1UZ-FE Lexus 4.0l V8 - Whats it really do ?

[TheToyman75]

The 1UZ has a well deserved reputation for being a great engine straight from the factory.

Its all alloy so nice and light for its size, has factory 6 bolt mains for the typical bullet proof toyota Bottom end and is a really smooth and reliable engine to drive.

However Dyno day after Dyno day them seam to produce a rather lack luster performance. Figures around the low 120 RWKW seem to be the norm from the occasional Crowns and Soarers.

Well we finally got a 1UZ in here at work to re-educate

Its a stock standard 1UZ-FE Auto with a good quality high flow exhaust and slightly revised intake (K&N Panel filter). As driven on the stock ECU it turned 149RWKW ! (Nice huh)

Being a Factory Auto we needed to retain the factory ECU to look after the auto shifts. As such we fitted an Xede piggy back ecu which allows us to control the fuel AND timing (And boost if it had a turbo) But anyway enought about us and back to the engine......

Keeping in mind this is an N/A engine and ALL we have changed is the factory state of tune......................



The red lines are of course the before run and the blue line is the after run.

26rwkw is not a bad gain for a $1600 job

[JustCallMeOrlando]

That's a very large number for an essentially stock auto 1UZ. When you say "high flow exhaust" are we talking extractors, or from there back?

If no extractors, what headers were being used?

I only ask, given that CrUZida's Microtech equipped 1UZ, with extractors, twin throttle bodies and manual only made 180rwkw.

Yes, his air inlet temps left a lot to be desired, but still

[MR 1JZ]

my celsior goes on the dyno this weekend for the TCC.net dyno day, will be interesting too see what sort of grunt it can make.

I have seriously considered wiring in an emanage compuer myself mainly to lean it out a little as they run horribly rich (after all they are a toyota ) how beneficial do you think simply a piggy back can be? especially seeing as they are around $400 compared to $1500 for a standalone aftermarket, which you cant use as fujll standalone anyway due to the slushbox

[The Witzl]

"it's all in the tune"

There's a lot to be said for Dave's tuning - he's fkn gun!

Rod - i too would be interested to know what kind of extractors and exhaust system this soarer has. It's a pity extractors are virtually impossible on the UZS131 crown thanks to the MASSIVE chassis sitting right in the way, you'd have to make some interesting designs to make it fit!


very nice figure though


Mr 1JZ - was considering an emanage on the crown myself too, since it also controls both fuel and ignition timing, but never got around to it and have now sold the crown. I think there is value in their use.

[MR 1JZ]

well my celsior is currently for sale, maybe to replaced with a UZS131 so there is a good chance ill give it a go...

[TheToyman75]

Stock headers on it mate, Not the Crown block huggers you normally see but the other ones ?

A stock engine hardly needs twin throttle bodies ?? Its only 4.0L... They are Cool but can't see them giving any real gain in terms of rwkw, I'm sure they made a difference to throttle responce tho.

Biggest limitation with the Xede is we are unable to lift the rev limit as clearly shown on the graph.

[TheToyman75]

MR 1JZ,

Mate what you see there is the benefit gained from a GOOD piggyback ECU. The Xede is by far one of the best available. ( www.xede.com.au )

By using the piggyback you can retain the factory auto and all the creature comforts of factory ide control. A cheap standalone will give you the ability to lift the rev limit but you lose the quality of idle control and can't use the factory Auto.

A high end aftermarket will give you back a quality idle control and potentially a whole heap of extra functions (IE something like an Autronic SM4 which will do wide open throttle shifts, 2 step rev limits, launch control, traction control, in built Data logging and even run variable cam timing, properly..... on two seperate cams, independantly of each other . So if you had the VVTi 1UZ that would be the puppy you need ! )

The $1600 price tag on this particular option was the Xede piggyback, wiring and installation plus dyno tuning.

[MR 1JZ]

would you consider the emanage not a good piggy back ecu?

any reason why? if you do of course?

[TheToyman75]

MR 1JZ,

I am not saying the emanage is a bad thing and I won't go into details as allot of R&D was done to develop the results you see here. The Xede used is custom built just for us to suit the 1UZ.

In short tho I am not sure an emanage will actually run a 1UZ but I won't elloborate on why.

[JustCallMeOrlando]

Stock headers on it mate, Not the Crown block huggers you normally see but the other ones ?

A stock engine hardly needs twin throttle bodies ?? Its only 4.0L... They are Cool but can't see them giving any real gain in terms of rwkw, I'm sure they made a difference to throttle responce tho.

Biggest limitation with the Xede is we are unable to lift the rev limit as clearly shown on the graph.

Fair enough, still, 149rwkw is a lot healthier than any other auto 1UZ i've seen with those mods, either here, or on Planet Soarer. That's more than Pete's Delco-equipped one made!

Yeah, twin throttles not needed with factory baby cams, but it essentially rules out any inlet restriction

As for the all in the tuning comment from teh Witzl, sure the detail is in the tuning, but that's a small difference, given the big changes between the setups. The manual alone should account for the 5rwkw, what about the uber-$ extractors?

