Is a 2JZ-GTE swap truly worth it? Your thoughts are appreciated.
10-04-10, 08:16 PM
#46
I have a 2jzgte vvti swap in my gs400 and I spent 5k installed running and its going on a yr now you see doing the gte swap isnt all that expensive as some claim. You have to buy the motor at a reasonable price and you can have a swap for 4-5k and thats with stock smic,driveshaft,ecu, everything that can come with the swap. Fmic arent expensive so thats not even a factor and fabbing intercooler piping isnt going to cost you that much. So in the end if you get the mototr for a good price you can get a factory reliable ride with worry about blowing up. I want to give a shout out to slvrGs300 in canada he helped me with info on the swap and is a good dude.
SlvrGS300 may disagree with me but he did all of his own work. If he paid someone to do the work that he did on his own I bet the labor would be at least 50% the cost of his parts.
Last edited by puff; 10-04-10 at 08:23 PM.
10-04-10, 08:24 PM
#47
I think that's what a lot of people don't understand when calculating the cost of a swap vs NA-T. The swap comes with stock twins, and to upgrade to single there are a lot of extra costs associated with doing so. The NA-T already has all of those parts covered. Most of these stock twins have a lot of age on them already and may not last much longer driving them as is, and upping the boost on them will further reduce the lifespan of the turbos. To do a single turbo upgrade on the swap will add at the VERY least $2k on top + labor for a basic setup.
Puff, are you on stock GE internals or did you upgrade them?
Puff, are you on stock GE internals or did you upgrade them?
10-04-10, 09:01 PM
#49
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It's nice that you have a stock swap. I'm happy for you but try making 400whp with those JDM turbos and let's see how relaible your car will be. You're still going to need to go single before you even think about making 500whp and there goes your $5k budget. Like I stated before my set is easliy cable of 500whp as is.
SlvrGS300 may disagree with me but he did all of his own work. If he paid someone to do the work that he did on his own I bet the labor would be at least 50% the cost of his parts.
SlvrGS300 may disagree with me but he did all of his own work. If he paid someone to do the work that he did on his own I bet the labor would be at least 50% the cost of his parts.
10-04-10, 09:20 PM
#50
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wow, holding on tight to this one. . . .did either of you read what japspec posted? $5k RUNNING. . . even if he is running the stock twins, add $2k to that and guess what? IT'S THE SAME MONEY AS NA-T AND HE HAS A MUCH BETTER PLATFORM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INSTEAD OF BEING STUCK AT 7PSI. . . .even at $6k that I would do the swap at, that is still a better deal than NA-T and you have a car that you can drive.
NA-T is NOT the way. . . Swap all day.
even at $80 an hour, my swap only would have cost $1600 in labor. ($80 x 20hrs just in case we haven't been paying attention. . . did I mention that I did the swap by myself in a one car garage with minimal hand tools? The swap is NOT that difficult, easier than crackin open a motor and rebuilding it to spec with aftermarket parts to get the SAME result.)
heh. . . i did alot of impulse buying on my swap, so in reality, my labor is about 8% of my parts. . . . There is definately a cost effective way to do this swap, but I knew what I wanted and numbers didn't matter to me so yeah. . .
and I got my freshly rebuilt complete GReddy T-78 turbo kit for $1500. (so no ebay cheap **** here either. . . )
NA-T is NOT the way. . . Swap all day.
even at $80 an hour, my swap only would have cost $1600 in labor. ($80 x 20hrs just in case we haven't been paying attention. . . did I mention that I did the swap by myself in a one car garage with minimal hand tools? The swap is NOT that difficult, easier than crackin open a motor and rebuilding it to spec with aftermarket parts to get the SAME result.)
heh. . . i did alot of impulse buying on my swap, so in reality, my labor is about 8% of my parts. . . . There is definately a cost effective way to do this swap, but I knew what I wanted and numbers didn't matter to me so yeah. . .
and I got my freshly rebuilt complete GReddy T-78 turbo kit for $1500. (so no ebay cheap **** here either. . . )
Last edited by SlvrGS300; 10-04-10 at 09:31 PM.
10-04-10, 09:37 PM
#51
wow, holding on tight to this one. . . .did either of you read what japspec posted? $5k RUNNING. . . even if he is running the stock twins, add $2k to that and guess what? IT'S THE SAME MONEY AS NA-T AND HE HAS A MUCH BETTER PLATFORM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INSTEAD OF BEING STUCK AT 7PSI.
stuck at 7psi is sooooooo $2000 na-t
10-04-10, 09:48 PM
#52
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$7k into a na-t build will have better support than a $2k build into a gte. unless your ge is junk motor there's no reason to trash a perfectly capable motor while you can build the engine head to accommodate for the apu setup. stock gte head flows about the same as a stock ge build so you will need headwork still to take apu's full potential.
