1KD-FTV into LJ78 (2 Viewers)

[LJ78MacNeil]

The 2LTE in my 78 blew up at the beginning of 2020 and I've been looking for an engine to swap into it for a while now. I was considering the 1uz but I recently found a 1kd for sale in my area in great condition. My 78 has the a343f auto trans in it, and I know the 1kd was mated to this transmission in later prado models. Has this swap been done before? Would it be more difficult than most? Any info is appreciated

 

[AirheadNut]

Sounds like an awesome swap! I hope you can pull it off, that would be a fantastic option for a Prado. I know very little about the 1KD engines, but I would imagine that unless the engine comes with a complete wiring harness that will be your biggest hurdle. Regardless I would highly recommend hunting down a wiring diagram for whatever vehicle model the engine/harness came out of, it would be invaluable for paring down the wiring harness to the essentials.

The other major issue I can think of is whether the engine/transmission bolt pattern is the same on both the LJ78 a343f and the 1KD; not sure how much Toyota changed up their transmissions model to model.
Best of luck!

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

1KD block is the same as 1KZ from what I've read. So at least you know it's possible to fit the sucker in there. (ie. the 1KD should bolt right into a KZJ78)

If your LJ78 was manual, make sure you get a 1KD manual transmission version.

If your LJ78 is auto, you'll probably have to try to put the LC split case onto the 1KD auto trans. Will require some significant trans work I'm thinking; and maybe custom adapters.

As airheadnut said, wiring will be the biggest challenge. There are companies out there that you can send your old engine harness and new engine harness to, and they make a 'plug and play' harness for your new engine to your old truck. I'd recommend just paying for this service unless you're very knowledgeable about electrical/electronics and engine management systems.

I think that this is the best engine that could possibly be swapped into an LJ78. Hopefully you can pull it off. Make sure to take lots of pictures and notes!

 

[malteser]

Don't really have any knowledge to share but I've been thinkering with the idea of a 1kd swap for a time now and if I had to do it I would look into converting the 1kd to mechanical. Seen a couple tuned ones and they go go go.

 

[CRSWA]

Interesting. There's one on eBay complete with auto transmission, transfer case, and wiring. Bolt-in replacement?

 

[chrisspaulding]

Interesting. There's one on eBay complete with auto transmission, transfer case, and wiring. Bolt-in replacement?

Nice find! I think the transfer case front output shaft is offset to wrong side. What needs to happen to connect a split transfer case? Anyone know?

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Nice find! I think the transfer case front output shaft is offset to wrong side. What needs to happen to connect a split transfer case? Anyone know?

This really depends on whether a manual or auto transmission will be used. All the 70 series Prado's have split t-cases like any other landcruiser.

So if manual, it's probably just a matter of using a 1KD to R15x bellhousing with the original LJ7x/KZJ7x R151F and split tcase.

If auto, it might be a matter of swapping the LJ7x/KZJ7x A343F output shaft in the 1KD auto transmission. This is what is done with 1UZFE swaps into LJ78's. Pics on the forum somewhere of this being done.... But it's possible the 1KD auto's are substantially different and this won't work. I'd have to take a look at the EPC drawings etc. to really say one way or the other.

 

[LJ78MacNeil]

Appreciate all the input, the 1kd I'm looking at doesn't come with a transmission. Just the ecu, hoses, bell housing, etc..

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Appreciate all the input, the 1kd I'm looking at doesn't come with a transmission. Just the ecu, hoses, bell housing, etc..

If you look up the ECU part number you can figure out if it's auto/manual. Or, if it has a flexplate vs flywheel it will be obvious.

Is your LJ78 auto or manual?