[JustCallMeOrlando]

A high end aftermarket will give you back a quality idle control and potentially a whole heap of extra functions

Heap of other functions yes, but what extra idle control features does the Autronic afford over anything else? I can't find anything in the documentation to say it's going to do it any better than a properly configured Microtech, which as many people on this forum can attest to, idles perfectly and cold starts perfectly.

I'm not starting anything, nor having a dig, just trying to understand the basis for this comment.

[TheToyman75]

Frank,

I'm not going to start a mines better than yours war. A microtech is a great entry level ecu but has no where near the flexibility of an Autronic or current model Motec. Idle control is a short comming of most entry level ecu's.

This thread was to show what a 1UZ is actually capable of running with very basic mods and a decent tune.

Ie best bang for your buck with a 1UZ. In responce to your comment on the twin throttle bodies and mega $$ extractors... It could be they just are not money well spent on a STANDARD engine. Add some cam and head work etc and I am sure they will become a valuable asset to the package. I haven't had the benifit of being able to back to back test anyone else's mods. Only this one.

If the factory Throttle body isn't a restiriction then a bigger one will yeild no gain, same goes for the headers. I know the factory Block huggers are terrible but the factory tubular headers look like a trick bit of gear and I beleive are even Stainless steal. Its all about the biggest restriction for the current package.

As for Pete's delco controlled 1UZ I have no idea what headers it runs but it has been on this Dyno, Its only been run here for Dyno comps so cannot comment on its state of tune.

The results will be in the Dyno Day History thread as will a good number of other 1UZ powered vehicles.

[JustCallMeOrlando]

I'm not going to start a mines better than yours war. A microtech is a great entry level ecu but has no where near the flexibility of an Autronic or current model Motec. Idle control is a short comming of most entry level ecu's.

Rod mate, I'm not trying to start a "mines better than yours war". I'm trying to understand. If you check your damn PM's you would see I asked you about an SM4 last month! I just can't find anything in the specs to say the Autronic does a better job at idle. Given my car is a daily driver, this is a consideration for me! No war, just questions.

i.e. best bang for your buck with a 1UZ. In responce to your comment on the twin throttle bodies and mega $$ extractors... It could be they just are not money well spent on a STANDARD engine. Add some cam and head work etc and I am sure they will become a valuable asset to the package. I haven't had the benifit of being able to back to back test anyone else's mods. Only this one.

If the factory Throttle body isn't a restiriction then a bigger one will yeild no gain, same goes for the headers. I know the factory Block huggers are terrible but the factory tubular headers look like a trick bit of gear and I beleive are even Stainless steal. Its all about the biggest restriction for the current package.

Point noted, and this is the theory, the factory heads don't flow enough for the inlet and exhaust mods to be of enough benefit, fair enough. Those figures just seem high, for both the stock and modified one.

EDIT: This last bit was for comparison, I forgot to put that in before I posted

This is from Peter Scott from Planet Soarer fame:
180.4rwkw (bolded the big points)

BFI3 with no air filter, headers, 10 inch x-pipe, ELF fuel, Unichip custom tune, FUCHS 0W/30 synthetic engine oil, custom grind exhaust camshafts, Lukey (Dynomax) Ultra straight through mufflers, 52 psi rear 275 17inch tyres, no belts, Castrol synthetic diff oil in TORSEN diff, 3rd gear run in normal mode, platinum plugs, stock Toyota leads (wires), newish timing belt/ rotors/ caps/ bearings,

[TheToyman75]

Frank,

I'll discuss the SM4 with you via PM or email, To discuss its benefits is to reveal hard fort information of tuning techniques are requirments, this is not information that is given away. The unfortunate fact is there are a plethora of wanna be performance workshops and wanna be engine tuners who ducked out and bought a Dyno. Teaching them how to use it isn't something I am prepared to assist with. Like wise for our competitors to refine/improve their products. There are a stack of man hours in the revised design and functionality of the Xede to get these results on the 1UZ. Sorry if that seams harsh but at the end of the day my Job is to maintain the advantage we have here at SAS.

Sorry about forgetting your PM, After working 12 hours a day, then sitting in traffic for up to an hour to get home the last thing I wanna do is work related PM's. I remember seeing it but totally forgot sorry man.

As for higher than expected results I agree totally. If I hadn't seen it done I'd struggle to believe it myself. Even if you discount the figure, a 26rwkw gain is well impressive. I expected to see 10 - 15kw ! Thats back to back run too, not done over a couple of days

As for the results other people get everything is relative, if a package is not 100% right it won't go as well as it could have. This engine could be a bit of a freak, they happen. Hopefully we can get another 1UZ of this series through the doors and when we do I'll advise those results too. Keep in mind there are at least 3, possibily 4 1UZ variants.

Unfortunatly a 1UZ-FE is an unlikely fit for my other Crown and is not legally allowed in my TA23. Otherwise one would be in there and I could let you know the results again.

[JustCallMeOrlando]

That's no biggie Rod, figured it would've been something like that, otherwise I would've hassled ya

The 26rwkw gain is probably about what I expected. The tune on them is pretty lacklustre from the factory. Actually, make lacklustre = conservative

Bugger about the Crown, suppose a JZ will have to do though

What particular car did the engine come out of, maybe it'll put in perspective why it began with such a high power figure. As you mention though, freaks do happen.