If you’re a new 1HD-FT Diesel Landcruiser owner, by now you probably know how underwhelming they are factory, and have seen how much potential other owners are getting out of these engines all over the internet. The Multi-Valve 1HD engine has a huge potential for improvement using modern parts. The purpose of this article is to provide as much clear information as possible on how to upgrade, budgets and what to expect when upgrading your 1HD-FT engine.
There’s a common misconception with new owners to the 1HD-FT, especially coming from a petrol performance background, that simply upgrading a turbo or exhaust will increase the power. However what is often misunderstood is that the mechanical injection pump is the heart of performance on a 1HD-FT. Any power increase is driven by tuning the pump to increase fueling, all other upgrades are there to support more air flow and tuning potential.
Notes on Diesel Tuning
A background understanding of diesel tuning is helpful to understand why we recommend certain parts. A diesel essentially only has compression, injection and timing. Rich and lean AFR’s become relevant when considering the application, and a diesel engine can safely run ‘lean’. When choosing the correct Air Fuel Ratio when tuning, we can go towards the ‘lean’ side of fueling entirely safely. Essentially that will keep the combustion cool and exhaust gas temperatures lower, let’s call that 20:1 and above. A common misconception is that this is dangerous, as we find a lot of people come from an understanding of petrol engines before diesels.
-More power is achieved by adding more fuel
The factory injection system can only deliver so much fuel, beyond a certain point we need injectors or a built ‘mod top’ pump to deliver more fuel. More fuel also means more heat, which is why we need air to compensate the fuel mixture.
–Leaner AFR is achieved by adding more air flow (or more boost)
Turbo, front mount intercooler & high flow airbox provide an important benefit at any level of performance upgrade. Raising the boost provides the airflow to get the correct AFR and tune a diesel safely.
Increasing power on a 1HD-FT is done by adding fuel with the injector pump, or increasing the injector size. Mechanical pump tuning is done by reading AFR on a dyno and making adjustments to the boost compensator or worst case, main fuel screw, plus increasing boost to balance that change.

Boost compensator
Boost compensation means the injector pump uses a boost reference to ramp up the fuel, as boost increase through the RPM. This is done via a spring loaded diaphragm on top of the pump, which holds a tapered pin. Connected to a vacuum line, the pin travels down further allowing more fuel in at a rising rate to match boost.
The standard pump does have a boost compensator, but it is a flawed design above a certain amount of fuel ramp. For example, there is not enough height in the boost comp housing lid to fit a longer tapered pin, therefore using stock components it will have a short or sharp taper in of fuel in relationship to the boost added. With a ‘Mod Top’ Style compensator housing there is more adjustability and accuracy in tuning – Spring tension, pin depth, timing as well as Max and minimum fueling can be adjusted with shims, due to the extra space available on the pin.
Our friends at Tillix have an in depth article on diesel tuning here:
https://www.tillix.com.au/learn/mechanical-diesel-engine-tuning/
Don’t be scared of boost!
One of the most common misconceptions is that by using a large turbo and ‘low boost’ it is somehow safe for the engine. But one of the unique aspects of diesel engines is that we can increase the airflow with boost, to lean out the AFR and get a desirable result, keeping EGT and soot down.
To get a target result of 18:1 AFR at 300HP – We use a minimum of 35PSI
Continuing on from that, many of the old design, inefficient turbochargers on the market don’t work well above a certain level (or straight up explode) – so our recommendation of GTurbo and UFI Performance Turbochargers hopefully makes sense.

