How many miles is too many miles to turbo?
06-30-09, 06:29 PM
#1
How many miles is too many miles to turbo?
I know someone selling a 2JZGE Motor with everything except the exhaust cam. It also has the flywheel and waterpump. He's trying to get rid of it for $300. I was wondering if the 114k miles was too much for me wanting to get a single turbo XS Kit for it and drop it in my SC400 after I get my hands on a W58.. Any thoughts??
07-01-09, 02:26 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
07-02-09, 06:20 AM
#5
My SC is in really good condition both inside and out.. I also like the SC400 front bumper lip and rear wing that the SC300s dont come with.
I was just wondering if this motor was a steal price at $300 with 114k miles and if I could use it for boosting.
I was just wondering if this motor was a steal price at $300 with 114k miles and if I could use it for boosting.
07-02-09, 08:17 AM
#6
Is 114k too high for boosting? Almost independent of age, if the motor compression tests and leakdown tests okay, then it is ready. If not, then the motor is not.
Are there 250k mile 2JZGE motors out there running eleven flat in the 1/4-mile? Yes. Are there 100k mile 2JZGE motors out there blowing head gaskets or worse from boost? You bet.
Is $300 a steal for a 2JZGE motor? If it is healthy, that is a rather competitive price, especially if you have the added perk of being able to avoid freight charges. Since a number of 2JZGE motors exchange hands for this price, so I would not consider this price to be a steal.
If you have the skill and the resources to complete a motor -lacking an exhaust cam- and transmission swap easily enough to seriously consider this transaction, I would weigh the possibility of boosting your current motor since you clearly have the know how.
While the supercharged SC400 route is a road less traveled, the results are clear and attainable. KC95SC400 has supercharged his SC4 with ~150k on the clock and he was running 13s having spent around two grand. He is now into the 12s.
Also consider that while the motor you have available to you is only $300, once you add in the cost of the exhaust cam, the transmission, the clutch kit, the other swap parts, and a turbo kit on top of that, yikes: you would be spending more money and significantly more time than just boosting your current motor.
To boot, if you are considering that you will be getting top dollar for your current motor and transmission as a way to offset the cost, don't bank on it. While the 1UZ motors are bad ***, the demand is small since it is -and probably always will be- a niche market. The transmissions are so common, that my tranny with 74k miles wouldn't sell on the classifieds for $200 shipped. I ended up offering it to KC95SC400 if he paid me shipping costs + $25.
Like I said earlier, it would be much easier to find a 5MT SC300 (perhaps even with the factory spoiler option) and swap over your lip from the SC4, then to transform your SC4 back into an SC3 running through a maze of outlets to find every part you would need to make it happen. The nickel and dimeing of that process would drive me crazy.
07-02-09, 08:37 AM
#8
Pole Position
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High mileage isn't an issue if the engine is in good shape. Do a compression and leakdown test. If you've got oil leaks, they will be compounded in a big way by the added crankcase pressure of a turbo system, especially on a worn motor.
Swapping the 2j into the SC4 is going to be a significant amount of work...
Ian
Swapping the 2j into the SC4 is going to be a significant amount of work...
Ian
07-03-09, 07:23 AM
#15
The effects of the supercharger would be nice, but a turbocharger is more efficient. Also, the turbo offers a a better boost curve. Centrifugal superchargers have a linear boost curve, making peak boost at the redline (4psi @ 3k rpm, 8psi @ 6k rpm, etc).
Making peak boost in the vicinity of peak torque (like most turbocharger systems do) allows for a flatter torque curve. This will be especially true when added to a low displacement motor on a fairly heavy vehicle.
In general, if you have the space for a turbocharger and the aftermarket supports the modification, don't second guess yourself and use a less efficient boosting mechanism (supercharging). The V8 guys on this forum who toss supercharging around often do so for those same reasons in reverse: lack of space and a lack of support in the aftermarket.