1UZFE into Ford Sierra XR4x4

[Cobber]

Just a bit of research then....

Not many sierra cosworths down under. I have seen a clubman style kit car with cosworth 4x4 running gear in Perth a couple of years ago at a vintage car show of all places. The owner built it in the UK and brought it over when he moved.

 

[autronic]

Cobber:

Was it a Lotus 7 replica ? If it was, it might have been a Dax Rush Quadra as they are meant for the 2.0
Cosworth engine and 4x4 running gear. Drives like a go-cart, crazy 0-100 MPH-0 performance, heaps of
fun and of course, impossible to get road worthy in Norway.....

 

[Cobber]

That's the one and would be one hell of a weapon.

The UK has a very good kit car market and reasonable build rules compared to Australia.

Keep us posted on your builds.

 

[Tonyd]

A local garage owner here in Bromsgrove had a Dax Cosworth 4x4 Rush that he was trying to get the 0-100-0 record with.

Looked very uncomfortable as it was stripped for lightness and even the drivers seat ( carbon fibre shell) had been drilled, look like a Gruyere cheese, to save weight.

According to his workshop foreman the Dax Cossy produced well over 400 bhp but was undriveable on the road, still good fun no doubt.

Cheers,

Tony

 

[merkur]

Pictures?

Hi,
I know this is a really old thread and fear the pictures are long gone.
Is there a way I can see the pics of the 1UZFE into the Sierra.
I'm in America and have a Merkur XR4Ti. A lot of people put 302 V8's in them over here.
It's a pipe dream at the moment but I'd love to see the conversion.
Thanks.

 

[cthommes]

Hi,
I know this is a really old thread and fear the pictures are long gone.
Is there a way I can see the pics of the 1UZFE into the Sierra.
I'm in America and have a Merkur XR4Ti. A lot of people put 302 V8's in them over here.
It's a pipe dream at the moment but I'd love to see the conversion.
Thanks.

Hi Merkur,
I'm getting into precisely this swap. The 1UZFE and A341E auto are going into my '85 Merkur XR4Ti. Overall there are a few things to note that are a bit of a challenge-

1) You won't be able to use your brake booster. I have the late dual-diaphragm booster and it sits right where the rear of the driver's cylinder head/valve cover wants to sit. I don't think the early single diaphragm booster will work any better. I plan to use a hydroboost unit driven off the PS pump.

2) Heater core-- the Inlet/Outlet will not work where they are, and you'll need to figure out a custom core. Since the stocker has plastic tanks and lines, modification of the stock core doesn't seem possible.

3) Sump needs to be completely customized, neither the "rear" nor front sumps will work. I have chopped up a rear sump and plan to re-weld the lower pan flange flipped 180 degrees and about 3" further back, obviously with an extended pickup tube. You need the SC400 oil filter adapter as the LS400 one interferes with the steering rack.

4) Steering shaft will likely need to be customized as the rubber donut is too large and probably interferes with the exhaust manifold.

5) SC400 manifolds fit well, but the stock cats are unlikely to work, particularly around the sway bar. If you have a later wide-tunnel XR, you might have better luck with the cats than I'm looking at.

6) Battery tray will need to be cut away where it protrudes into the engine compartment and most likely the battery relocated, depending on how low I can get the motor to sit in the engine bay.

The motor with all accessories overall fits in the engine bay pretty well with the few exceptions noted above. There's plenty of side to side clearance to the strut towers and frame rails. Sufficient forward clearance for factory style radiator and slim electric puller fans. Mounts should be relatively easy, no more difficult than any other swap.

I don't have any pics yet as I'm still a couple weeks of sump and mount work away from getting the engine mounted.

 

[xr4man]

this is one of my dream swaps too. thanks for doing the initial legwork though. i may have to go back to my original plans of a saab swap in the merkur.

