Monday, February 23, 2015 - 09:13 am, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
They wont work with the standard computer from 4 speed 1UZ engine. The A650e 5 speed is very different electronically, an A340e computer could never control it.
The only way you could get such a result is a complete engine swap with a VVTi 4.0 1UZ or 3UZ with the factory 5 speed fitted.
Cost wise what its worth it wouldnt be that effective as an upgrade, unless your existing engine has problems.
That said, whether or not a vvti engine/5 speed computer could be wired in to the older 1uz loom just to run the 5 speed could be a possibility but I would say all sorts of errors would occur if its not running the rest of the engine in tandem.
Still, Such a gearbox would make a massive difference to a Soarers off the line performance.
Pretty good ratios - 1st 3.3 vs 2.8 - 2nd 2.18 vs 1.53, 3rd 1.42 vs 1.00
Mechanically they bolt in fine, but the rear output flange on the early 4 speed box is smaller than the 5 speed so the driveshaft would need to be modified or a SC400 vvti spec shaft imported to have the correct larger size.
John Stafford DieHard Qld. Soarer UZZ31 GT-L V8 and a Ford Territory Ghia AWD
Monday, February 23, 2015 - 11:52 am, by: Daniel Bonnor(Majorlunacy)
i was thinking of doing this swap years ago found a aftermarket controller that would run it the thing that stopped me was cost and finding spares in aust
John Stafford DieHard Qld. Soarer UZZ31 GT-L V8 and a Ford Territory Ghia AWD
Monday, February 23, 2015 - 04:12 pm, by: John Stafford(Johng12)
Hey Daniel, I have sent to them but they also look pretty expensive and then it looks like I would need a new tailshaft? Thanks for the lead anyway. Cheers
John Street TryHard NSW VE Calais V8, 2009 Saab 9-3 Turbo
Tuesday, February 24, 2015 - 05:39 pm, by: Mike Beck(Gold_40gt)
Oddly enough John, I thought about this idea part way through last year. I was going to look into using a 3UZ-FE with the 5 speed auto or a W58 as a nice platform to build a good Soarer but then along came a UZZ32 so I just had to scrap the 3UZ plan.
That said I think it's a very good upgrade for drop in performance to something like a late model 3L faclift Soarer, 2JZ, 3UZ in, with minimal mechanical custom work. Just a bit of wiring and general certification work. A custom exhaust would be the hardest part. But 300hp+ and the best part of 450nm of V8 VVTi grunt it would sure be impressive.
Speaking of the A650e, I did successfully run one behind an early 1UZ in my BMW E36 conversion. It sure was good but did take a lot of custom programming with a PCS TCM-2000 controller and no matter how many months of constant changes I made to get it working as perfect as I could it still wasn't as smooth as the stock ECUs ability to control it, fine at 50-100% throttle but it wasnt as easy going under 50% particularly on the 1-2nd up shift and 3rd to 2nd downshift. It still worked well though! Here is how it went in manual shift mode down the strip...
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