Friday, August 21, 2026

Toyota V8 (1UZ) engine swaps make a lot of sense

From FB (American Cars Talk group):
"The 1UZ-FE's specifications include:
  • All-aluminum block with cast-iron cylinder liners — similar to the LS.
  • DOHC 32-valve heads — four valves per cylinder
  • Six-bolt main bearing caps — the LS uses six bolts on its performance versions; the 1UZ had six bolts standard on every engine Toyota built from 1989 forward.
  • Forged steel crankshaft.
  • Forged steel connecting rods.
  • Weight: 365 pounds complete with accessories — 35 pounds lighter than a dressed LS1 and 150 pounds lighter than a dressed 5.0 Windsor ... A hot rodder pulling a blown 5.0 from a Fox-body Mustang and installing a 1UZ gains 150 pounds of weight reduction from the engine swap alone — before touching the suspension, wheels, or body.
  • Toyota designed the 1UZ to run at sustained high RPM in a luxury sedan for 200,000 miles without a rebuild. The result is a bottom end that holds 500 HP on stock internals with boost — supercharged 1UZ builds making 450 to 600 HP on factory crankshafts and rods are common in the drift and drag communities.
The swap ecosystem is growing because the math is irresistible. A used 1UZ from a salvage-yard Lexus LS400 or SC400 costs $300 to $800. Swap adapter plates for Ford and GM bellhousing patterns are available from specialist manufacturers like Collins Adapters and Suprastore.
A CD009 six-speed manual transmission from a Nissan 350Z bolts up with an adapter for $500 to $800 — giving the 1UZ a modern six-speed manual that the original Lexus automatic never offered. 
Rod Millen — the legendary New Zealand rally champion — built a 1932 Ford Roadster with a VVT-i 1UZ V8 that became one of the most famous hot rods at SEMA.
The engine swap community has documented 1UZ installations in Fox-body Mustangs, S13/S14 Nissans, Toyota AE86s, Mazda Miatas, Volvo 240s, BMW E30s, and at least one 1955 Chevrolet pickup.
The engine fits where an LS fits because the 1UZ's external dimensions are nearly identical to a Gen III LS — a coincidence of engineering that makes adapter plates and motor mount fabrication straightforward.
The non-VVT-i version (1989-1997) is the one the swap community prefers — and the reason is the same reason the LBZ Duramax outsells the LMM: simplicity. The pre-1997 1UZ has no variable valve timing, no electronic throttle, and a standalone-friendly ECU that aftermarket companies like Megasquirt and Haltech can replace with a plug-and-play harness. 
The timing belt — not a chain — requires replacement every 90,000 miles, which sounds like a maintenance burden until you consider that the non-interference design means a broken belt doesn't destroy the engine. A broken timing chain on an LS destroys it. The 1UZ's timing belt is a $200 maintenance event every 90,000 miles. The LS's timing chain is a $2,000 catastrophe if it fails.
The engine that Toyota designed offers 90 percent of the LS's performance at 30 percent of the junkyard cost, 85 percent of the weight, and zero percent of the timing chain anxiety."

KE Conversions (conversion parts): https://www.keconversions.com/shop/1uz/39

North West Toys (conversion parts): https://northwesttoysllc.com/products/uz-swap-package

1UZ-FE FAQ ,Swap Guide For The 84-89 4runner and Pickup:

1996 Jeep Cherokee with a 1UZ-FE:  https://engineswapdepot.com/?p=9003

1UZ Engine: The Bulletproof V8 That Lived Through Four Decades:
"The UZ engine family consists of three different engines, namely the 1UZ-FE (4.0-liter), 2UZ-FE (4.7-liter), 3UZ-FE (4.3-liter). The 1UZ launched the UZ family in 1989 and was specifically designed for the Lexus LS 400. Toyota's ambition here was to build a V8 that was quieter and lighter than anything BMW or Mercedes-Benz was manufacturing at the time. Of the three, the 1UZ is still the most celebrated of Lexus' UZ V8s."

Thursday, August 20, 2026

How to sync Apple Reminders with Microsoft To Do

  1. To get started, you're going to need a Microsoft account. If you've ever used Windows, Microsoft Office, or Outlook Online, you already have one, but if not, create an account here
  2. Log in to Microsoft To Do.

  3. Create a task, so you can tell when the syncing is working.

  4. With Microsoft To Do working, it's time to sync it with Apple's Reminders. Open System Settings on your Mac or Settings on your iPhone or iPad. 

  5. Click on Internet Accounts, then hit the Add Account button.

  6. Click the Microsoft Exchange option. 

  7. Enter the email address and password for your Microsoft account. It will likely fail to log in and offer more details. Under User Name, put your email address. Under Internal URL and External URL enter outlook.office365.com.
    Note that, if your Microsoft account has two-factor authentication enabled, you're going to need to create an app password, or you won't be able to log in. 

