[88supratuner]

Brake booster delete, Coors Light brand radiator overflow tank, that's some Git-R-Dun but the rest is really clean work!

How do the brakes feel after the booster delete?
I'm also curious about the oil pan, headers, and engine mounts you used. Nice build!

Thanks!! I'm going to be sharing a few more pics on here in the near future once I get a couple more things done!

The Coors Light can is the overflow for the overflow! I'm using the Chase Bays overflow can and it has a drain on it and instead of that just dumping to the ground, I routed it to the Coors can. I don't think the beer can has seen any fluid but its just fun to have it sitting there.

The brakes are a bit firm and require more pedal travel than an assisted car but they work well. I don't have many miles on the booster delete yet to give a solid review. I'm doing the Mercedes/Evo caliper upgrade here this weekend and hope that improves the feel and performance.

The factory oil pan on an LS1 out of an F-body Camaro is rear sump so it had no trouble clearing the subframe and steering rack. I used the CX Racing swap kit for the headers, exhaust, and motor/trans mounts. The headers fit decently but I needed to notch them in a few places. The transmission mount fit perfectly. The motor mounts didn't fit at all. I ended up cutting their mounts apart to then cut them at different angles, then weld them back together. Since I was essentially making new motor mounts, I was able to get the engine as low as possible while still keeping the subframe as the lowest point and the oil pan protected. I'm also using the CX Racing Y-pipe and mid-pipe all bolted up to my Blitz Nur Spec muffler.

 

[SoupraWorm]

I LS swapped my 88 last summer with the whole intention of having a reliable 400whp setup. I picked up a relatively low mile LS1/T56 with the stock LS ECU and harness out of a 99 F-body for $5000. I threw in a Texas Speed cam, dual valve springs, new valve guides and seals, rebuilt the trunnion bearings, swapped over to LS6 cylinder heads and LS6 intake, installed a new clutch, new fuel pump and fuel lines, driveshaft shop custom driveshaft, a Tweak'd performance LS to Toyota custom harness, and a whole lot of other custom parts. I spent a lot upfront to do all these mods while the engine was out of the car, because I wanted to put the engine in and not touch it and just drive the car. You could make 400whp cheaper if you went the LQ iron block route out of a GM truck as mentioned above. I went with the pricier LS1 because I wanted the aluminum block to keep weight down a smidge and not swap front accessories. I did this swap myself over the course of a few months and can only image what the labor cost would be if a shop did it. The swap was relatively easy, just very time consuming as there isn't much info on it and pretty much everything has to be custom made. I did not have time to get it tuned before winter hit in Michigan but with the mods I've done, it should be good for high 300whp or maybe low 400s. I have a few things to tidy up and some bugs to work out but I'm super happy with the swap so far and it sounds so nasty!!

View attachment 258497

That looks great and sounds like you and me have stuff in common!

Most of the information seems to be on the other supra forum, but the domain is down so its not accessible.

Here comes a bunch of questions from me.

What was your reasoning for the tweak'd harness? I don't know much about them.
My engine shop guy suggests I use the Holley Terminator EFI Standalone, as it comes with a PnP engine harness to the ECU, but I'd have to figure out how to get my chassis wiring into it.

It looks like you don't have heat? Or the brake booster. Your master cylinder doesn't look the same as the OEM supra one, same with the clutch cylinder. What's sitting above the cylinders on the driver side?

The black container where the OEM Battery goes, is that the Power Steering Reservoir?

What was the situation with the front accessories? Was there any clearance issues ?

Along with the trans, what issues did you come across with the T56? I was planning to keep the R154 but that might cause me some issues as finding a bellhousing swap isn't all too easy it appears, and the engine/trans might not sit in the proper place.

It looks like you have a bunch of extra wiring about the engine bay, TEMS, some electronics near the left strut tower, a lot by the fuse box, are those necessary to keep?

The iron block truck engine had me quoted at 6500 for the rebuild from my engine guy. 5500 for the LS longblock and rebuild.

Update us when you get a tune and dyno this spring/summer! We're almost there!

 

[SoupraWorm]

It's mostly this:

but since you mentioned this:

the laws of the internet require me to go with that.

You're stupid.

And now that that is out of the way, the long ass post that I had typed up in condensed and simplified form before I "LOLd" the entire thing.

The issue at hand appears to be the lack of a definitive final outcome goal. You say 400hp but then meander on to building up to hold whatever you may want to throw at it later. If you truly want more than 400hp you realistically need to just dispose of the notion of building for 400hp and set a real target. A reliable and affordable 400hp 7M is actually fairly easy and comes in well under $20k. That same build however isn't very reliable north of 500hp.

