mile and best p.m.’d oem option in terms of the reliability of oem vs non oem.

 

[samiam09]

I am not anti swap, I did a 4.3 into my truck. Doing it yourself is the best way, Shops that do swaps my not be around when your run into problems.Do your research! Remember most shops do not want to work on someone else swap.You have to become the expert with what ever setup You choose.Living in Ca made my swap harder then it needed to be.Don't get my wrong I love the power from the 2003 motor, it sucks gas up faster then my cruiser.

 

[MPolley]

So on your LS swap you will just drop it in and everything is going to be peachy, if it was that simple everyone would be doing it, yes if you use the stock tranny it is supposed to be easier, but remember you cruiser has a plethora of electronic crap still in there, and just stuffing a LS and tranny does not work you need adapter for TC wire the ECU into the stock harness, to get everything working. Hey good luck with the swap but I believe you are going to get a shocker JMHO

Not sure where you lost your reading comprehension in my posts but earlier I clearly mentioned the tcase adapter and I also mentioned wiring the harness into the Toyota electronics. All I asked is why you mentioned needing a stand alone because that doesn't make sense.

You never answered the original question but felt the need to go on an a****** rant. Thanks for your useless input

 

[1973Guppie]

What about turbocharging the replacement 1z then doing a mild build on the old one over time, I don't see how you couldn't end up with plenty of power that way but it seems like most LC guys just go straight for the v8 swap instead of a FI setup. From my perspective an inline 6 is ripe for turbo power!

this is true, if you are in a state that allows it, you can boost the existing motor for more power, lots of shops that can do the turbo for a much lower price, there will be mods that have to be done but it will be much less cost and hassle than a whole eng swap

 

[MPolley]

What about turbocharging the replacement 1z then doing a mild build on the old one over time, I don't see how you couldn't end up with plenty of power that way but it seems like most LC guys just go straight for the v8 swap instead of a FI setup. From my perspective an inline 6 is ripe for turbo power!

I picked up the other 1FZ today and will refresh it and leave it stock. If I get bored and want to dump money into it I may do a forged build on the engine I pull out later down the road and boost it. For now Ill just get it running

I don't think I would spend another dime on the 1fz. If it's dead, the time is now. Their is plenty of info on swaps here. I would stick with drive by cable for a little extra simplicity. Give yourself a budget of 10k ish. Try and use a 4l80 if u can for a little extra beef.

That was the plan until I found a 140k mile 1FZ in need of a refresh for $200 today that will be cheaper than rebuilding my current and will get me running faster

imho it depends whats important to you:

if your prime objective is power/daily driveability and you dont venture too far off the beaten path to where a AAA call is within reach, then you have lots of options.

if you plan to go far off the beaten path well out of the range where standard recovery is an option - hands down the most reliable is going to be the lowest mile and best p.m.’d oem option in terms of the reliability of oem vs non oem.

I do all my own work and am no stranger to modified cars that nobody else will work on. My Passat goes back to the dealer only because it is under warranty.

This is my fun vehicle

I am not anti swap, I did a 4.3 into my truck. Doing it yourself is the best way, Shops that do swaps my not be around when your run into problems.Do your research! Remember most shops do not want to work on someone else swap.You have to become the expert with what ever setup You choose.Living in Ca made my swap harder then it needed to be.Don't get my wrong I love the power from the 2003 motor, it sucks gas up faster then my cruiser.

I only do my own work, never let anyone else touch my stuff unless its free warranty work. The 4.3 swap would be cool. My dad's Sonoma with a 4.3 got 20mpg round trip going to get my new 1FZ today. Thats the only way a truck with a 1FZ will get 20mpg lol. It has to be in the bed