 |
| ROADTESTS |
| SAC Toyota Hilux 3,0 KZ-TE Double Cab |
 | Magazine - April 2001 | | | - Hottest Hilux - | | Diesel bakkies are slow, right? If that's what you think, then think again. | | Because the standard Toyota Hilux 3,0 KZ-TE is a pretty good performer. | | But now, Steves Auto Clinic offers a kit that transforms the vehicle from impressive to downright astounding. | | Waldo van der Waal drives one. | |  | |
| From the outside, the SAC Hilux doesn't look any different to its standard stable mates. |
| It has the same modern lines and rugged approach. |
| As a matter of fact, if you parked the silver SAC vehicle next to Drive's own silver double cab long termer, you'd be hard pressed to spot any differences. |
| This, of course, is good news. It means that the guys at SAC have managed to do what they did, without having to change anything in terms of visible bodywork. |
| It would take an exceptionally sharp eye to spot any external evidence of SAC's work, which is neatly tucked away under the sump. |
| But let's start at the beginning. When SAC takes a standard 3,0 KZ-TE diesel engine, it pumps out in the region of 69kW on the rear wheels. |
| It also has a maximum torque figure of 252Nm, again measured on the wheels. |
| Now, these figures are highly competitive in the bakkie market. |
| They are right up there with Colt's 2,8 turbo diesel, and pretty close to the almighty TD5, which is used in the Land Rover Defender and Discovery. |
| But, for the guys at SAC, those ratings are not nearly enough. |
| So, step one is to take off the standard sump protection plate and, in its place, bolt on an intercooler. |
| Hein Lategan of SAC designed the device in question, and the whole thing is hand-built at the SAC workshop to the very highest standards. |
| The intercooler is incredibly sleek, and fits snugly under the engine so that it's only just lower than the old protection plate. |
| Protection of the intercooler is handled by a new steel plate, which doesn't buckle under any sort of impact (as we discovered after a particularly rigorous off-road session at Gerotek). |
| With the intercooler in place, the vehicle's engine appears a lot happier. |
| The exhaust temperature drops, simply because the intake temperature is a lot lower, and obviously there are substantial power gains, thanks to denser air that makes it into the combustion areas. |
| But again, that's not enough for the guys at SAC. |
| Step two is to add a smart computer chip, which helps the engine to cope better with the effects of the intercooler. |
| The chip is also used to change the engine mapping in terms of fuel usage, which makes a huge difference not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of economy. |
| A myriad of small adjustments are made to the engine, and hours of expert tuning are spent setting the diesel pump just right. |
| With everything in place, the vehicle is put on the dynometer, to check the installation, and also to fine-tune the chip. |
| This time, even the stringent fellows at SAC have to smile. |
| The increase of torque is almost 23 percent. And much the same goes for the power too. |
| The interesting thing is that the torque curve has also changes, making maximum twist effort available over a wider rev range. |
| If you take the old torque curve, you find that its peak is at 2 500 revs/min. |
| With the engine mods, the amount becomes available all the way from the 1 800 mark to 3 400. |
| And the best news is that there's even more torque available. |
| So, what does that do in terms of performance? Well, the standard Hilux 3,0 KZ-TE 4x4 Double Cab Raider sprints from zero to 100km/h in 13,2 seconds. |
| With the intercooler, chip and tuning, the bakkie manages the same test in only 10,4 seconds - an improvement of 21 percent! |
| Top speed has also increased and, while the standard vehicle runs to 168km/h on the road, the modified bakkie clocks 179km/h. |
| The increase in performance means that you'll be using a smaller throttle opening in order to attain the same speed as before. |
| This, of course, means that the fuel consumption drops overall. |
| Even though the stats sell the story, it was the on-road driving experience that made us fall in love with the SAC vehicle. |
| On the highway you never need to shift down on hills or when overtaking. |
| In town the vehicle is so quick that it takes many motorists by surprise. |
| Imagine this two-ton truck getting out of the blocks quicker than the bloke in his little semi-hot hatch. |
| Off-road, the conversion also works very well. |
| With more torque available lower in the rev range, you can now use even less speed through obstacles. |
| As far as we're concerned, there can be no doubt that the Hilux is a better vehicle with the SAC conversion. |
| It pulls better, uses less fuel, and is much easier to drive. |
| Frankly, we think it's only a matter of time until Toyota fits this system, or a similar one at least, as a factory option on its KZ-TE. |
| |
| Click Here to get an SAC consultant to advise you! |
| Click here for more about our conversions |
| Performance / power conversions, modifications, engine upgrades available for Alfa, Audi, BMW, Chev, Chrysler, Colt, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jeep, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes, Mini, Nissan, Opel, Toyota, VW and more... |
|
