You know that point in a car project...

[Marv]

I'd be curious to hear why & what changed your mind... personal experience?

Seems to tick all the boxes other than not being a Merc engine & slightly heavier due to turbo setup.

Ok, I phrased my post badly. I rate the 1JZ as an engine – I think for the dollars spent buying one you get a hell of a lot of good things. However, for this car, I don’t rate it as a better option against other engines out there. I know I bang on about weight a lot in this thread, but if the car’s suspension geometry doesn’t work all that well normally, wouldn’t you go for as light an engine as possible to help the front? What about a newer, lighter turbo VQ V6 (VQ30?)? I, personally, would go through the headfuck of fitting the L98 given the front-end needs work to turn anyway (by the sound of it, at least) and the OP is going to the trouble of mucking around fabricating new arms and the like. Plus, with the right mods it’ll make the power the OP wants and – I reckon – give a real feel-good sensation when up it for the rent (something he said previously he wants).

I think the 1J loses favour with me because it seems to be the new hotness for cheap slapchop engine swaps, instead of hearing “just drop in a FJ20/1UZ/SR20” and I’d really like to see this car get some kind of awesome, different engine. Illogical and stupid? Yeah, but this is all just my opinion (and I realise that counts for 3/5 of fuckall on here, given its not my car and I know not-a-lot). I am also cautious around 1Js having seen a few import engines come in almost completely fucked. They checked out ok in the import yard, but pull the sump and rocker cover off and they’ve never had an oil change, the bearings are paper-thin and the whole thing needs an overhaul. Most of them might be fine, but there is a risk with Japanese engines in my experience… that said, I just bought a BMW engine for my car that hadn’t had an oil change from new (managed to last 100,000km on the same oil and filter before breaking a camshaft, though, which says Euro engines are tougher than a lot make out).

With the Toyo engine: will a single-turbo plenum bolt straight into the Merc, around steering linkages and other oddball engine bay shit? Why not spend the extra on the 2JZ and fit a 5-speed behind it (I don’t even know if 1J and 2J share a bellhousing pattern, though?)?

[bahaimus]

Is this thread still going? :D

Jeez, I've almost half finished the conversion! LOL

The following are all 190Es (from Thailand!)

1JZ Standard turbs


1JZ Standard turbs


1JZ Standard turbs


1JZ VVTI Bigger than standard single turbs


2JZ Big single turbs


There is actually a 190E around Brisbane with a 1J conversion already done. I've seen it in the flesh. He actually used the standard 1J engine mounting arms and redrilled the cross member to suit. No additional welding or fabrication was required - not sure on the mounting rubbers. Gear shifter comes up through the standard hole.

On a right hand drive car, it is actually more conducive to use a turbo engine. Getting a nice set of extractors between the engine and the steering box for an NA engine would result in future blacklisting by exhaust builders and $$$$

The only issue with a 2JZ to be investigated is whether it would fit with the standard twins or not. Don't want to have to go big single straight away just to get it running.

[Norbie]

I think the 1J loses favour with me because it seems to be the new hotness for cheap slapchop engine swaps, instead of hearing “just drop in a FJ20/1UZ/SR20” and I’d really like to see this car get some kind of awesome, different engine.

So your vote for a "different" engine swap is... an LS1. Yeah it's about time someone started putting LS1's into things.

With the Toyo engine: will a single-turbo plenum bolt straight into the Merc, around steering linkages and other oddball engine bay shit? Why not spend the extra on the 2JZ and fit a 5-speed behind it (I don’t even know if 1J and 2J share a bellhousing pattern, though?)?

I assume (hope?) you mean turbo manifold, not plenum. As it happens a single-turbo setup is more likely to fit than the standard twins, which make the engine unusually wide at the extreme rear.

All JZ engines share the same bellhousing bolt pattern so yes the same transmission can be used on a 2JZ. The only question is whether the slightly larger/wider turbo setup will foul the steering box/brake booster/whatever, and whether the bonnet will close (2JZ is about an inch taller).

[edo]

Im changing my vote to a starfire with a T88...now thats different.

[perthdrivers.txt]

A 1j manual cut at most should be 5k

I can see both sides of the argument here but just a small correction - these days you shouldnt be paying more than 3.5k for a 1JZ/R154 cut. Price does vary a little depending on what car its from (Supra, Soarer, Chaser etc)

[Marv]

Forget it. I obviously have no clue.

[bahaimus]

Im changing my vote to a starfire with a T88...now thats different.

It's got good rods.

[da9jeff]

like the 1jz idea, doooo eet, suspension can be fixed - just look at fucken e30's with the datto 1600 rear ends to convince you!!

euro modifying is such a wank - ooohhh must have xxxxxx brand of xyz part cause its euro blah blah. just build what you want, rip a skid and be happy!

[devo]

us$2500
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...ht_2891wt_1165

or twin turbo v12 goodness.got any spare body parts/kids/wife you can sell?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MERCE...#ht_626wt_1165

[bahaimus]

Haha, That is basically 2 x the Merc engine I've already got!

I went out to QR this morning to have a squizz at the Time Attack series, coz that is the exact kind of thing I want to do.

There was an E36 M3 there and lots of japper 6's.

I'm sold. Jap Turbo 6 > Euro NA 6.

[Cal]

I went out to QR this morning

Get a job!

[TJ]

I can see both sides of the argument here but just a small correction - these days you shouldnt be paying more than 3.5k for a 1JZ/R154 cut. Price does vary a little depending on what car its from (Supra, Soarer, Chaser etc)

late model vvti cut is closer to 5k

as a side note, i paid 2250 for a jzx81 cut with a jzx90 motor and r154 in 2006.. happy days

[bahaimus]

Get a job!

I was "working from home" this morning.

[Andrew Bolt]

Get the VVTi.

Or that V12.

[JC]

After scrolling through and reading the (thus far) 8pages of epic argument over this car, I'd be jumping onto the 1JZ conversion bandwagon..

My current project car is an A70 Supra.. It had a 2JZ-GTE conversion done to it (out of an aristo), which was all fine and dandy. Shortly after getting it, couple of weeks, number 1 turbo decided to start pumping the contents of my sump into the intake.. Not long after that, and a spate of overheating issues, the factory oil cooler split from the block and dropped the contents of the coolant system on the road.

When it came time to fix this up, I had the choice of rebuilding the 2JZ (At that time, quoted $5k+ if I wanted to go nuts as it needed new pistons and so on, not to mention new turboes).. Orrrrrr.. I had an offer of a $1,500 Celsior, with a 1UZ-FE in it, running, working perfectly, just that the car itself was a writeoff (bent RH front suspension strut tower from a crash).

Needless to say, it's currently got a 1UZ in the engine bay.. I've just run out enthusiasm/money/time/effort to finish the project as yet, but it's been pretty simple to sort.

So yes.. Go with the 1JZ, if it's cheaper, and you want to be different, all that jazz..