As a response to the barking of several enthusiasts regarding Toyota’s choice of engine releases and receiving commentaries about engines that will eventually leave the marketplace with an innovative one.
With that, Toyota took the challenge and pushed its knowledge and talents to the next level by unlocking one of the most sought-after engines and considered an engineering marvel and masterpiece.
Hands down to this highly demanded eargasm-inducing, race-inspired V10 engine, and is highly praised among the automotive circle. This engine changed the world’s impression of Lexus as a performance car manufacturer and a pivotal instrument to where they are today.
It is sometimes compared to the BMW M5, Porsche’s Carrera GT, or 2004 Formula 1 V10 car. This engine is hand-assembled with an aluminum plate with the craftsman’s name to ensure its high-quality construction.
Join me as we discuss Toyota/Yamaha’s 1LR-GUE engine. Its architecture, engine design, power, features, issues, and overall impact on the automotive industry and community.
What are 1LR-GUE Engines?
The Toyota 1LR-GUE engine is a 4.8 Liter, water-cooled, naturally-aspirated, V10 gasoline engine that powered the prestigious and the A-list sporty vehicle, Lexus LFA.
Designed and planned in the early 2000s, it was a collaboration of two Japanese companies – the Yamaha and the Toyota; together with the music division of Yamaha.
These guys have been working on several projects and wanted to create an engine that is the best-sounding, insane revving but with a smaller weight and dimensions attainable.
Lexus LFA is the flagship supercar of Toyota’s Lexus luxury line. It is said, and documented, that there were only 500 LFA’s made since its production in 2010; it first appeared as a concept before that.
These potential owners, who pre-ordered the vehicles, don’t know what kind of powerhouse they will witness soon as the LFA craze starts to rise and continues to be an automotive headline, not only for months but the whole decade.
Truly, a great time for engine enthusiasts.
It is a rear-wheel-drive system and has a top-notch engine performance. It is coupled to a six-speed automated sequential gearbox.
The 1LR-GUE holds the world record for the fastest production engine revving to reach its redline – it could reach the redline in six-tenths of a second; and 0-60 miles per hour in 3.6 seconds.
The application of the intelligent variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust cycles emphasized the engine’s ability to produce at least 90% of the V10’s power and torque.
Talking about responsiveness, Lexus used an LCD tachometer since the analog ones cannot react fast enough to pace with the engine’s ability to shift speed. It has a single circular dial with a central tachometer with an LCD needle that turns red when the driver needs to up-shift.
It features ultra-light materials such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium alloys, making this engine lighter than its other V10 competitors. The engine dimensions were the same as the traditional V8s but weighed as the conventional V6s.
Engine Specifications and Design:
- Production Run: 2010 – 2012
- Cylinder Block Material: Aluminum
- Cylinder Head Material: Aluminum
- Configuration: V10
- Bore: 88 mm
- Stroke: 79 mm
- Valvetrain: DOHC with four valves per cylinder
- Displacement: 4.8 L (4805 cc)
- Compression Ratio: 12.0
- Weight: 450 lbs.
- Max HP: 553 HP at 8,700 RPM
- Max Torque: 354 lb-ft at 6,800 RPM
Though the 1LR-GUE engine looks less aggressive in the paper, that does not equate to the total ability of this engine. 1LR-GUE has a bore of 88 mm, a piston stroke of 79 mm, and a 12:1 compression rating.
The peak power is rated 553 HP at 8,700 and a maximum torque of 354 lb-ft at 6,800 RPM. The 1LR-GUE redlines at 9,000 RPM and fuel cut-off at 9,500 RPM.
The 1LR-GUE engine block is made from aluminum and had an optimum 72-degree V angle for the cylinder banks to balance and smoothen the internals’ primary and secondary movement and evade the need for a split-journal crankshaft.
It also used a neat valley to position the oil cooler and the positive crankcase ventilation chamber.
The oil and water pumps of the 1LR-GUE sit at the rear of the engine together with other parts. It uses a dry-sump as a form of lubrication system. This kind of lubrication is mostly featured on dedicated race cars.L
FA, a road production car, adopted this system to be a more performance-specific kind of vehicle. The elimination of the traditional wet-sump from the engine’s bottom directed the oil to specific parts via an external ventricular arrangement.
This renewed dry-sump system not only lowered LFA’s center of gravity, which is essential for race cars but also improved its resistance to G-force loads. And since the lubrication is constantly supplied, the oil could not cavitate from where it is needed, enabling the LFA to handle high-speed cornering speeds in excess of 2Gs.
