1uz into 1988 v6 4X4 5spd 4Runner

The 1UZFE EGR Delete Kit is available for sale here.

dulobast25

New Member
Messages
91
Location
spring valley, ca 91977
OK, I purchased this 4runner about 5 years ago and was originally going to go 7m swap.
I knew I didn’t want ANY 4 cyl and knew the 5vzfe swap was expensive but easy. I also know that I didn't want to bulge the hood. So after inspiration from SUPERRUNNER and a few others, I set out to go 7m and started gathering 7m swap parts. After creating the r151 to w58 bell housing to tranny adapter, I decided that the engine was too long and heavy, and I didn't want to bother with the turbo/intercooler hassle, especially for off roading. I concluded also that a flat torque curve and fewer moving parts and accessories would be better suited for a truck.
Since I'm going 2jzgte in my 1991 mk3 supra and since I went 7mgte in (1981) mk1 supra, I decided to go v8 in the truck. Like many of you here, I wasn't going to put a domestic or non Toyota engine in my 4runner!! I purchased a 1990 sc400 1uz from David @ Lextreme about 3 years ago, along with the igniters, ecu, harness, cats and fuel pump computer and was very happy with the purchase. As a side note, I purchased some oe interior bits and a new front bumper, end caps and valence along with a new rear bumper and endcaps. I also purchase tubular nerf bars to use as running boards as my wife has a hard time hopping in w/o running boards. Lastly I purchased a tow hitch form a 1989 4runner that I will modify as needed to fit the 1988 chassis. The 4runner was in the nicest shape of all that I had seen and had a blown v6 (and no way the 3.0 was going back in) so it was a swap candidate from the get go. 2 children and a marriage later, it’s time to get the project back on board.

At the outset, I'd like to take time to thank the following people:

Davis @ Lextreme for a good deal on a very clean 1uz
Phil Bradshaw for his swap advice and his r151 to 1uz adapter
Kevin (gloverman) for swap advice and his 4runner to 1uz engine mounts
Superunner for his swap advice and swap inspiration
Cribbj for his very clean swap and as a source of ideas
Muzza for being a fellow EE and a swapped 4runner enthusiast
Kim @ Southland Clutch, who knows all about Toyota and Ford clutches and compatibility. (I bought my first clutch ever- it was for my mk1 supra and have since bought all of my clutches from him)
All the members of Lextreme, Supramania, and all the Toyota truck and off-road forums for helped with advice, cads, pdfs, and having well documented tech info.

3 years ago:

After selling many 3vz extra parts, I set aside some cash to get started.


I took some measurements and decided to source a flywheel. The options for this back them wasn't as good as it is now, so I decided after looking at 5vz swaps into MR2's to take a look at my 3vz flywheel. After some precise measurements at test fitting, I took it to my machine shop where they opened up the center hole, the 8 mount holes, gave it a refinish cut, and took some material off the rear. In the end, the starter engaged perfectly and the wheel mounted up along with the factory Toyota flywheel bolts and the orig flex plate spacer.

Since the flywheel was drilled for a 3vz clutch, I decided to get a heavy duty 3vz clutch and pressure plate from Southland Clutch in National City, Ca. (They build clutches for TRD). This made replacement parts cheap. I could have opted for a 3s clutch but the throwout bearing opening is too large in diameter for the rwd bearing setup, not to mention possibly re-drilling the flywheel holes.

Next was to start on mounting to the tranny.
I saw bells at Castlemane and Dellows in Australia, but was unhappy with the tech support response and turnaround time of pre-purchase tech questions. I also figured shipping was excessive as was the lead time to get the items here. Add to that the change in owner ship at CRS and I decided to source a solution here in the USA. Superunner had not perfected the cast 1uz to r series tranny bell housings and I didn't have the patience to build another adapter. Then I found Phil Bradshaw on Lextreme and purchased one of his r151 to 1uz adapters. I then purchased a 1uz bell from Davis @ Lextreme.

Next item of attack was a slave cylinder.
I decided that I was going to notch the 1uz bell and use the existing pivot, pivot ball and slave cylinder and shift fork and fork boot from the r151. That is where the project left off 3 years ago.

Three year pass which brings us to this month. I revisited the project and realized I don't think I want to pursue notching the bell especially since I won’t be satisfied with the cleanliness of the cut and I currently am not sure where the oe components went. Add to that that nobody online has precise measurements on how to place the fork and pivot etc. I concluded upon looking at the forums that the Howe unit from summit racing, along with 2 braided lines, an additional shim pack and drilling 2 holes in the bell would be a cleaner option.

I see a few problems here. If the slave fails, I have to pull the tranny to replace it. This increase the repair by about 10 times in terms of time and difficulty vs. simply unbolting and swapping slaves and bleeding. Next is the fact that the Howe bearing kit costs $230 US min. by the time it arrives at your doorstep. The cost of the Howe plus the adapter is comparable to purchasing the Dellows or CRS bell (minus shipping). There are now bells more avail for less $ than CRS or Dellows but lack the build quality.
Lastly, I am now hearing that the Howe unit takes much trial and error and that the bearings not only have to be swapped to use them, but more importantly, that the Howe units fail prematurely and that no consensus is to use another vendor for a more reliable solution.
As you can see, I will be posting my inquires in the swap and help sections or recommendations from all of you on a conclusion on this.
At this point I'm leaning back towards a single piece 1uz to r151 bell.

In the meantime, I decided I no longer wanted to fab up mounts myself as 3 years was long enough to wait to get this project up and going and don't have the time to fab up everything. After much thought and conversations with gloverman, I purchased his 4runner to 1uz mounts.

With the mounts en route, the oil pan, oil filter and exhaust are the major items remaining to address. The headers and exhaust I will address once the engine is fitted. With the sc400 rear sump, and at stock height, I think my best bet is to remove the entire upper and lower oil pan and replace them with a laser cut flange to replace the upper, and the 3vz oil pan, bolted to the laser cut flange. We will see how this solution will work.
I will also address the oil filter housing to see if it will indeed hit the steering system on the driver’s side. The wiring diagrams were started on blank and lined paper a few years back, but the cads started yesterday, so the diagrams are in progress.

So we will see how this thing goes now that it’s back in progress!

Feel free to chime in on the swap and help sections with ideas, etc as I want this thing to look, and operate like Toyota built it from the factory.
 
1uz 4unner swap

4runner underhood with 4wd front diff
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flywheel
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1uz flexplate vs flywheel ring gear
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This is the engine
 
bellhousing

Here is the bellhousing that I am considering.
 

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Who makes that bellhousing? I'm in northern CA and am going to get started on the swap... I thought I had a W trans but I don't I have the R... and the guy I found that makes the adapter plates in the Tracy area doesn't do them for the R.. at least I think.

Also are there any US ots flywheels... or is everything custom or modified?
 
actually the modesto area not tracy area, and that's me.

I do the R154 adaptor and my new r154 design (in prototype right now) uses the oem hydraulic throwout bearing for the T56 , which only costs 79$ from rock auto. This is a rock solid design that we've been having great luck with. plus it makes my adaptor plate the cheapest option out there.

also I'm the only approved vendor selling these on lextreme.

If the OP weren't so far south of here I'd offer to lend a hand because I would like some hands on experience with this swap, so I could answer customers questions from experience.
 
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