Lexus 4.0 vvti engine
Author
Discussion

bullstarz

Original Poster:

47 posts

192 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
Hi looking at replacing my engine with another V8, the Lexus/Toyota 4.0 vvti V8. Does any know what manual gearbox will fit it. Bearing in mind that it pumps out 290 bhp standard. If its tweeked could make 450-750bhp.

Any ideas which might make an easy fit.

Scootersp

3,945 posts

211 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
http://www.thor-racing.co.uk/Manual_Gearbox_Conver...


Old school R154? (out of a Mkiii turbo supra)

HVAC MATT

1,116 posts

230 months

Tuesday 28th September 2010
quotequote all
i think lotus use that engine in the Evora. If that helps

bullstarz

Original Poster:

47 posts

192 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Thor kit is pricey £1350+vat.

Think i'll see if the T5 box might fit. Will have to make some spacers to get it all to line up.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

213 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
HVAC MATT said:
i think lotus use that engine in the Evora. If that helps
Isn't it a V6?

emicen

9,136 posts

241 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
HVAC MATT said:
i think lotus use that engine in the Evora. If that helps
Yes, minus two cylinders and half a litre.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

213 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
bullstarz said:
Thor kit is pricey £1350+vat.

Think i'll see if the T5 box might fit. Will have to make some spacers to get it all to line up.
Supra box is what I've seen, but you need a custom bell housing. Unless you know of any that you can get off the shelf. There's a place in Australia that does them, but shipping costs make it a no no for the UK.

Also that's some tweaking to get 450+hp from it. Are you thinking nitrous or FI?

The Cobra kit car forum is a good place for info, there's a chap on there (forget them name at the mo) who runs one with an auto box in a Cobra rep, but has a huge wealth of knowledge on these engines.

cptsideways

13,831 posts

275 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Have a look on ebay there's a company in Thailand who make bellhousings for the R154 & W58 boxes the W58 is the weaker box but it'll be fine behind a 1UZ, R154's are getting hard to find now, the rest of the bits are available too. I've bought a few bits off them, good stuff that works fine.

Link here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1uz-1uzfe-toyota-Be...

The Black Flash

13,735 posts

221 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
You also need to frig the ECU into working as it expects there to be an auto box. When I was looking into this, it sounded as if an aftermarket ECU was the best option, which adds another 1k or so. Fooling the standard one was apparently do-able, but sounded like an "epic nightmare", (to steal a phrase from Vixpy.)

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

213 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
The Black Flash said:
You also need to frig the ECU into working as it expects there to be an auto box. When I was looking into this, it sounded as if an aftermarket ECU was the best option, which adds another 1k or so. Fooling the standard one was apparently do-able, but sounded like an "epic nightmare", (to steal a phrase from Vixpy.)
I didn't think it sounded that bad tbh.

There's a guy in Aus putting one in a TR7 with a 5 speed manual.

busta

4,504 posts

256 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
There's a whole article on transplanting this engine in PPC (practical perfomance car) September issue (no. 77, came out in late july). Covers ECU, gearbos, bellhousings, tuning and other stuff. Would be well worth getting a back issue for.

hairykrishna

14,363 posts

226 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
busta said:
There's a whole article on transplanting this engine in PPC (practical perfomance car) September issue (no. 77, came out in late july). Covers ECU, gearbos, bellhousings, tuning and other stuff. Would be well worth getting a back issue for.
DO you know where to buy back issues from? I can't seem to find them on their website. I'm very interested in this article- I still have a Lexus V8 to MR2 turbo gearbox adaptor plate sat in my shed waiting for me to get round to starting a project.

The Black Flash

13,735 posts

221 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
The Black Flash said:
You also need to frig the ECU into working as it expects there to be an auto box. When I was looking into this, it sounded as if an aftermarket ECU was the best option, which adds another 1k or so. Fooling the standard one was apparently do-able, but sounded like an "epic nightmare", (to steal a phrase from Vixpy.)
I didn't think it sounded that bad tbh.

There's a guy in Aus putting one in a TR7 with a 5 speed manual.
Perhaps it's not, info just seemed very sparse and lots of trial and error involved. But then I hate computers. Probably because I work with them smile

crofty1984

16,875 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
There's an article in a recent Practical Performance Car mag about that.
Might even be the current issue.

bullstarz

Original Poster:

47 posts

192 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
Getting more than the standard 290bhp out of the engine would be using an after market ecu, then looking down the Supercharger route. The engine is said to able to hold 15psi of boost without any mods, its fairly low compression ratio. Also raising the rev limit will help, 7000 rpm isn't a problem, or so im told.

