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LS Swap vs 1JZ

20K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  trl_ws6 
#1 ·
So hopefully in the near future, I'm gonna have to do an engine swap and for a while I've had in mind doing a 1jz swap, but today I saw a vid in YouTube from motortrend where they did an LS3 swap in a '93 240 S13 and the specs and stats they gave made it sounds like it would be a better alternative cuz you'd get more power, it weighs less than a KA, SR20, & RB20's, 25's, and 26's, it's really compact so it fits relatively well in the engine bay with little to no modifying needed, and since it's straight from the factory, it's more reliable and parts are everywhere cuz it primarily uses OEM parts. The only issues I'm having with it is the MPG difference, pricing difference, and I haven't ever heard of an LS swap being done in a mkii before so idk if it would be as cost effective as it is to do the swap in a 240. And please answer with as little bias as possible cuz I know there are some ppl who would say only go with Toyota to keep the car pure or they just have something against American powerplants going into Japanese cars. Thanks!
 
#4 ·
You should ask your self the question.. "What do I want to do with this car?"

If you just want to drive it, and occasionally go to the track be that auto cross or drag strip, then odds are you are more fond of the Celica supra's intent was in the first place; its a GT car *Grand Touring car, and being thus so its a performance oriented cruiser that is comfortable to drive, handles good, and has some grunt when you want it.

If a GT car is what you desire, then realistically the modern aluminum domestic V8's (typically GM) are the best choice and the reasons are as follows.

Fuel consumption VS horsepower figures; the modern domestic V8's are quite good. Many of them have cylinder canceling that turns that V8 into a 4cyl in under 250milli seconds, and back again in 250 milliseconds if you need it. Essentially there is not noticed delay in power if you actually want it.

Domestic V8's Heck even Toyota's V8 produce as much or more power stock than the JZ of your choice; they are reliable, and typically last as long as any NA JZ will.

Depending on what engine you go with, they can weigh from roughly the same (550LBS) to even weigh less than the JZ anything.. Also the modern domestic V8's produce more streetable power than any I6 engine can ever hope too all while being totally reliable and boost free meaning longer service life.

Sure the JZ is capable of 1000+ horsepower, but this comes at a monumental cost in actual dollars and reliability and service life. If you run the JZ turbo stock, then its only 320 HP, and a modern domestic V8 has that much power all day long with out boost, and all the reliability / service needs that go with boost of any kind.

If you want 1000+ horsepower, then drag strips are all you actually care about; in that case you are going to be burying money into a bottomless hole.. For the same $$$$ spent you can get more power more torque and longer service life out of a modern V8.


Last and easily my favorite part.. V8 sound, its just a beautiful noise.

The short story, is....... If you are going to do an engine swap, there is no such thing as a "bolt-in", so you may as well just go with a V8 that you will always be able to get parts and support for where that will not always be so with the JZ. Look no further than the 5 & 7M, they use to be semi supported, and no longer is this so very true. On the flip side regardless of the year it is possible to get parts for nearly any domestic V8, even very very very old ones.


I know, its not Toyota; but they are a lot less expensive to get working, there is more support and they produce way more power per dollar.

However if you are stuck on Toyota, and Toyota is all you will have in your car, then get a Toyota V8, you will be happy with it, they produce a lot of torque and that makes your car a lot more fun to drive.

Here is my brothers 5.0 Ford powered Toyota, it sounds fantastic, runs good, and has stupid power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NSiHD3M0ao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrxg2xTJG-U
 
#9 ·
Also, I'm a big MOPAR guy and a true dream of mine would be to own a 1969 Dodge Charger but I'd be happy with anything with a Dodge Hemi under the hood. So with that being said, what do you guys think of the possibility of swapping a Hemi in this thing instead of an LS? I'm thinking if that were possible I'd go with the 5.7 liter Hemi cuz it weighs less than the 6.1 and probably costs less. But when it comes to engine swaps, the most popular are LS swaps and that's probably due to their price and how little modifications that need to be done compared to a Ford or Dodge V8. Thoughts?
Dave H. (Discoelk) has another great example of an LS swap into his supra:

http://www.celicasupra.com/forums/showthread.php?47574-Elk-s-Progress


There are plenty of opinions on this forum, and alot of Toyota diehards who (stubbornly) wont accept that there are better bang-for-your-buck engines out there that are non-Toyota. If you want a V8, the LS is an obvious choice. For how much you will spend to make affordable and reliable HP, the other options are hard to realistically compare. Of course you are going to have to either pay someone to fabricate what you need to swap it in, or do it yourself and save money. Your comfort level, experience, tools, and resources are going to determine how much you spend VS how much you do yourself. I'm always a fan of jumping into a project you don't know much about and learning your way through it, but if this is your first swap then it is going to be a rough crash course. You really need to evaluate your limitations and budget before you decide. If you haven't thoroughly researched viable transmission options and how you plan to bring your suspension, fuel, and brakes up to par, then you aren't ready for this swap.

