CLass of 1

First off I want to introduce myself, my name is Nick, I live in Miami and I am a huge fan of the SC. I consider myself to be a pretty savvy car guy and I always think before I act. I do a lot of research and carefully gauge and plan what I do next. So with that said, I am thinking about purchasing a '97 SC300 5MT. However, as stated previously I am very careful and like to have a plan. If I get the car I will eventually want to do the famous 2JZGTE swap.

Now, I've been searching on the forum for well over an hour. I have been a contributing member with thousands of posts on other car forums and have searched for many things in my travels. I've also instructed people to use the search function and written a few write-ups and FAQs in order to avoid new members posting stupid redundant questions. However, I cannot seem to find all the answers to the questions I have. So, being this is an online forum, a place to share information I will ask the following questions...

- I see a lot of 2JZ swaps, some with Aristo engines and some with Supra engines. Is the only difference between the two the oil pan? I read that but wasn't sure? Is one easier to swap then the other? They both use the same mounts correct?

- I've also read that an OBDI SC is easier to swap then the OBDII. But, I don't need to pass inspection as I live in FL and I much prefer a '97 SC for the upgrades to the engine, the body and the gauges ect. I know I'm talking about the swap, so why would I care about engine upgrades, but I won't be doing the swap for probably a year or so after I own it.

- A 2JZ with VVT-i would be "better". However I fear it'd be harder to tune and more complicated to wire. VVT-i is a fuel saving technology, I want power. Would you go with a VVT-i or non VVT-i 2JZ?

- Most all of the 2JZ engines for sale on eBay, that I've found come with Auto ECUs. Will that present a problem? I wouldn't mind going to an AEM standalone, but if I can use the auto ECU and wait on the AEM, that'd be preferred. Any difference from USDM and JDM front clips or ECUs?

I sincerely appreciate the genuine and helpful responses to all of you who will attempt to help me. For those that wish to flame me, I will not pass judgment, nor will I be offended. I've done it to people on other boards and I understand your frustrations. Thank you for your help.

Nick

CLass of 1

Any help would be appreciated. Even if you don't know a link directly, if you would tell me what 'key words' to search, that would be invaluable information.

OneJay

iTrader: (14)

I'll answer a couple of these:

OBD I vs. II: A pre 95 SC will be easier to swap, but the 95+ are not too bad. I have a 1JZ in my 95 and I just had to do a couple of extra things, but nothing to difficult.

VVT-I: It not only saves gas like you said, but it also helps with performance. I think the torque peaks closer to ~1800rpm vs ~3500rpm with the non VVT-I

Auto ECU: You can use an auto ECU on a manual car, but not the other way around. You will have to do a park sensor/neutral safe switch override. This is what I am running in my 5 sp. 1JZ right now.

Hope this all helps.

CLass of 1

That does help a lot, I appreciate it Jay. That's cool, so I can use the auto ECU, was kinda worried about having to find a 6MT ECU or going stand alone right away. That's good news.

cbrasian

to answer the first question the differences are smaller tt turbos, smaller injectors smaller cams and the oil pan/sump is different also the sensors are different and the throttle body is a bit different the motor mounts are also different if i remember right as its been awhile since i done a swap... engine upgrades does not matter on obd1 or obd2 if you use a standalone fuel system such as aem however if you use a piggy back like the afc 2 or afc neo you can run into complications on the ob2 setup ...therfore a obd1 ecu would be preferable if you were to go that way but it really doesn't matter.. also vvt-i is harder to tune with on a stand alone setup and a piggy back setup because of timing issues if you want more info on that i suggest you contact justin nenni at tuningconcepts.com as he would also be able to clarify my answers a bit more... if your planning on going aem i would also suggest that you go single turbo at the same time if that is in your mind as if you wait for later then you'll have to retune.. as for using a auto ecu the difference is the fuel maps between the auto ecu and the manual ecu.also if i remember right the jdm wire harness is also about a foot longer , jspec ecu's are for smaller stock twins than us spec so the fuel maps are different also i would recommend that you purchase a wideband o2 an afr gauge and a boost gauge and a boost controller as well as a turbo timer.

CLass of 1

That's fantastic news cbrasian! Thanks for your help, you've answered all my questions. I really appreciate your help. This really helps with my decision making process. With this information I will try to find a USDM Supra engine by it's self with no ECU and just run off the AEM EMS. This way I can kind of supplement the cost of the EMS by purchasing an engine by it's self and saving money there. I would like to run the W58 transmission until I'm ready to go BIG power. I would more then likely leave it with the stock twins for a good long while, deciding what my target horsepower will be, then go for that. In the mean time I can save up for the Getrag 6MT and the necessary fuel upgrades ect..

I should be able to have Lance from Toyomoto tune the car. A very good friend of mine is his nephew, so I shouldn't have an issue with tuning. Being that's the case maybe a VVT-i motor would be viable because of his expertise with these engines? I would be able to extract more power out of the VVT-i engine as well? But, I wonder if the benefits of the torque coming in sooner are lost once you begin to change the cams and go single turbo ect??

cbrasian

eh presonally i prefer the non vvti motor but to each to there own