Tuning the Toyota RZ

"Comprehensive guide to tuning and performance parts on the Toyota RZ engine!"

Our aim here is to examine the options for your RZ tuning and show the ultimate modifications. Toyota RZ provide a fun base for your project and with the best modified mods like a remap, turbo kits and camshafts you will positively enhance your driving fun.

Just because particular modifications are are common on RZ it doesn't mean it is good, so we'll greatest modifications that will give your RZ the best power gain for you spend.

Significant gains on the RZ can be made from cam upgrades. Altering the cam profile alters the intake and exhaust durations on the engine and can dramatically change the power band and power output.

NB: Fast road camshafts normally boost the power across the rev range, you could sacrifice a little bottom end power but your top end will be higher.

Competition camshafts, boost the top end band but as a result the car will not idle smoothly and low end power nearly always suffers.

On a road car should ideally to match your engines power to your preferences.

I'd be amazed if you find a RZ Motorsport camshaft is a pleasure to live with when in heavy traffic.

Different RZ engines respond better to less aggressive camshaft durations so view each engine as unique.

The map and injectors and fuel pump also have a large bearing on the torque gains you'll achieve.

Longer valve durations can alter the torque band and on most engines the exhaust and intake durations do not need to match, although most cams and tuners use matched pairs there are some advantages to extending the intake or exhaust durations.

Stage 1 modifications: Fast road camshaft, Sports exhaust manifold, Remaps/piggy back ECU, Drilled & smoothed airbox, Intake headers, Panel air filters.

Stage 2 modifications: Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, fuel pump upgrades, induction kit, Fast road cam, Ported and polished head, high flow fuel injectors.

Stage 3 modifications: Twin charging conversions, Competition cam, Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Engine balancing & blueprinting, Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves), Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression.

ECU mapping helps fully realize the full potential of all the parts you've fitted to your RZ.

It will usually give around 30% more power on turbocharged vehicles and you can expect to see around 15% on NASP engines, but power output usually rely on the parts you've done and the condition of your engine.

Forcing air and fuel into your RZ is vital to any engine modification task.

The intake plenum transmit the air from the filter and allow it to be drawn into the engine cylinders.

The shape and rate of flow of the Plenum can make a large effect on to fuel atomisation and engine efficiency on the RZ.

Many mass produced engine intake are improved through motorsport parts, although some makers provide reasonably well designed intake.

Adding a RZ larger valve kit, doing some 3 or 5 angle valve jobs and porting and head flowing will also raise performance, and more importantly will raise potential for a greater performance increase on other upgrades.

Turbo upgrades

NASP engines need quite a lot of work when you add a turbo, so we have a separate guide to help you take into account the pros and cons of going this route on your RZ

The more air you can get into an engine, the more fuel it can burn and uprating the induction with a turbocharger upgrade makes superb power gains.

If a car has a turbocharger modifications are going to net you a larger power gain and you'll see that turbo engines are built using better components.

However you will find an engines will have power limits

Discover these limitations and install better pistons and crank to handle the power.

It's not unheard of people spending a a stack of money on turbocharger upgrades on the RZ only to see the engine block throw a rod soon after it's first rolling road session.

Large turbo chargers commonly experience a bottom end lag, and little turbo chargers spool up quickly but don't have the top end bhp gains.

Thanks to progress the selection of turbos is always increasing and we commonly find variable vane turbos, allowing the vane profile is altered according to speed to lower lag and increase top end power.

Twin scroll turbos divert the exhaust gases into 2 channels and push these at differently angled vanes in the turbo charger. They also improve the scavenging effect of the engine.

It is not unusual that there is a limit in the air flow sensor (AFM/MAF/MAP) on the RZ when loads more air is being sucked into the engine.

We see 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor was restricting bhp and torque at a much lower level.

Adding a supercharger or additional turbo will make large performance gains, although more challenging to get working. We have this article on twincharging if you want to read more.

Fuelling upgrades and mods

You will need to ensure that the engine is not starved of fuel so will have to look at the fuelling when you start going beyond 20% of a power increase.Don't forget to be generous with your injector capacity.

As a rule of thumb add another 20% when fitting an injector, which takes into account injector deterioration and gives some spare capacity should the engine require more fuel.

We think this one is common sense, but you'll need to match your fuel injector to the type of fuel your car uses as well.

Exhaust upgrades and mods

Only look to uprate your exhaust if your current exhaust is creating a restriction in flow.

On most factory exhausts you'll find your flow rate is ok even on modest power gains, but when you start pushing up the power levels you will need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Sports exhausts can help increase the flow of gases through the engine.

But if the exhaust is too big, ie: it's over 2.5 inches bore, you will lose a lot of your flow rate and end up sapping power and torque.

Usual exhaust restrictions come around the catalyst installed, so adding a higher flowing performance alternative will help avoid this restriction.

Weak spots, Issues & common problem areas on the RZ

The RZ engines, if regularly serviced and maintained, are generally very reliable and have few issues.

Regular oil changes are vital on the RZ, particularly when the engine has been modified and is putting down more power than the manufacturer intended.

History of the Engine

1RZ

• 1RZ-E 101–108 hp 118–123 lbft

2RZ

• 2RZ-E 118 hp
• 2RZ-FE 142 hp

3RZ

• 3RZ-FE  150 hp

For more information on Tuning your RZ engine please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss tuning options in more detail with our RZ owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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This article is flagged for an update, so please pass on specific tips below that I can include. All articles, and content was written by me, Waynne Smith TorqueCars founder. Some outlines are just too general so I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Toyota. You can leave a response below or join our forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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