Soarer Central: JZZ31 V8 Conversion.

Soarer Central General Soarer Chat JZZ31 V8 Conversion.

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Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer JZZ31 I6

Posts: 1912
Reg: 11-2005

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Saturday, March 15, 2008 - 11:07 pm, by: Mike Beck (Gold_40gt)

Another possibility Ive thought of for the future of my JZZ31 other than a 1JZ/1.5JZ/2JZ conversion is a 1UZ-FE conversion....

I once thought about this a year or so ago for a later model 3 litre soarer to have a V8 installed.

You might ask, why not just sell it and buy a V8 soarer, well its easier said than done. Most of the V8s here in NZ are 91-92's have a heap of k's on them and everything needs attention from exterior to the delicate interior...

Where as with a 1996 soarer, its still fresh and tidy 5 years newer than the bulk of the soarers about! So ideal for a V8 conversion as then effectively Id have a 1996 UZZ30!

My question is would it make sense to require a front cut of a V8 for all the engine parts and engine bay components to complete the job as a straight swap over? As a lot of the JZZ31 gear under the hood is quite different to the V8's from radiator to the intake set up etc.

Also would the V8 loom be compatible with the 1996 Basic non-scroll digital dash?

Any thoughts advise or answers to my post would be awesome..
Cheers

Jose-Antonio Castillo
Goo Roo
NSW
Soarer VVTi

Posts: 1494
Reg: 07-2005

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Sunday, March 16, 2008 - 11:13 am, by: Jose-Antonio Castillo (Ahh_soarer)

I'd say that if you were to go that route you'd have to run the wiring looms etc. from the front cut including the dashboard cluster.

If you're going the custom route why not look for the 3UZFE instead?

Make it a UZZ30 SC430 hehe.

Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer JZZ31 I6

Posts: 1915
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Monday, March 17, 2008 - 03:11 pm, by: Mike Beck (Gold_40gt)

Hmmm sounds like it could be more trouble than its worth.

Better off to buy a factory V8 really....

Paul Lehmann
Tinkerer
Qld
Size 11 Adidas shoes

Posts: 63
Reg: 08-2005

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Monday, March 17, 2008 - 03:46 pm, by: Paul Lehmann (Fingers)

It all comes down to what you want out of the car. If it was me, I'd just put a turbo on the existing 2JZ-GE and be done with it.

Gregg Holden
Trader
WA
Soarer UZZ31 Supercharged

Posts: 855
Reg: 08-2005

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 03:19 pm, by: Gregg Holden (Xzotic)

Electrical nightmare will be your biggest problem....Considered it and was fortunately talked out of it. In the end it was easier to swap my entire interior into a V8 than to consider the engine swap... If you don't have an interior that you want then there is no real good reason not to sell up and get the factory v8...you may just have to look for a while to find a decent one by the sounds of things over there...

Luke Nieuwhof
Goo Roo
WA
Soarer TT

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 03:52 pm, by: Luke Nieuwhof (Luke_nieuwhof)

Mike, why not get a turbo kit for the NA? Quite popular on Supras in the states so I think it would work out economically better and you would have the turbo whooosh.

Callum Finch
Goo Roo
WA
Soarer TT & Corolla

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - 07:29 pm, by: Callum Finch (Sigeneat)

The bottom ends of the blocks are different i think Luke? Wouldn't be able to push the car as hard as a regular 2jz-gte
May be worth swapping for a rb26?

Matthew Sharpe
Goo Roo
North Island
JZZ31

Posts: 3443
Reg: 10-2005

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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 06:35 am, by: Matthew Sharpe (Madmatt)

2JZ-GTE has the oil squirters and lower compression pistons. Other than that they are the same. I think unless Mike is wanting to build an engine that will put out 500BHP and last 10 years he'd be fine, and I'd think the 2JZ-GE would still be a tougher engine than the fairly week RB26.

Talking of the RB26, I was watching Best of Top Gear last night and bloody Hammond stated "The Skyline is the only real supercar to come out of Japan" - god that kind of mindless automotive journo drivel pisses me off. First of all, of all the Skyline models, only the Skyline GT-R really qualifies as a supercar, AND it still has its roots in the millions of 4 door 2 litre Skyline saloons.

Sure the R32/33/34 GT-R are special machines, but they really aren't any different than a Mitsi EVO or an STI imprezza - only without the rally roots. At least cars like the Supra and the NSX were never anything other than supercars from the day they were designed. They don't deserve to just be dismissed offhand like that.

Anyway, enough rambling, back to the topic...

All said and done its going to be cheaper to get a 2JZ-GTE than upgrade the existing engine.

Don't forget to upgrade at least the front brakes also Mike! No point in going fast if you can't stop fast too!

If you really want a 1UZ-FE Mike, maybe see if you can import a '97 V8 privately from Japan?

Darryn Dewar
DieHard
Gisborne
UZZ30 Soarer

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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 06:57 am, by: Darryn Dewar (Mrphreak)

I'm sorry, but comparing the Supra to the NSX is just funny

Callum Finch
Goo Roo
WA
Soarer TT & Corolla

Posts: 3856
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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 08:36 am, by: Callum Finch (Sigeneat)

Hmm, well if not a rb26 then how about the engine out of an XR6 Turbo? They have plenty of guts.

Gregg Holden
Trader
WA
Soarer UZZ31 Supercharged

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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 02:38 pm, by: Gregg Holden (Xzotic)

Callum Finch wrote on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 08:36 am:
Hmm, well if not a rb26 then how about the engine out of an XR6 Turbo? They have plenty of guts.

Callum, next time I see you I'm going to punch you on the nose! All this talk of sticking in non-toyota motors is making me ill. The RB26 is a great motor....in a skyline GTR. As for the XR6 Turbo, well that just got me really mad!!

Luke Nieuwhof
Goo Roo
WA
Soarer TT

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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 03:20 pm, by: Luke Nieuwhof (Luke_nieuwhof)

LOL I think Callum's just throwing the bait out there...

Mike Beck
Goo Roo
New Zealand
Soarer JZZ31 I6

Posts: 1919
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Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 03:28 pm, by: Mike Beck (Gold_40gt)

Matthew Sharpe wrote on Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 06:35 am:
Sure the R32/33/34 GT-R are special machines, but they really aren't any different than a Mitsi EVO or an STI imprezza - only without the rally roots. At least cars like the Supra and the NSX were never anything other than supercars from the day they were designed. They don't deserve to just be dismissed offhand like that.

All said and done its going to be cheaper to get a 2JZ-GTE than upgrade the existing engine.

Don't forget to upgrade at least the front brakes also Mike! No point in going fast if you can't stop fast too!

If you really want a 1UZ-FE Mike, maybe see if you can import a '97 V8 privately from Japan?