How bout the NEW 4.7 (you know, the one with VVT-i)...

 

Couldn't you just switch the heads?

I'm a noob when it comes to engine internals, I mean... I know the basics... but when it comes down to rebuilding I jsut don't have experience... ANYway...

I know my honda buddies just talk about how they need a VTEC head bla bla, could this be the same with the yota heads?

Just food for thought...

 

It's a good thought, but where it gets tricky is the coolant passages and HG mating surface. Not to mention the timing belt teeth amount, compression change, valve clearance, bla bla bla. Definitely not as easy as it sounds.

 

I think the biggest expense in a VVT-i swap would be the ECU and harness. The Toyota system is a hydraulically-controlled intake cam phaser controlled by an entirely different learning ECU. It pays big dividends in power, economy and emissions control.

I've owned a few Toys/Lexi with the system and it's incredible. I'll take low rpm torque over high rpm horsepower for street use any day. What's interesting is that the all-out race prepped engines, like the GrandAm series IS300's with 2JZ-GE's, have VVT-i disabled in favor of straight grind long duration high lift cams.

 

Something you guys might be missing is that the new 2.7L is designed for premium (91 octane) fuel only. Therefore, it's running a little higher compression. One of the reasons the 4.0L V-6 (premium) in the 4th gen 4Runners were turning out more ponies than the 4.7L V-8 (regular). If you design - or redesign - an engine from the ground up for high octane fuel, it's pretty easy to squeese out that kind of gain.

 

Not only does it make more hp, but it gets 28 mpg on the bloody highway!!!

Schuey_I'mjustjealousIguess_2K2