1UZFE vvti into GT86 - vids, pics, comments
 

Hi. With my project pretty much done, I thought I'd put all the info into a central location to make it easy to read through. Facebook didn't prove very useful for this.

Videos of the conversion as it progressed:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU0wPr28trM"]Beginning of my 1uz-fe V8 GT86 project - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VZWtN_ppqc"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 1 - Dummy fitting - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2MrGWaYBX0"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 2 - Mounting - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrLnFojCZEQ"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 3 - Headers - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PneIHuhisqE"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 4 - Startup - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzzwLD7AI14"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 5 - More revs - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZ8wGUmnTA"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 6 - First dyno run - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q2UvYn_9RI"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 7 - First drive - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6jzOnzo7JI"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 8 - Second drive - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqloAAp2n5Q"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 9 - AP Racing brakes - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aOnw5ozzTI"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 10 - First drift session - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcjRcAZvWRE"]GTV86 - Let's go drifting - Extended version - YouTube[/ame]

Videos from High Performance Academy about the Motec and wiring etc.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDYIgBnYvi4"]Wiring and Tuning Project "Panhard" - Part 1 1UZFE V8 Powered Toyota 86 / Scion FRS - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEB1U1C5FLU"]Wiring and Tuning Project "Panhard" - Part 2 1UZFE V8 Powered Toyota 86 / Scion FRS - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpr2W_77W-4"]Wiring and Tuning Project "Panhard" - Part 3 1UZFE V8 Powered Toyota 86 / Scion FRS - YouTube[/ame]

Why I did the swap
 

In all seriousness, in my opinion, it was the best bang for buck when I weighed up all options. Bang being 300-350whp, and buck being long term, not just initial cost.

For the fa20 to be OEM reliable at that power level, the motor needs $10k thrown at it. Probably $5k on the box (or adapting another) as well.
And then, you're still left with a puss 2 litre when off boost.

I'd worked out that if I blew my fa20 and or box at the power above I was going to spend x amount on it to rebuild and strengthen them.

But if I sold my fa20, box, turbo kit, and added the same x to the value, that is a reasonable budget to allow for the motor swap, which is exactly what I did.

So then it became a choice of what would be better, a built fa20, strong box (eg what I would consider OEM reliable) 350whp, or a motor swap that could achieve the same power.
I weighed up several options, 2GR, 1UZ, 2JZ, 2UR, and LS. Based on the factors and considerations that were important to me, the 1UZ proved the best option.

The fact the 1UZ has little e-cred I saw as a huge positive. It keeps their resale value very low, when compared to the other options above, and the fa20. This equated well for long term economics, which as I've said was a major consideration.

I've been down the rebuilt/forged motor path several times already, on other platforms. People believe that once a motor has "600HP rods yo" that it will never blow, I've never found this to be true. I've had $15k motors last less than 1000kms (albeit race conditions).

Experience has taught me to be realistic with both power requirements (I know that 350whp in a 1200kg car will be plenty) and related to that, reliability expectations. While a 1UZ is an overbuilt motor, as are some of the others above, I accept now that motors are in fact consumables and its best to plan as if it will need replacing often.

Oh, then there's the sound of the thing.

I have a 1UZ in my daily now, an Altezza. I love the car. And its only a stock non-vvti 1UZ. Everytime I drive it I think of what it will be like with 100 more whp and 400 less kg to haul around.

At the end of the day, a high proportion of motor swaps are done for the "look at me" factor. I'll admit I've done it myself. This time I worked out was important to me and made my decision based on that.

No argument that for say another $5k, I could've bought a 500whp capable motor package, with gobs of reliability (put probably not as much as a 1UZ at 350) but I just don't need it. My race car has (well had, I just recently sold it) 400whp in a 1100kg frame, and it didn't need the last 50whp. So I don't see the point in paying for power (and sacrificing reliability) that I don't want/need.

The idea with this build, is that when this wiring is done, the car is done. No on-going forever project that never gets driven because its always getting another thing done (been there). No "shit whats wrong with the motor/turbo/box" No "I wish it had more power". All I need to do once it's tuned is put in my DSS axles that are sitting infront of me, put the Meisters back on, wind the suspension down, put on the trd bumper and vertex sides and ends, put on the endless brakes, and the PBM super angle kit. Then its just a mountain road cruiser for the weekend with the occasional drift track day thrown in; with very minimal (fingers crossed) ongoing cost / issues.

Bliss.