Having "soft goals", i.e. goals with no hard/set outcome, almost never work and you end up with $20k in a build that doesn't even look like a car, much less is a reliable daily driver. Set a desired outcome, and stick to it.


Fix this before starting any type of swap or build, as they tend to complicate any prior issues.


Nope, opposite actually. It's rather refreshing to see someone look at it from this point of view instead of YOLOing it and whining when pistons develop windows.

Haha, fair enough! I feel pretty stupid, I tried to fix my window switch the way you explained in a different thread, but just ended up making it worse (auto windows and window locks don't work) and I didnt even fix the issue I had previously.

... and I broke one of the tabs, it took almost zero effort, but I got super glue and sort of fixed it.

Regardless, I'm awful with hard goals. My decision making skills are good, but I have troubles sticking to a decision, which makes them bad.

My overall goal and dream was to have a 500hp daily driver, so thats where the 400whp is coming from. But yknow, as we all tend to be, eventually we want more. I know at some point I will want more. I will want a turbo LS in my car, or a 2JZ big turbo. My issue is, I can't tell if it will be years or months before that want comes into play.

My LS engine builder is "saying" that the LS1/6 build he can provide me for $5500 is nearly an identical build that he is throwing in his 600whp Mustang, the only differences being the cam and valvetrain internally. That sounds rather like something I'd be interested in, especially if it's going to be reliable like he says. Buddy has been building V8s and LS engines for over 15 years now, he seems to know whats going on with them. But it all boils down to a sales pitch, so I take it with a grain of salt.

@Wreckless After pricing it out and researching, the 2JZ NA-T build is closer to 12k here in Canada. FFIM, single turbo kit, eagle rods and engine rebuild, JZ bellhousing, motor mounts, flywheel and clutch, as well as an intercooler and all the plumbing. Work a standalone and wiring harness in, tuning, fuel upgrades, etc etc it adds up with shipping and conversion rates. Just finding a complete longblock assembly is difficult, and a bit pricey, but still cheaper than the rest. I'm still looking into it. It seems like the 2JZ is way easier to swap in, but to make my power, its more difficult/more effort.

My 7M just got a composite HG and ARP studs. The block hasn't been opened up, ever, which makes me hesitant to build the engine for higher horsepower without a rebuild or MHG. Technically, it only has 120k km on it, but its 33 year old seals and such. I'm surprised my oil pan hasn't leaked, or anything else for that matter. Most of my accessories appear original, my turbo is obviously stock, anything on the intake side is original, injectors too. I worry that if I push any more power through it, something isn't going to be happy, and then that will break another thing, etc etc.

Once I get my refunds and tax returns, I will be looking at buying an engine and slowly building it on the stand. Definitely not going to be an "all at once" project, or even within one year.

Also looking at trans rebuilds. Not cheap.

Thank you to everyone for posting and helping me out.

 

[88supratuner]

That looks great and sounds like you and me have stuff in common!

Most of the information seems to be on the other supra forum, but the domain is down so its not accessible.

Thanks! It's been a fun build!

What was your reasoning for the tweak'd harness? I don't know much about them.
My engine shop guy suggests I use the Holley Terminator EFI Standalone, as it comes with a PnP engine harness to the ECU, but I'd have to figure out how to get my chassis wiring into it.

Tweak'd has been doing swap harnesses for years and they do good work. Also, they are the only place that offers LS MK3 harnesses. Just send them your OEM Toyota harness and they will take the necessary body connectors off and incorporate them into the new LS engine harness. All I had to do was plug everything in, wire in an MSD Tachometer adapter, and everything works. No need for me to figure out how to integrate my chassis wiring when they did it all for me. It's fully customizable and they also include and OBD port. I had literally zero issues with their harness. Regardless of what engine you choose, I'd recommend Tweak'd for your harness. Check out their site. Tweak'd Performance - Tweak'd Performance | Custom Wiring Harnesses | Summerville, SC
I did wire in my own oil pressure gauge just for a more exact reading and fit that in the OEM cluster.

It looks like you don't have heat? Or the brake booster. Your master cylinder doesn't look the same as the OEM supra one, same with the clutch cylinder. What's sitting above the cylinders on the driver side?

Yup, no heat or A/C....I just don't need it but I could add it if I wanted too later on. I'm using the Chase Bays brake booster delete. Manual brakes require a bit more effort but they work pretty well. I upgraded the clutch master cylinder as well. I'll get to that bit down below.

The black container where the OEM Battery goes, is that the Power Steering Reservoir?

I moved the battery to the trunk. That black container is the coolant overflow tank. I'm using the OEM LS P/S pump and reservoir mounted on the driver side cylinder head.

