Here's a rough writeup I did on another forum a couple weeks ago. Some stuff may be missing, because I pretty much just recalled stuff from memory. Let me know if there's anything I should add or change.
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Now...anyone with any automotive competence can do this swap, so I have no doubt that most of you can get this done, but this is purely to help out. Prior to this swap, the most in depth thing I had ever done to my car was change the oil and the spark plugs. I did, however, do the smart thing and READ! before I began this work. For six months I read threads and writeups much like this one. So take heed and learn. :smash:

Also, before I begin, I suppose I should include this:
Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any damages your car incurs while following this thread. It is meant as a guide only.


First, educate thineself! Read about it and learn from other peoples' mistakes.

Second, get an engine....if you order it by mail, it will arrive on a pallet, so be prepared to accommodate it with either a large space in your garage, or a big tarp if you're going to keep it outside.
It will look a lot like this once you unwrap it.

Also, get a Chilton's manual or something like this.

And do a tune up. Assume it's been abused. Replace the timing belt, water pump, front and rear main seals, serpentine belt, and spark plugs. If you want to get even more into it you can also do valve cover gaskets, or even rebuild it.
Before you start on the car, be sure to extend all the wiring that goes through the firewall 18 inches. Don't use ****ty butt connectors. Solder and heatshrink each wire individually. Don't half *** it.


Third, remove the bumper, hood, and headlights.


Fourth, begin by removing everything and everything that you know you will need out of the engine compartment. Things like the battery, intake, radiator, etc, will all need to go. Also, unbolt the exhaust and disconnect the throttle cable, cruise control cable, heater hoses, and all other little what-nots connected to the engine. Also, drain all the fluids.


Fifth, take out the glove box and pull back the carpet. You will see a black plastic cover. Remove that and unplug the ECU and the five body plugs. There are two square-ish gray ones, a long white one, a long orange one, and a small white one. Pull all of these up into the engine compartment after removing the charcoal canister. Also, remove the shift ****, bezel and everything around there.


Sixth, unbolt the engine mounts, and transmission mount. Also, disconnect the slave cylinder from the transmission, and remove the AC unit, unless you plan on refilling it. Lastly, remove the fuel line union bolt. Its on the side of the block near the oil filter. Once the bolt is out, tie the fuel line up and out of the way. It also helps if you have an almost empty tank of gas to minimize spillage.

Seventh, you are ready to pull the engine. Hook up a hoist to the two hooks, and lift it up and out. Be careful not to damage anything when taking it out.

It will take a bit of wiggling and jiggling to get free, but just keep at it and it'll come out little by little.


Eighth, the engine/transmission is now out of the car.

If you are reusing your old transmission as I did, now would be the time to unbolt it from the old 2jz-ge. Its just a bunch of bolts around the bellhousing then it just slides out.

Before you transfer the clutch/flywheel etc to the new engine, make sure you replaced the rear main seal. If it goes out, it'll be a ***** to do once its in the car.
Also, put the alternator from your 2jz-ge onto the new 1jz. This is also a good time to take a few rags to your empty engine bay and get all that 20 year old grime out of there. Also you need to put in a 2jz-gte throttle cable. Make sure you do that now, rather than after you get the engine in.

 

Ninth, put the flywheel, clutch, and transmission on the new engine. Make sure flywheel is either new, or resurfaced before putting it on.
Here it is bolted up.


Tenth, put on NEW engine mounts, and put the 1jz on the hoist and begin putting it into the car. This, for me was the hardest part. It takes a lot of time to get it right over the holes for the mounts, so be patient. And make sure the driveshaft slides into the input on the transmission as you put it in.




And in!


Eleventh, hook everything back up. Plug in the plugs for the ECU and body plugs, hook up the intercooler, intake, battery, radiator, accessories, slave cylinder, and whatnot, and fill it with fluids. Depending on whether or not you're auto to manual and what ECU you're using, you may need to do other electrical things, such as a neutral safety switch bypass.
If you are using the stock sidemount, here is the route the piping takes so you don't have to piece it together like a puzzle like i did.


After you make sure everything is back together, you should be good to go. Just start her up and make sure everything seems normal before driving it. Its probably the first time it's ran in months, if not longer. Don't beat on it right away.

I suppose I should include sources.
Here's my original build thread: Going the 1JZ route - Club Lexus Forums
There are tons of pics and info in there check it out.

Here is Bobby's thread. Lots of useful info, and problems people run into.
1jz swap how-to, hopefully a sticky... eventually - Club Lexus Forums

 

Nice write up, sorry to bump an oldie

 

Bumping oldies now eh Blayz

Nice write up, I'm surprised there aren't many responses. Good write up considering how many people sign up and ask "How to swap?".

 

u should put up pics or links for diy on the wiring issues such as Tach, CEL, Temp, and the 3k rpm problem those were the worst! hehe if u want i can do it since i still need to go back on my wires and solder them

 

Please do so. Im going to need it in the few months.

Excellent writeup by the way OneJay , I like the the build thread-nice detailed adn thorough

 

Niceeeee This should be good for the ones that want to go 1JZ, it just seems so easy :P