TOYOTA4LIFE

ok guys and girls help me out here..i have a few options on what to do for a motor to put in my toyota.. options are...
1.) pull my motor and rebuild it..
2.) do a homebuilt v8 swap.
3.) find a motor to drop in...


what do u guys think???

Vato Loco

year?

TOYOTA4LIFE

1989..3.0l S.o.h.c V6

bike4miles

Get an LC Engineering 22re if you can aford it. It has like 145HP. Probably costs a fortune though.

Vato Loco

Over 200hp:

http://www.lcengineering.com/stage5.htm

TOYOTA4LIFE

yea right guys in my dreams only..i'm a 18 in high school.. little tight on cash..

TOYOTA4LIFE

o yea guys what engine can i drop into my yota? like makes and types

Vato Loco

Have you thought about the 3.4 V6 from the 3rd gens?

toy283

If you're short on cash, the cheapest option is to rebuild your existing 3.0 and perhaps add some aftermarket goodies (cams, headers) in the process.

For "drop-in" engines, there are only two:
The original 3.0 (duh!)
3.4 V6 - require rewiring the computer etc.

After that, almost any engine can be put up front of your Toyota, the only ones I've never seen nor heard about are Ford big-blocks and 4.6 V8's. Engines I have seen or heard about (seen writeups at one time or another):

• Chev small-block - got one myself
• Ford small block - 289, 302, 351W
• Chev big-block - not an easy fit by any means
• Chev 4.3 V6 - one of the easiest non-Toyota swaps
• Toyota 5M, 7M, 7MGTE - the now common Supra swap
• Buick 231/3.8 - not the 3800 common in newer FWD cars but a RWD found in the 70's and early 80's
• Saturn DOHC 1.9 - only one swap I know of but it's been done.
• Rover 3.9 V8 - very common swap in Australia
• Holden V8 - also very common in Australia, very similar to a SBC swap
• Isuzu I-4 diesel - from a medium duty truck. Massive torque available
• Chev 2.8 V6 - a waste of time if you ask me
• Chev/Isuzu 3.1/3.3/3.4 V6 - a much improved 2.8 in every aspect
• Buick 215 V8 - similar to a Rover swap but the engines are all 40 years old now
• Chev LT1 - I list this separately because there are issues involved with this swap unlike a standard SBC
• Supercharged Ford 3.8 V6 - good engines are very hard to find
• Jeep/Chev 2.5 I4 - why? But I have seen it done.
• Chev 6.2/6.5 diesel - very tight fit

Other swaps that I think have potential but you'd be the first to do (AFAIK):

• Mercedes 300 I5 diesel - good torque/hp and a good length
• Chev I5 (unsure of dispacement) - From a new Colorado
• Chev 5.4 V8 - I "think" it is comparable to an LT1 swap but I'm not too familiar with the engine
• Subaru WRX

Phisherman

Wow, that's some good info! However, the I5 Chevy is in the new Colorado/GMC Canyon. It's the Trailblazer I6 with one cylinder chopped off, much like the difference b/w the 5.7 and 4.3L.

Victor

Dave,

Besides the obvious (engine) whats needed for a swap? I'm thinking:

1. Motor mounts
2. Bell housing to mount new engine to Toy tranny or
Complete tranny from donor vehicle
3. Computer and harness for donor engine

but what about issues like:
1. speed sensor
2. radiator (and fan clearance)
3. hood clearance

?

Flygtenstein

The cheapest short term will be dropping in another 3.0.

Long term, the cheapest would likely be a 3.4 if you plan to keep the truck a long time and can find a donor with really low miles.

toy283

Noted and fixed. Thanx.

toy283

1. Motor mounts can be bought for SBC, SBF, 4.3 V6, Buick 3.8 and Toyota swaps. The others would have to be fabricated.

2. In most cases you'd either need to buy a bellhousing to adapt the engine to the tranny or use the bellhousing that comes with the engine and fab up an adapter plate to bolt up the tranny. In some rare cases, an adapter plate would be needed between the block and a Toyota bellhousing but those are more of a hassle when it comes to things like starters. In those cases, it would generally be best to use the entire drivetrain from the donor. Aftermarket adapter bellhousings are available for Small-block Chev, small-block Ford, 4.3 V6 (same as SBC), and Buick 3.8 V6.

3. Computer and harness needs to match your tranny as well. In many cases a comp from an auto equiped vehicle will not work properly if you go manual.

1. There are some conversion sensors out there. Advance Adapters has one for 700R4's in Toyotas for sure. In some cases, the Toyota sensor will work with the donor computer. They are essentially all the same in basic construction and function but the pulses/revolution may vary from application to application.

2. Radiators can be tricky. Most V6 swaps only require a stock Toyota V6 radiator perhaps with the outlets relocated. Most radiator shops can do this if needed. V8's require a bigger radiator but Advance Adpaters has some available for just this reason. There are also Griffins that work quite well. Fan clearance is always an issue. For a rfront mounted radiator, small-block Chev V8's fit best if you use a pre-'68 or Corvette short water pump. This requires different bracketry for accesories but it is available. For the larger engines I listed (BBC, 6.2/6.5 diesel, etc.) a rear-mounted radiator is essential. There just isn't room enough for both an engine and a radiator under the hood.

3.Hood clearance usually isn't an issue. What can be an issue though is tranny tunnel clearance. Depending on the transmission used, the somewhat small tunnel on Toyota trucks may not be big enough. A 2-3" body lift really helps in this case and adds hood clearance as well.

?. There are always things that come up. You may do three of the same swap and then on the fourth identiacal one something new happens. Things don't always fit as they would if the truck was new. As trucks age, bodies and frames tweak differently. Don't allocate yourself a weekend for a swap, give yourself at least a month to iron out the inevitable kinks. I did my swap in 1989, I know of no V8 swaps older than mine (there have to be some though, adapter parts were available after all). After nearly fifteen years of running with a V8, there are still (minor) issues that need dealing with, I'm either too broke or have no time.

My99

If you're tight on cash, rebuild your 3.0. If you'd rather buy one, I see longblocks going for anywhere fomr about 800 up to 2,000.

TOYOTA4LIFE

dang guys thanx for the info!!!

TOYOTA4LIFE

hwo hard would it be to do the 7mge swap?

TOYOTA4LIFE

ok guys i got it..ganna rebuild i think!!

RED 85

Not LC go for this 250+hp at TCR
http://toyotaperformance.com/pro_turbo.htm

It's a little cheaper and 50 more horsies!!

Victor

The 3.4 is really a much more desirable engine than a rebuilt 3.0. It makes 30-40 more HP, 30 more lb/ft. It makes it torque down low so most of those truckes came geared 4.10 or 4.30 so your current gearing may be a step ahead. To me the biggest hurtle for a 3.4 is the wiring involved but I suspect a little competition will bring those prices down. Did anyone mention that the TRD supercharger for the 3.4 is readily available? Because the 3.0 is so low on power and costs $$$ to make more power it may be a great time to consider a swap.