1HD-FTE Turbo Upgrade Guide: UFI 16G vs 18G vs 21L vs 23L vs 24D

A stock Toyota LandCruiser 100 Series HDJ100 makes around 135hp (101kW) and 350Nm at the wheels on our Mainline dyno. A stock 79 Series HDJ79 makes about 110hp (82kW) and 300Nm.

A UFI 1HD-FTE turbo is where almost every build we do starts after that.

16G, 18G, 21L, 23L or 24D.

Standard injectors, +17s, +30s, +50s or +70s.

Manual or auto.

With most engines, this is the part where I’d start explaining what each step up in power costs you some how or another in reliability. The 1HD-FTE is different, and it’s the main reason I love these engines. There are no downsides to doing these upgrades. You can have power, performance and reliability on a 1HD-FTE all the way up to around 350hp (261kW) and 1,000Nm at the wheels.

Here’s what I’d put on my own 1HD-FTE.

My favourite 1HD-FTE setups

If it’s a manual, it’s the 300 to 330hp (224 to 246kW) package:

• UFI 21L turbo
• A set of +30 high flow injectors
• Pre-tuned Unichip
• PDI front mount intercooler
• HD Auto airbox
• 3-inch Manta exhaust
• NPC 1300Nm clutch kit

If it’s an auto, it’s the 270hp (201kW) package built around the 5-speed A750:

• UFI 18G turbo
• +17 high flow injectors
• Pre-tuned Unichip
• PDI front mount intercooler with transmission cooler
• A750 valve body upgrade kit
• HD Auto airbox
• 3-inch Manta exhaust

The reason these are my favourites is simple. They make the power you’d want from a 4.2l 6 cyl diesel, they hold it all day, and both are 100% bolt-on.

When I built my first 1HD-FTE into my 80 Series back in 2019, it was a different story. I bought the engine from the wreckers, then bought parts from about ten different stores to get the power I wanted. I was actually scared to buy a turbo. Nobody in the mainstream was really upgrading these yet, and I was worried I’d end up as the test mule for whoever sold me the parts.

And a test mule I was.

Since then I’ve tried a lot of turbo products on these engines. Some worked and some didn’t. The packages above are what’s left after all of those mistakes and wins, and these days you can order the lot in a few clicks.

If neither of those is what you’re after, let’s go through the options and where each one makes sense.

Which UFI turbo should I put on my 1HD-FTE?

All five bolt to the factory CT20B flange utilising the factory exhaust manifold and dump pipe. They suit the 1HD-FTE in both the 100 Series and the 70 Series.

There are two things to know before you order one.

Every UFI runs a 4-inch anti-surge inlet, so you need a larger induction pipe or an aftermarket airbox to suit. The UFI also sits about 50mm further forward than the factory turbo and stands more upright, so the factory crossover pipe won’t line up anymore on a 70 Series, and you’d have to adapt your 100 Series intercooler to suit if you wanted to retain it (I don’t recommend doing this, unless you have fabrication skills).

That’s a big part of why we pair every UFI with a PDI front mount intercooler. The PDI kit comes with piping made for the UFI, which keeps the whole thing a bolt-on job.

18G or 21L?

This is the question I get asked the most.

Honestly, it’s pretty hard to tell the two apart from the driver’s seat. They’re very similar in turbo response, so you’re not giving up much down low by going to the 21L.

The 18G is the turbo for drivability and towing. If your Cruiser spends its life hooked up to a van or a camper, or it’s your daily, the 18G is a cracking turbo.

The 21L is the turbo for performance.

The changeover point is around 300hp (224kW). An 18G can get there, and we’ve had 18Gs on +30s make over 310hp (231kW) on our dyno. But if 300hp is your number, I’d lean on the 21L. And if you think you’ll want more down the track, buy the 21L now.

My advice is the same on every engine. Pick the horsepower number you want, then find the smallest turbo that supports it.

Is it any different on a 70 Series or a 100 Series?

The engine is the same 1HD-FTE, and so is the turbo choice. The differences are in what’s around it.

The 79 Series HDJ79 and 78 Series Troop Carrier start lower, at about 110hp (82kW) and 300Nm, with a small factory exhaust and no intercooler. They’re all manuals, so the 21L, +30s and the NPC clutch are the natural pick.