What was the situation with the front accessories? Was there any clearance issues ?

I had no issue with the front accessories because my engine came out of Camaro. If you run a truck engine, you'll need to convert to F-Body or Corvette accessories because the alternator and A/C compressor are mounted higher up in the trucks.

Along with the trans, what issues did you come across with the T56? I was planning to keep the R154 but that might cause me some issues as finding a bellhousing swap isn't all too easy it appears, and the engine/trans might not sit in the proper place.

My firewall received a very deep tissue massage with a hammer in order to get the T56 bellhousing to fit. I also had to cut an extra inch or so out of the shifter hole in the trans tunnel as the T56 shifter sits further back. Even being cut, the OEM Toyota interior trim around the shifter and shift boot still fits perfectly and looks like I never even touched it! The OEM Toyota clutch master cylinder is not big enough to push the right amount of fluid to fully disengage the T56 clutch. It would get stuck in gear frequently. I upgraded to a Wilwood 3/4" master cylinder and made a custom mounting bracket. There is an adapter for sale out there for a larger MC but it looks like garbage in my opinion, so a buddy and I made one ourselves.

It looks like you have a bunch of extra wiring about the engine bay, TEMS, some electronics near the left strut tower, a lot by the fuse box, are those necessary to keep?

Yeah, I have a lot of left over wiring that I don't need. I just haven't taken the time to go through it all and eliminate it. That's one thing on my to do list for this summer.

The iron block truck engine had me quoted at 6500 for the rebuild from my engine guy. 5500 for the LS longblock and rebuild.

If you're mechanically inclined, you can save a lot of money if you do the engine work yourself. LS engines are pretty easy to work on and the LS forums have a ton of great info on engine builds. Most of the time, LS engines don't need a full rebuild. Depending on it's mileage and previous life, just do some preventative maintenance and you're good to go. My engine was in pretty good shape and essentially all I did was a top end refresh and a cam swap. If you're going to throw some boost at it down the road, then it would be a good idea to do a full build while the engine is out.

Update us when you get a tune and dyno this spring/summer! We're almost there!

I plan to start my own thread pretty soon!

 

[SoupraWorm]

Alright, I am making the decision and announcement here.

As suggested by Wreckless, a 2JZ swap sounds like a good idea. I have sourced and 2JZ GE from an IS300 and a TT rear sump kit for the total of 1500 CAD together.

The 2JZ is a complete long-block, including an uncut harness. I will be spending the while building it and getting it ready for transplant.

I plan to get eagle rods, forged pistons, MHG and ARP studs. Should I get ARP hardware for the bottom end? Main studs and rod bolts? Bearings and etc, all the machine work necessary. I will leak the head stock for now.

FFIM and single turbo manifold. Intercooler and plumbing seems easy enough. Replace all accessories and belts. Will the stock 2jz intake manifold fit?

Unsure about wiring harness and ecu as of right now.

Clutch and flywheel.

Stock TT fuel pump with the 12V mod? What size injectors will I need for my 400whp goal? I have an Aeromotive FPR already.

Keep the R154 as it will be easy and I like the transmission a lot.

Keep a 7000 redline, keep up on maintenance, and daily drive it? Driftmotion is about to make a lot of money off me I'm sure.

I found a shop that knows a lot about 2JZ motors, I believe they will be earning my coin.

Thank you all, and get ready for more questions!

 

[Wreckless]

Alright, I am making the decision and announcement here.

As suggested by Wreckless, a 2JZ swap sounds like a good idea. I have sourced and 2JZ GE from an IS300 and a TT rear sump kit for the total of 1500 CAD together.

The 2JZ is a complete long-block, including an uncut harness. I will be spending the while building it and getting it ready for transplant.

I plan to get eagle rods, forged pistons, MHG and ARP studs. Should I get ARP hardware for the bottom end? Main studs and rod bolts? Bearings and etc, all the machine work necessary. I will leak the head stock for now.

FFIM and single turbo manifold. Intercooler and plumbing seems easy enough. Replace all accessories and belts. Will the stock 2jz intake manifold fit?

Unsure about wiring harness and ecu as of right now.

Clutch and flywheel.

Stock TT fuel pump with the 12V mod? What size injectors will I need for my 400whp goal? I have an Aeromotive FPR already.

Keep the R154 as it will be easy and I like the transmission a lot.

Keep a 7000 redline, keep up on maintenance, and daily drive it? Driftmotion is about to make a lot of money off me I'm sure.

I found a shop that knows a lot about 2JZ motors, I believe they will be earning my coin.

