Project "Snapping Turtle": 1KZ-TE into a 2nd Gen 4Runner

BeratE

Observer
Hi Dave,
Good to hear that there is still progess going on ;P Can't wait to see the solid axle done, I will be very jealous! I finally got off my *** and posted what I have done to my 1kz-te, and if you are still looking to intercool yours, maybe you will get a few ideas. I am planning to drive to Portland and Bend towards the beginning of the new year, so if you are willing, maybe I can stoip by and take a peak at your truck
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Hi Dave,
Good to hear that there is still progress going on ;P Can't wait to see the solid axle done, I will be very jealous! I finally got off my *** and posted what I have done to my 1kz-te, and if you are still looking to intercool yours, maybe you will get a few ideas. I am planning to drive to Portland and Bend towards the beginning of the new year, so if you are willing, maybe I can stop by and take a peak at your truck

HAHAHAHA, yeah thanks mate. Pretty much since September everything's been a blur, and not one of those "cruising smoothly, ship on auto-pilot" kind of blurs... No I've had more of an "I've fallen and struck my head and I may never get the memories back" kind of blur... and Lucky me I awoke to find "the holidays". Nowhere to go but UP from here though aye ;)

I'd definitely be glad to show her off when you roll through town, and I'm hoping the when you do that I'll have something more exciting to show off aye. I think cracking out the SAS will get her rolling nicely... I won't lie as soon as the SAS is done I'm gonna sit in the drivers seat and make turbo diesel noises and crank the wheel back and forth :rally_guys: (*note to self: remember to install a "co-pilot grab-handle ala' FJ40 for the Truck!!! )

I'll have to read your posts cause I'm definitely interested in getting on the IC bandwagon. Thanks for the heads up mate, got a link to the posts by any chance?

Cheers

Dave
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Making those diesel noises while spinning the wheel is nearly as much fun as the real thing, right? My post isn't too in depth as I didn't want to bore anybody, but I have lots of pics of the custom fab bits if you are interested.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/135954-It-ll-all-Berate-1kz-te-diesel-Taco

Right?!?!?!?! I mean that's all I really do when I'm driving anyway so...

For the record (and maybe it speaks volumes about ME) I never get bored reading about Diesel conversions etc. so... ;) Just got home to finally put my feet up so I'll be reading it and looking at the pic now. Thanks mate.

Cheers

Dave
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Well... The Axle is underneath the truck. Yehaw!!!!! I now have a SAS'd, 4-wheel Leaf-Sprung 2nd Gen Rolling Chassis. Oh, with an E-Locker out-back. Now I just need to get that pesky 1KZ-TE thing-a-my in thur :D





Cheers

Dave
 

jeverich

Luddite
Glad to see it coming together...!

Still amazed that a tip on a Craigslist post has progressed into this!

Can I do your fab work??
 

Beanzermin

Observer
When you say convert to a Hilux Surf do you mean all the way? Or just the motor? I've been looking everywhere for some parts. Window visors, inclinometer, and little fender mirror but can't seem to find them anywhere. Recaro interior would be amazing but shipping on that terrifies me. I already got the rear spoiler and would like these other parts. Do you think that's something Japan4x4 might be able to help me get?
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
When you say convert to a Hilux Surf do you mean all the way? Or just the motor? I've been looking everywhere for some parts. Window visors, inclinometer, and little fender mirror but can't seem to find them anywhere. Recaro interior would be amazing but shipping on that terrifies me. I already got the rear spoiler and would like these other parts. Do you think that's something Japan4x4 might be able to help me get?

I mean mostly the engine... I'm making an LHD KZN130 ROW "Hilux" out of a USDM 3VZ boat-anchor "4Runner", but I'm not going to do the full JDM treatment no. I am however on the hunt for a Hilux rear wind deflector (the larger "wing" looking bit with the 3rd brake-light. and I AM going to put all "Hilux" emblems on it just so that the Toyota folks can freak out and the others can scratch their heads and wonder why it's clattering and whistling down the road (hopefully)

I gotta say, Ebay is a good first place to haunt (and I mean HAUNT HOURLY to get in on some of those small bits, unfortunately you'll come across ALL kinds of awesome deals in Japan but as of yet I've not gotten a single wrecker to contact me back unless I was willing to buy a container full of stuff for them to ship as it's probably not worth it) but otherwise yeah, I'd create an account with Japan4x4 and contact Dave (CANNOT say enough good about him and his business, he's a contact ALL Toyota fans who don't run 100% USDM trucks. If you wait long enough I may have a little side business going on with JDM/ROW Toyota bits cause there's a really cool vid on YT about these two Aussie guys (Mighty-car-mods) going to Japan and just how cheap 2nd hand parts are over there and I have some deep connections in Australia as well but as of now, Japan4x4 is where I've gone for all the bits that I needed to even begin dropping in the engine.

Cheers

Dave
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Well I KNEW things were going too smoothly... Anyone know if there's any parts interchangeability for a FLEXPLATE in the 1KZ-TE with a US engine part#??? I'm apparently short the Flex-plate and I'm trying to figure out if I'm gonna have to order one from Japan 4x4 or if I can make say a 3VZ flexplate work for this swap...

UGH, and on top of it all we're in the middle of moving into our new house this weekend so.. of COURSE this comes up now.
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Well, it didn't take long to get an answer over on ToyotaDiesel, but it looks like I'm gonna be hunting down a 1KZ-TE flex-plate from a foreign source... UGH, this is so lame, we'd just built up some momentum and now I need another part. Hopefully we can get some other stuff done while I'm waiting on yet ANOTHER part to arrive.