The 100 Series HDJ100 starts at around 135hp (101kW) and 350Nm, and came as a manual or an auto. The manual gets the same 330hp package as the 79. The auto is where you need to know which gearbox you’ve got, because the 5-speed A750 and the older 4-speed autos want different injectors. I’ll cover that in the supporting mods below.

Does the manifold matter?

The factory 1HD-FTE manifold works with every UFI size. But if the budget allows, we 100% recommend the Tillix split pulse merge manifold.

The Tillix manifolds are CFD-designed, and we’ve found up to a 10% increase in performance using one on the 1HD-FTE and 1HD-T. We also measured how hard the electronic boost controller paired to the Unichip had to work to achieve our desired boost.

The higher the number = the more duty cycle that was required to get the turbo to the PSI we want it set at. For example. you might need up to 82% duty cycle to achieve 34psi on a UFI 23L on a standard manifold. This is because exhaust manifold pressure is relative to the exhaust manifold and turbine flow. A higher duty cycle % number = more effort to keep the wastegate shut (due to the higher manifold pressure). Lower duty cycle = less effort = easier on the turbo (and the engine) as you have now increased the manifold/turbine efficiency.

With the factory manifold swapped for a Tillix, we dropped the duty cycle on the electronic boost controller by a full 10%. The manifold awap also improved turbo response by 200rpm, and picked up 10% more torque and power on a 400WHP / 1000nm setup.

It’s a one-piece cast manifold with the CT26/CT20B flange, and it puts the turbo in the factory position, so your dump pipe and intercooler piping stay as they are.

What comes with the UFI 1HD-FTE turbo?

• The turbo, in your chosen size
• Australian-made SpeedFlow oil lines
• Dump pipe studs, nuts and gasket
• Turbo inlet gasket
• Oil drain hose with clamps

The UFI turbo upgrade for the 1HD-FTE is $2,430 to $2,650 depending on size.

What supporting mods do I need?

Unichip

This one isn’t optional. The factory 1HD-FTE ECU cuts boost at around 14psi (1bar), and the UFI’s wastegate is set at 18psi. Bolt one on without a Unichip and the ECU will cut power the first time you put your foot down. The pre-tuned Unichip takes care of the boost cut and the fuelling, and it comes with five maps you can switch between on the fly, including power, tow, economy and stock (or immobiliser).

The stock map is worth explaining, because people ask how a car with a bigger turbo and injectors can go back to stock power. The Unichip clamps the MAP sensor voltage to what it reads at idle at sea level, where we tune it, which is 2.29V. With the MAP signal held there, the factory ECU never sees boost, so it doesn’t add any extra fuel on top of what the bigger injectors are already delivering. It’s the electronic equivalent of pulling the hose off the MAP sensor, and it brings the car back to close to stock power with all the upgrades still fitted.

Injectors

Fuel is what makes power on a diesel, and on the 1HD-FTE the injectors set your ceiling.

• Standard injectors. 220hp (164kW) is the safe number. We’ve seen healthy standard injectors go as far as 240hp (179kW).
• +17. Up to 270hp (201kW). These are built for the A750 auto.
• +30. 300 to 330hp (224 to 246kW). The injector in our manual packages.
• +50. For a 21L or 23L when you want to go past 330hp.
• +70. What the 24D needs to make its power.

Our reconditioned high flow injectors and brand new high flow injectors both come with the injector seals. To make a complete kit, you just need a rocker cover gasket and a set of injector nozzle holder seals. The full injector fitting kit is only needed with brand new genuine standard-size injectors.

One thing to know if you own a 2002-onwards 100 Series. With bigger injectors fitted, you’ll get a light engine shake as you roll to a stop or pull away from a set of lights. The later-model ECUs try to correct the extra fuel from the bigger injectors, and that’s what you’re feeling. Unfortunately there’s no known workaround.

Intercooler

The 79 Series has no intercooler from the factory at all, so a front mount makes a big difference on these. PDI make front mount kits for the 70 Series and the 100 Series, with all the piping and brackets in the box. The 100 Series auto kit adds a large transmission cooler, which the A750 appreciates when it’s towing.

