27 replies to this topic

[toyopetsftw]

So I'm picking up a 1980. This is definately my dream car but now that its in the works I'm getting the gitters. I know a big question is always what engine to put in it. And the more I read the more I'm not sure. Any help anyone could give would be lovely. For the most part I know what I'm going to do with her but I am not a mechanic genius so I could really use the help. Like for that old of a model, how can i find replacement parts? Motor options? Any feedback would really help guys.

Desperately seeking Cress Wisdom.

UPDATE:

[Foompla]

all the way from tc.net haha. welcome to the whore house.

[Hater]

What the shit?

Put a fucking 1uz in that bitch!

[7MX63]

Maybe something out of a chinook helicopter?

I hear jet boats make a lot of power too.

[toyopetsftw]

ok, so not sure if you're kidding or not but i have heard a lot about the whole 1uz thing. don't know too much about the specs of it or how much fab work it would take. more info? i know i could just google that shit but it would be nicer to hear it from someone that knows. and hah about boat motor. i'm not a complete idiot. and yes i saw tc.net but i also found you guys and figured i could get some feedback. she is def going to need some work. i'm going to post pics in a couple weeks just so i can get some feed back from you guys if that alright? i hang out with gear heads but most of them as soon as you say toyota all they think about is supra and you guys are cress fans so i would rather come to you. i actually just came from arizona. i only bring this up cause i see you're in chandler

[Foompla]

theres plenty of info on available swaps. lately the forum has become cluttered with posts, so it may be hard to find them, but the search function will yield alot of information for you. There is alot more information on the x7 and x8 chasis, but there is definately information for you on the forum.

[Kyle]

Dude, if you had any idea what you wanted to do with this car you wuould be asking different questions. Only you know your skill level, budget, and desires for this car. Figure out what you want to do with it then come back.

[toyopetsftw]

Ok, let me rephrase. I know to a degree what I want to do. Except motor wise. I've read ups and downs about all the swaps, 1j, 2j, 1.5j I just wanted to have a reccomendation is all. And as for price I don't care what the price is. I just wanted a little help on what would be better for this model. Thats all since you all seem to have swaps that means you know the ups and downs of the certain motors with cress.

[7MX63]

Turbo: Plumbing headaches, IC place/fit?

N/A: Potentially cheaper; no intercooler, etc.

That's the way I look at it.


If you have fab skills or the tools to at least try, go for turbo I suppose. If not, then go n/a since it will be easier to setup and get running. ANYTHING will be better than stock.

[toyopetsftw]

This is true. I very much don't want to go NA. I know its cheaper but I'll just end up wanting to rip it out because I'll want more power. I don't much want to go 7mgt because I've seen how they react in MK3's and I just don't think thats fr me. Guess I'll try a 1jzgt. I would go 2jzgt but my bf definately has that in his car and I think thats a little too much power for me right now.Well either way thanks, and sorry my questions were too vague, i would have tried tc.net but they seem to be a little stuck up is maybe the word? And I have no need to be in some super secret cress club. I just want some guidance here and there. Thanks though. Soon as I figure something I'll post pics

[cocobutterz]

7m's really aren't that bad UNTIL they blow up. my lexus maf, 550cc turbo supra was fun as fuck to drive, but jz's are just downright nasty.

but fuck both of those, im +1 for the 1uz idea.

[rayray]

a 7M rebuilt correctly is awesome. but it requires money. the supra i have right now has a fresh brand new oem short block and it's amazing. but without a mhg, arp studs, you can forget about thrashing it at the track.

1UZ will practically run forever but don't expect gobs of torque, afterall it's only a 4.0. but it's got reliability, decent power, and economy under its belt which makes for a nice round combination

a JZ swap will give you the power you want out of the box, but considering none of these engines were options for the x3, there will be fabrication required for any choice.

what do you want to do with the car. if it's a hard parker, then i'd say just rebuild and maintain it. and if you do a swap, do it proper. main reason why people ditch projects or hate their cars is because it wasn't done right the first time.

[toyopetsftw]

Well ultimately I want it to be a car that can be ran on the street but also hold its own at the track so I'm not looking for it to be nasty, just quick. And I'm not against the 1uz but i just don't know what it would do in a cress you know? Does anyone on here have one in their cress? I know they do well in lexus I guess I'm just nervous because i don't know much about them. I know its a google away but I've actually seen/worked on 1 and 2j's so i guess its just the familiar territory. And no matter what swap it is I will do it right, no ghetto rigging shit because I know how bad that will suck down the line. And I'm not worried about fab work, or money. I just don't know whats going to be better for her.

[Bill]

an oem vvt-i 1jz-gte would be perfect. clean, simple, reliable, and cheap.

[toyopetsftw]

I've def been leaning toward 1j. So now i guess its up to me to do the research and figure out if i want to go 1j or look into 1uz.

[mranlet]

I go 12 o' clock for 1UZs for sure and own two of them, but IMHO a car this old/classic needs an engine of the same configuration as it came with originally. If I were in your spot, I'd make the choice based on what you want the car to do rather than how much power you want to make.

For me, it would mean amazing I-6 sound, great throttle response and smelling/acting like the old car that it is. To meet this I'd say NA 2J with 3 DCOE Weber 45s. That way you can run power and ground and use the factory distributor at set timing or maybe even machine out some pieces to run a points distributor on it to get some timing advance closer to your powerband.

It could be a sweet combo of these two:

[JimmyHoffa]

1UZs are over-rated. Well, sort of. They're great motors, just not when you have to put them into another car.

Pros
-4 liter displacement
-pretty light (~490lbs with an R154 compared to a 2JZ with no trans at ~590)
-quad cam
-6 bolt cross-bolted mains
-forged, well balanced internals from the factory
-supposedly the stock injectors are big enough to run boost
-with enough mods you can make as much power as a 2JZ can with similar mods.
-they sound awesome with ITBs on them

Cons
-not as easy to work on as a JZ
-no bolt on 5 speed option and adapter kits get pretty pricey
-32 valves, so if you need to re-shim the valvetrain or change valve-seals it's a big job (2 people I know have had to do this with theirs, they wanted to die)
-power output is not stellar (250 horse 260ft/lb)
-fuel economy isn't great ~16-19mpg (I get mid-high 20mpg range with my single turbo 1JZ, as good as the stock 5M)
-you have to build your own headers for most applications.... lots of fab
-they don't sound as good as a JZ IMO

You did say that's you're basically set on a boosted platform, so just get a single turbo VVTi 1JZ and be done with it.

[brian]

fuck it, we got SRs and VGs already, so why not do an L28 in a X3? big fat carbs, nasty cam, high comp. do it up.

[CelicaDRIFTER]

i like the 2j with sidedrafts idea. NA 2j's are cheap and plenty.

[mervins]

N/A 2j and triple sidedrafts, that would be very nice. That would be keeping it era correct, at least the look would be .