esc300

Ok guys I own a 97sc300, I've been having some troubles with the factory 2jzgte in it,so I've decided to.swap it out either for 1jvvti or plane old gte I plan on buying a front clip and paying a mechanic to Swap the engines but I have no idea how much a basic swap goes for money is sort of a factor that's why I ended up here in the first place, I know there's a lot of you who have done this swap .all I pretty much need outta this is a fun daily driver. Without breaking the bank so can you guys help me out on parts and pricing I want to make sure I'm prepared for this momentous occasion this has been something I've wanted for a while.

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

I'm going to venture a guess that you're referring to the "factory 2JZ-GE" engine, which is not turbocharged.

You'll find plenty of resources here discussing specifics but between the two 2.5L turbo engines you're referring to:

The 1JZ-GTE VVT-i is far better for low end torque and BPU power up to about 450whp. It is also the more costly of the two. Having seen one in action I personally think it's second best to a 2JZGTE. You also must only use one of these from a Soarer or Chaser. You do not want one from a Toyota Crown or any other model that had a full DBW throttle ECU. Service parts are somewhat available and there are notes all over the forum about what cross-references, what is available in US inventory and what needs to be obtained through an importer or specialty distributor like Driftmotion. The OEM CT15B turbo (this model has a single turbo from the factory) is rebuildable in the USA by several shops.

The 1JZ-GTE Non-VVT (older model) is the cheaper of the two (especially if you get the version with an auto transmission attached), is more easily serviced with US parts from the 2JZ-GTE and also happens to be the easier of the two to go all out on spending to go well over 500whp-- which is not a thing you'll do if you are budget conscious. The OEM CT12A turbos (this model has parallel non-sequential twin turbos from the factory) are only rebuildable by a couple of shops in the USA which means most people ditch them for an aftermarket single turbo.

There is also the issue that your OBD2 1997 SC300 will probably be more compatible with the 1JZ-GTE VVT-i engine when it comes time to get the engine harness swapped. Or you can have Tweak'd Tuning do it for you. This last paragraph is a pertinent thing to ask about here in the forums as you plan your swap.

There is a lot more to a swap than this but a front clip with all the accompanying hardware is not a bad idea.

BlackIRON

As far as engine swap prices go supposedly they vary by area and how well you know the mechanic. I think your best bet would be to ask around or if you have friends that know well about cars that could help you but most of the time when you save money on working on your car its always who you know.

esc300

Thanks well I want something reliable with power and as easy to swap without much head scratching and as far as friends and mechanics I'm in a knew place where I know very few people in the car scene so I'm kind of on my own with that one but I'll be sure to do some asking around at local shops