Thank you all, and get ready for more questions!

The Eagle rods will come with 3/8in ARP 2000 rod bolts. For your goals there's no need to go with ARP mains or anything like that, the simple rods+pistons build will do just fine. Be mindful of static compression when choosing your pistons, if you go with dished pistons that reduce static compression in a 2JZ-GE you should use the factory 2JZ-GE head gasket. If you use a 10:1 piston in the GE bottom end, use a GTE factory headgasket and ARP head studs to get around 9.2:1 compression or so, and that's a great mix for pump gas friendly and a little more compression for response. A longblock configured like this will support ~800-1000whp and ~700-800ftlbs of torque.

Stock head is just fine, and yes the stock GE intake manifold will clear the MK3's hood with most 2JZ swap brackets if you choose to go that way. I know folks who have modified a 7M-GTE's intercooler kit to work with an NA-T 2JZ-GE just fine, but keeping the GE intake manifold does complicate physical access to the turbo a little. The stock intake manifold and a smaller single turbo will work fine to achieve your ~500whp goals. I would advocate finding an inexpensive 2JZ-GE turbo manifold and expect it to need modification to fit.

This path will make ~500-550whp as easily as it will make 400whp. The only real limitation will be your choice of turbo and your clutch selection. Otherwise the next limitation is the R154's 3rd gear that likes to fail if abused above 600-700+whp.

Run the factory FP power wires to a relay that connects your fuel pump of choice to the battery directly, and ground it at the chassis there at the tank. You can keep the factory fuel lines for your desired power on pump gas, You'll just need the correct fittings to connect them to the 2JZ-GE fuel rail and the Aeromotive FPR to the return side of the GE rail.
I prefer the Walbro 416/450 pumps because they take less amperage to run vs factory TT Denso pumps and aren't nearly as noisy as the old school Walbro 255's.
Basically any import pattern top feed injector will work in the stock rail. I'd find new injectors that are Bosch EV14 based and basically anything 700-1000cc would work great for your purposes. There's a variety of nice aftermarket rails for the GE as well, but the GTE aftermarket rails are not interchangeable.

Wiring harness and ECU are as easy as choosing a locally supported standalone and having Tweak'd or similar build you a wiring harness for it. Having a nearby tuner that can set it up and tune it effectively is far more important than having the latest greatest trendy ECU on the forums or IG. I would definitely choose an ECU that Tweak'd or another similar wiring harness builder can provide to match your car & engine combo, especially if you're not very comfortable with wiring yourself. Paying an automotive wiring guy to fabricate/merge/address wiring harnesses is a LOT more expensive than just buying once and crying once with a bespoke proper harness for your application, and having to make a few simple changes if any.

 

[SoupraWorm]

The Eagle rods will come with 3/8in ARP 2000 rod bolts. For your goals there's no need to go with ARP mains or anything like that, the simple rods+pistons build will do just fine. Be mindful of static compression when choosing your pistons, if you go with dished pistons that reduce static compression in a 2JZ-GE you should use the factory 2JZ-GE head gasket. If you use a 10:1 piston in the GE bottom end, use a GTE factory headgasket and ARP head studs to get around 9.2:1 compression or so, and that's a great mix for pump gas friendly and a little more compression for response. A longblock configured like this will support ~800-1000whp and ~700-800ftlbs of torque.

Stock head is just fine, and yes the stock GE intake manifold will clear the MK3's hood with most 2JZ swap brackets if you choose to go that way. I know folks who have modified a 7M-GTE's intercooler kit to work with an NA-T 2JZ-GE just fine, but keeping the GE intake manifold does complicate physical access to the turbo a little. The stock intake manifold and a smaller single turbo will work fine to achieve your ~500whp goals. I would advocate finding an inexpensive 2JZ-GE turbo manifold and expect it to need modification to fit.

This path will make ~500-550whp as easily as it will make 400whp. The only real limitation will be your choice of turbo and your clutch selection. Otherwise the next limitation is the R154's 3rd gear that likes to fail if abused above 600-700+whp.

Run the factory FP power wires to a relay that connects your fuel pump of choice to the battery directly, and ground it at the chassis there at the tank. You can keep the factory fuel lines for your desired power on pump gas, You'll just need the correct fittings to connect them to the 2JZ-GE fuel rail and the Aeromotive FPR to the return side of the GE rail.
I prefer the Walbro 416/450 pumps because they take less amperage to run vs factory TT Denso pumps and aren't nearly as noisy as the old school Walbro 255's.
Basically any import pattern top feed injector will work in the stock rail. I'd find new injectors that are Bosch EV14 based and basically anything 700-1000cc would work great for your purposes. There's a variety of nice aftermarket rails for the GE as well, but the GTE aftermarket rails are not interchangeable.

