Miata 1UZ-FE V8 Swap

Chris Arter

Chris Arter

— 2 min read
Miata 1UZ-FE V8 Swap
  • Ultra-reliable Toyota V8
  • Requires custom fabrication with minimal aftermarket support
  • Affordable transmission options
  • Most common outside of the US

The LS Miata has become a staple of Cars & Coffee. It's almost an unspoken rule, among others:

  • Corvettes must have a plaque explaining how rare the color combination is.
  • A G37 that's had its coilovers changed more than the oil.
  • LS-swapped Miata.

While the LS Miata has earned its crown for simply being bat sh*t insane, there's another swap that is a bit more.. sophisticated. It's a swap that has all the growl and beautiful v8 songs, but with a more buttoned-up appearance. It's a swap for those that want to do a burn out, but while on the way to the symphony.

The Lexus 1uZ-FE Miata Swap

Let's talk 1UZ. The 1ZU honestly needs no introduction. It was the engine Lexus spent approximately a billion USD developing.

Source: Flickr

This swap is particularly popular in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia where LS engines are not nearly as plentiful as the US. Instead of the pushrod freedom screamer, they get a beautiful and bulletproof 1UZ-FE 32 valve V8 that sounds like angels singing, if angels were Japanese v8s, of course.

While the LS reliability is no slouch, the UZ line of engines take reliability to another level. Its sister engine, the 2uZ-FE has gone over 1-million-miles multiple times.

Listen to the sound for yourself 🤌

You can source a 1UZ-FE from the cars below

  • 1989-2000 Lexus LS 400
  • 1992-2000 Lexus SC 400
  • 1995-2000 Lexus GS 400

For a breakdown of which year is the best for your use case, XAT racing has put together a great breakdown here.

Custom Fabrication

This swap requires:

  • Custom engine mounts
  • Custom headers
  • Custom transmission mounts
  • Custom driveshaft

Transmission Options

A popular choice is the Toyota R154, which is found here in the states in the MkIII Toyota Supra Turbo. The alternative transmission would be the Aisin AR5 which shares an identical bolt pattern to the R154. Prices for the Toyota R154 are venturing into T56 territory, so at stock power 1UZ, the Ar5 would be a great alternative and is known to handle 400HP reliably.

Another option would be the BMW ZF transmission, which can handle more power than the AR5, but is quickly going up in price.

Both transmissions will require an adapter ranging from about $400-900 depending on where you're located.

Rear End

The 4.1 RX7 FC differential is commonly used for this swap, but RX7 drivelines are becoming more and more rare with each passing year. Typical axle / differential combos would also work for this swap, but can start to balloon the price.

The power output of the stock UZ is technically in range of what many stock Miata drivelines handle in turbo builds, but with the increased torque, drop the clutch at your own peril.

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