Car specs as it sits
 

2013 Toyota 86 NZDM

Engine / electronics
1UZ-FE vvti from UCF20
LS3 throttle body
OTR airbox
OEM aircon retained.
Engine conversion mounts by Surfab
Motec M150 ecu
Custom wiring harness by High Performance Academy
Otherwise standard

Drivetrain
Manual conversion kit from Niteparts/Convert NZ. Included clutch setup, flywheel and bellhousing.
R154 gearbox from a JZX110.
Shifter linkage housing extended by Surfab
Shortened GT86 2 piece driveshaft
OEM diff casing
TRD 2 way mechanical LSD
3.727 Final Drive, from RC spec GT86
Driveshaft SHop "600hp" axles
Subframe raised and solid mounted, by Surfab.
Whiteline diff into subframe mounts.

Exhaust
Tubular headers - fab'd Surfab, calcs by Kelford. Equal length, expansion chambers disguised as catalytic converters.
Dual 2.5" to single 3" piping.
3" rear muffler by Perrin

Suspension / Bracing
MCA Coilovers. 10kg spring rates F/R. Valved to suit,
Part Shop Max super angle kit. Includes replacement FLCA's, tie rods and tie rod ends, and knuckles.
Rear arms (UCA LCA Toe Traction) rosejointed items by Racefab
TRD underbody brace set

Wheels / Tyres
215/45/17 Bridgestone RE003 on 17x8.5+16 Work Meister S1R - Front
225/40/18 Linglong Crosswind on 18x9.0 +22 Work Meister S1R - Rear

Brakes
Essex AP Racing "Sprint" BBK with MXRS Endless pads - Front
Stock rear discs with ME22 Endless pads - Rear

Aesthetics
TRD rear lip
Toms tail lights
15% tints

Interior / sounds
Standard

Thanks to:
Beau Cogle for the mechanical work and general problem solving
Simon @ Surfab for the fabrication work
Nick Chiew @ North Shore Toyota for supply of genuine Toyota parts and info.
Brendan @ Niteparts for manual conversion kit
Andre and Ben @ HPA for all the electronic work and tuning

Reserved for pics / text 2

Reserved for pics / text 3

Reserved for pics / text 4

nice work and congrats. enjoy that beast

Amazing swap. Thanks for documenting so much of the work and sharing. I may have missed it, but what did you dyno at? Do you plan to see what your 1/4 mile trap speed is?

Final tune happening this coming week. Might take it drag racing at some point, but no immediate plans.

Added about 500 pics to my fb page today. Next step is linking them into here. Ugh..

Just went through your pics. Incredible. And comparing to most "swaps", yours was finished quickly.

I'm not much of a drag racer, but trap speeds are convenient to compare/confirm engine output.

I'm not to familiar with the 1uz family. Are there any advantages to going with the 4.3 bottom end? wikipedia saws they have the same hp. I'm guessing torque curve is moved a bit to the left for the 4.3?

I think I read you mentioned you didn't need to extend the shifter if you ground the engine webbing to move it further back. Did you decide against that or did you still need to extend the shifter after grinding the engine webbing?

Curious if they will make that harness available for sale....

They definitely won't. When I approached Andre about doing the swap, he still had his performance shop and did this type of work all day. Their "teaching the tuners" business was only part time. Then he decided to focus on that business full time and he sold the performance shop. I'd already started the swap and was concerned when I heard this as I wasn't confident in anyone else in the country doing the job, so if he wasn't going to be in a position to do the work I would've bailed on the swap, and the car.
To his credit, he saw the bind I was in and agreed to still do the work from his new business. Turns out his new business is doing quite well, and like any new business, takes a lot of his time. My project was the last thing he needed/wanted, but he saw it through anyway. Instead he used it as an opportunity to document some of the work he did and use them as information / tutorials, which is what his new business is all about.
The work I saw him put into that loom alone was unreal. I didn't expect anything like that, but again I think he saw it as an opportunity to show his stuff.

Re:the 1uz vvti and 3uz vvti differences. There is varying info on the internet about the differences. One website in .co.za? lists them out quite thoroughly. Another, clublexus? I think, is quite critical of the later engines, mostly down to the size of the rods. What they fail to mention is that the later engines have forged rods, so while looking smaller, are stronger.
As to why I went with the 1uz vvti over the 3uz, the 3uz didnt appear to have enough gains to justify the risk of it. The risk being that I didn't know anyone first hand that had put a 3uz into anything and really beat on it, where as I knew a few people that had done so with the 1uz vvti. I didn't want to be the one to find out the 3uz wasn't as good etc. Plus, the 3uz was twice the cost, which while still cheap, I just couldn't see the gains from using it. The price difference, for example, would go along way to paying for cams etc.

