1UZ engine sump conversion plates

[elliotaw]

Hi, this is my first post to the forum, but I have to say that it is a wealth of knowledge and experience.

I am just in the process of fitting a 1UZ into my 1981 Ford Capri. It just squeezes into the engine bay with the sump and intermediate plate removed.
I needed to fit a rear sump conversion kit so went through the normal channels to find what was available and the only so called 'kit' I could find was a flat plate made from 20mm thick aluminium which bolted onto the bottom of the engine and then a sump from a donor car could be fitted to make it either forward, middle or rear sump.
Looking at the design I can see two major design flaws. Firstly the flat plate did not allow use of the bottom bellhousing mounting positions which the standard intermediate plate uses. I am no expert but not to use the full mountings around the bell is not a good idea and I can see cracked bell housing sindrome ahead. And secondly, the conversion plate was designed such that it would hinder oil flow from the top of the engine to the sump as there is metal directly under the tubes which run vertically through the block around the outside of the engine. And on top of all that the price tag of $500 Australian.

Being a mechanical engineer I made up a precision drawing on Autocad and have had a few plates made to my own design.
I have had them made from 6mm stainless steel, and they are designed such that you will have to fabricate your own bottom sump section. But I have included plates to be welded to the rear of the plate to make full use of the lower bellhousing bolts and also a very neet fitting inspection plate for the torque converter bolts.

I'm sure there may be other options already available out there, but if anyone is interested I can supply the whole kit for nearly half the price tag of the crap aluminium ones.

Elliot

 

[chrisman]

hi eliot, welcome to the site..
sounds like your already well into the swap...i was looking it over because im also trying to swap this motor inta a rather small car.. in my case its a toyota corrolla--gts..
i may also need to use a rear sump.. but the engine i have came from an Ls400-- these had the front sump setup--i think..
i think there is a rear sump available--used on the sc400 or soarers.. im not positve on this, and will try and check into it..
sounds like the one you made may be better anyway- stainless, and custom designed..
its great that your already helping the v8 community out, and i think your gonna be a valuable part of the forum..
keep up the good work, and keep us posted..

 

[BlownV8]

Hi, this is my first post to the forum, but I have to say that it is a wealth of knowledge and experience.

I am just in the process of fitting a 1UZ into my 1981 Ford Capri. It just squeezes into the engine bay with the sump and intermediate plate removed.
I needed to fit a rear sump conversion kit so went through the normal channels to find what was available and the only so called 'kit' I could find was a flat plate made from 20mm thick aluminium which bolted onto the bottom of the engine and then a sump from a donor car could be fitted to make it either forward, middle or rear sump.
Looking at the design I can see two major design flaws. Firstly the flat plate did not allow use of the bottom bellhousing mounting positions which the standard intermediate plate uses. I am no expert but not to use the full mountings around the bell is not a good idea and I can see cracked bell housing sindrome ahead. And secondly, the conversion plate was designed such that it would hinder oil flow from the top of the engine to the sump as there is metal directly under the tubes which run vertically through the block around the outside of the engine. And on top of all that the price tag of $500 Australian.

Being a mechanical engineer I made up a precision drawing on Autocad and have had a few plates made to my own design.
I have had them made from 6mm stainless steel, and they are designed such that you will have to fabricate your own bottom sump section. But I have included plates to be welded to the rear of the plate to make full use of the lower bellhousing bolts and also a very neet fitting inspection plate for the torque converter bolts.

I'm sure there may be other options already available out there, but if anyone is interested I can supply the whole kit for nearly half the price tag of the crap aluminium ones.

Elliot

Good to see someone thinking outisde the square.
I am fitting the engine to my MK 1 capri, 1970 model. I dont know how similar the cars are, but i have a front sump engine, and it will fit as is. All i have to do is make up custiom spacer plates for the sway bar mounts to make it lower to the ground. This mod is actually recommeded by burton power any way to make the car more stable under hard cornering and braking,they make a kit for it. With these adapters inplace, there is enough space between the steering rack and the lower radiator support panel, and the sway bar sits under the sump.

I will post some pics once i get my digi camera back from my mother-in-law.

 

[Lextreme II]

Soarer/SC400 = Rear Sump
Celsior/LS400 = Front Sump
Crown = Mid Sump

 

[chrisman]

blown v8--OMG, dont tell me your mother in law is helping you with the early capri swap..he,he,,.. just kiding..

we used to have the capris in the states for a while, i havnt seen one here in many years.. you guys should post some pics--if you can..

 

[elliotaw]

Good to know some1 else is fitting one of these engines into a capri.

I am surprised that you managed to make it fit without mods into a Mk1. My Mk3 Capri is dimensionally very similar to a Mk1, Ford even used the same floor pan panels in all Mk1, 2 and 3 Capris.

