Lx470 Diesel Swap (1 Viewer)

[Druss]

Im wondering if anyone has swapped a diesel into their lx470? Im looking into this as a medium term goal. The only issue I can really see is the atrac/vsc. This is hooked directly to the 2uzfe engine ecu, through what i believe is digital inputs. The abs is also part of the same ecu on these cars. Has anyone encountered this?

 

[clrussell]

Which diesel are you wanting to swap in?

 

[Druss]

Most likely 1hdfte as it runs standalone quite ok. Regardless of engine type i doubt i will be able to get atrac the info it needs, plus it does send info and possibly commands to the engine also. If I cant work it out I have to consider removing it and moving to a simple abs setup.

 

[Doctor Koko]

I think you would be the first. Someone else asked about putting a VVTI engine in a 2001, and the responses were piquant. I'm not sure why people seemed to think it would be so crazy when I know essentially the same thing has been done by 4Runner owners. Can it be done? Sure. Would it be expensive? Yes. Very. I think it would only be worth it if you love the truck more than is rational, and simply have to have a diesel engine in it for whatever reasons. But this is obviously not a shade tree job. I would only trust it to a shop that you trust and want to support financially for a month or two, unless you are a remarkably good mechanic. For me, no, it wouldn't be worth it, even for one fifth what it would wind up costing you, though I think the end result would be cool. The final question: will everything, from atrac to ahc work like a charm afterward? I really doubt it. By that I mean no, no chance. The upside is that if you did it, you would be a legend, and people all around the world would say, "You know some guy in Australia put a diesel in his LX?"

 

[jLB]

There was someone in Canada that did a diesel swap in a 100 series, and I believe an Australian or two chimed in on his thread about similar projects.


I believe that this is thread that I was thinking of:

HDJ100 swap

You guys don't read the 100 section of the forum euh? quick resume why i've bought a hdj100. While My Montero is still worth a few $, i started shoping for a replacement. I bought my Dad Fjcruiser last year in febuary but sold it two month ago. With 3 kids the Fj was not a winner at all...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Moridinbg]

FTE does not work standalone, unless you do a mechanical pump swap. Then it doesn't need an ECU at all.
FTE + it's ECU should be a relatively straightforward swap. You would need the gearbox too - different shafts between petrol & diesel.

 

[Druss]

The actual mechanical side of the swap I'm confident of as the 100 and 105 series have been fitted with the 1hz, so there are parts to fit the 6 cylinder engine to this body. There are also a lot of these vehicles being wrecked, so these parts are affordable. I am also fairly mechanically adept. Its the integrated electronics that may be difficult, the outputs on the diesel engine ECU just aren't there to talk to the other componentry from what I can tell. Even if they were there, its no guarantee they would send the right info. As a work around, the auto trans (if I don't swap it for a H151) can be controlled by a standalone aftermarket ECU, The AHC system can be removed and a normal suspension fitted in its place, which given what this system costs to maintain is not a big downside for me. This leaves the atrac/vsc/abs, the lower spec vehicles ran the simple abs unit, but to utilise this I would lose the other features.

 

[IndroCruise]

The actual mechanical side of the swap I'm confident of as the 100 and 105 series have been fitted with the 1hz, so there are parts to fit the 6 cylinder engine to this body. There are also a lot of these vehicles being wrecked, so these parts are affordable. I am also fairly mechanically adept. Its the integrated electronics that may be difficult, the outputs on the diesel engine ECU just aren't there to talk to the other componentry from what I can tell. Even if they were there, its no guarantee they would send the right info. As a work around, the auto trans (if I don't swap it for a H151) can be controlled by a standalone aftermarket ECU, The AHC system can be removed and a normal suspension fitted in its place, which given what this system costs to maintain is not a big downside for me. This leaves the atrac/vsc/abs, the lower spec vehicles ran the simple abs unit, but to utilise this I would lose the other features.

The transformation you are considering would make your LX470 similar to to the LC100 "Sahara" with 1HD-FTE turbodiesel and A750F transmission and AHC and TEMS, manufactured in Japan and sold in Australia from late-2005 to early 2007, model designation HDJ100R-GNAEZQ. These came with ATRAC, VSC, ABS, etc, etc. Models with a similar configuration (but different designations) were sold in EU, UK, Middle East, Asian sub-continent and elsewhere but are very rare in USA and Canada where the only 1HD-FTE examples would have been imported by or for individuals.

