Best Place For Engine Swap

[ke25sr]

Are there garages in dunedin that deal with engine swaps/conversions?

I'm keen on swapping a 3SGTE or a 3SGE Beams into my celica. It currently has the 3sge. Power aim is 200bhp but want to have a chat with someone about the transmission, clutch, work involved and mainly cost.
I really like the 4ws and tems suspension so dont really want a gt4 and i have never seen it done on a 4ws celica, i would imagine it would have great handling.

I think this would be a cool project and a good street car.

Who do you recommend?

try Graham page engine recon. 03 488 1707.

Damian their is a toyota freak like all of us and really good at almost anything auto.

[Boosted_162]

There was a guy on here (cant rememeber the name) that did a 3SGTE swap into a ST182 and was FWD. He was on here for a bit... pissing me off i cant remember his name! some one will rememeber and might be able to point you in his direction.

Jools?

yea it was jools, for the price of gt4's buy one of those tbh. You will spend alot of money getting it to grip, especially in the wet.

But yea in all seriousness, gt4 for 3k, try and get a facelift with the better ecu - higher mapped and run it about 15psi. will keep you busy.

I wanted to do the same thing when i had my gtr, ended up jst buying a gt4 facelift. Putting aside the doing it yourself learning experience, its just gonna work out cheaper and better.

That car was $&#$% nuts. He let me have a drive of it in the wet and holy shit, it just wheelspun everywhere!

Wasnt exactly fast due to no traction, but was definately fun! He was making just on 200fwkw if i remember. Havent talked to him for ages! But i know he bought a FD RX7 and was gunna sell the GTR.

[celica_xr9145]

There was a guy on here (cant rememeber the name) that did a 3SGTE swap into a ST182 and was FWD. He was on here for a bit... pissing me off i cant remember his name! some one will rememeber and might be able to point you in his direction.

Jools?

yea it was jools, for the price of gt4's buy one of those tbh. You will spend alot of money getting it to grip, especially in the wet.

But yea in all seriousness, gt4 for 3k, try and get a facelift with the better ecu - higher mapped and run it about 15psi. will keep you busy.

I wanted to do the same thing when i had my gtr, ended up jst buying a gt4 facelift. Putting aside the doing it yourself learning experience, its just gonna work out cheaper and better.

That car was $&#$% nuts. He let me have a drive of it in the wet and holy sh*t, it just wheelspun everywhere!

Wasnt exactly fast due to no traction, but was definately fun! He was making just on 200fwkw if i remember. Havent talked to him for ages! But i know he bought a FD RX7 and was gunna sell the GTR.

i emailed him last month but no reply, how would you go about sorting out the traction, better tires i suppose.

celica_xr9145 wrote:
Are there garages in dunedin that deal with engine swaps/conversions?

I'm keen on swapping a 3SGTE or a 3SGE Beams into my celica. It currently has the 3sge. Power aim is 200bhp but want to have a chat with someone about the transmission, clutch, work involved and mainly cost.
I really like the 4ws and tems suspension so dont really want a gt4 and i have never seen it done on a 4ws celica, i would imagine it would have great handling.

I think this would be a cool project and a good street car.

Who do you recommend?


try Graham page engine recon. 03 488 1707.

Damian their is a toyota freak like all of us and really good at almost anything auto.

Might give him ago and hear his thoughts, especially if he's a toyota nut

Thanks for all the help by thr way, much appreciated.

I've been speaking to a lot of people who have had a celica gtr and they all had the same idea as me but like you say, they all bought a gt4.

I do still really want to do this though, you probably think im stupid and wasting money but for me it wont be a waste because it will be a lot of fun and might be a good street car at the end.

Im still trying to price everything up and find exactly whats needed.

As long as i can use the standard transmission, all i would have to buy is the engine? What about the loom and ecu?
I think with a 3sgte ill need the loom and ecu but with the beams, it can just use the standard one no?

As for traction, i dont think there's much to be done about that without spending s**t loads, maybe tires if that will help, lol

[Alex B]

Standard box syncro's are not that flash in the S53 box, from memory thats what they run. Stronger box would be sw20 turbo box if going turbo.
Traction wise.....a factory 4wd system maybe?? You would at least want an LSD, which I doubt your Celica will have from factory.

Either engine you go, no the loom and ecu will not work, the Beams 3s and 3S-GTE are both AFM (well depending on gen of 3S-GTE), plus fuel system, etc etc the list goes on. As Oizo said, what ever you think it will cost, double it and you should be about right.

[celica_xr9145]

Standard box syncro's are not that flash in the S53 box, from memory thats what they run. Stronger box would be sw20 turbo box if going turbo.
Traction wise.....a factory 4wd system maybe?? You would at least want an LSD, which I doubt your Celica will have from factory.

Either engine you go, no the loom and ecu will not work, the Beams 3s and 3S-GTE are both AFM (well depending on gen of 3S-GTE), plus fuel system, etc etc the list goes on. As Oizo said, what ever you think it will cost, double it and you should be about right.

