The best engine swap? The ultimate Question!
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most of my experience is derived from 4 cylidner volvo tractor motors. If we can go from 23-24 mpg stock to 34-36 mpg I think we can easily make similar increases.
I have had 1FZ's get 15mpg. So a 50% increase much like the Volvo's that gets us to 22mpg. The heads in things are GREAT but need some real cleaning up and a really nice valve job will seriously increase performance.
Our data is based on some head flow data increasing numbers along with a new header for a lower torque peak.
sorry for the thread jack. Website is R-Sport International but we have yet to post up any of our LCR data.
Jonathan
I have had 1FZ's get 15mpg. So a 50% increase much like the Volvo's that gets us to 22mpg. The heads in things are GREAT but need some real cleaning up and a really nice valve job will seriously increase performance.
Our data is based on some head flow data increasing numbers along with a new header for a lower torque peak.
sorry for the thread jack. Website is R-Sport International but we have yet to post up any of our LCR data.
Jonathan
Another vote for the 5.3L. Had a chevy 1/2 ton rig with this motor and really liked it. If my 1FZ ever goes, I'm going that route.
There are always gains to be made with head work. I have no doubt a skilled shop can allow the 1FZ motor to breathe much better. I'm skeptical the percentage gains on the 1FZ will be the same as a tractor motor. If this is a serious undertaking start a new thread. You'd get a lot of business from around here if you can produce quantifiable results.
I just stumbled onto one in our local paper, the guy even delivered it, that was the main thing that made me decide on the 6.2. I had been waiting for about 6 weeks for a guy to pull an Isuzu 4Bdt I was planning on buying but realized he probably wasn't going to do it, that is when I found the 6.2.
Here are some picutes of how it looks sitting in my 94 FZJ80. It is at the exhaust shop now, I should get it back on monday and finally see how it drives!
Here are some picutes of how it looks sitting in my 94 FZJ80. It is at the exhaust shop now, I should get it back on monday and finally see how it drives!
A good 1hdft with power upgrade goes about as good as a late 1fz-fe, a 1hdt not as good, but better than a 3f. A 1fz-fe cruiser, and add a turbo kit from slee, and you have as good as you will get, and be easier, and less money that a swap, willr eturn good economy, go when you push the pedal.
To make a swap worth while, it should make great power and even better torque, which will help with economy, be reliable, and easy to fix/service.
If you plan to keep it longer term, thinking of it as any form of "investment" for return at some point, then your not going to build what you really want, or us it like you really want either, because your focussed on the wrong thing, on a vehicle in the sub 10k price bracket.
On a economy v price scale, big block chevs are hard to beat, my last cruiser with 440hp 454 would get 16lt per 100km hwy, [use more power, use more fuel, of course] and it made 320hp and 3% throttle position and 240 hp of idle, with max torque from 1800 rpm to 3600.
It made it a real nice thing to drive, would do 240kph, idle at 400rpm for snow/crawling, dragging the brake, and would return good fuel figures getting there and back.
I also had a turbo intercooled 4.5 1fz-fe which was 400 hp, and this would return 11.2 lt per 100km hwy, and was also very torquey, making max boost at 1200 rpm, and also running to 245 kph on the rev limiter in 5th.
If your planning a swap, over a longer period, save some more, go with an option worth all the headache, when its completed.
To make a swap worth while, it should make great power and even better torque, which will help with economy, be reliable, and easy to fix/service.
If you plan to keep it longer term, thinking of it as any form of "investment" for return at some point, then your not going to build what you really want, or us it like you really want either, because your focussed on the wrong thing, on a vehicle in the sub 10k price bracket.
On a economy v price scale, big block chevs are hard to beat, my last cruiser with 440hp 454 would get 16lt per 100km hwy, [use more power, use more fuel, of course] and it made 320hp and 3% throttle position and 240 hp of idle, with max torque from 1800 rpm to 3600.
It made it a real nice thing to drive, would do 240kph, idle at 400rpm for snow/crawling, dragging the brake, and would return good fuel figures getting there and back.
I also had a turbo intercooled 4.5 1fz-fe which was 400 hp, and this would return 11.2 lt per 100km hwy, and was also very torquey, making max boost at 1200 rpm, and also running to 245 kph on the rev limiter in 5th.
If your planning a swap, over a longer period, save some more, go with an option worth all the headache, when its completed.
3fe relativity...
I had an interesting experience recently that kind of opened my eyese with regard to the 3fe.
I was selling an '88 Nissan Pathfinder SE-V6 with 199k for my son in the military, so I drove it for a couple months just to save some gas and see what it was like. First of all, I noticed that it had even less power than my '91 FJ-80, then I discovered that it was about the same MPG in my average driving mix with lots of country roads, hills, urban, and some freeway. On top of that it didn't handle as nicely as the FJ-80, suspension needed new bushings in the rear real bad.
So this week I started driving the FJ-80 again and decided to feed it some Premium fuel. I don't know how much is just because I am comparing to that POS Nissan, and how much is due to the Premium fuel, but the old FJ80 has some guts it didn't have before. I really think the Premium has made a big difference. Mind you it is still underpowered, but not as badly. Gas cost is only going to be higher, but maybe not so much if it doesn't have to downshift as much.
Which brings me to the real point. I am seriously considering just looking for something simple to up the performance of the 3fe a bit more. The head flow work described above would be very interesting. What about the stock tuning of the EFI, can any fuel efficiency or power improvements be made there?
I had an interesting experience recently that kind of opened my eyese with regard to the 3fe.