  8. Once you log in successfully, you'll be asked which services you want to sync. I recommend only syncing Reminders unless you specifically want the other services to sync.

You should be set now! Open Reminders on your device, and you'll see there's a new Exchange section, and that your tasks show up.

It's not perfect: new lists you add won't have the same name, for example. You can rename them quickly enough, though, after which everything should be working the way you expect. Any tasks you add to these lists will show up in Microsoft To Do, and any tasks you add in Microsoft To Do will show up here.

Note that you will have to repeat this process for all of your devices—adding your Microsoft account on your Mac doesn't add it on your iPhone, for example. Once you've set it up everywhere, however, you're done: everything will now sync without you having to pay attention. 



Suggested Windows 11 apps to improve the user experience


This article suggests 5 apps including:
Blip: at blip.net 
This app allows you to send and receive files across your devices. It's a bit like AirDrop, but it works with Windows, iOS, and Android.

AltTabby 
This app replaces the Alt+Tab experience on Windows 11 with one that is more customizable. You can choose between five different views, and AltTabby can learn your frequently used apps to keep them close by.

Another app that may be worth trying is:
UpNote is an elegant and powerful note app that works seamlessly across platforms: iOS, Mac and Windows.
Write unlimited notes on iOS, Mac, Android, Windows and Linux
Add attachments, tables, codes and more to your notes
Protect your notes and notebooks with lock
Elegant themes and notebook covers
Export to text, PDF, HTML and Markdown formats

And a bunch of ToDo apps:



Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Use Exact Audio Copy (EAC) to rip CDs to a PC. It is a free app that is powerful & does the job right.



"... if you just want the same thing every time, EAC will run you through a setup wizard when you first use it. From there, you shouldn't need to touch your settings again."
"The only thing I did need to change was the metadata provider. The default option is only free for 10 rips, but you can change it within the app to MusicBrainz (https://musicbrainz.org/), which is completely free."

Perfect CD-ripping to FLAC with Exact Audio Copy (Setup & configuration):
"You might be prompted to install .NET Framework 3.5, if so go ahead and install this also."

Monday, August 17, 2026

FluentTaskScheduler - A modern Windows Task Scheduler built by a developer ...

Published March 8, 2026:

"FluentTaskScheduler is a free, open-source, non-Microsoft modern wrapper in a self-contained executable that uses the existing Task Scheduler API. Built with WinUI 3 on the Windows App SDK and powered by .NET 8, it preserves the reliability of the underlying system component while delivering a clean Fluent Design interface, improved monitoring tools, and advanced automation controls in a streamlined experience.
This is not a new scheduler engine. It is a better way to use the one Windows 11 already provides."

"One of the standout features is the built-in Script Library. Instead of embedding PowerShell code directly into every task, you can store reusable scripts centrally, reference the same script across multiple tasks, and keep automation login separate from scheduling configuration.This approach reduces duplication, simplifies maintenance, and encourages cleaner automation design.While the Script Library feature alone makes FluentTaskScheduler worth trying, I wasn’t able to figure out how to add new scripts during testing, which makes the tool feel a bit unfinished."

"FluentTaskScheduler integrates tightly with the operating system, meaning that it includes System Tray support, runs on startup, and provides toast notifications for successful or failed tasks.In addition, you can run this experience with the highest privileges, as SYSTEM, or under a specific user, and you can configure task priority from Realtime to Idle."

"This utility (wrapper) is not limited to its graphical interface. It includes CLI support for headless management and scripting.Since the tool is portable, you can use the command-line experience from Command Prompt from the path where the "FluentTaskScheduler.exe" is located."

" The FluentTaskScheduler is available for free as a self-contained executable that you can download directly from this GitHub page published by @TRGamer-tech."

FluentTaskScheduler: The Modern Windows Task Scheduler Alternative for Windows 11:

FluentTaskScheduler for Windows:  https://fluenttaskscheduler.en.softonic.com/
"The app targets routine automation such as scheduled reminders, launching maintenance scripts, and starting common executables on a cadence. Its design reduces the steps to create recurring jobs, which helps users replace manual calendar-based reminders or ad-hoc script launches with repeatable schedules. For people who routinely run the same task, this decreases setup friction and centralizes simple automations on the desktop."

FluentTaskScheduler: A Fluent UI Wrapper for Windows Task Scheduler (Portable & Free):




Sunday, August 16, 2026

How keyboard switches differ and how they impact user experience


"For professional typists or programmers, Tactile switches are a common ground between linear and clicky. They offer a small, noticeable bump at the actuation point without adding a loud click."