NEWS! Just obtained a 1996 1UZ-FE

[Smithers]

Well I just happened to get a deal on a 1996 model 1UZ. Everything was included except the exhaust manifolds. The seller believes it to be a 1996 so I'll have to figure out how to confirm that the block is that year. The 1UZ was vastly improved in 95-96. The list is reportedly long but the mentionable changes are in the lightening of the rods and pistons, lower friction piston rings and higher compression. This should definitely make for a better revving engine and people have mentioned that they could definitely notice the improvements in the newer model. I hope it is indeed a 1996!

The engine is in really clean condition and there isn't any corrosion. After dealing with the corrosion on my earlier engine I swore that I wouldn't put myself through that much work again. I had to powdercoat all the hard lines since the crust was horrible looking. The newer engine has a nearly perfect surface appearance. Lexus parts are just so damn expensive that having loaner parts between my two engines would be awesome to have. The 1996 is also OBDII which would make smogging the vehicle a reality. This 1996 is the engine I wish I had in the first place.

Here are a few pictures of it as I just received it a few hours ago. Nothing special but I want to get some pictures to compare some differences when I have time.

[Smithers]

IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ENGINE IS NOT A 1996 1UZ-FE AFTERALL

Well I ran the VIN #'s of both of my engines and they are both the exact same year model. This is a good thing! Now they both have the stronger bottom end and I have every part I will need. I was missing a few things here and there from the first engine purchase so I have it all now which is good piece of mind. And when I'm done building the one modified engine I can just assemble the spare engine as stock but rebuilt and set it aside. It will be a perfect rebuilt motor with all new gaskets, timing belts and reworked head and valves adjusted better than when they were assembled at the Lexus plant.

But for now I'll have the lower miles engine tricked out and running the Adaptronic ECU. I'm also considering adding turbos to is so I'll have an extra set of heads to have availible when I need them ported for the forced induction. Heads ported for forced induction a quite different for obvious reasons.

So the new engine I got isn't a newer model and I'm very happy now that I don't have to worry about a weak bottom end and having two different sets of parts for 2 different engines! That would be hell sorting through all this stuff I have now. Now I can focus on making one sweet engine!

Now where is that bellhousing that I've been waiting for...

[Smithers]

So I decided to go ahead and use the 2nd engine I got simply because it looks a lot better. There is less corrosion and there was much less carbon buildup in the whole engine. You could tell which car drank AMPM cheapy fuel and which car was fed Chevron Supreme all it's life, no joke.

So here are a couple pictures of the engine all cleaned up just right. Yeah when I was cleaning the first engine I was thinking to myself, "I'm glad this is the last time I detail an engine this good!". And yes, today here I was again scrubbing another engine super clean. I'm a lot quicker scrubbing engines down now and I cleaned this second engine very quickly so I would be over and done with it in just an afternoon.

Clean At Last!






The Oil Plate Will Be Installed Tomorrow.




My Engine Building Buddy

[Smithers]

Now that I have everything all cleaned up and prepped I'm going to start a new thread which is titled, "Lexus 1UZ-FE Assembly". This will be the thread in which I show the FINAL engine being put together with the best parts I have between the two engines I have.

Click here to skip to the Lexus 1UZ-FE Assembly Thread.