Need help for gearbox choice for Lexus V8 ...

Post any info regarding parts for conversion and swaps.
and any posts regarding swaps help.

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stevieturbo
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Post by stevieturbo »

The big cylinder heads arent always as bad as they first appear. The manifold faces tend to sit at more of an angle than they would a 2 valve head, so that in itself helps with packaging.

But it will still be a tight squeeze.


9.85 @ 144.75mph
202mph standing mile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWRCDtiTQ0

volospian
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Post by volospian »

Some people (or at least one person) has crowbarred one into a cobra...

http://www.cobraclub.com/forum/general- ... 00-v8.html

Alley Kat
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Post by Alley Kat »

My mate's fitting one into a Beetle.. :)

Mark
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Post by Mark »

Guy on Passion Ford is breaking his project- LS400 engine and R154 Supra turbo box going up for sale.

Image

http://passionford.com/forum/restoratio ... fe-v8.html
302 V8 Sierra 5 door sleeper under way

chodjinn
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Post by chodjinn »

Contacted the guy on Friday after seeing this, unfortunately the engine/box has been sold pending payment. He has another R154 gearbox and adapter, which he wants £750 for. Bit expensive I think ....
RIP MGB V8 .... served me well as a learning curve.

R32 Skyline V8 .... this one is gonna be a monster!

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

Hi
A manual gearbox that will take over 400bhp and bolt to the lexus V8 for £750 seems a bit of a bargin to me . . . by you have bought a tko500 and a bell housing you would have little change from 2.5K :? sorry but what are you hoping to pay for a box and adaptor? There is a lot of difference in price between a 250 bhp box like a R380 for rover and a 350+ bhp manual box. the supra is in such demand because it is very cheep for the power it can take, trouble is any adaptor kit is £550 of anyones money, the one for my chevy to audi box was nearly £600 8 years ago and then it needed £90 of isuzu truck starter. Sorry I think you are about to miss a bargin.
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

chodjinn
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Post by chodjinn »

kiwicar wrote:Hi
A manual gearbox that will take over 400bhp and bolt to the lexus V8 for £750 seems a bit of a bargin to me . . . by you have bought a tko500 and a bell housing you would have little change from 2.5K :? sorry but what are you hoping to pay for a box and adaptor? There is a lot of difference in price between a 250 bhp box like a R380 for rover and a 350+ bhp manual box. the supra is in such demand because it is very cheep for the power it can take, trouble is any adaptor kit is £550 of anyones money, the one for my chevy to audi box was nearly £600 8 years ago and then it needed £90 of isuzu truck starter. Sorry I think you are about to miss a bargin.
Best regards
Mike
It was £750 for the gearbox and adapter plate. Then need to add £250-300 for a flywheel and the same again for the release bearing (what he said). Plus clutch plate, flywheel bolts and other bits.

The link I posted above for the US site is $1000 for the full R154 adapter kit. So I would just need a gearbox on top of that. I know full well that circa £500 is the going minimum price for an R154 and I don't doubt that it's not far off a bargain. But in his build thread he had to have his custom adapter milled - and I'm not sure if the spare one he has needs that doing.

The problem for me is, I only have about £800 cash for the project at the moment and if I buy that gearbox/adapter, I have nothing left, and I need a car spit and mig welder more than anything at the moment or I can't continue with the shell restoration.

It looks like circumstance is going to force me to pass on the R154 for the moment. I know too well from the last project that buying things as they come up when you don't quite need them is almost certain to end in tears.

At the end of the day, I may well be forced into using an auto box if I go the 1UZFE route purely for cost reasons.
RIP MGB V8 .... served me well as a learning curve.

R32 Skyline V8 .... this one is gonna be a monster!

