1UZ VVTi ECU and tuners

[Delboy52]

Has anyone heard of an MBE ecu before? It is the favoured system for Basset Down Balancing who I recently had a mapping quote from. I've never heard of it and wondered if it was a bit old school these days.

https://bassetdownbalancing.com

http://www.sbdev.co.uk/Engine_Management_Systems/ECU/MBE_ECU_Software.htm

 

I was planning on having an AEM Infinity ECU for my 1UZ Supra, but it seems either the tuner I had in mind has gone out of business or just not renewed their website domain/hosting.

http://www.advancedme.co.uk/

 

Am waiting to hear from Magnum Performance and Parformance at Hart for what ECU they use.

 

Looking to get a standalone ECU to replace the factory unit and mapped, with the intention to support an M122 supercharger later on.

 

Pic for attention

[mattdavies]

Have you a Link ECU, seem well supported.

 

I think your on the right lines though as you pick your tuner and then go with what they recommend, what made you choose that tuner out of interest ?

[Delboy52]

The Basset Down one? My mate just had his MX5 built and turbo'd with them so recommended me to check them out. The other one with the AEM would have been with Dan Turner who was also recommended.

 

The tuner with the MBE ecu says it can control the VVT on my motor and would support the supercharger later. Just sniffing around on Pistonhead forums seemed it was more suited to retro Escorts and TVR's.

[Delboy52]

Link has come up many times with others that have the 1UZ, although not sure if it can manage the VVT or know of a favoured tuner who uses it.

[Frank Bullitt]

What about an older MoTeC? Something like the M800. If I remember your box is running via the SS so you could easily make it run with something like that I would have thought.

[Style]

Are the 1UZ's quad cam? I think ECUMasters EMU Black can handle VVT control but can't deal with quad cam. They have a new ECU that's close to release that will be able to deal with that though as well as one of the Link ECU's as Matt mentioned.

[Delboy52]

Yeah, all the UZ engines are quad cam. Didn't know that would be a restriction on the ECU side. ECUMaster is pretty new also isn't it? SRD seem to be selling those now, not sure if they still tune Syvecs come to think of it .

 

If the Motec can do it all and a tuner is skilled with it I'd be happy with that. It's finding a good tuner that is comfortable with a fully UZ VVTi capable ecu. My gearbox is indeed under SupraStick control. One of DavidP's hybrids.

[Swampy442]

Link do dedicated 1UZ ECU, and theres lots of tuners who map them, Romain at TDI south, EFI tuning up north too, a few friends have used EFI a few times, very good. Also Fensport, lots of Link experts about

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Link-ECU-Atom-X-ECU-Kit-Toyota-Lexus-1UZFE-1UZ-Ready-Mapped-Standard-Engine/124083254277?hash=item1ce3f03405:g:de8AAOSwP8ld55cO

[Delboy52]

Thanks, I'll look into those.

 

The eBay Link ecu is for the non-vvti version, I couldn't be that lucky

[Josh42]

Link do dedicated 1UZ ECU, and theres lots of tuners who map them, Romain at TDI south, EFI tuning up north too, a few friends have used EFI a few times, very good. Also Fensport, lots of Link experts about

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Link-ECU-Atom-X-ECU-Kit-Toyota-Lexus-1UZFE-1UZ-Ready-Mapped-Standard-Engine/124083254277?hash=item1ce3f03405:g:de8AAOSwP8ld55cO

 

Chris @EFI mapped my car. Top guy, really good service and a good price too.

 

 

 

[Samurai 20V]

Here is a screen shot of the Link software with the 1UZ VVT base map loaded.

 

You can see the VVT position wired to the digital inputs and the VVT table.

The solenoids are wired to the Aux outputs, sorry not in the screen shot.

 

I have installed the plugin on my Supra and mapped it myself (with help from Mike2JZ), find it very user friendly.

Its a good ecu for the price, you wont go wrong.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Samurai 20V (see edit history)

[Samurai 20V]

Here is the VVT setup, you can see they have a preloaded setup for 1UZ VVT.

Many others on that list as well.

 

[Mike2JZ]

Not that I am biased , but +1 for Link. Lots of support across the UK for it & online. More than capable of running VVTI 1UZ, though you may not have a plug and play ECU option. Might have to be a wire in jobby, but I believe there are a few vendors out there selling "plug and play harnesses" that you could use instead.

 

These days I would say that most modern ECU's that are popular, Link, Syvecs, Haltech etc can all run VVT 1UZ just fine. VVTi isn't some black magic that most make it out to be, its fairly straightforward, especially with today's technology.

 

Never heard of anyone using MBE, haven't used it myself. Can't claim that its not viable, but in your shoes I would be steering towards a more mainsteam ECU option as you will open yourself up to more support from tuners.

[David P]

Here is the VVT setup, you can see they have a preloaded setup for 1UZ VVT.

Many others on that list as well.

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=235524&stc=1&d=1588105903

 

In Mikes case, after he has nailed on his supercharger, the VVTI will be useful to reduce the torque at low revs.

 

Quite the opposite to a map for a normally aspirated engine.

[Delboy52]

Thanks for the replies everyone! That Link G4+ Extreme looks to be a UZ favourite. I'll be getting in touch with some more tuner houses, nothing is likely to happen until after lockdown though.

 

@Samurai and @Mike2JZ, do you have a 1UZ VVTi also and what performance increase did you gain going from stock to standalone?

[Samurai 20V]

Thanks for the replies everyone! That Link G4+ Extreme looks to be a UZ favourite. I'll be getting in touch with some more tuner houses, nothing is likely to happen until after lockdown though.

 

@Samurai and @Mike2JZ, do you have a 1UZ VVTi also and what performance increase did you gain going from stock to standalone?

 

I have a 2JZGTE, still in the middle of road mapping, have not had it on the dyno as yet.

Mike is part of SRD, he tunes Link so he is very knowledgable, helped me alot, I am a first time mapper.

[Mike2JZ]

Thanks for the replies everyone! That Link G4+ Extreme looks to be a UZ favourite. I'll be getting in touch with some more tuner houses, nothing is likely to happen until after lockdown though.

 

@Samurai and @Mike2JZ, do you have a 1UZ VVTi also and what performance increase did you gain going from stock to standalone?

 

I dont have one myself nor have I tuned a vvti variant before. The only 1uz's I've tuned have been non vvti as they are preffered by many due to larger rods. In stock form with a standalone the power gains were pretty marginal to be honest.

In those cases a standalone was used over stock ecu due to stock ecu reliability and ease of troubleshooting/diagnostics, with the idea that if they wanted to add more power with forced induction in future, they could.

 

If I were you, I would probably take the money from an ECU and upgrade the engines rods and pistons first. The rods in vvti 1uz are begging to be bent with any kind of boost on them. No point doing a supercharger if you have to dial it back so much just keep the engine intact. Make the engine stronger, maybe drop compression slightly then bolt your supercharger and standalone on and it turn it up.

[Delboy52]

I am very aware of the thinner rods in this UZ variant so already have the thicker rods with pistons in a box. If the gains are marginal changing just the ECU, then it may be better to combine the whole job of ecu and supercharger together.

 

Would I be able to get a quote from yourself or Lee over email or PM?

[Mike2JZ]

I am very aware of the thinner rods in this UZ variant so already have the thicker rods with pistons in a box. If the gains are marginal changing just the ECU, then it may be better to combine the whole job of ecu and supercharger together.

 

Would I be able to get a quote from yourself or Lee over email or PM?

 

Yeah shoot Lee an email for a quote, will speak to him about it today.