Clutch or valve body

Even a Unichip on its own will make a standard clutch slip. On a manual, the NPC 1300Nm kit with its billet flywheel is what we use on every package.

On the 5-speed A750 auto, the valve body upgrade kit does the same job as the clutch upgrade does on a manual. With it fitted, 270hp is the comfortable limit we recommend for the A750. Don’t run +30s in an A750.

The older 4-speed autos are a different story. They’re happy with +30s and a 21L or an 18G. I wouldn’t put +50s or +70s on them.

Airbox and exhaust

The factory airbox starts to hold the turbo back once you’re making real power. The HD Auto airbox is built for the UFI’s 4-inch inlet and gives it a clear path to clean air. Run a 3-inch Manta exhaust with it. A 3-inch system flows enough for any power level you can realistically make on a 1HD-FTE.

Do I need a pump upgrade?

No. This is the biggest myth we hear about the 1HD-FTE.

The standard 1HD-FTE injection pump is good for up to 500hp (372kW) at the wheels. That’s more than any of the packages in this guide need.

Where a pump does need replacing, it’s for maintenance, not power. Like anything with 20-plus years on it, they do wear out. The signs to look for are:

• The engine cutting out at around 2,800 to 3,000rpm, usually with an EDU circuit fault code (P1215)
• A timing control valve fault (P1220), with power that comes and goes and a louder engine
• Low power, which often shows up before the P1215 fault does
• Hard starting, surging, rev hanging, excessive smoke or poor fuel economy
• A knocking or noisy pump

If yours is showing those signs, replace it with a brand new genuine 1HD-FTE injection pump. We’ve stuck to brand new pumps only, because the rebuilt units we’ve seen can pass a fuel room test and still fall short once you ask them for more power. If your pump is healthy, leave it alone.

What about head studs and rods?

You don’t need ARP head studs until you’re going for 350 to 400hp+ (261 to 298kW+). Below that, the factory head bolts do the job.

The conrods are the real limit. Up to about 350hp and 1,000Nm, the factory rods are fine. Past that, they become the weak point, and that’s where you should budget for an upgrade. We offer forged rods and billet rods. Both are good options depending on your budget, but the more expensive billet rods are the better rods. If you’re chasing 400hp with a 24D, look at our built 400hp engine package instead of building it piece by piece.

Before you build

Most of the 1HD-FTEs we build have plenty of kilometres on them, and that’s fine. We’ve pulled apart engines with half a million kilometres on them and found barely any wear on the pistons or rotating assembly when they’ve been looked after.

What does matter is the fuel system. Before you put serious power through one, make sure the injection pump is healthy using the signs above, and replace the injector lines while you’re in there if they’re looking old or crusty.

The other thing we see all the time, on 70 Series and 100 Series alike, is tired vacuum hoses and a cracked factory MAP sensor filter. They’re 20-plus years old now, and when they crack or leak, the engine runs poorly and down on power. It’s one of the most common faults we find on a 1HD-FTE. We recommend replacing the vacuum hoses (there are about eight on a 1HD-FTE) and fitting a stainless steel MAP sensor filter at the same time as the rest of the build.

FAQ

What’s the best turbo for a 1HD-FTE?

The one that matches your power goal.

Will my automatic handle it?

The 5-speed A750 is good for 270hp (201kW) with the valve body upgrade kit and +17 injectors. The older 4-speed auto is happy with +30s and an 18G or 21L.

Are your power figures at the wheels?

Yes. Every figure in this guide is at the wheels on our Mainline dyno.

The packages

We’ve grouped the turbo, injectors, tune and supporting parts that work together into packages:

This is a 79 Series HDJ79 with a UFI 21L, +30s and a pre-tuned Unichip, on our Mainline dyno. On the power map it made 325.4hp (243kW) and 969Nm at the wheels. The grey line is the same car on the tow map, which is softer on boost and still makes 311.1hp (232kW) and 793Nm. You can switch between them from the driver’s seat. A stock HDJ79 makes about 110hp (82kW).

Toyota and LandCruiser are trademarks of Toyota Motor Corporation. HD Automotive is not affiliated with or endorsed by Toyota. Parts are aftermarket unless stated as genuine, and are listed as suitable for the vehicles named.