I was thinking of a 3sgte out of a st185 or mr2, and dont some mr2s come with LSD's from factory?? That way, you could get the complete setup including tranny and lsd out of an mr2 and still have a stonger box(if from a turbo).
Will do some reasearch to find out which mr2's have them and which ones dont.

Thanks for the help by the way.

[Alex B]

Gen 3 on MR2's are factory LSD. Linkages can apprently be swapped over for a front engine setup, pretty sure Malcom on here has instructions for doing so on his website.

[celica_xr9145]

Gen 3 on MR2's are factory LSD. Linkages can apprently be swapped over for a front engine setup, pretty sure Malcom on here has instructions for doing so on his website.

will check out malcoms website, whats his username?
So if you just use the stock celica transmission with a gen 3 mr2 factory lsd and swap linkages over it will all be sweet? If so, that would be good.

[Alex B]

no, linkages as in what link the gearbox to the gearstick. you use the whole box, as the turbo mr2 box is stronger than the standard celica box. his user name is malcom

[celica_xr9145]

no, linkages as in what link the gearbox to the gearstick. you use the whole box, as the turbo mr2 box is stronger than the standard celica box. his user name is malcom

aahh i get it now, will check out his website, thanks for that.
That solves that problem, the only problem now is on the passenger side outer cv joint is a speed sensor ring attatched to the cv, this is needed for the 4ws.
Could i use the standard celcia driveshaft on a mr2 box or swap over cv's maybe?

[Alex B]

no idea on spline counts etc, there in lies one of the fun parts. also dont know how TEMS/4WS intergrates with the ECU etc, another fun part.

[AJz]

yea i believe in the celica variants the st18# used the s53 box which was non lsd, now some of the St20# celicas were lsd, so i guess that would be an S54.

In terms of getting good grip out of a fwd turbo your going to need. Some good tyres and real good suspension to keep them stuck to the road, an LSD is a must, dont even try the project unless you plan to put an lsd box in (or buy a trd/quaife).

mmmm modified gt-four ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqJl0FKQwwU

[celica_xr9145]

no idea on spline counts etc, there in lies one of the fun parts. also dont know how TEMS/4WS intergrates with the ECU etc, another fun part.

hehe, yea, lol.

Well thanks for all the help mate, appreciate it.

http://www.fasterthanjesus.net/technical/mr2box.html

[AJz]

personally i think a redtop beams in a st182/3 would be sweet

Car needs jenny craig tho, they arnt light > <

[celica_xr9145]

personally i think a redtop beams in a st182/3 would be sweet

Car needs jenny craig tho, they arnt light > <

thats was my first option but like pyro_sniper2002 said, it has afm and too complicated and expensive.
Will keep looking into it though
Just done a bit of searching on the s54 box with lsd, looks to be quite rare unless all of them have them which could be good

As for suspension, i was thinking of what DeeCee is selling, i will find his trade me auction, i take it the TEMS sport suspension with low springs wont do it, lol

That GT-Four is sweet, sounds freeking awesome,
If i had one, would have to be something like this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 960625.htm

[Alex B]

My MR2 has an S54 box, no LSD. The 3S-GTE will be AFM also.

[celica_xr9145]

My MR2 has an S54 box, no LSD. The 3S-GTE will be AFM also.

What the one out of a st185? I thought it was basically my 3sge but with a turbo.

[Alex B]

LOL not even close, 3S-GE, as in your and my car are MAP sensor. 3S-GTE is different in many ways. Compression ratio, fuel system, some internals. Lots of stuff I can't recall.

[AJz]

6.5k, lol, hes pushin it

and no, tems wont do it, haha

[Boosted_162]

S54 box with LSD is rare. If you find one expect to pay lots. LSD was standard on all turbo SW20s from Dec '91 (Chassis# > 59266). MR2 turbo has an E153F box.

Traction wise, some good 225's with good shocks (such as Koni) and good springs (such as Teins) will help out.

One day i want to build a ST162 with a Beams 3SGE.

Malcolms site is here - www.fasterthanjesus.net

Write up is here - http://www.fasterthanjesus.net/technical/mr2box.html

I have known Malcolm for a few years now, hes a good guy. Jools will be hard to get hold of, he hasnt been on TS for years.

[celica_xr9145]

S54 box with LSD is rare. If you find one expect to pay lots. LSD was standard on all turbo SW20s from Dec '91 (Chassis# > 59266). MR2 turbo has an E153F box.

Traction wise, some good 225's with good shocks (such as Koni) and good springs (such as Teins) will help out.

One day i want to build a ST162 with a Beams 3SGE.

Malcolms site is here - www.fasterthanjesus.net

Write up is here - http://www.fasterthanjesus.net/technical/mr2box.html

I have known Malcolm for a few years now, hes a good guy. Jools will be hard to get hold of, he hasnt been on TS for years.

Will look into the mr2 and the E153F box, should be good with an lsd.

So for a good setup,

- 3SGTE and the E153F box, both from an mr2 turbo with an LSD
- KONI shocks with Tein Springs
- Good set of 225's

And also need ECU, loom, fuel system, sort out linkages (looks to be simple but has to be done right first time), sure theres some other things.

So at the end should be a quite a fast celica gtr 4ws with not bad handling for a FWD, maybe