Lexus V8 versus Supra 7M-GE/7M-GTE conversion

[DOELLOOS]

I have always been a big Hilux fan, especially when it comes to the SFA models. The robust yet modern look have always appealed to me. The launch of cars like the HUMMER and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited bear testimony to the butch and aggressive angles and flares that the SFA Hilux featured years ago. They are only catching up now...

Yet, the SFA have one major flaw in my opinion, and its not its seating. Power! Torque! The stuff that men all over the world crave, and sadly, Toyota never offered the SFA Hilux with anything that even remotely smells like performance. No, no, Toyota cleverly opted to make the Hilux super reliable.

And so, the power junkies of the world was forced to look at the dreaded aftermarket option of giving the SFA the go to match the show. Engine conversions...

In earlier years, the Ford V6 conversion was very popular, because it was fairly easy and cheap to do, but as time moved on, so did technology, and most people turned their backs on the Ford engine of yesteryear.

Nowadays there seem to be two dominant options when it comes to petrol engine conversions. In the one corner we have the Lexus 4.0-litre V8 engine that makes all the right noises in the right places, and in the other corner we have the 7M six cylinder mills that used to power cars like the Supra and Cressida.

So when I started scouting the marketplace moths ago for a Hilux of my own (it had to be SFA), I knew that I would have to look at one or the other as I cannot go without that manly power and torque mentioned earlier. And so, I had to decide... Lexus V8, or Supra 7M...

I knew I wanted a Toyota mill of sorts to power my SFA Hilux in order to stay true to the brand. Luckily both contenders are good reliable engines that come out of a Toyota factory. So, both engines gets a 10 out of 10 for this.

Next I had to consider power. The Lexus scores good points here, but after having driven a Lexus V8 (whoahaah), a 7M-GE (yeehaaah) and a 7M-GTE (holy %$@**#), the 7M-GTE won this category. Although the V8 sounded so much better. The Lexus came in a close second, and the 7M-GE a very capable third.

Cost was something else to consider, and this is where the 7M-GE scored major points. A Lexus conversion will set you back about R65,000 (this includes auto box) while a 7M-GE will only cost you R25,000. A 7M-GTE will shake your piggy bank for about R35,000, which again scores big when considering the power it pushes out.

Most of the folk I talked to during my searche for the perfect SFA Hilux had one thing in common: THEY ALL WANTED RELIABILITY!!

This is the case for me as well. Most SFA owners want to travel to exotic and exciting places in their pride and joy. We demand reliabilty. Heck, that's why we have Hilux's.

Enter problem number 1. It seems that nobody has a bulletproof engine management system for either one or the other. We face life a dyno at a time, and seek support from small groups of enthusiasts on the internet known as forums. We seek advice, hope, and advice in a desperate search for answers. But, luckily, its not all bad it seems. Some systems do function positively, and reliably, but beware the dreaded faulty units (and they are many). This is a problem that all engine conversions the world over suffers. So here at least the playing fields are level.

Problem number 2. Picture this....

Darkest Africa... family in the car... Lexus engine in the front, and something breaks... After days of searching you finally find a spares shop. You enter and present said broken part for replacement, and then it happens.... A confused African stares at you in astonishment as he tries to understand what a Lexus is. He doesn't understand the phrase: "premium brand". You sit with an angry family, a possible divorce and an expensive tow bill. No thank you!!!

Same scenario... Toyota 7M engine... Africa is littered with Cressidas... Parts available everywhere.

So, after some careful consideration I opted for the SFA Hilux with a Supra 7M-GTE engine. This was the sensible choice.

I have had it for three months now, and have driven it for just over a week before taking it in to sort out some details in the conversion.... still waiting...

You want my advice??

Get yourself one... with a lekka conversion, keeps you busy for hours on end...

Best hobby ever.

[SYRON CONVERSIONS]

Amost interesting article, well done, 8) yes The 7MGE engine is a very nice unit to fit in a Hilux, we have one in The TOY as well, please note this vehicle does not belong to me, but to my Godfather Ronny, thus when I say we or ours, you will understand the term used.

Luckily the engine that is fitted in this vehicle also has the genuine computor and wireing system that came out of a Cressida car, thus it is a matched set up, we even have the original air filter system fitted,
(see article on The TOY Project).

However there is an automatic gearbox fitted as well, but what is so nice about this gearbox is that it also has lock up in low range, nice for off-road use, we have had the gearbox completely reconditioned at a cost of R10 000. then the transfer case was also reconditioned, but a Marlin Crawler kit was also fitted at the same time, which I am sure you will know consists of an additional part section of an original transfer case, thus this vehicle has super low range, we have so far only driven the vehicle up from East London and since then we have re-fitted the gearbox and Marlin as stated above, no additional work has really been done yet so far, (got too many other projects) on the cards to do in the mean time :roll:

And not enough time, but will get around to it again soon, we have also fitted the 35" x 1550 x 15" Mickey Thompson baja claws. Anyway getting back to this engine, we have already fitted a new timing chain and all the heater and cooling pipes behind the head, these are the ones that are made from metal, if I remember correctly they cost a few hundred rands.

Because we know that these engines can or do sometimes have problems with overheating, we will not be fitting the radiator up front as normal, but rather on the back where the load body used to be.
A truck radiator will be used instead mounted lying down with electric fans underneath and the origianl radiator will be mounted, behind the cab and will serve as the expansion tank, the reason why we will be using this truck radiator is becasue it already has an oil cooler in the radiator, this oil cooler will be linked up with the auto box. An addittional oil cooler (from an old 123 series Mercedes Benz car) will also be mounted (somewhere) and will serve as the oil cooler for the power steering system, because a 12 000 LBS Milemarker Hydraulic Winch will be fitted upfront where the std radiator used to mount.

Would you please post some pic's of your engine that is in your vehicle.

Thankyou

[BenHur]

Hi Simon

Have you checked your head bolts yet? Or better even replace the head gasket as a preventative measure to avoid engineering work on the head.

It seems that the one mayor flaw in the 7M range (Cressida and Supra versions) is the head gasket blowing eventually.

I was told before that my head was cracked behind the valve by the workshop who did my HG the first time, but it seems they were only trying to get out of a warranty claim. My Farther In Law sent the head in to the place where he sends all is head rebuilt business (about 5-10 a month) and the guy fixed mine free of charge. They did a pressure test and no cracks, only the place where the gasket surface was damaged had to be repaired so they skimmed it.

I am now investigating the option of a better head gasket before assembling the motor.

The general consensus on all the overseas forums are to torque the head bolts 20% more that the workshop manuals recommendation to 97 N-m.

Here is a nice article from one of the Supra forums on the 7M engines covering the HG

[DOELLOOS]

I agree with Bennie Simon, try to replace the HeadGasket before fitting the engine... chaces are that the HG is not in a good state... 90% of these imported engines arrive here with some sort of HG problem, which only becomes serious 5000 to 10000 kms down the line... Once its done, and torqued properly, the engine should last as long as a Duracel battery... six times longer...

[DOELLOOS]

I sent a copy of this article to my good friend Neil, who is the editor of SA 4x4 mag, and I see he decided to publish it in the jan 2008 issue as a letter. If I'd known, I would have included something about the hilux4x4 forum...