jtamulis

iTrader: (1)

ooops, my bad. *blush*.

JeffTsai

iTrader: (1)

How is doing NA-T a hackjob? Built correctly with good parts and tuned properly, it is just as reliable as the GTE. Look at the IS300 guys that are properly built and they are putting down big numbers as well. Of course if it's ghetto jobbed then it will not las long. Even a GTE done poorly won't last long either. The reason most people have problems with NA-T blowing up is because of the crap parts they use and the tuning.

Also, if you boost a GS300 engine at stock compression(keeping boost at 7psi or under) it's actually much more efficient than the GTE with lower compression. Still can get 350miles+ per tank no problem. Once you drop compression on an engine is when you will suffer in gas mileage.

There are several different ways to build cars. I've done it the swap way and NA-T way too many times to count now. It's just a matter of preference which way to go, but don't go on here and just bash doing NA-T if you haven't done it successfully before. It's a very viable and cheaper option if your HP goals are 450whp mark or under. Of course if your aim is for more than that, going with a GTE is the better option.

Anyways, dont' want this to turn into an argument. I'm just posting my opinion. You're free to post your opinion as well

nar8ta

iTrader: (14)

Jeff you know we value your opinion on CL. You have help most of us get our minds around the GS turbo experience and we really appreciate it.

But I must say, that comment was a bit Elitist (in my own opinion). I can understand why it rubbed Bippu147 that way. Maybe you were kidding so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

Anyway, I was looking at this swap as well , maybe for next year. I just want the car to ride like stock with more power so 450 and lower is good enough for me. The LS motor is also an option.

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

ELEV engines are definitely not comparable in terms of reliability to the GTE.

Paper thin ringlands, dinky rods, no oil squirters on the pistons, smaller coolant jackets in the head, high compression, thinner head gasket + boost = just as reliable as GTE? I think not.

It's designed to be NA, if it was just as good in terms of reliability why would Toyota use a different setup on the GTE?

This is not opinion..it's fact.

Unless of course you're saying that Toyota's engineers are wrong? They could have saved millions of dollars on R&D if they had your insight....

99SC42

iTrader: (44)

My friend are you serious? I guess you haven't been in the SC performance section!!!
Seriously they blow more GTE Block than they blow the Na ones.
High compression is the way to go, atleast on the stock GE non VVTi block with 9.8.1 compression my car made 476 ar 15 Psi at 512 at 17.5 .
I ran 24 Lbs for a couple of days and it was seriously making some serious power but i ended up replacing the HG.

I would do the swap on the GS since it has the weak a$$ rods, but on the
SC it's Na-T high compression +Turbo+EMS+E85 = lethal
If you can do your own labor, i would replace the pistons and rods etc still keep the CR around 9.3.1.

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

Is this in the GS or the SC section? I'm very aware of the differences on the VVTi GE and non.

And blowing up GTE blocks more than GE's??
We run 500whp through stock factory sealed GTE's, that get daily driven and have absolutely no issues for over 15 years

But at least you end up agreeing with me

puff

iTrader: (4)

In reference to the OP question, I spent $7k in parts and labor on my NA-t project. My car is easily capable of making 500whp as it sits right now. I feel like my car is just as reliable now as the first day it came from the factory. I had the head and the block inspected before we put everything back together. 137k miles on the clock and I drove from NYC to Baltimore and back and got better gas milage than my friend who was driving his 07 Grand Caravan. I would love to see someone do a GTE swap AND make 500whp for $7k WITHOUT doing all the work themselves.

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

If it's so capable, why aren't you running 500whp daily?

puff

iTrader: (4)

It's running off the wastegate spring right now (12psi). I haven't installed a boost controller yet. In the next couple of weeks or so I plan on installing a 15psi spring and a boost controller so I could turn it up to 18psi.

Desarro

Honestly if you can afford to have this car sit, just build the na block. Once you change the pistons and rods they are the same block seeing that aftermarket pistons don't support the oil squirters. Save your self some money use the na motor.

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

Umm yes they do. lol

So you'd rather pay more money and build a bottom end, vs buying an Aristo front cut and having everything you need including a factory sealed engine that can handle 800hp?

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

So you've had it NA-T for how long?

SlvrGS300

iTrader: (7)

So, my question in all of this is why? why would you do that?

You have one situation on your hands where you can crack the factory seal on the motor, replace this, rebuild that and change out these things or. . . .

FOR THE SAME PRICE OR LESS (yes, Jeff said it himself, $6-8k for a swap vs. $7k for a turbo kit)

You could swap out the WEAK motor, WEAK transmission, WEAK ECU for a stronger motor, stronger transmission, stronger ECU that doesn't rely on piggyback controllers to compensate for something it wasn't designed for (boost).

AND

Have a better platform to move forward with instead of hitting a wall and being done.

At the end of the day it is all about reliability and performance. I did the swap, had a GReddy T-78 running 18psi, basically stock fuel, stock ecu stock transmission, stock MAF and I was able to BEAT on this car DAILY without any fear of it breaking. The car laughed at me and was looking for more. Had this been a similar setup NA-T, well we all know that the motor and trans would have met a tragic, explosive demise. But 7 psi is cool right?

you will always be limited in what you can do with NA-T. ie. run low boost, baby the car, have a special "technique" to let off the gas in between shifts so the trans doesn't grenade and rely on a piggyback ECU on an ECU that doesn't play well with others etc. . . .

At the risk of sounding redundant, I as well have done many engine swaps, bolt on turbo kits, etc etc etc. . . you name it, I have probably done it. When faced with these two options, for the same money I would always recommend the turbo engine swap over the turbo a non turbo engine any day of the week.

but that's just my OPINION. . . .

puff

iTrader: (4)

Since June. I drive my car at least 5 days a week since I use it to go to work. My wife drives it when she doesn't feel like driving her truck and the only thing that I ever told her is be sure to put in 93 octane gas. It don't get more simple than that.

Bippu147

iTrader: (9)

SlvrGS300 is dead on the money.

puff - 4 months of the car running doesnt even come close to testing reliability. Just because you "feel" that the car is strong means nothing.


Like i said before, if the GE was just as good in terms of reliability why would Toyota use a different setup on the GTE?