Hiace engine clearance

[mykel]

Hi folks,
I've got the 1uz in the Hiace engine bay at last, however there seems to be some big clearance issues (I knew there would be, but still!).

The engine has a rear sump and log headers, as per advice on squeezing these motors into Hiaces. I bought the mounts off Kelvin (gloverman) in Hamilton. The van is a bog-standard NZ-assembled 1991 Hiace ZL, not a SuperCustom - apparently meaning it's shorter than the SC, restricting the vertical space I have to play with.

Problem 1:
The motor sits maybe 2-3" off the crossmember, and the bottom of the sump is flush with the crossmember. Heaps of room that end. But there is no room whatsoever at the top of the motor - the throttlebody is at least 2" too high to get the seat down onto, and the ridges on the plenum scrape the underside of the seat hatch.

I found this thread: http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=215365&start=0 which suggests flipping the manifold 180deg and re-routing everything, but I don't know this would help the clearance issues - rather just move it to the other side of the engine bay.

So what are my options? IMO:
a) raise the seat 2" - may not be enough to clear acc cabling though. Also how do I do this - essentially weld a 2" metal "strip" around the seat hatches??
b) remove mounts and cut them down a bit - but those same mounts have been used successfully by Kelvin (and others) many times before, why not this time?
c) did I install the mounts incorrectly?? I don't believe so, but anything is possible (I hope it's that easy). Pic attached.
d) If the above fail, is it possible to remote the throttlebody and acc cabling? It's only a thought, so hear me out: if you know Hiaces, the small bay behind the drivers (RHS) seat could fit the throttlebody, AFM and filter without too much grief, with a flattened (but similar air volume) pipe running from the plenum through the wall to the TB... then simply lengthen other hoses to suit. Would natural engine movement cause a problem? Or is it too much effort?

Any suggestions on how this clearance issue has been solved before gratefully received.

Problem 2:
The Lexus auto box is too high as well - do I look into getting some of the floor removed to accommodate it, if the engine can't/won't be lowered any?

Problem 3:
Also there seems to be very little room to run the auto trans shift stick (if that's what it's called? The tubing which goes from the gearstick to the solenoids on the trans) in amongst the engine. Will it fit? How has this been done before?

Thanks in advance for answering questions from an amateur who's bitten off a LOT!

Cheers,
Mike

Pic of LHS mount in the van attached

 

[sideshow]

this has been documented ages ago
ive wired up afew 1uzs into hiaces
prick of a job mounting motor
basically its a compramise
shop i last did one ending up making a big sump guard as motor sat low
was easier to sit low than fk round with section above motor and seat
even then seat had to be modded
its a hard conversion when u compare to other conversions
u need very tight exhaust headers too as the torson bars come close
also beware of your fuel system as this car had fuel cavitation due to pump being up high
as its not easy getting pump low
vans are not best thing to do conversions with and in the end they drive like sheit
ive done afew sr20ts into these vans much easier and go better

 

[lill daddy]

hey cool to see another one in the build ive just about got mine finished... i too had most of the same questions as you.... and i to got my mounts from kelvin... i can send ya some pics of how i did my throttle body, afm, air filter set up if ya want.... but since im doing the same mission as you but a lill bit ahead feel free to flick me a txt about stuff and ill do my best to help ya out man 0212235243

cheers
Adam

 

[mykel]

hey cool to see another one in the build ive just about got mine finished... i too had most of the same questions as you.... and i to got my mounts from kelvin... i can send ya some pics of how i did my throttle body, afm, air filter set up if ya want.... but since im doing the same mission as you but a lill bit ahead feel free to flick me a txt about stuff and ill do my best to help ya out man 0212235243

cheers
Adam

Hey Adam, thanks for this! Apologies for not getting in touch earlier. I'd be quite keen to see how you did it - I'm not really a mechanically minded person so it's great to get inspiration from those who have done it before. I will give you a text once off work.

@Sideshow: I couldn't seem to find Gloverman's posts on his van? Although he's posted a lot, and I probably missed them.

There seem to be plenty of Hiaces with 1UZs around, so I underestimated the amount of effort required. Happy to chop mounts a bit if I need to, but would prefer to see what I can do under the seat first. Maybe a combo of both would work best? Although Kelvin uses these mounts in all his vans, and I'm sure he'd have modified the mounts if it was too much hassle at the seat level...

Hadn't thought of the SR20 motors, smaller than 1UZ I assume? And being smaller displacement than the original 2.4L motor, maybe fewer hassles with getting it certified? Mate has a van he wants to do a conversion on, he's waiting to see how mine pans out first...may be an option

Thanks also for info you've posted - it's amazing how much info these forums and your posts have given me, especially where I started out with the idea and nothing else

 

[teedo]

Hey Mike! Tried emailing again think something may be up with my email or something. I got another engine so am just prepping it at the moment and, if all goes well may mount it this week end . If your free an evening this week sometime you can pop round and see my vans setup? Engine sits abit high but not as high as yours does it seems.

 

[LOWBOY NZ]

This is the best i can do for you pics wise of glovermans set up:





I set the sump level with the engine cross member and set the engine up so when adapted with the manual box it would bolt through the stock mount. Possibly try switch the mounts from side to side and see where that sits the engine because that doesn't sound right that the bell housing fouls.

Throttle body was stripped and shaved down to the absolute minimum, flipped 90 deg and re mounted on the plenum so the cable it top mount(as per pics).

AFM should sit in the stock air box(id rather go for the link ECU so you can get rid of like 100 wires)

I actually found the hiace wasn't too bad for room, glovermans even ran a sweet set of headers.

 

[wepman64]

hey guys doin the 1uzfe conversion in a hiace 2l petrol. can I use factory fuel lines? put a 300hp external fuel pump just as it comes outa the tank.?

 

[gloverman]

External pumps are a bad idea as they aren't designed to "suck" fuel out of the tank. Far better to fit a pump into the tank. Factory steel lines are fine but rubberware needs to be upgraded to EFI spec hose. Dont forget to fit a EFI fuel filter too. Cheers