1975 Datsun 280z, potential 3uz or 1uz vvti swap

[Zetz]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forums, but a big fan of Toyota (despite only owning Nissan right now).

I have a 280z that has come a long way in the last 6 years and I'm hoping to use this post for the possibility of a UZ swap. I've never done a swap, but I'm running MS3X on my stock L28, and I'm assuming the difficulty of going full sequential fuel and spark with a standalone ecu on a 45 year old motor isn't too far off the difficulty of swapping in a different engine, except maybe the motor and transmission mounts.

I've seen a couple of these with early 1uz, but never with a 3UZ, and definitely not a 3UZ with a manual transmission. The car has slowly become slightly more of a GT style, and I'm currently installing vintage air for comfort. As I finish up the interior and creature comforts, I've been looking more at what my options are for more power. The stock L series transmissions aren't great for holding power, and upgrading to anything more modern seems to cost about the same as doing a manual swap on a UZ. Even a 3UZ is about the same price as a decent turbo and I'm still likely to break things on my engine.

The big hold up on committing to any sort of swap with the UZ is the ECU. Will a stock ecu work with a manual transmission? Has anyone used Megasquirt on a 3UZ and made the VVTi work? The threads on the msextra forums are mostly dead ends with a couple of sentences max.

Anyway, any help/tips/direction would be hugely appreciated Some pictures of what I started with and where it is now for attention. If you're curious about specifics, you can read backwords through my Hybridz thread HERE

 

[Zuffen]

Try searching trawling this Forum as there was an Aussie guy (I think 400Z) named Stirling who had a 1UZ in his.

He didn't do the swap himself but check out his posts it may help.

 

[Zetz]

Try searching trawling this Forum as there was an Aussie guy (I think 400Z) named Stirling who had a 1UZ in his.

He didn't do the swap himself but check out his posts it may help.

Much appreciated! I looked up 400z and 400zed. Looks like the 400z thread is a non-VVTi, but the engine bolted in with MK3 supra mounts somehow and made the adapter for a cd009 line up properly... seems almost too easy. I'll look more into that bit, but honestly I'm here more for the info on running the 3UZ with a manual.

 

[gloverman]

Yes. 3uz ecu works fine with manual. Im working on a reflash video for 3uz ecu now.

 

[Zetz]

Yes. 3uz ecu works fine with manual. Im working on a reflash video for 3uz ecu now.

Would it work fine in a swap though? I'm not familiar with how integrated the systems are. I've read from some people trying to lock into neutral, but the power is lower even if it's still sensing a transmission. Does it go into some sort of limp mode, or can that be fully bypassed? I have MS3X and will happily go full standalone, but if I go that route I also want to make sure I have the VVTi full functioning as well as things like the DBW and IAC.

 

[gloverman]

Yes, work fine in a swap when done correctly. I flash out the auto stuff and there is no fault codes. Heres one I did recently.

 

[Zetz]

I got very lucky and it seems there's someone not far from me parting out an LS430 with the 3UZ. My next hang up is fitting the drive by wire pedal in my Datsun. Will I have to use the pedal in the LS430 or can I adapt a different pedal that might fit better? Some people have made 3D printed adapters to mount a G35/350z pedal to my car which would be the easiest way to go.

 

[gloverman]

Ive got a video on that topic too. If you compare the voltages of your suggested pedal against the toyota requirements.

 

[Zetz]

@gloverman you are a the man! Have been looking through a fair number of your videos on youtube.
Like I mentioned I'm happy to use my MS3x for it since I have a spare universal harness for it I could wire, but it seems only very few people on the megasquirt forums have run a 3uz and hardly any info on it.

If the cost of getting the stock ecu to run a manual transmission in a swap is too much it just isn't worth it to me to get it working. Nice to know I can run a different pedal if necessary! Trying to get the lowest price possible right now, since I just want to be able to bench test it and see if my idea is even viable for someone of my skill level.

I'm in the Pacific Northwest in the states, so there's not a lot of support for these engines near me. You folks in NZ and AUS have all the fun with them.

 

[Axis of Evil]

If you havn't ever done a swap, start with something easy.
240/260/280Z with 1JZ/1JZ is a real easy one. can be done over a couple of weekends, and makes BIG power.
Check my build thread , sticky on Toyota 6 cylinder on hybridz.org
https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/60...ion-instructions-for-dummies2-weeks-drive-it/

 

[Zetz]

If you havn't ever done a swap, start with something easy.
240/260/280Z with 1JZ/1JZ is a real easy one. can be done over a couple of weekends, and makes BIG power.
Check my build thread , sticky on Toyota 6 cylinder on hybridz.org
https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/60...ion-instructions-for-dummies2-weeks-drive-it/

Read your post ages ago! I've been on hybridz for a long while know, your thread is what pushed me to want a jz swap over an rb actually. Biggest issue right now is cost. 1JZ/2JZ engines have ballooned out of proportion. For the price of a jz I can get a 3uz, cd009, and most of a manual trans adapter kit. With an R154? Forget about it. Other than engine mounts and wiring (there are off the shelf parts for CD009 mounts now), the JZ and R154 alone would be most of my swap costs for a UZ.

If I don't swap a UZ, I'll likely just stay with what I have and cruise around. It's a fun driver already, just looking to modernize once I sell my G37S.

 

[Axis of Evil]

I would not use an R154 there is a later variant (AR5? ) that was used in some US cars. At the time I built the "yellow peril" I was swapping notes with a guy building a 240Z with a 1UZ, it apparently was not an easy swap. from memory, lots of cutting to get it to fit.
wish I'd kept that car. scary fast.

Russ

 

[Zetz]

Of course. I've seen a handful of guys do it the 1UZ, one with a turbo which I don't intend to do. Fitment is fine from what I've seen. The engine requires custom mounts which different people go about with in different ways. I'd intend to fabricate some mounts that push it farther back but some have nearly bolted it in with different (7m?) mounts. It just sits farther forward than I prefer.

The cd009 does require some cutting of the trans tunnel ears, but has some great bolt in options that aren't dependent on its placement. I had a friend near me running it in his 2jz na-t 240z.

I agree with you if prefer to run the AR5 here in the US, but at that point I'm still looking for a used trans, and would also need to buy a flywheel/clutch just like I would for the UZ but I'm starting with an engine that costs nearly triple, and I'll still need to add things like an intercooler and associated piping.

 

[Uk280z]

My 280z has a 3uz in it with an rx7 manual transmission bolted up to it. Running the standard ECU with no flash and the car drives fine. Happy to share info if you need it.

 

[Zetz]

My 280z has a 3uz in it with an rx7 manual transmission bolted up to it. Running the standard ECU with no flash and the car drives fine. Happy to share info if you need it.

I'll let you know! This is all very tentative. I came on mostly to get info for the possibility. I'm still not committed to the swap