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

Hi
Auto boxes are not the end of the world! and they are generally cheep, especially when already attached to the engine :D use the manual override on the box and they generally drive like a manual when moving. If you are on a tight budget then really your best bet is the existing box, fit it fix the shell get it on the road and once you have run it a while gather the bits for the manual conversion and do it then. with these modern electronically controlled boxes it is a rechip to tighten up the shift points, for some boxes you can get "flappy paddle conversions".
My Wifes' XK8 is on an auto, to be honest I wouldn't change it even if there was a decent manual conversion for it the box is excellent and you just use the j gate if you want 2nd gear on the aproach to a roundabout . . . . or hit the "sport button" and the change is instant as you open the throttle.
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

chodjinn
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Post by chodjinn »

kiwicar wrote:Hi
Auto boxes are not the end of the world! and they are generally cheep, especially when already attached to the engine :D use the manual override on the box and they generally drive like a manual when moving. If you are on a tight budget then really your best bet is the existing box, fit it fix the shell get it on the road and once you have run it a while gather the bits for the manual conversion and do it then. with these modern electronically controlled boxes it is a rechip to tighten up the shift points, for some boxes you can get "flappy paddle conversions".
My Wifes' XK8 is on an auto, to be honest I wouldn't change it even if there was a decent manual conversion for it the box is excellent and you just use the j gate if you want 2nd gear on the aproach to a roundabout . . . . or hit the "sport button" and the change is instant as you open the throttle.
Best regards
Mike
That was pretty much my line of thinking!! :D
RIP MGB V8 .... served me well as a learning curve.

R32 Skyline V8 .... this one is gonna be a monster!

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

Hi
I think you will also find that the auto box "tightens" up it's shifting because the car will weigh about a ton and a half less than the lexus it came out of, the only real change you may have to make is the change up points, and that only if the box is pressure governed and not fully intigtated into the engine ECU and able to use true revs for it's up change. You may also have an issue of it creaping forward at idle again because of the sudden diet of the car. Not much you can do about that apart from change the torque converter for a looser one but you can hold it on the brakes!
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

chodjinn
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Post by chodjinn »

Well I'm hoping I can use the Lexus electrics to minimise wiring - I hate electrics! I was planning on buying a new MGB loom and adapting it, but after seeing several very good Lexus Soarer V8s go for less than a grand, I'm tempted to just cut the loom down of all non-essentials and stick it in the MG, after all I'll be buying a whole car to make things easier.

All I really need are lights/indicators and a few gauges, that's it. Only thing that has me worried at the moment is any Lexus immobiliser/alarm that might need removing, no idea on that one!
RIP MGB V8 .... served me well as a learning curve.

R32 Skyline V8 .... this one is gonna be a monster!

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

Hi
The drifting boys will have sorted any immobilisers. . . if you are getting the whole car look at the brakes as a handy upgrade on the B, The calipers are pretty serious 2 piston sliding jobbies and take decent sized pads, the discs are big common and cheep, you would need to re-drill. there is alot of porentially usefull stuff on there, the rest can be sold!
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

stevieturbo
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Post by stevieturbo »

I really cant see you mating any gearbox to the engine for less than £1k.

it just isnt happening unless you get some stuff for free, and make the rest yourself.

That's just the reality. It cost me a hell of a lot more than that just for the bellhousing kit to fit the R154 to my RV8 when I had it.
I had to sort clutch, flywheel, prop and source a gearbox etc after that !
9.85 @ 144.75mph
202mph standing mile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWRCDtiTQ0

pip17
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Post by pip17 »

Havent seen them for ages but you used to buy gearbox adaptors for the 1uzfe on ebay, they came from Thailand. Could get them for the w58 or r154 box , came with a new bell housing , flywheel , clutch etc. Ive got the Thor set up in my mx5 really nicely made but very expensive.

Phil

minor8pot
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Post by minor8pot »

And that's where they should stay...in Thailand...utter rubbish and don't fit...
I appreciate this is an old thread...have you done the swop yet...I've used the 1uz engines in a lot of cars now as you can't beat them for reliability and cheapness...the early engines are good for supercharging and turbo straight out the box...and the autos are very good...
Driftmoto in uk do full manual conversion inc bmw m3 box,I think it's about 1 k...if you want any info drop me a pm....
I'm using a lexus 4.3 vvti in a volvo amazon very soon...

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