Wiring harness and ECU are as easy as choosing a locally supported standalone and having Tweak'd or similar build you a wiring harness for it. Having a nearby tuner that can set it up and tune it effectively is far more important than having the latest greatest trendy ECU on the forums or IG. I would definitely choose an ECU that Tweak'd or another similar wiring harness builder can provide to match your car & engine combo, especially if you're not very comfortable with wiring yourself. Paying an automotive wiring guy to fabricate/merge/address wiring harnesses is a LOT more expensive than just buying once and crying once with a bespoke proper harness for your application, and having to make a few simple changes if any.

And sorry, I meant the stock GTE intake manifold, will it fit the head? Or will I need a NA-T FFIM?

Do the injectors and fuel rail mount to the head or the intake manifold? Why is the GTE fuel rail not able to be interchanged?

I think I'm overthinking everything I need in order to make more power.

I'm planning on a trunk battery anyways.

I will be using tweak'd. I don't know what I need yet. Do I send them my 2JZ wiring harness AND the 7M? Or just the 2JZ? Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't say.

 

[Wreckless]

Is the GTE Factory headgasket composite?

And sorry, I meant the stock GTE intake manifold, will it fit the head? Or will I need a NA-T FFIM?

Do the injectors and fuel rail mount to the head or the intake manifold? Why is the GTE fuel rail not able to be interchanged?

I think I'm overthinking everything I need in order to make more power.

I'm planning on a trunk battery anyways.

I will be using tweak'd. I don't know what I need yet. Do I send them my 2JZ wiring harness AND the 7M? Or just the 2JZ? Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't say.

These topics have all been discussed repeatedly in the past 20 years on these forums, but for the sake of keeping it easy for you:

There has never been a composite JZ head gasket, they're all factory MLS. Toyota learned after the 7M's!

The 2JZ-GTE factory MLS headgasket is thicker than the GE's, and using the GTE gasket in a GE drops the static compression from 10:1 to about 9.2:1. So it's highly advised for NA-T builds that will be ran on pump gas. Factory GTE headgaskets have gone over 1200whp with ARP head studs so they're plenty strong. Being factory MLS means the block surface woes of 7M's are a non-issue.

GTE vs GE manifolds are 10000% different and not interchangeable. The factory GTE intake manifold kind of sucks anyway and there's no reason to fuss with that with aftermarket FFIM's for the GE so readily available. GTE fuel rail is totally different same as the manifolds are different. With the JZ's the injector bungs are in the lower manifold runners unlike the 7M which is in the head itself.

You'll need to send Tweak'd your 7M harness as a bare minimum, as many of those plugs are no longer produced. The MK3's firewall grommet is also no longer produced so most custom harnesses need that as a minimum.

 

[SoupraWorm]

These topics have all been discussed repeatedly in the past 20 years on these forums, but for the sake of keeping it easy for you:

There has never been a composite JZ head gasket, they're all factory MLS. Toyota learned after the 7M's!

The 2JZ-GTE factory MLS headgasket is thicker than the GE's, and using the GTE gasket in a GE drops the static compression from 10:1 to about 9.2:1. So it's highly advised for NA-T builds that will be ran on pump gas. Factory GTE headgaskets have gone over 1200whp with ARP head studs so they're plenty strong. Being factory MLS means the block surface woes of 7M's are a non-issue.

GTE vs GE manifolds are 10000% different and not interchangeable. The factory GTE intake manifold kind of sucks anyway and there's no reason to fuss with that with aftermarket FFIM's for the GE so readily available. GTE fuel rail is totally different same as the manifolds are different. With the JZ's the injector bungs are in the lower manifold runners unlike the 7M which is in the head itself.

You'll need to send Tweak'd your 7M harness as a bare minimum, as many of those plugs are no longer produced. The MK3's firewall grommet is also no longer produced so most custom harnesses need that as a minimum.

Thank you. It's nice to just have info all in one place.

Glad to see an automaker not making the same mistake twice.

Fair enough. I will definitely be using a FFIM as I despise the N/A style for working on the car, and the FFIM just looks much better.

Does anyone have any advice for any small things I will run into? Like hoses or fittings or random sensors I should watch out for.

I'm going tomorrow to pickup the rear sump kit for only 550 CAD Starting the journey right!

I am going to keep my eyes out for 2JZ motors, or maybe even 1JZ but they are super rare. So far my best option is a IS300 2JZ GE VVTI, complete longblock and wiring for 900 CAD.