Does your bonnet shut down fully? I can get the 1UZ into the engine bay with the sump and intermediate plate, but found the engine has to fit quite far forward with about 140mm clearance between the back of the engine and the bulkhead, and then found the bonnet wont shut either as the engine is very high compared to the original 2.8 Cologne injected lump. With the sump and intermediate removed and the engine lowered, I can close the bonnet and move the engine right back into the bay and there is only about 30mm clearance between the bottom of the crankshaft counterweights and the top of the steering rack. thats why I had no choice but to make up a custom setup.

Interesting to know the Soarer had a rear sump. I would guestimate that it still wouldnt be shallow enough for my conversion. Has anyone got a pic of the oil pickup in a soarer ??

Elliot

 

[Zuffen]

Elliot,

The Soarer is nowhere near shallow enough.

I have a rear intermediate plate of a Soarer at home. I'll post a photo tonight.

 

[BlownV8]

chrisman, hell no, she has just borrowed the camera, would not let any of my in-laws within 30 feet of my car. hehehe

elliotaw, i haven't got the bonnet on the car at them moment, so i dont know if it will shut or not yet. All my measurements tell me it will, i just have to cut the bonnet support bracket off the bonnet from under the power buldge. Does you capri have a buldge in the bonnet or not. Mine does, and thats the only reason it will fit.

Once it is all in, i will have about 10mm clearance from the steering rack to the sump, both above and forward of it. I have the engine out at the moment, and the cross member is out as well. I will bolt it all up together with the rack attacked, and take a few photos ( once i get my camera back ) and post them, this will give a clear view of what i have done.

As for the rear sump, they are not a fully rear sump anyway. A mate of mine has one in his shed to go into his 260Z, and the sump bowl starts about 4 inches from the back of the motor. In a capri, you would have to mount the engine a long way back in the engine bay to clear the cross member, and would have to modify the firewall to get it to fit, and also enlarge the trans tunnel to get the bellhousing to couple up to the engine. This is not a wise move on one of these, as the heater box is pretty well wedged in the back of the firewall, and is already a pretty small unit, you would have fun re-locating that anywhere else.

 

[elliotaw]

Blown V8, yes, my bonnet has the power bulge, but is made of fibreglass as the standard ones are way to hefty. I still find it weird that you have managed to fit the engine in your capri with the standard Toyota sump and be able to close your bonnet. I would have need a bonnet bulge about 20mm higher....hehe

I have fitted the engine with the autobox into the car and I have about 20mm clearance between the back of the engine and the bulkhead. the transmission fits in the tunnel with plenty of room all around it which is nice. I have also fitted up a castlemaine chassis kit and if you redrill two of the holes for the gearbox mount, it all fits very neat and tidy like a bought one.

Elliot

 

[Zuffen]

Elliot.

The "rear" sump intrmediate plate is 68mm high.

Two photo's attached.

 

[elliotaw]

Excellent, cheers mate. Appreciate the pics. can see right away that wouldnt fit my setup anyway. the sump is still not rearward enough and more than likely too high, but thanks anyway, always good to know the options. I am over half way through making my own one now and should have it finished by this time next week. I will post pics once its ready. I assume the soarer has the oil pump in the same position? Do you have a picture of the pickup pipework ? Sorry to be a pain in the ass.

Elliot

 

[Zuffen]

Elliot,

The oil pump remains in the same place regardless of sump "position". The pump at the front of the engine.

The plumbing can be altered to suit whatever location you need the pickup.

Sorry no pics of the pipework that's still in the engine with another sump on it.

 

[KDog]

Just adding that its best to remove the sump and place the engine in the ideal location, right at the back of the engine bay and as low as you can go. Then make a custom sump/pickup. If you don't do this now you will regret it later.

 

[BlownV8]

just found this on EBAY, may be of interest to you

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10428&item=4531527825&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[Peewee]

He is the one selling that.

 

[elliotaw]

Lol, yes thats one of the other ones I had made up at the same time. I had a few made in the hope that I could sell the rest and have mine pay for itself at the same time as helping out someone else.....

Elliot

 

[BlownV8]

I have started a thread with a pic of the 1uz in my mk1 capri if you are interested. I have more pics available if you would like them.

 

[SprinterTRD]

Sump

hi eliot, welcome to the site..
sounds like your already well into the swap...i was looking it over because im also trying to swap this motor inta a rather small car.. in my case its a toyota corrolla--gts..
i may also need to use a rear sump.. but the engine i have came from an Ls400-- these had the front sump setup--i think..
i think there is a rear sump available--used on the sc400 or soarers.. im not positve on this, and will try and check into it..
sounds like the one you made may be better anyway- stainless, and custom designed..
its great that your already helping the v8 community out, and i think your gonna be a valuable part of the forum..
keep up the good work, and keep us posted..

You will need the front sump version for the corolla GTS

 

[chrisman]

hey sprintertrd, yes thats the one i used..
for all you guys who didnt know, Sprinter Trd has fit a 1uz into an AE86-sprinter almost 1 year ago.. not only is it running, it looks and sounds like its running great..
i hope this eventually becomes a common swap, here in the states, small toyotas dont get much respect..
we gotta change that-- and a nice toyota v8 in a light chassis is a good way to get noticed..