The 1UZ V-8 Is In!
Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 8:00PM This racing projects blog is about my drag racing exploits in Bangkok, Thailand. I have raced a 1990 Mazda Familia mini pick-up in the 'fast brackets' at Bangkok Drag Avenue for several years. Up until recently, I used a highly modified turbocharged Toyota 1.5JZ straight 6 (3100cc = 191 cu.in.) and racing automatic to go 10.63 at 133mph in the 1/4 mile at only 0.9 bar of boost (12 pounds). My current project with this race car is the installation of a Vortec supercharged Toyota 1UZ V-8 (4000cc = 243 cu.in.). Please read down for details on the engine build-up, parts acquisition, progress reports, and updates.
As of yesterday, this is what it looks like. The pretty pieces were set in place to get a look at where everything is so that wiring, tubing, and brackets could be engineered. The 1UZ is a very good looking engine. Of course, I HAD to paint the "valve covers" (er, cam covers) HEMI Orange.
With the polished aluminum fire wall, and the engine setback which puts the motor back under the cowl, it looks like an old time gasser.
One day soon . . . . .
Plenty of room . . . but just enough room for header clearance around the steering shaft and box.
It is amazing what a little paint can do.
1UZ Art.
Dr. Jeff Harper
Some new progress: when you take off all the belt-driven accessories from the front of the engine so you don't have to use the serpentine belt, you are left with only the alternator and how to tighten it's belt. How . . . with a nice adjustable alternator bracket.
Dr. Jeff Harper
I am back from my conference in The States (1/2 the way around the planet each way!). While I was gone the shop guys mocked up a supercharger mount out of aluminum and cardboard. It looks pretty good. And strong . . . which it will need to be in this racing application. I wish they had put more adjustability in this mock-up . . . in case it doesn't align with the crank pulley. Oh well.
Billet Throttle Body . . . . larger than stock . . . . .
An aluminum plate was welded to the manifold and then the billet throttle body is then bolted on . . .
The final configuration of the blower mounting bracket.
The intercooler piping to the throttle body, as well the air intake piping from the scoop (in the same location as before) to the supercharger -- both completed. The throttle linkage was also connected and checked.
Just enough hood clearance!
Dr. Jeff Harper
At last, all the parts have arrived and the final assembly can begin. The fuel injectors (Pink Subaru 565cc), ATI balancer/pulley with spacer collar, fuel fittings, and puke tank. Nice
The crankshaft collar was made to space the 2JZ ATI balancer out the correct distance so that the integrated pulley aligns with the alternator pulley. The common key-way and key will allow indexing in the standard orientation so that I can use the timing marks on the balancer. The photo is of the original collar. . . . made of the wrong material, cast pot metal, which couldn't be welded! I had another, high quality, steel unit made.
The ATI balancer also solved the lower supercharger opulley 'problem'. It has three large threaded bolt holes and high quality cap screws to mount the pulley on the front.
The pink injectors are from the Subaru STi and are rated by the factory at 500cc, but independent testing shows 565cc at 45psi. I got these off of the Australian e-Bay at a fair price.
Summit Racing -6 fuel fittings were ordered and received.
The 1UZ has an oil vapor breather hole on each valve cover, so I will plumb these to a vented Summit Racing 'puke can' to keep the vapors and oil spray away from the hot headers.
I am still waiting for AEM to release their new 'reworked and updated' CDI unit. It is ordered, but on back order.
I am also waiting for a 3.5-bar AEM MAP sensor and loom. I had origionally ordered a 2-bar MAP sensor, but didn't realize it was only good to 1-bar of boost (1-bar minus the 1-bar of atmosphere!).
All-in-all things are going well.
The crankshaft collar spacer, ATI 2JZ Balancer, and supercharger pulley matched.
The collar has a key-way that matches the ATI balancer and they both index to the 1UZ in the same orientation as the standard lower pulley, so I can use the ATI timing marks (yes, after determining TDC).
The collar and ATI Balancer
Drop in 565 Subaru injector.
Pink injector.
Various Summit Racing fuel fitings needed to finish the job.
Dr. Jeff Harper
Another couple of good week-ends of work completed. A lot of work done. I have an appointment at the header shop for October 19th . . . . . . time marches on!
Blower piping completed.
An angle finder on the crankshaft and blower pulley helped in the alignment.
Here the alignment of the belts, as a result of the crankshaft collar. There is a Gates dealer in Pattaya, Thailand that stocks these belts. I will need a shorter one!
Again, the relationship between the ATI 2JZ balencer, the blower pulley, and the crankshaft spacer. Although there is a continuous key-way & key between the collar and balancer, the collar will be spot welded to the balancer in three places 120 degrees apart. I have new belts to replace these.
The idler (tensioner) pulley will be bolted onto the blower bracket in an elongated hole (note red marking), supported by a double plate and triangulation at the back.
To be sure we got the blower mounted square to the plane of the crankshaft, we made an adjustable blower bracket (red arrow). Once the correct alignment is found, the bracket will be welded around the edges, the bolts taken out, and triangulated gussets welded on the back.
The 565cc injectors were added to the manifold and the fuel rails were bolted on - a perfect fit!
I couldn't do this project without the good efforts and skill of my Thai shop workers.This is what it all looks like today (10/17/09) with the idler pulley trial fitted and the new blower belt. Nice. Let's hope it makes some boost!
OK, Ok . . . . . a little BLING does not make a race car go faster . . . . but nice, no?
Dr. Jeff Harper
The headers are done. They are not exactly 'equal length', but they are stepped from 1 5/8" up to 1 3/4" and then on to Edelbrock merge collectors. The headers are a tight fit around the steering, but all is good. The car is now at the electrician's shop getting the ECU wired up.
The slip-on collectors are temporarily wired together until I can get some long stainless bolts.
Steering side headers: the front two tubes go over the steering column, and the rear two go under. VERY TIGHT, but I am not too worried, what with solid motor mounts. I will put a shield between the tubes and the steering box.
I brought my own imported header wrap. It's a small race car with a big engine and I do not want to cook anything in there.
Most of the wiring leads for power, sensors, injectors and ignition have been run to the location of the AEM ECU and PCS trans controller - notice the Toyota ignitor on the floor. The AEM CDI will go in this location . . . as soon as the "new and improved" model is available.
We found nice 'like new' plugs for the ECU (my AEM takes Supra plugs).
It is always an adventure getting good quality work done in Thailand. To get to George, The Wiring Guy, I had to tow through narrow back-streets in Bangkok, just wide enough for the trailer to fit. Needless to say, it was easier to leave the race truck on the trailer under his car park for the wiring work.
Dr. Jeff Harper
I spent the evening at my trackside race shop. My friend John dropped by with the 200 liter (55 gallon) barrel of GT Unleaded Racing Gas that I bought from him. He has this race gas blended in Singapore and then imports it. It has an assumed (combined) octane rating around 115, but is especially good in turbocharged and supercharged applications because of its anti-knock properties. Plus, because it is unleaded, it does not deteriorate O2 sensors in the exhaust collectors. This gas should be great in my 9.25:1 supercharged configuration to keep knock away. We passed a few hours bench racing and catching up on each other's projects: he has two 1UZ powered "street" cars (a Volvo and a BMW) here in Bangkok . . . . . with a combined horsepower somewhere around 2000 . . . one with a Lenco 5-speed . . . . . . street?
Liquid GOLD! 200 liters of GT Unleaded Race Gas from Singapore. I am ready to start up the 1UZ now!
Yep, unleaded race gas.
Reader Comments