 

[LJ78MacNeil]

auto (a343f) transmission, I actually have a spare one as well with 50,000km's that I was hoping to put in when we do the swap. The serial # for the engine is KDH206V-8030128. Came out of a Hiace I believe

 

[Waikato Willy]

I can confirm for you that the 1KD bell housing will bolt straight up, I know this for a fact , one of my friends used a 1KD bell housing to do a manual conversion on his KZJ78, I think he may have used an 80 series gearbox as well? he went to the local toyota wreckers and looked for a gearbox with the transfer case on the drivers side, I'm pretty sure it was an 80 series 5 speed

 

[CRSWA]

So, to sum it all up, it sounds like a 1KD has the potential to be a bolt-in swap for a 2L-TE in an LJ78 with an automatic transmission. You'll need the 1KD bell housing and possibly the motor mounts. The last question in my mind is whether the 1KD ECU will control the A343f transmission. It sounds like yes since these have been mated in other applications.

This is encouraging.

 

[AirheadNut]

Don't really have any knowledge to share but I've been thinkering with the idea of a 1kd swap for a time now and if I had to do it I would look into converting the 1kd to mechanical. Seen a couple tuned ones and they go go go.

Have you seen mechanical converted 1KD's? I could be mistaken, but given that the 1KD is a common rail diesel I didn't think it was possible to convert it to manual, unless it were basically turned into a 1KZ with the appropriate head and injection system.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

So, to sum it all up, it sounds like a 1KD has the potential to be a bolt-in swap for a 2L-TE in an LJ78 with an automatic transmission. You'll need the 1KD bell housing and possibly the motor mounts. The last question in my mind is whether the 1KD ECU will control the A343f transmission. It sounds like yes since these have been mated in other applications.

This is encouraging.

What we're trying to say, is the motor should fit (space-wise) in the truck because it shares the same block with a 1KZ, and the 1KZ comes in a KZJ78. The 1KD will not bolt into a LJ78 as the 2LTE has different motor mounts.

Have you seen mechanical converted 1KD's? I could be mistaken, but given that the 1KD is a common rail diesel I didn't think it was possible to convert it to manual, unless it were basically turned into a 1KZ with the appropriate head and injection system.

It has been done, there is a youtube video. From the amount of work it took, I think just splicing in the 1KD-FTV harness is a WAY better way to go.

I believe to convert the 1KD they had to machine the head to fit different injectors, and they had to fit an injection pump somehow. All very very custom. Not sure it ever ran right either.

If going 1KD-FTV stick with the common rail injection system it comes with!

If you don't want a common rail diesel, then source a different motor. Look at a direction injection turbo B series like the 13BT/14BT or 15BFT.

 

[AirheadNut]

That's basically what I was thinking, it seems like a lot of effort to have what's essentially a 16-valve 1KZ-T.

Another thing to consider with a 1KD swap is whether the donor vehicle had an immobilizer of some kind, it may require having the ecu shipped off somewhere to have it deleted. Good time to have a tune done though!

 

[malteser]

Have you seen mechanical converted 1KD's? I could be mistaken, but given that the 1KD is a common rail diesel I didn't think it was possible to convert it to manual, unless it were basically turned into a 1KZ with the appropriate head and injection system.

Yes I have. Seen one in person in Sicily and this one is in Spain --->

Its some combination of pump and injectors, I don't think it involves any machining though. There isn't much information yet on the internet though.

 

[malteser]

Just found this now....

 

[AirheadNut]

Very interesting! One major benefit of the KD engine over the KZ I hadn't considered before is direct injection. If there is an injection pump with matching injectors that fit the KD head a mechanical conversion would make a lot more sense than I originally thought, at least for swaps.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

I think this is the video I was thinking about. Almost looks like they've placed the injectors in glow plug holes? I don't image that could be giving optimal nozzle spray pattern into the piston combustion bowl?

 

[LJ78MacNeil]

So my father and I decided to go with the 1kd for our engine swap. However, we don't plan on starting the swap till spring because of the winter weather in Alberta (I'm also in school full-time till April) so we won't start the process until then. We checked out the engine and it's pristine, no blow-by or smoke whatsoever after ignition. Excited to get my 78 rolling again this summer

Also, does anyone happen to know if swapping my transmission to a manual will help out much with fuel mileage on the 1kd? I know with the 2LTE's it is a drastically different experience when linked to the r151 instead of the a343. Would all the extra drivetrain work be worth it for driving on the highway? Let me know what the best options would be.