 

[merkur]

Hi Merkur,
I'm getting into precisely this swap. The 1UZFE and A341E auto are going into my '85 Merkur XR4Ti. Overall there are a few things to note that are a bit of a challenge-

1) You won't be able to use your brake booster. I have the late dual-diaphragm booster and it sits right where the rear of the driver's cylinder head/valve cover wants to sit. I don't think the early single diaphragm booster will work any better. I plan to use a hydroboost unit driven off the PS pump.

2) Heater core-- the Inlet/Outlet will not work where they are, and you'll need to figure out a custom core. Since the stocker has plastic tanks and lines, modification of the stock core doesn't seem possible.

3) Sump needs to be completely customized, neither the "rear" nor front sumps will work. I have chopped up a rear sump and plan to re-weld the lower pan flange flipped 180 degrees and about 3" further back, obviously with an extended pickup tube. You need the SC400 oil filter adapter as the LS400 one interferes with the steering rack.

4) Steering shaft will likely need to be customized as the rubber donut is too large and probably interferes with the exhaust manifold.

5) SC400 manifolds fit well, but the stock cats are unlikely to work, particularly around the sway bar. If you have a later wide-tunnel XR, you might have better luck with the cats than I'm looking at.

6) Battery tray will need to be cut away where it protrudes into the engine compartment and most likely the battery relocated, depending on how low I can get the motor to sit in the engine bay.

The motor with all accessories overall fits in the engine bay pretty well with the few exceptions noted above. There's plenty of side to side clearance to the strut towers and frame rails. Sufficient forward clearance for factory style radiator and slim electric puller fans. Mounts should be relatively easy, no more difficult than any other swap.

I don't have any pics yet as I'm still a couple weeks of sump and mount work away from getting the engine mounted.

I'm in North Hollywood and go past to Ventura to visit my in laws. I'd love to pop down to see your swap because I love the idea of a modern V8 swap that has the possibility of being Cali legal and giving decent power! plus of course LS400's are really cheap at the auctions!

Definitely get some pics up!

Saab 2.3 turbo swap as well! Damn it! My a.d.d. is kicking in! Ahh possibilities! lol!

 

[zrx-fighter]

Hi there, this is my first post, i already have a sc400 with body kit large wheels and other mods, but im just starting my new project a sierra p100 pickup truck with a 1uzfe engine and box in it, i under stand that some one started this autronic i believe, but never fineshed. im trying to find some pictures of what he done to the sump to get it to fit. can any one help with some info and pictures please.
Cheers

 

[autronic]

A bit of grave digging ( sigh, old tread... )

zrx-fighter, merkur, xr4man and cthommes, please enable your private message functions...


Anyway, back to the fun and games with the Ford Sierra.


Basically, the 1UZFE bit of the project is dead.

After fighting with bureaucracy and getting nowhere, I have given up.
That was probably the hope of the Norwegian MOT all along.

A final way is buying a German car with all the 1UZFE/twin turbo work done to it and MOT'ed by TUV in
Germany by a German and then importing it to Norway.
Problem is, the import duty for a Ford Sierra like this will be about US$50000 to Norway.



zrx-fighter:

If you plan to build a Sierra with a 1UZFE and run it as a 4x4 edition, I have some parts you might be interested in:

- Ford V6, XR4x4 sump modified to suit a 1UZFE in a Sierra with 4x4 running gear, it have a "big wing" modification,
other strengthening work done to it and oil returns for 2 turbos.
- Custom made engine mounts in aluminium.
- Crossmember polyurethane mounts, "low profile" version specially made to clear the exhaust manifolds when using
the 4x4 crossmember.

- Ford special MT75 front piece of gearbox, it does not have an integrated bellhousing, it looks like an old Type 9
gearbox in the front.
- Aluminium adapter plate ( CNC machined ) to fit the special MT75 front housing to a 1UZFE "U2" bellhousing,
with provision for a Ford Scorpio hydraulic concentric slave cylinder. As a donor gearbox use an MT75 from an
XR4x4 as they have a 20 mm longer input shaft, just change the front housing to the special one and the
gearbox is ready.