1LR-GUE uses a fully integrated, lightened crankshaft acting on titanium connecting rods that are lighter than their iron-made counterparts.
These two are connected to a lightweight forged aluminum piston designed to withstand a 12:1 compression rating and has the capacity to traverse forwards and backward at roughly 25 meters per second at the rev limit.
The 1LR-GUE cylinder heads are made from aluminum with double overhead camshafts and integrated with dual Variable Valve Timing – intelligence (VVT-i). Moreover, the engine has a magnesium alloy cylinder head cover.
The 1LR-GUE’s valves are made from light but strong titanium alloy, while the valve springs are cylinder-shaped and designed to remove the chance of valve float at high revs.
There are four valves per cylinder – two for both intake and exhaust. These valves are actuated by ultra-lightweight solid rocker arms and a narrower profile for weight reduction. These rocker arms feature a special diamond-like wear-resistance coating and are added with oil jets to reduce friction.
To add to that, the valvetrain for the 1LR-GUE engine is estimated to have approximately half the inertia mass of a traditional high-performance engine that used bucket-type valve lifters and steel valves.
The 1LR-GUE has a dual intake system that can switch from a primary inlet port at low to medium speeds to dual ports at higher revs to enhance its breathing efficiency.
Inside the intake system is a surge tank resembling F1’s style of induction roar -crafted by Yamaha through their expertise of musical instruments; the tank is split horizontally and tuned using rigid walls with horizontal ribs to produce excellent sounding output.
The engine has ten throttle valves which are independent and electronically controlled.
Lexus optimized the throttle response by adopting the prioritized logic functionality that estimates the air volume based on throttle pedal angle and allows the 12-hole injector to deliver appropriate injection volume as precisely as possible for any given engine speed and load than the conventional system.
This technology is so precise that the engine topped existing emission regulations.
The exhaust gases go out through a dual system with equal-length exhaust manifold runners, a design that optimized back pressure that results in enhanced torque and crisp sound quality.
Harmonic management is used at the titanium dual stage silencer, which incorporates a valve-actuated construction to vary either minimize or maximize exhaust sound. Engine speeds above 3,000 RPM, all-sound deadening chambers are bypassed, the exit route straightens, and the engine unleashes its angelic scream.
In addition, 1LR-GUE has an air injection system that includes an air pump that supplies fresh air into the exhaust after a cold-engine start, activating the catalytic converters early.
The weight distribution was also a key factor to the LFA’s success. Though met with mixed reactions at the time of release, the transaxle single-clutch is installed in a low-mount position near the rear wheels. The two radiators are also there at the rear.
And the last thing, the braking system should be able to contain such speeds. This stopping power must come from race-grades materials. Lexus never turned a blind eye as they used race-spec Carbon Ceramic brake discs (CCM) along with an Electronically Controlled Braking system.
Application of the 1LR-GUE engine:
- Lexus LFA
Engine Tuning, Upgrades, and Modifications
1LR-GUE in stock form is an excellent, outstanding, and powerful engine that can talk business with other cars which the race track is their habitat. By default, 1LR-GUE is designed to thrive in a naturally aspirated mechanism.
Though they add more power and torque, Turbos are not advised to take since the lags that the turbos contradict the free-breathing abilities of the 1LR-GUE.
Instead of turbos, as we mentioned earlier, Lexus opted to have the individual throttle bodies with short intake runners to breathe more easily without the aid of forced induction.
Problems Surrounding 1LR-GUE engine
1LR-GUE is considered an engineering masterpiece, and we cannot account for any serious issues and problems with this engine. Though maybe it has one or two, these issues still do not downgrade the reputation of the 1LR-GUE.
Summary
The 1LR-GUE engine will never be forgotten, even though the engine’s impressive power production is often overlooked because we mainly focus on its sensational exhaust sound.
It is revolutionary and innovative among road production cars; it is like an F1 car suited for everyday roads. Anyway, there are myriads of things that make this engine absolutely stunning.
The technologies integrated into it, weight distribution, lightweight materials, high-revving, and high redlines, supreme power, and overall performance, are too much to comprehend at first.
One of the best sounding engines of all time, I’m sure that this is on your wish list; join that elite club and buy one.
I hope that this simple discussion helped you understand the 1LR-GUE engine’s design, power, features and technologies, abilities, and overall impact on the automotive industry and community.