stuck at 7psi is sooooooo $2000 na-t
stuck at 7psi is sooooooo $2000 na-t
. . . . How much does it cost to build up that weak ol' GE 5 speed againm . . And again. . . And again? Sorry, that would be $7k into a GE build up yeilding modest results vs. $7k into a GTE swap blowing it out of the water. . . See, 5 (bpu swap) + 2 (single turbo upgrade) = 7
10-04-10, 10:15 PM
#53
Stock ECU designed to compensate for boost, it's an amazing thing HKS AFK reports strong AFR with no knock. Bippu147 can attest to this as he has gone for a few rides in my car. He also bought my original HKS Vpro and hasn't sold me a new one yet 
(maybe it's because I'm too cheap or would rather buy new seats 
. . .) It's basically stock. Stock rail, stock injectors, stock MAF, -6an feed/return fuel lines, 265lph in tank fuel pump and regulator set to 37psi
HKS AFK reports strong AFR with no knock. Bippu147 can attest to this as he has gone for a few rides in my car. He also bought my original HKS Vpro and hasn't sold me a new one yet (maybe it's because I'm too cheap or would rather buy new seats . . .) It's basically stock. Stock rail, stock injectors, stock MAF, -6an feed/return fuel lines, 265lph in tank fuel pump and regulator set to 37psiI have 2 3.3's on the shelf, buy one!
10-04-10, 11:00 PM
#55
I love threads like these (thanks everyone). I want to take my time and go slowly into the turbo scene. I have a 2003 GS300. I just want to drop in a completely stock 2jz-gte in my car and see how that goes for a few months or maybe even a year.
1. You guys are saying if I buy the engine/tranny combo (jdm engine). The automatic tranny is stronger than the US verson?
2. How involved would it be to run the JDM ECU? That seems to be the one thing that you guys all agree on, the fact that a 2001 or newer will require much more re-wiring? Has anyone actually done it? Is there a plug and play harness available?
3. Why is it for bigger horsepower gains, everyone is saying to convert the twins to a single turbo? I may show my car before its all said and done and 2 big twins under the hood just look so much sexier? Why the need to covert?
Like I said, I will be perfectly happy with baby steps at first and if I can get a stock 2jz-gte in my car, that will keep me happy for a while.
1. You guys are saying if I buy the engine/tranny combo (jdm engine). The automatic tranny is stronger than the US verson?
2. How involved would it be to run the JDM ECU? That seems to be the one thing that you guys all agree on, the fact that a 2001 or newer will require much more re-wiring? Has anyone actually done it? Is there a plug and play harness available?
3. Why is it for bigger horsepower gains, everyone is saying to convert the twins to a single turbo? I may show my car before its all said and done and 2 big twins under the hood just look so much sexier? Why the need to covert?
Like I said, I will be perfectly happy with baby steps at first and if I can get a stock 2jz-gte in my car, that will keep me happy for a while.
10-05-10, 12:14 AM
#56
... kidding
Solid thread, I agree swapping in an entire engine/trans/ecu designed for boost from the factory is the best way to do it and makes the most sense.
Leave the bolt-on turbo kits for Hondas
10-05-10, 12:16 AM
#57
Great discussion, I have to agree with Jeff on this one. I don't want a car putting more than 400WHP as a daily driver. I'd also be interested to see how his R&D go for the NA-T setup, a setup I'd be inclined to purchase than to get a GTE and swap out the TT to a single. Get the fab work done etc.
10-05-10, 05:56 AM
#58
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Great discussion, I have to agree with Jeff on this one. I don't want a car putting more than 400WHP as a daily driver. I'd also be interested to see how his R&D go for the NA-T setup, a setup I'd be inclined to purchase than to get a GTE and swap out the TT to a single. Get the fab work done etc.
Anyways, I'm tired of repeating myself to those that have be blinded by false promises of a reliable 400hp daily driver turbo GE that requires less work than a swap.
Oh yeah, don't forget taking apart the oil pan to tap the return, and hope the metal shavings are all gone so your engine doesn't eat that. . . But that's what an oil filter is for right?
I would really really like to see this stock GE (one that hasn't been opened up and replaced a whole bunch of parts) that is NA-T (just the bolt on turbo kit, because that is what is being claimed here) and running 400hp and running reliably and driven daily. . .
10-05-10, 06:15 AM
#59
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Speaking of junked engines, What alot of people don't realize is that when you are done the swap you have a bunch of parts left over to sell off to recoup some of the cost incurred in doing the swap. So in effect, it is EASIER to do the swap, more RELIABLE than a bolt on turbo kit and CHEAPER than a bolt on turbo kit
10-05-10, 06:29 AM
#60
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Because you did one GTE swap swap in your garage doesn't mean anything bro.
Yes bone stock block unopen will make 450rwhp all day long.. DD? Yes.
I think some of you guys needs to go chill on SF, open your mind about Na-T.
I had both of them Na-T and GTE but and I like the Na-T better.
So you can say GTE and bash the Na-T guys all you want you can't change my mind, i had 2 serious HP SC, so i know what am talking about!!!!
Before i spend 900 on harness service i would rather buy and EMS and do Na-T.
OP i hope you spend you money wisely GL.
Yes bone stock block unopen will make 450rwhp all day long.. DD? Yes.
I think some of you guys needs to go chill on SF, open your mind about Na-T.
I had both of them Na-T and GTE but and I like the Na-T better.
So you can say GTE and bash the Na-T guys all you want you can't change my mind, i had 2 serious HP SC, so i know what am talking about!!!!
Before i spend 900 on harness service i would rather buy and EMS and do Na-T.
OP i hope you spend you money wisely GL.