Hello, I have a 1992 Lexus Sc400 that was given to me by my uncle. I’m 14 and me and my dad are working on this as a project build, we were wondering about how much the swap cost would be for a 2jz-gte with a w58 with all parts would cost to do?



P.S. I’m kinda new to this forum to please excuse me if I posted in the wrong category.

NotJacob,

Hello and welcome to the CL forums! That’s a really awesome gift from your uncle! An excellent first vehicle that really emphasizes the driver and driver experience.

Now, to turn that SC400 into a fully 2JZGTE swapped car is never what can be called inexpensive. However how much it will totally cost depends on what power level you are shooting for, the overall condition of the chassis and whether you will convert it to manual or leave it automatic.

Even a completely stock stock or small single 2JZ car is a lot of power in a first car— and please don’t take offense at my saying this. I owned a 60’s Mustang V8 as a first car although it only made as much power as a non-turbo 2JZ or SC400. It was a lot of car to get used to as it was. And there is also higher maintenance required on a turbo SC compared to any stock engine SC be it V8 or NA 2JZ.

However... first off I would not suggest the W58 if you were to install any turbo 2JZ engine. The more long term reliable options, although more costly, will be an R154, CD009 or converted AR-5. For cost alone you don’t need to consider a V160 or Tremec Magnum.

Second, to safely support all the power of a turbo 2JZ engine the suspension, brakes, bushings and other safety systems need to be upgraded. It’s a heavy car and the quicker it is, the more control and braking capability it must have. And you will have no traction control at all, just ABS.

Cost wise 2JZGTE swaps can be anywhere from $12k and up but it will be closer to $15k and up when all is said and done. It is not just the engine.

Additionally, for turbo it will be cheaper to consider building a 2JZ-GE into an NA-T single turbo using a tried and true JDM Aristo 2JZGTE ECU— which will be the least expensive reliable engine management option. If you and your dad can do the wiring harness conversion yourselves it can save you easily $1500 or more. But that is tedious and methodical work. There are pinout guides readily available and there is a very detailed guide here by Gerrb which fully explains how to convert a GTE wiring harness for SC use... and the principles of custom wiring an NA-T harness are all there as well.

Another option to consider is rather than GTE swap or NA-T swap, since this is your first car, is to upgrade the suspension, go through all the bushings, upgrade the front brakes to superior 95-00 LS400 calipers and keep the 250hp 1UZ-FE V8 engine... but convert it to a W58 manual. This is not as powerful as a turbo 2JZ, no, but it is quick and a lot of fun less expensive and extremely engaging as a visceral driving experience. You need only install a pair of M2/Manzo cat back mufflers to wake up the muffled exhaust note of the V8.

Without the automatic to sap the V8’s power a stock engine SC400 with a W58 manual swap will be significantly faster than a stock SC300 factory 5-speed which was already known to be faster than any stock 92-97 SC400 (98-00 SC400’s are higher spec from the factory so I don’t include those).


Just several options to consider. A full 2JZGTE swap will require a stronger transmission than the W58 long term— it won’t hold up to the power for long— and you’ll be looking at a significant financial outlay. However many do it and the combination of SC+2JZGTE+R154(etc) even with a modest 340hp is very good and a lot of car. To say nothing of 500hp SC’s any any in the 600hp-700hp++ range which cost far more to build well.

Whatever powers your new car that chassis needs some upgrades even with the stock V8 engine... and in every case a manual swap makes any engine in any SC better if you like more engagement and immediate response.


I and others will be more than happy to give you and your dad more specific breakdowns of what each sub-modification can run you. Just giving you more options and alternatives to increasingly costly 2JZGTE’s. The more you want to change the spec of these SC’s the more it saves you money to learn how to do most (not all but most) of the work yourself. The cars can handle plenty and even modified are reliable but cost-wise they involve some decent financial investment to get right when moving from stock.