I was selling an '88 Nissan Pathfinder SE-V6 with 199k for my son in the military, so I drove it for a couple months just to save some gas and see what it was like. First of all, I noticed that it had even less power than my '91 FJ-80, then I discovered that it was about the same MPG in my average driving mix with lots of country roads, hills, urban, and some freeway. On top of that it didn't handle as nicely as the FJ-80, suspension needed new bushings in the rear real bad.
So this week I started driving the FJ-80 again and decided to feed it some Premium fuel. I don't know how much is just because I am comparing to that POS Nissan, and how much is due to the Premium fuel, but the old FJ80 has some guts it didn't have before. I really think the Premium has made a big difference. Mind you it is still underpowered, but not as badly. Gas cost is only going to be higher, but maybe not so much if it doesn't have to downshift as much.
Which brings me to the real point. I am seriously considering just looking for something simple to up the performance of the 3fe a bit more. The head flow work described above would be very interesting. What about the stock tuning of the EFI, can any fuel efficiency or power improvements be made there?
Hey Jonathan! I didn't know you guys were into Land Cruisers... I used to have the blacked out 850 T5 wagon. How's Tuff doin these days?
I noticed you replaced the OEM vacum brake booster with the GM hydraboost brake booster.
This and rear disk brakes were the first mod I did on my old FJ40 when I replaced the engine with a chevy 350 and was the best brake improvement I did on a vehicle in my life and was dreaming to do it on my 80.
Would you be so kind to comment your experience regarding it !!!!!!
The only thing that I am worried is if the Toyota steering pump can stand the extra load of the hydraboost booster.
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I'd go with a deisel-turbo 1HD-T just because it's a Toyota engine and it's a deisel. You can always modify the Turbo with all the goodies for more power. Or if you can't find it, 1FZ-FE is the way to go, IMO. Also, the parts are everywhere from any Toyota dealership.
I'm not a fan of cross-breed swap, since I'm zero banana.
I'm not a fan of cross-breed swap, since I'm zero banana.
I did install the hydroboost and used the Toyota master. I would love to coment on it but I haven't driven the car yet! It was in the exhaust shop for a month (looks great though but not sure it was worth waiting that long) I am now going through and finding fuel leaks, replacing my radiator (got a bad new one) and just generally going through everything before I put it on the road. I plan to drive it this weekend though. I have however backed it up about 10 feet in my driveway and the stopping power is impressive even in that short distance I can tell they are going to be nice.
I will let you know after I actually drive it.
Rusty
I will let you know after I actually drive it.
Rusty
The 80 series Cruiser is what it is. Try a Ford Expedition. They are big, comfy, powerful and get better mileage than an 80. They won't last as long as a Cruiser, or hold resale value as well, but that vehicle addresses your issues. Maybe a Chevy Suburban? My point is that other than rebuilding the engine you have, with all the vehicles on the planet to choose from with every concievable combination of engine, transmission, 2WD or 4WD, 2 door or 4 door, etc, dropping that time and money into an old Cruiser to do an engine swap is tough to swallow. Plus, after the engine, how much longer are the axles gonna last? Or the trans? Transfer case, viscous coupling, and so on. That's assuming some @$$hole doesn't plow into you on the highway. To each thier own. Me, I'd rebuild what's in there, or get a different truck.
FFT
6AT
6AT
6AT
said to be the Diesel replacement for the 292 similar in size and most important weight.
If some one chimes in and says "yeah, but it doesn't have a lot of power" then I will reply "then this is the first Diesel 2MK, that you cant put a bigger turbo on and turn the pump up" what I call slap and tickle
Does not turn smooth in upper rpm's though, but the torque curve should be more at the bottom (so gear it there) than poser Diesels w/ less reliability, and its feeding 6 not 8
6AT
6AT
6AT
said to be the Diesel replacement for the 292 similar in size and most important weight.
If some one chimes in and says "yeah, but it doesn't have a lot of power" then I will reply "then this is the first Diesel 2MK, that you cant put a bigger turbo on and turn the pump up" what I call slap and tickle
Does not turn smooth in upper rpm's though, but the torque curve should be more at the bottom (so gear it there) than poser Diesels w/ less reliability, and its feeding 6 not 8
I think that this is a bad time to make big decisions about what kind of replacement engine to put in. The next 5 years or so are going to be critical as far as determining the direction alternative fuels and / or oil prices are going to go. IOW, in 5 yrs or so we'll know whether the main trend is going biodiesel or ethanol and whether gas prices will go through the roof or not, and there will likely be a big shakedown. Which I'd want to know before putting an engine in for the next 20 yrs.
I'd say for now, rebuilt the 3FE at minimal cost or buy an FZJ80, put the savings into gas for the low mileage and suck it up for a while. You'll come up ahead $$ wise for the next 5 or 10 yrs and can then figure things out.
I'd say for now, rebuilt the 3FE at minimal cost or buy an FZJ80, put the savings into gas for the low mileage and suck it up for a while. You'll come up ahead $$ wise for the next 5 or 10 yrs and can then figure things out.
Hey Jonathan! I didn't know you guys were into Land Cruisers... I used to have the blacked out 850 T5 wagon. How's Tuff doin these days?
Nice 855! I just placed an order with iPD last night. It's a good thing they aren't local to me or the Cruiser wouldn't have as many mods..
And I still vote for 1FZ-FTE. It's what it should have been from the factory.
Diesel IS the future. Ethanol will have it's place, but Diesel will be the fuel to beat. Why? Two main reasons- 1) it IS the fuel of commerce. Trucks only use it. That right there says a lot. 2) Diesel is MUCH more efficient than either gasoline or ethanol.
I would not be afraid to put money into a diesel engine. I do not like to be coupled to a single source of fuel. With gasoline, you are at the mercy of Big Oil. With a diesel, no other engine can run on so many different types of fuels. You can tell Big Oil to kiss your tail.