Putting everything together on driftmotion for the actual swap is adding up to about 3000. All the stuff I need to actually get the engine in the car, with the transmission, plus a few goodies/replacement parts. tweak'd harness is 1500-2000 depending on what I need. ECU is 1000-2000. I still need a clutch and yknow, all the turbo stuff for the 2JZ! I will get this all together though! Will just have to buy parts and sections separately.

 

[SoupraWorm]

Soooo talked to my engine guy... 2JZ GE rebuild, buddy says we are looking at a 12k price tag for forged pistons, pistons, bearings, and all the machine work + labor, assuming everything is okay and no surprises. I'm not sure but this seems way overpriced for a simple rebuild, no??

 

[Myrthil]

Just get a motor and start your built my friend.

 

[CzA]

in all honesty I would source a cheap good condition GE block. They are cheap and many of them out there(Lexus gs300's, is300s) and can be had for 500 or less. TBH i think these are like gold and will have greater value in the not too far future. I have one just for backup purposes.

Source out stock GTE rods and pistons. Kijiji has one with new ARP bolts and piston rings etc for 500. Can be found for cheaper than that too.

get your Rear oil pan, new Toyota gasket kit. GTE head gasket. ARP studs, Billet tensioner , mild cams, injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, ecu, harness etc like most have already said

and you have a platform that will be good and reliable for 600+ WHP platform all day long. this should be well under 12 grand and the money you save, set aside, collect parts or not, and when you are ready to go for more power, do some upgrades.

GE block and GTE internals = 1000 bucks if you look hard enough, that's not bad at all. add cost of other parts mentioned = much less than 12 grand and reliability for your power goals and more is not compromised.

 

[Wreckless]

Soooo talked to my engine guy... 2JZ GE rebuild, buddy says we are looking at a 12k price tag for forged pistons, pistons, bearings, and all the machine work + labor, assuming everything is okay and no surprises. I'm not sure but this seems way overpriced for a simple rebuild, no??

Yeah that's fucking insane. He is absolutely not your buddy. You could have a whole Titan 3.4L built shortblock shipped to your place for significantly less, even after customs and all that bullshit - Titan Moptorsports - Eagle 3.4L Stroker Kit w/ OEM Main Caps (800WHP MAX)

Just move the cylinder head and all of the timing belt and external parts you need (which isn't much really) from your VVTi GE core to that built GTE block and call it a day, no bullshit machine shop middle man.
Or, hell, just buy a Toyota genuine 2JZ-GTE brand new assembled shortblock and set aside your GE block as a spare block and crank: Block Sub-Assembly Cyli 11401-49715 | Toyota Parts Center

If you're just dropping in Eagle rods or OEM rods with basic refresh parts and leaving the rings/cylinders/pistons alone then it's just rod bearings, oil pump, water pump, and gaskets/ARP head studs that you need. The whole point of going into the shortblock is to replace the weak connecting rods, there's nothing else down there that's mandatory for your goals. This can easily be done for $1000 or so including the cost of Eagle rods, maybe $1500-1800 if you need to get the crank cleaned up by a machine shop and sized for different bearings.

For a more 'do it while you're in there' build, that's easily under $4000 USD in my experience.
A simple forged rods/forged pistons combo is usually around $1500 USD, bearings are $150ish, ARP studs and a Toyota OEM 2JZ-GTE headgasket is about $350 together, an Aisin 2JZ-GE VVTi oil pump is $100 USD, Aisin timing belt kit and water pump is $150 USD, and aside from maybe valve cover gaskets and timing cover gaskets and a few misc other things that's literally all you need for the shortblock.
A simple ball hone of the cylinders, decking and cleaning the bare block and head, installing new valve stem seals (hell, do the BC valve springs and steel retainers for $250 USD 'while you're in there') and we're at $2500USD-ish in parts and maybe $1000-1500 in labor and machine work. At least, that's what it ought to be for something like this. Even if you do a 0.5mm overbore just to be on the safe side for block condition that shouldn't add much.

So, yeah, 12k is insane. Absolutely insane.

 

[SoupraWorm]

in all honesty I would source a cheap good condition GE block. They are cheap and many of them out there(Lexus gs300's, is300s) and can be had for 500 or less. TBH i think these are like gold and will have greater value in the not too far future. I have one just for backup purposes.

Source out stock GTE rods and pistons. Kijiji has one with new ARP bolts and piston rings etc for 500. Can be found for cheaper than that too.

get your Rear oil pan, new Toyota gasket kit. GTE head gasket. ARP studs, Billet tensioner , mild cams, injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, ecu, harness etc like most have already said

and you have a platform that will be good and reliable for 600+ WHP platform all day long. this should be well under 12 grand and the money you save, set aside, collect parts or not, and when you are ready to go for more power, do some upgrades.