I had a June 2006 HDJ100R-GNAEZQ with all the mentioned features -- see avatar for picture. It is a magnificent machine, recently transferred from Brisbane, Queensland to Perth, Western Australia, to my son-in-law. It has travelled only 215,000 kilometres and so he plans to keep it forever. The AHC and TEMS systems on this vehicle work very well, been tested in Victorian High Country, North Flinders Ranges, backblocks of New South Wales and Queensland, would have driven East to West across-country to Western Australia but prevented by COVID Travel Restrictions so shipped the vehicle instead. Seriously, this LC100 with AHC/TEMS gives a better ride than my October 2020 LC200 with 1VD-FTV turbodiesel V8 and AB60F transmission with KDSS, although the newer car is a lot tighter and the older car soon will need new bushes in lots of places -- but no big deal. Why did I let the LC100 go? I could not help myself -- just had to have the 1VD-FTV turbodiesel V8 before Toyota stopped producing them in favour of the V6 replacement in the LC300 -- and Mrs IndroCruise said I could have a new car!!

There are no plans to change out AHC/TEMS and suffer the disadvantages that would bring. It is a common fallacy that changing to a conventional suspension is less expensive than maintaining AHC/TEMS. I have considered it, priced the options, done the arithmetic and done the replacements of the wear parts. Changeout to a conventional suspension makes no sense, especially on a DIY basis with genuine Toyota/Lexus OEM parts from say Partsouq, Megazip, Impex or Amayama, unless the AHC/TEMS system is rusted out (unusual in Australia), or unless building a tough, heavy, rock-crawling vehicle and/or unless wanting to do an engineer-certified Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) Upgrade, or, simply not having the time, interest or patience to learn the systems. The AHC/TEMS systems are extremely reliable with basic maintenance and upkeep. The work is easy. It is true that the AHC/TEMS systems do have to be learned, and an interest in very basic hydraulics and auto electrics does help -- but there is vast amount of information and experience on IH8MUD and elsewhere. My son-in-law is a geologist well used to all models of Land Cruisers and tough Western Australian back roads and tracks. We still plan a long-deferred joint family trip to the centre of Western Australia when all the planets are aligned. It will be good to see the LC100 again and match it side by side with the LC200.

General LC100 specification details may give some clarity and some can be found at:

Toyota PressRoom

toyota.pressroom.com.au

and
Pressroom - Toyota - Press Kit Details - https://toyota.pressroom.com.au/press_kit_detail.asp?clientID=2&navSectionID=6&categoryID=1000&kitID=71

with a story given at

AustralianCar.Reviews: #1 for Reviews and Used Car Valuations

AustralianCar.Reviews: for Car Reviews, Used Car Valuations, Price Forecasts, Brochures, Specifications, Recalls, Problems, Faults and Image Galleries

australiancar.reviews

Scroll all the way down to the August/September 2005 updates and/or call up the Lexus LX470 details for comparisons.

Probably of most use might be a look through the electrical sections and Electrical Wiring Diagrams at LC100 Workshop Manual - https://lc100e.github.io/ (covers all 100 series). This might provide some insights on the necessary reconciliations in moving from 2UZ-FE V8 petrol (gasoline) to 1HD-FTE 6cyl turbodiesel. Some of the ECU's use common inputs, just as they do on LX470. The Service and Repair Manuals for the various different engines also can be found at this site.

@Moridinbg knows his way around these vehicles and their various engines, in his case for long-distance European travels, and has commented on the different fuel systems (such as fuel pump is on the engine in 1HD-FTE turbodiesel, not in the fuel tanks), and that change would require thought and work.

If not already done, dropping a line to LCOOL.org :: Log in - http://www.lcool.org/forum/login.php (needs registration, no cost) might help, and/or maybe some of the "100 series" Facebook pages (usually needs membership of the page). LCOOL also may still have the Service and Repair Manual for 1HD-FTE on that site.

The attached 1HD-FTE General Description document does not answer your questions but may be of general interest.

 

[Druss]

Hi, thankyou for the reply! Yes I have been using that manual to cross reference. However I only looked at the early 1hdfte diagrams as they were the engines I was looking at. It appears I may be better off looking at a later model as the 2004 and up have the right pinouts on the ecm. Funnily enough I was originally after a diesel sahara or kakadu model, but the covid tax added another 20k plus to the cars and they were nowhere near as straight. The car I got is immaculate underneath with totally unmolested wiring etc. Im happy to spend a bit to swap the engine to something I want.