Re: the engine placement. There's a whole yarn about that, that I havn't mentioned yet. Basically we had everything in and set, made the exhaust and then saw how low a 3" pipe was sitting. Because I intended on slamming the car out, we knew this wasn't going to cut the mustard. So, we started again. In the gearbox tunnel (which is quite large) there is a reinforced insert where the OEM box is mounted. This becomes a significant pinch point in the tunnel that up until that point we had not modified and just worked around it (the idea being to retain the ability to return the car to stock). Anyway, we removed this and trimmed it. This meant the box could sit much higher, and also the box and motor could move further back. Before we did this work, we intended on using the jzx100 box, which had the longer shifter housing of any r154. But, this housing was also taller. When we trimmed the tunnel piece, we couldn't raise the box much before this fouled. Swapping back to the jzx110 r154 meant it could go a lot higher. With the jzx110 r154 box sitting higher, and the tunnel pinch point no longer an issue, the whole setup could also slide further back. This solved a lot of issues. We didn't end up having to cut the webbing on the motor at all. There is also now enough room for the swaybar to still go behind the rack. The motor, having moved back, and because the rear of the box raised up, the front of the throttle body moved down, meant we didnt have to do any trimming of the bonnet, which up until then we thought we'd have to. With the box mounted higher, we modified the box mount to also sit higher. Now the 2x2.5" piping passes under the gearbox mount and (from memory) ended up being above the floor line, if not it was certainly close to. We ended up having to extend the shifter housing of the jzx110 because it was shorter than the jzx100 one, but used it because it had less height to it.
It meant redoing alot of the fab work, but the end result was worth it.

Finally took the car for a hoon today!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q2UvYn_9RI"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 7 - First drive - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

LOVE the sound of that V8 - absolutely PERFECT for the car! Going to watch that video again!

Love how you documented your build and your thought process(so I know you are not made of money or an idiot either). My main concern is the weight and balance of the car..do you have any numbers or thoughts on that?

Great job!

Thanks.

Re:balance. I've got an idea of where it's sitting but want to wait till I've corner weighed it. Problem is, I've since moved out of the city into a regional area, and the local tyre places don't have what I need. Tempted to buy some corner scales for myself just seems a waste when I'm just doing it for one weigh. I intend on going back to the city for Xmas and then I can take it back to the place I weighed it when it was stock.

Based on weighing the components that went in and out, I reckon I've picked up about the same weight as a stock 86 with a FI kit. My box weighs more, but its a shit ton stronger. But I've also got lighter brakes and front wheels. I could've not put in air con, but I wanted it. (I think I'm the only motor swap that has all OEM features working, aids/cruise/PS/AC etc etc)

When I weighed it bone stock (I have the base model with 16" wheels etc) it was 1198kg with a quarter tank. Say 1180kg without fuel. I'm fairly confident I'm in the 1220-1250kg bracket now. Balance I don't suspect to have moved a great deal. Larger box and axles etc. Even if it has say 20-30kg heavier over the front axle than it was, it would be a better driver than I to feel it. And if I was that worried about 20-30kg then I could stand to loose 20kg myself. Ha ha.

Truth be told it handled like a dog in the video I posted the other day. The spring rate is too firm, going to go softer. The dampers I didnt even check their setting. And what I think was having the most effect, the swaybars are still sitting in my garage.

I was looking at you pics again and I may have missed if you mentioned it, but did you keep the OEM power steering? In one of your pics I saw a container at the front of the engine driver's side (?) that reminded me of a power steering reservoir?

Also, really to bad your tuner is not making that wiring harness for sale. I'd think there would be a nice market for it. I'm seriously considering following your path once I finish my graduate program.

Not sure what the reservoir you saw was, but def kept the oem ps.

Ah, thanks. It's the 5th pic after your alignment specs sheet pic on your FB page.

Ah. That's not my car. Was a pic of a 1uz in another car I looked at before starting my project. Have deleted.

That makes sense. I was curious about the engine bay color difference, but thought it was a mock up setup.

I saw your dyno of this block and remember reading somewhere this block was good for 300-330 NA whp? That dyno showed 230 whp. If it's not proprietary, what's your plan to getting to 300?

Sounds incredible, very well done!

Andre's dyno is reading very low. Stock fa20 only reads barely 110kw on it.

Here's a comparison dyno between the two. Sorry don't have a better copy, was just a screen shot from a phone.

https://fbcdn-photos-a-a.akamaihd.ne...d739a5f089f24f

Tells a few stories. Numbers aside, you can see the gains are significant. Look at the power I have at 3200rpm, pretty much peak fa20 power. Problem with chasing a peak hp number (I'm not, I always wanted driveability) is that you need revs. HP is torque times revs. Hard to make one without the other etc. To make say 100 more whp, it just needs to rev more. Head work and cam work etc. We measured this the other week and looks as if could only get about another 8 degrees of duration in the cams before fouling, hardly worth it. So that means would have to do a different piston design to do headwork that would be worth it. So now its a $15k exercise, which ruins the whole point of using the 1uz in the first place.