GE block and GTE internals = 1000 bucks if you look hard enough, that's not bad at all. add cost of other parts mentioned = much less than 12 grand and reliability for your power goals and more is not compromised.

In my area, GE longblocks are selling for about 1000. I'm not a very big fan of buying used rods, especially when people are selling them for 300-400. Might as well spend 200 more for the eagles (New GTE rods are more expensive than the eagles from driftmotion actually too.

The 12k price was just for a simple bottom end rebuild. But I mean my parts list is adding up to 14k currently with a 2k rebuild price. I can take everything apart no problem, I just don't have the skills or confidence to rebuild the bottom end or valvetrain myself, I've never done it before and I wouldn't want a simple beginners mistake to mess up my 500hp engine, plus it needs to be machined and everything anyways and I don't exactly have the tools for that.

The ECU and harness, dyno tuning and programming - 4000
My engine internals price is undetermined as I can't decide/find the right pistons, but I'm thinking about 1500
NA-T Driftmotion turbo kit (inc turbo) is 2200.
GE Longblock and Rear Sump - 1500
Fuel system upgrades (injectors and pump) - 1000
Bottom End Rebuild - Assuming 2000
Mk3 JZ Swap Kit (Mounts and bellhousing) - 600 if I buy bellhousing used
FFIM, Fuel Rail, TB - 900 off ebay.
Maintenance parts - A lot. 2JZ Stuff is a lot.
Other odds and ends - A lot.
12k budget isn't really realistic considering what I need. If I add cams to that, it adds 800.
Gasket kit + GTE head gasket adds up to 400.

I have no problem with the money, its just that I don't have it up front so it will be built over time, allowing me to learn and have patience.

 

[SoupraWorm]

Yeah that's fucking insane. He is absolutely not your buddy. You could have a whole Titan 3.4L built shortblock shipped to your place for significantly less, even after customs and all that bullshit - Titan Moptorsports - Eagle 3.4L Stroker Kit w/ OEM Main Caps (800WHP MAX)

Just move the cylinder head and all of the timing belt and external parts you need (which isn't much really) from your VVTi GE core to that built GTE block and call it a day, no bullshit machine shop middle man.
Or, hell, just buy a Toyota genuine 2JZ-GTE brand new assembled shortblock and set aside your GE block as a spare block and crank: Block Sub-Assembly Cyli 11401-49715 | Toyota Parts Center

If you're just dropping in Eagle rods or OEM rods with basic refresh parts and leaving the rings/cylinders/pistons alone then it's just rod bearings, oil pump, water pump, and gaskets/ARP head studs that you need. The whole point of going into the shortblock is to replace the weak connecting rods, there's nothing else down there that's mandatory for your goals. This can easily be done for $1000 or so including the cost of Eagle rods, maybe $1500-1800 if you need to get the crank cleaned up by a machine shop and sized for different bearings.

For a more 'do it while you're in there' build, that's easily under $4000 USD in my experience.
A simple forged rods/forged pistons combo is usually around $1500 USD, bearings are $150ish, ARP studs and a Toyota OEM 2JZ-GTE headgasket is about $350 together, an Aisin 2JZ-GE VVTi oil pump is $100 USD, Aisin timing belt kit and water pump is $150 USD, and aside from maybe valve cover gaskets and timing cover gaskets and a few misc other things that's literally all you need for the shortblock.
A simple ball hone of the cylinders, decking and cleaning the bare block and head, installing new valve stem seals (hell, do the BC valve springs and steel retainers for $250 USD 'while you're in there') and we're at $2500USD-ish in parts and maybe $1000-1500 in labor and machine work. At least, that's what it ought to be for something like this. Even if you do a 0.5mm overbore just to be on the safe side for block condition that shouldn't add much.

So, yeah, 12k is insane. Absolutely insane.

Yea I figured, considering he can get me a built LS1 for less than half that? Seems BS. I'm calling around for sure and if nobody can get it to me, then I'll do it myself.

definitely won't be buying a shortblock lol, thats a little unnecessary currently I think.

Is titan motorsports a better priced shop than driftmotion? I've never used them before, what is our real, actual experience with them and their customer service?

EDIT: I got scared because the prices seemed so high, then realized its in CAD. These prices are much cheaper than driftmotion on some of the things I am going to buy. Thanks!