1HD-FT Performance Packages – Horsepower Guide
For the sake of keeping it straight forward, we’ve broken it down to having only the required parts you need listed, there are many optional extras to mix and match that are of course an upgrade but not necessary. Results are based off our Mainline Dyno.
Stock 1HD-FT (~110-120HP)
Only small gains can be made safely tuning a stock engine
- Non-Intercooled, standard CT26 Turbo
Tuned – Intercooler & Turbo Upgrade ~180HP/550nm
Increasing the Airflow with Turbo & Intercooler upgrade lets us tune the standard injector pump further.
- Turbo: UFI 18G/GTurbo G300 Upgrade
- 3″ Exhaust
- Front mount intercooler
- Heavy Duty clutch
- Dyno Tuned
Tuned – High Flow injectors ~230HP/600+NM
Adding High Flow injectors to the standard injector pump effectively increases it’s output.
- Turbo: UFI 18G/GTurbo G300 Upgrade
- 3″ Exhaust
- Front mount intercooler
- NPC 1300NM Clutch & Flywheel upgrade
- +30 High Flow Injectors
- Dyno Tuned
Upgraded Injector Pump – 250+HP/800+NM Performance Package
The Built Injector pump will support over 300HP with High Flow Injectors, Airbox, Turbo & Intercooler are absolutely necessary to remove restrictions at this level.
- Turbo: UFI 21L/GTurbo G380 Upgrade
- 3″ Exhaust
- Front mount intercooler
- High Flow Airbox
- NPC 1300NM Clutch & Flywheel upgrade
- +30 High Flow Injectors
- Built ‘Mod Top’ Injector pump
- Dyno Tuned
Automatics:
Extreme valve body upgrade is recommended for the 4 Speed auto, to handle the torque increase above 250HP/700NM.
Reliability?
The 1HD-FT is not unreliable with 300HP, our upgrades use bolt on parts, there is nothing custom that makes it any less reliable than a standard engine. However, it’s not necessarily for everyone – It’s reasonable to say owning a 300+HP modified diesel requires some experience or access to a good shop on the owners end. The built pump needs tuning to set up correctly, can require ongoing adjustment to get it perfect, it may not idle the same as factory, will have less manners than a factory vehicle and have a lot more soot ‘off boost’.
Should I use a top mount or front mount intercooler?
Front mount intercoolers are always the best option, they consistently outperform every other option – they don’t suffer heat soak and any affect on the radiator is offset by providing much cooler air into the engine.
–The PDI Intercooler costs $1750
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/pdi-80-series-front-mount-intercooler-kit-toyota-landcruiser-80-series/
-We also have a HD Auto DIY intercooler kit with brackets and a 600x300x76 intercooler for $430. The bar & plate core works great and you can save money by fabricating your own pipes.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/80-series-intercooler-bracket-kit/

PDI Large core with 2 1/2″ stainless pipework to and from the intercooler. Goes through radiator support, not through wheel arch and works with factory dual battery boxes
Turbocharger upgrades
The factory CT26 Turbo is renowned for snapping the shaft over 14PSI, so a Turbo upgrade is absolutely necessary.
-All of the turbochargers we supply are ‘CT26’ Based, that means they bolt onto a standard manifold and standard Landcruiser parts. The factory low mount turbo manifold works perfectly and there is no noticeable power increase using a high mount turbo manifold. All it does is add complexity and cost into the picture.
-The turbo upgrades we stock are from UFI / GTurbo, both with 300+HP capable options. Both are premium Australian manufacturers of Landcruiser turbochargers and have a few different models on offer.
-Water lines are not used on the UFI turbochargers.
The UFI 18G starts at $2250 and GTurbo G300 at $2490
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/hd-g300-green-wheel/
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/ufi-turbo-upgrade-1hd-1hd-ft-1hd-fte/
Both have Larger 4inch and 3.5inch anti-surge inlets, so an intake pipe is also required to suit the turbo upgrade.

Boost Controller: Boost control is a one-way street on a gated turbocharger, the Turbosmart Boost Tee allows boost level to be raised easily.
eg: The UFI Turbo has an 18PSI waste gate, by installing an adjustable boost tee, we can raise that up to target 25-26PSI increasing airflow.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/1hd-ft-boost-controller-kit/
High Flow Airbox / Snorkel
The high flow airbox further contributes to increasing airflow and achieving a ‘safe AFR’. The factory style airbox can become restrictive over 180HP so an upgrade is recommended. Same for the snorkel, an upgrade will help with air flow. The old style Safari plastic snorkels will juuuust work up to about 180HP, after that you might have to consider a 4″ forward or rear facing stainless snorkel.
We recommend using dry, synthetic type high flow filters like in the PDI Airbox, over the washable / oiled air filters. If too much oil is applied they restrict air flow and cause a mess in the intake.