The gear box is the main sticking point though. Getting a spacer/adaptor plate made is relativity easy, but will need a trust bearing mod. I'll have to see which will be the best way to do it, lexus bell housing or the rover/t5 one i have.

busta

4,504 posts

256 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
hairykrishna said:
busta said:
There's a whole article on transplanting this engine in PPC (practical perfomance car) September issue (no. 77, came out in late july). Covers ECU, gearboxs, bellhousings, tuning and other stuff. Would be well worth getting a back issue for.
DO you know where to buy back issues from? I can't seem to find them on their website. I'm very interested in this article- I still have a Lexus V8 to MR2 turbo gearbox adaptor plate sat in my shed waiting for me to get round to starting a project.
Call them on 01780 758800

jbi

12,697 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
bullstarz said:
Getting more than the standard 290bhp out of the engine would be using an after market ecu, then looking down the Supercharger route. The engine is said to able to hold 15psi of boost without any mods, its fairly low compression ratio.
The 1uz-fe is 10.5:1 ratio for the VVTI models so no... it's not because it's low compression that it can take a lot of boost.... it's just an incredibly strong engine from the factory.

Its resemblance to a race engine platform (6 bolt cross mains and over square configuration) was confirmed in 2007 by David Currier (in an interview with v-eight.com), vice president of TRD USA, stating that the 1UZ platform was based on CART/IRL engine design. It was planned to be used on GT500 vehicles, however its subsequent use in the Daytona Prototype use was not planned.

It's an oversquare, short stroke high revving monster and with the correct application and tuning can be very potent

It's difficult (read expensive) to get more power from this engine N/A so most aftermarket tuners go for forced induction.

An Eaton M-90 is the cheapest and easiest route.

If you plan to keep the output at stock, than you can use the toyota W-58 gearbox (from a non-turbo supra) , which is good up to 300hp before it starts breaking.

The advantage the W-58 has over it's bigger brother is that is is about half the weight and a quarter of the price, as well as being far more common and easier to find.

There are plenty of W-58/1uz-fe adaptor kits available from aussie companies.

jbi

12,697 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
[Supra box is what I've seen, but you need a custom bell housing. Unless you know of any that you can get off the shelf.
A W-58 conversion would use the bellhousing from the Automatic gearbox found in the soarer and LS400 with very little modification.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

213 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
jbi said:
300bhp/ton said:
Supra box is what I've seen, but you need a custom bell housing. Unless you know of any that you can get off the shelf.
A W-58 conversion would use the bellhousing from the Automatic gearbox found in the soarer and LS400 with very little modification.
Cheers. Have you got any more info on this.

As I'm planning/wanting to have a go at swapping out the RV8 and LT77 in my TR7 for this kind of setup.

Thanks.

jbi

12,697 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th September 2010
quotequote all
I'm copy/pasting this from somewhere else... but this details a w-58 conversion on a soarer



PLEASE READ www.QUANTUM-AUTO.com Regarding HOWE Bearing issues, please use the Quarter Master unit if you can!

Well is time to spread the word. 1uz + W58 can be done... and pretty easy mind you.

A couple of notes.

I am not responsible if you mess up.

Main Parts

1uzfe W58 Swap Kit (Quantum-Auto.com) includes the following
-Adapter Plate
-Flywheel (Steel or Aluminum depending how deep your pockets are)
-Pressure Plate
-Full Face DF Clutch
-Clutch Lines
-Howe Bearing Spacer
-Alignment Tool
-Pilot Bearing
-Bolt Kit
-OEM Flywheel bolts

Parts you need to source
W58 Transmission from a MK4 Supra OR SC300 - Any year - DO NOT USE AN MK3 Supra W58 unless you know what you are getting yourself into!
Howe 82870 Throwout Bearing
SC300 Clutch Pedal
SC300 Master Cylinder
SC300 Manual Driveshaft
Shifter Bezel Trim Piece
Shift Knob

Modifications - Rated 1-10 (1 easy, 10 hard) scale

Cut the transmission tunnel for shifter to poke through (2/10)
Drill out the 2 small holes in the stock transmission crossmember (1/10)
Drill bellhousing for hydraulic lines to stick through (1/10)
Grind down bellhousing in certain areas for clearance (I think there were 3 locations) - (3/10)

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/performance-and-ma...

This thread has lots of pictures and a step by step walk through of the conversion.