 

[te72]

I was going to come in here and post my recommendation of LS3/525 and T56 Magnum, call it a day. All brand new components, less than $20k CAD, simple, lightweight, reliable, good driving power. I wouldn't hesitate in doing that swap to a Mk3, and if (big if here, really) you find that the power level isn't enough anymore for your daily driver, that engine would take boost well enough to approach the sensible limit of the Mk3's chassis capabilities. I find that 500whp in one of these cars is a real riot, but most of the work on my car is in the suspension and drivetrain. A good alignment goes a LONG way.

However, the LS does lack a certain... special... quality that only seems to come from those turbo inline sixes. Depending on what you're doing with the car (your intended use) would dictate my recommendation. If you're autocrossing or tracking the car, LS all day long, naturally aspirated and big engine is fantastic for throttle response. Street cruiser or highway / road trip? JZ would get my nod, and definitely I'd lean toward a vvti 2j.

Take it from someone who got a surprise $12k USD bill from a machine shop once... learn how to assemble an engine. The actual machine work shouldn't cost that much, but the labor on the assembly end will hurt the wallet. At least the machine shop you got a quote from was nice enough to tell you up front how hard they'd be giving it to you.

As for a turbo recommendation, I'd lean toward a Garrett G25 or G30. If you're at low altitude, go for the G30. If you're up in the mountains (6500+ feet here for me) I'd go for the G25. I have the G25-660 0.92 and man oh man. That is a FUN little turbo. It's about the size of a CT26, but makes way more power everywhere, and spools about like stock.

...all bolted up to my Blitz Nur Spec muffler.

Please post a video clip with some idle, rev, driving sounds. I had one of those exhaust systems on my 1j when it was stock twins, sounded SO good. Curious what it does to the LS's heavenly growl.

 

[SoupraWorm]

I was going to come in here and post my recommendation of LS3/525 and T56 Magnum, call it a day. All brand new components, less than $20k CAD, simple, lightweight, reliable, good driving power. I wouldn't hesitate in doing that swap to a Mk3, and if (big if here, really) you find that the power level isn't enough anymore for your daily driver, that engine would take boost well enough to approach the sensible limit of the Mk3's chassis capabilities. I find that 500whp in one of these cars is a real riot, but most of the work on my car is in the suspension and drivetrain. A good alignment goes a LONG way.

However, the LS does lack a certain... special... quality that only seems to come from those turbo inline sixes. Depending on what you're doing with the car (your intended use) would dictate my recommendation. If you're autocrossing or tracking the car, LS all day long, naturally aspirated and big engine is fantastic for throttle response. Street cruiser or highway / road trip? JZ would get my nod, and definitely I'd lean toward a vvti 2j.

Take it from someone who got a surprise $12k USD bill from a machine shop once... learn how to assemble an engine. The actual machine work shouldn't cost that much, but the labor on the assembly end will hurt the wallet. At least the machine shop you got a quote from was nice enough to tell you up front how hard they'd be giving it to you.

As for a turbo recommendation, I'd lean toward a Garrett G25 or G30. If you're at low altitude, go for the G30. If you're up in the mountains (6500+ feet here for me) I'd go for the G25. I have the G25-660 0.92 and man oh man. That is a FUN little turbo. It's about the size of a CT26, but makes way more power everywhere, and spools about like stock.



Please post a video clip with some idle, rev, driving sounds. I had one of those exhaust systems on my 1j when it was stock twins, sounded SO good. Curious what it does to the LS's heavenly growl.

Thanks for the input.

Where I live, they shut down our track so street cruiser is my main purpose for the car, mainly highway.

I'm still working on a 2J. I got another quote for a bottom end rebuild for 5900 CAD. Machining and stuff is about 2500. Plus the guy with the rear sump isn't responding so not sure whats going on there.

A nice 1JZ popped up, but its 6k. A rebuilt big turbo 2jz (stock internals) is for sale for 8000, which is an extremely good deal, however I do not have 8000 currently.

I'll have to do more turbo research, I'm still figuring out how I'm going to afford any swap or rebuild

I'm at 3500ft about in altitude.

 

[Myrthil]

6k for a 1j good deal ..!.take your time .. make a good decision .!.
I think you should get yourself another vehicle meanwhile.. just to used around while getting your project ready.

 

[CzA]

Where in Canada are you?

 

[SoupraWorm]

6k for a 1j good deal ..!.take your time .. make a good decision .!.
I think you should get yourself another vehicle meanwhile.. just to used around while getting your project ready.

Oh yea don't worry, I learned I'll need another vehicle very quickly. I picked up a nice Nissan hardbody and it's been my little work truck/winter vehicle. Although the clutch cylinders just blew I think. First issue ever with it over 6 months.

Where in Canada are you?

Im down in Calgary, Alberta area.