The PDI airbox uses a VDJ200 Panel Air Filter.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/pdi-80-series-airbox/
Notes on 1HD injector pumps / injectors:
-Old worn injectors may have a poor spray pattern & will contribute to loss of power.
-When having an injector pump built, its important to have it done by a performance shop and built to your horsepower goal. There are many diesel pump rooms who simply don’t understand the performance industry, but will sell you a ‘rebuilt pump’ that has just standard internals and a higher fuel setting. There is a HUGE difference between a rebuilt pump and a performance pump.
High Flow injectors
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/30-1hd-ft-high-flow-injectors/
12MM ‘Mod Top’ Injector Pump
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/1hd-ft-12mm-performance-injector-pump/
Important note on injector pump install and timing: When rebuilding an engine, the timing gears must be set with the injector pump bolted in as per factory manual. If the gears are timed without the pump, there is a possibility of damaging the injector pump when it is put back in. Trust me, we have seen it multiple times and cost people multiple thousands of dollars.
Radiator upgrade?
The Factory radiator, and fan in good condition is well designed and perfectly fine, will perform and last better than anything else. Turbo & intercooler upgrades are important because a safe AFR will keep the temp down on a tuned Landcruiser.
As an anecdote – My own 80 Series with a 1HD-FT and 315HP and 800NM never saw as much as 95c coolant temps on the hottest Queensland day towing a boat up the beach in soft sand with a 3.2T camping setup through out the vehicle – all standard cooling system.
Exhaust?
A 3 inch exhaust will have enough flow to handle all the power you can make on an FT, it is recommended to increase flow and responsiveness with your turbo upgrade. It also unlocks the famous Toyota straight-six sound.

The Manta 80 Series exhaust, has options for quiet, medium, loud and starts around $1300.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/80-series-intercooler-bracket-kit/
Heavy Duty Clutch Options
The 1HD-FT has a factory 300MM Flywheel. The factory clutch will let it down and slip shortly with increased power levels, so an upgrade is required.
Exedy 6874HD $789
The Exedy HD clutch is only suitable for basic upgrades up to 500NM.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/exedy-6874hd-heavy-duty-clutch-kit-toyota-landcruiser-hdj80/

NPC 6874-1A $985
NPC Heavy Duty uprated clutch to Suit factory flywheel – Rated at 800NM.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/hdj80-npc-heavy-duty-clutch-kit/

NPC 6874-1D $1820
NPC Super Heavy Duty. This Kit has an upgraded pressure plate rated at 1300NM, it requires the NPC Billet flywheel upgrade which is included.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/npc6874-1d/

NPC are the gold standard for Landcruiser Clutches. They are an Australian company focused on uprated clutches for the tuning market. They don’t manufacture their own clutch materials, but they have a clever process of modifying premium Exedy Clutches to handle more torque, plus combining them with custom billet flywheels to accept bigger diameter clutches.
Gauges
We don’t recommend going over the top with gauges, sometimes there’s just too much information you really don’t need. But there are a couple of advantages to putting in aftermarket pillar gauges, if for no other reason than they look good on your build.
Boost Gauge: Will give an instant indication if there’s any turbocharger issues such as a boost leak, or an early warning that it’s going over it’s target boost level.
EGT Gauge: Exhaust temp (Post Turbo) is useful for monitoring changes in conditions less so than outright temp. For example, your Landcruiser usually reaches 450°C EGT up a Hill, but today it is reaching 650°C – That could be a sign of a boost leak or mechanical attention needed.
Water Temp Gauge: Water temp can help on those ultra hot days, maybe towing up the beach, or through hilly terrain. In most cases if all is working well, you’ll struggle to get an FT hot, about 105c is the max limit.