EDIT: ...and suddenly being a grown man making friends with people over the interweb makes sense. Another fellow 1KZ-TE swapper here in OR HAS the flexplate I need (and isn't using it) so I just gotta get it shipped up here and clean it up and away I go hopefully!!! May still order a Flex plate cause if I ever wanted/needed to swap to the new unit I'd have it here but it sounds like the used unit is serviceable and just needs a bit of superficial rust clean-up but it'll get the truck moving and keep the ball rolling. Don't have it yet but that makes my blood pressure go down a few 10 points on either end aye.
 
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bgalinec

New member
20150117_182439.jpg20150117_182439.jpgHi I'm new to the sight and kzte swap. I had done a diesel swap before on my bronco with a Mercedes I5 td but the rig was to big, so I sold the engine and scrap the truck. Now I'm trying something else Toyota in to Toyota but I'm running in to wiring problems sense the JDM Inc.removed all relays from the harness , I was able to find the glow plug and the main relay .My other problem is that my truck is 89 2nd Gen but the ecu plugs are bigger then the one from the diesel harness and I can't find 12p plug .how hard is it to cross wire old truck wiring with the new ecu and harness?
 
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4Rescue

Expedition Leader
View attachment 267060View attachment 267060Hi I'm new to the sight and kzte swap. I had done a diesel swap before on my bronco with a Mercedes I5 td but the rig was to big, so I sold the engine and scrap the truck. Now I'm trying something else Toyota in to Toyota but I'm running in to wiring problems sense the JDM Inc.removed all relays from the harness , I was able to find the glow plug and the main relay .My other problem is that my truck is 89 2nd Gen but the ecu plugs are bigger then the one from the diesel harness and I can't find 12p plug .how hard is it to cross wire old truck wiring with the new ecu and harness?

Hmmm man, I DO NOT KNOW, that sounds like a real interesting question/problem you've got aye... I'm wondering if it's not becasue you've got the early 2nd Gen where the 4Runner/trucks don't line up (and if the 2nd Gen 4Runner is different from the truck in more ways then I know). As far as cross wiring, I have no ides about that either, if you can get the pin-out diagram, maybe you can find a way to "make" a plug to convert to the smaller plug sockets needed for your chassis...

Best of luck with your swap mate, I'm still at mine aye... Can't wait to get it up and rolling...

Cheers

DAve
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
UPDATE: 3/18/15

Truck/project is still very much alive (hate to be "that guy" who just starts something then drops out in case anyone is actually reading this)...

As of 2 days ago I actually bought a super-clean/complete Half-cut (which I should have done straight off although for the $3500 I paid for the 2nd gen/1KZ I still got a pretty dam good deal and a very clean/solid engine) SO, that means I now own TWO 1KZ-TE's and double everything pretty much. THe HC will simply make the swap process, all the little bits and what not that much easier. I've been out of town training and doing a bunch of fun stuff (shooting courses, some SAR/Tech-Rescue sessions, some great early season rafting/backpacking) AND we moved which REALLY took it out of me so the trucks been sort of on "hold" while we lined some things up and decided on whether or not to buy the Half-Cut...

Anywho... I put new shoes on the 1st Gen which will swap to the new DIesel truck: I went with my tried and true BFG AT's in my favorite 33x10.50x15 size, because {AHEM} BFG seems to dragging their bloody butts on getting GOOD/WORTHWHILE sizes out to market for their ATKO2's. I would have REALLY loved to go to the new KO2's as I think BFG's got a real winner on their hands (tested the 34x10.50x17's on a trail rig with a bunch of other tires -many of the much lauded competitors as well as MT's and others- and I can honestly say they're the best AT's for my wants/needs/likes (SO much so I about bought a set of 17's to run them on my new truck but...). NOW THEY (BFG) JUST NEED TO MAKE THEM IN SIZES FOR REAL TRUCKS, not silly new trucks with giant wheels only.

I'm also thinking of doing the tube/bar-work on my truck in a traction type FDE/Desert-tan which I think will look SWEET up against the green exterior, and I'll be working with my cousin who does custom "clear protection" for all the Super/sprort's car owners/dealers around the NW and I'm thinking of doing a hood-black-out (largely because, like most old Toyotas, this truck has hood-paint issues) and maybe even a cool graphics scheme with a Topo map ala' the ARB 4Runner from years back. At the very least there'll be the hood-black-out and a side/lower body protection like most folks do.

Cheers

Dave
 
- re-cycled V6 calipers from the "soon to be discarded" IFS front end.

These are the rims I'm thinking of as the 1st alternative (2nd would be the more modern take-off steelies with the holes in them like a lot of guys run).

Two things, keep the IFS wheel hubs and use them with Tacoma rotors and FROR adapters for the Tacoma calipers. Fit a Tacoma booster and master and you will have phenomenal brakes.

Also, the wheels on that LC are 5 lug.
 

4Rescue

Expedition Leader
Two things, keep the IFS wheel hubs and use them with Tacoma rotors and FROR adapters for the Tacoma calipers. Fit a Tacoma booster and master and you will have phenomenal brakes.

Also, the wheels on that LC are 5 lug.

Good Eye aye, that is REALLY strange being 5-lug on a 70-series Ute (course with the market differences between models your head can spin trying to figure out what chassis/engine/etc. combo you have, it all depends on where it came from). My 75's (Ute an Troopy's) were all 6-lug but Aussie Market trucks.

I ended up doing an 81 SFA with (84?) 60-series Rotors and the V6 calipers/IFS Asin manual-hubs with the V6 Master Cylinder/booster from the donor truck. I drove a swapped truck with a similar set-up on a stock 85 and it stopped very well for all the added weight the 1KZ brings to the truck. If I find it wanting I may do the Taco brake swap at some point.

The Half-cut has landed in the shop today!!!!! This should speed things up....

Cheers

Dave
 
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