Its a different car to drive now. Where as it used to be like a sewing machine, keep revs high or else, now I don't have to wait for the power, its there in the revs where you spend 98% of driving.

Sure I'd love it to rev to 8000rpm and make 400whp but then it wont be as smooth down low. More so, it'll cost far too much money. It would be cheaper to turbo it (if chasing a number), but that seems like such a waste with regards to the headers.

Here's a local guy's 1uz turbo setup. vs his previous worked sr20 setup. You can see the huge differnce in torque, but the hp doesn't show anywhere near the same, because different rev ranges.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...134e01b8363bf6

awesome work man keep it up. Do you know how much heavier that 1uz is than the fa20? did it throw off the handling of the car or is it barely noticeable

It handled like a dog last time I drove it, but I'm putting that down to the fact the swaybars weren't in. I want to get them in and see how it feels.

So it would be reasonable to say, outside of cams, your current power level is about capped without getting into an expensive build (NA or FI) for your motor?

If so, does this make the new positive displacement blowers (edlebrock, Harrop) look like a reasonable alternative cost/performance wise?

No I don't think so. I had a PD blower on mine 2 years ago (Bullet) and it offered no where near the performance of the v8. Sure it might hit the same peak number, but the low down torque wasnt there. You could load boost up the fa20 down low easily enough, but the rods wouldn't take it.

Let me know how that goes I love this swap and build man major kudos

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk

Those wiring videos are great, that channel alone is really informative as well...learned a lot today.


Really sweet build, you guys know how to have fun down there (or is it up there?).

Finally got the car back on Saturday.
Turns out the last two weeks of working out bugs was a waste of time, it was the obd2 sender unit I had left in place that was confusing the motec. Once unplugged, all the issues went away.

Spent the day yesterday playing around with damper settings. VERY impressed with the MCA suspension. Their suggested settings were too firm for my liking, but a few clicks softer and it made a massive difference.

Still hard to give the car the beans, as my new brakes still haven't turned up. But spent a lot of time driving up and down this road. It's my new "suspension tuning" section of road.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6jzOnzo7JI"]V8 Toyota GT86 - Vid 8 - Second drive - GT86 + 1UZFE - YouTube[/ame]

Awesome road, how are the cops around their with spirited driving? Want to move their,....how do I immagrate LOL

They're pretty anal over here. Go 35km/h over and they take your licence immediately and can take the car. Just for going 10km/h over you get 25 demerit points. Get to 100 and you loose your licence. I'm sitting at 90 atm.

Probably being a bit risky, seeing as the car isn't certified/engineered yet, so its not at all road legal. Even if I got pulled up and wasn't speeding they'd throw their toys, prob make me tow it home not drive it.

Around the cities they have zero tolerance. But down here they're a bit more lax.

Just using a bit of common sense you can avoid most of the drama. They're out to get idiots in shit cars, that need big straights to get upto speed. So they wait there for them. They don't tend to patrol twisty sections as most cars can't get upto speed. That's what I tell myself anyway.

Great vid! Your countryside looks gorgeous, especially the view with the road foreground, lake mid-ground, and snow capped mountains in the back.

Came in pretty much where I budgeted. A little over. Couple of things I overspent on, more so because of forex rate change and shipping. But also, did better selling than I thought I would. One thing this doesn't show, which was my primary reason behind going ahead with this, was that if the turbo blew the fa20, I'd be up for 9k for another stock one, or 12k for a built one. Then the gearbox (which was already feeling awful) would need upgrading as well. With the system I've got now, I've got more than twice the torque, from a motor than I can replace for a grand, and a brand new gearbox that's rated from factory for that torque.

Keep in mind these figures are in New Zealand dollars. This is also why things ex US are expensive, but also why I got so much for my OEM gear (because no one else here was selling them)

The brakes and muffler I didn't really need, but wanted. The axles were needed.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...1ea600c4a2c164

I want more of this swap in my life lol think the guys from horsepower academy will ever make a kit for the harness?

changed a part because i realized you were answering my question about the harness kit lol nvm


I'm glad you got that sway bar in did it help with the handling? I remember you saying it wasn't that great before. Are you considering getting it corner balanced? Will you put it on a scale to see weight distribution and total weight? sorry for all the questions but this thread makes me drool with anticipation lol

I'm waiting on a few things atm. New springs coming from MCA. Missing one of my swaybar brackets, got a new one coming. And my brakes turned up but without pads, so waiting on them as well.

Yup definitely interested to see where the weight ended up.

This is an awe inspiring road I would love to be out there! This is one of my favorite videos on here

Another vid

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcjRcAZvWRE"]GTV86 - Let's go drifting - Extended version - YouTube[/ame]

That thing looks like a blast! You guys did a fantastic job.