- Stainless steel 4-2-1 headers to run the engine in NA form ( have to be finished, I have a 4x4 RHD steering rack
so I can finish 'em to suit your car ).

If you are interested send me a PM

As for fitting the engine in the car, the main problem you will have is the ABS main unit, but if you modify your
right inner wing slightly and run an European "LHD" ABS main unit there is space to get the engine in
( you have to shorten the in/out plastic 12 mm on the heater core ).

 

[autronic]

To you other guys doing xUZFE in Sierra's/Mercur's:

The engine bay is wide so getting the engine in is not a big problem, the main problem is the sump.

I have never seen a rear sump "live" but from pictures I doubt you can use it, so you have to run a
custom one.

Engine mounts is not a problem in RWD form, the challenge is the 4x4 version, here you will have to
do a bit of fabrication.

The heater core is a pain, but there is a "quick&dirty" solution, have a look at heater cores for water
cooling to computers, a radiator for 2 pcs 120mm fans is just big enough and the water in/out will be
pointing sideways instead of forward. It also fits instead of the stock Ford heater core inside the plastic.

And finally, you guys in the UK, US and Aus/NZ have no idea how easy you have it when it comes to
modifying cars, I bloody envy you....

 

[merkur]

PM's now enabled

 

[autronic]

A status update.

I mentioned in an earlier post, that the Norwegian MOT would accept a test from an independent source like TÜV or DEKRA,
not so.

I managed to open a channel into a DEKRA branch 60 km outside Berlin, and had settled the specs I would have to build the
car to in order to get it independently approved with an Lexus engine ( with a single turbo ) at 350 BHP.
So I was happy and though I was good and was finally getting somewhere, so I went back to the MOT and told them what
was happening ( yup, me idiit ).

Have you heard about a moving target ? I experienced it then. Suddenly a TÜV or DEKRA branch approval was not good
enough and unless the test was conducted on the main TÜV or DEKRA facilities it would would be rejected.
The fun bit is I was in touch with the TÜV main office in Cologne and asked if it was possible for them to test my car after
an engine change with regard to an statement from them that the car was ok after the engine change.
I was told then that the main office was dealing with car manufacturers directly about type approval of new vehicles and
conversions is handled by, as always, the different smaller branch offices around Germany.

The end result is I will build the car to the specs the DEKRA guy would approve it at, and f**k the Norwegian MOT. When
I see the rowing controls I'll just go past....

A teaser pic, shows the engine after it mysteriously moved 65 mm back in the car. You can just see the new 4x4 sump
flange.

 

[autronic]

One more pic showing the placement.

 

[autronic]

And the final one for now.

If you squint your eyes, you can see that the exhaust out from the turbo will go thru the crossmember.

Since the turbo sits so low I will have to use a pump to return the oil to the sump.

 

[zrx-fighter]

Hi autronic, have you done any more to this or given up with it completly. i am still doing mine had the engine in and fitted with it running of the key. now in the process of getting the body ready to paint with new wings and the bulk head moved back to get the engine in and as far back as possible. will update my post latter with new pictures. have gone to just rear wheel drive keeping the lexus auto box and using a jaguar xjs rear suspension set up.

 

[cthommes]

If anyone's interested in any of this thread still, my 1UZ swapped XR4Ti is up and running, CA BAR approved, smogged and tagged. Still just trying to iron out a few more nit-picky quirks, but it runs and drives fantastic.

 

[merkur]

Holy hell yeah!

I see a road trip in my future!

I did a 302 into my old one then a guy wanted to use it as a track car so I sold it.

I bought another with the 2.3 & it's nearly road worthy.

Lemme see some pics!

We have a meet soon near Tustin at the In-n-Out.

Join "Merkur Club of America" on Facebook all the details are there.

 

[cthommes]

Here's a couple pics, one of the car and one of the motor in the engine bay.

 

[merkur]

That looks like it was meant to be there!

Did you keep it auto to get it through BAR?