Raceworks electronic gauges with analog face, the daisy-chain wiring is handy.
https://hdautomotive.com.au/product/raceworks-52mm-diesel-gauge-kit/
1HD-FT Vs. 1HD-FTE? 1HD-FTM Conversion?
To be clear, our opinion is the Electronic pump 1HD-FTE is the superior engine due to it’s electronic injection system. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t merits to the mechanical pump 1HD-FT either. We just have to leave some of the expectations the 1HD-FTE has set behind, as they are a very different thing. It’s a good engine and many prefer the old school diesel simplicity, like the characteristics of mechanical pumps and lack of electronics. If you have a factory 80 Series 1HD-FT it’s also easy to upgrade with just bolt on parts. They’re both tough, well designed direct injection engines – 1HD-FTE engine block is a better design with some internal differences such as pistons, but they are essentially very similar engines & many parts are interchangeable.
We have been able to achieve such good results on FTE that it doesn’t make sense going backwards to a mechanical pump 1HD-FTM. Tuned with a Unichip, The electronic pump is reliable and capable of huge HP increases. It will make more power, with less soot and better drivability with the added bonus of having 5 Maps on a switch.
My personal experience of owning a 315HP 800NM built 1HD-FT 80 Series:
I bought my 1992 Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series from an old farmer in between Toowoomba and Brisbane. He had paid a workshop to replace the blown 1HD-T in it with a 1HD-FT. They didn’t do too bad of a job, but then he took it to MTQ in Toowoomba (I think, they have shut down now), where they fitted a reconditioned injection pump too it. When they did this, they didn’t tighten the pump down properly onto the timing case, and without the fella I bought it off knowing, he just kept driving it like this. He just thought the new pump was a bit noisy, but what was actually going on was the engine was running at full static timing advance! Which is about the worst thing you can do to any engine.
Once I got it back to my workshop I thought I would roll the dice and throw on one of our 330HP injector pumps, a UFI 21L, front mount intercooler, NPC Clutch and away I went. I thought I got pretty lucky, because I threw it on the dyno, it made the power I was chasing (315HP), I got the results and thought, happy days, engine must have survived the abuse, seeing as they are a pretty tough old thing. Well, sure enough, it did not. About a week later I was cruising down to the Gold Coast and I could just feel the harmonics of the driveline had changed and noticed a bit of excess blow by coming from the crank case vent. I drove it back to the shop, compression tested it, it was low on 4, 5 and 6. I pulled it apart and cylinder numbers 4, 5, and 6 had all cracked the ring lands on the piston. This is where the piston rings sit on the piston. It’s not as known weak spot, but this is what will happen when you run too much timing in a diesel engine for too long. It’s like putting a hammer to them.
So, out the 1HD-FT came and the tear down began. Luckily, it did not have any damage on the cylinder walls, so I used what we call a “dunny brush” to hone them out, grabbed a set of genuine standard size rings and genuine pistons, measured it all up and checked the roundness, all was good. Threw in a set of ARP head studs, ACL race bearings, new genuine head gasket and put it all back together. Dropped the engine back in and that was quite literally the last time I had to work on the engine. 90,000KM’s and not a single oil leak, hesitation, or a single issue. All while still sitting at 315HP and running over 35PSI of boost.


I let anyone who wanted to drive this car as a test for potential mods on their car. It was a big heavy car with 35″ tyres, full camping setup in the back, roof top tent and bar work all round. As a daily driver, it absolutely sucked. There was too much to lug around at all times. One thing that this Landcruiser was absolutely perfect at was ‘GETTING IT DONE’. It NEVER let me down, I drove 90,000 uninterrupted KM’s. The thing was pretty sooty down low, but still pretty good on fuel. It would do around 14L-16L/100KM around town and 12L/100KM on the highway. I could trust that I could turn the key on the thing ANY day of the week, drive through ANY environment, ANY TIME. It saved HD Automotive in the floods that hit our workshop in 2022, because it could drive through 1.5M of sitting water without a single hesitation. This is what a Landcruiser is, and this is why we love them. They may not have every feature, but they absolutely will get you there and back.
If I was to do it all again, I would aim for less horsepower and a more low end focused setup. That’s not to say there’s been significant development in the last few years on how responsive a turbo can be or how much cleaner a more developed fuel system is, this was all done back in 2021. But, I would consider a 250HP setup with an 18G or a G300, and simply sacrifice the ‘number’. I wanted 300HP. I got it, but to do it all again, I think I prefer driving our customers 250HP packages. Less soot, more low end grunt.
Check it out below:

HD Auto:
For any questions there’s a dedicated HD Auto text line you can message anytime at: 0483906923
We keep all of these parts in stock and they can be found on our website.