I have done a very thorough turbo 1UZ swap, but i would choose an LS if i had to do it again. It's fun and cool to have a Toyota motor that only a few MKII's have currently (that i know of), but it will never realistically be as reliable, efficient or repairable as a similar powered and simple cammed' LS engine. Don't let your love for Toyota be your only influence when deciding. There is a reason the LS is so popular, its not a weird coincidence.


-Mike
Personally my opinion is there is no reason to do a 1JZ in these cars. The 2JZ is better and almost the same price with more potential. I can understand why the Mk3 guys do it because its plug and play, but its the same difficulty to install in these cars. That said it really comes down to what you want. Do you want a rumbly V8 or do you want a small turbo engine? Both engines will make more than the car will take if you want to go that far. I'd say the JZ motors are an easier swap since you can buy pretty much everything you need now.

Personally I like the 2JZ in my car. Inline 6s are sweet motors and it may sound weird but I like you don't see a lot of them at car shows. I've had a cars with an LS1 and LS7 now and I appreciate the motors, but IMO you're better off buying the car they come in from the factory since they are far better performance cars than the Mk2 is.
The 240ss was put together using swap kit parts which do not exist for us. Anything is possible, but it will not be easy. Honestly you should start off doing supporting mods getting the suspension and brakes dialed in and figure out how much you like the chassis before you sign on for thousands of dollars to put more ponies into the car. If you don't like the way she goes with stock power or don't feel like it would be any more fun with doubling the hp, then maybe you can save yourself some coin and enjoy her at a more modest power level. I have done the supporting mods already and am piecing together stuff to turbo the stock motor and can't wait for a little more power, but i'm not shooting for the moon by any means. I've had a 7mgte car with busty stock suspension and brakes, do not want to do that again. Suspension/brakes is far cheaper than engine swaps also, and you can enjoy it every day until you can afford the ponies.
 
#5 ·
Dave H. (Discoelk) has another great example of an LS swap into his supra:

http://www.celicasupra.com/forums/showthread.php?47574-Elk-s-Progress


There are plenty of opinions on this forum, and alot of Toyota diehards who (stubbornly) wont accept that there are better bang-for-your-buck engines out there that are non-Toyota. If you want a V8, the LS is an obvious choice. For how much you will spend to make affordable and reliable HP, the other options are hard to realistically compare. Of course you are going to have to either pay someone to fabricate what you need to swap it in, or do it yourself and save money. Your comfort level, experience, tools, and resources are going to determine how much you spend VS how much you do yourself. I'm always a fan of jumping into a project you don't know much about and learning your way through it, but if this is your first swap then it is going to be a rough crash course. You really need to evaluate your limitations and budget before you decide. If you haven't thoroughly researched viable transmission options and how you plan to bring your suspension, fuel, and brakes up to par, then you aren't ready for this swap.

I have done a very thorough turbo 1UZ swap, but i would choose an LS if i had to do it again. It's fun and cool to have a Toyota motor that only a few MKII's have currently (that i know of), but it will never realistically be as reliable, efficient or repairable as a similar powered and simple cammed' LS engine. Don't let your love for Toyota be your only influence when deciding. There is a reason the LS is so popular, its not a weird coincidence.


-Mike
 
#6 ·
Personally my opinion is there is no reason to do a 1JZ in these cars. The 2JZ is better and almost the same price with more potential. I can understand why the Mk3 guys do it because its plug and play, but its the same difficulty to install in these cars. That said it really comes down to what you want. Do you want a rumbly V8 or do you want a small turbo engine? Both engines will make more than the car will take if you want to go that far. I'd say the JZ motors are an easier swap since you can buy pretty much everything you need now.

Personally I like the 2JZ in my car. Inline 6s are sweet motors and it may sound weird but I like you don't see a lot of them at car shows. I've had a cars with an LS1 and LS7 now and I appreciate the motors, but IMO you're better off buying the car they come in from the factory since they are far better performance cars than the Mk2 is.
 
#7 ·
The 240ss was put together using swap kit parts which do not exist for us. Anything is possible, but it will not be easy. Honestly you should start off doing supporting mods getting the suspension and brakes dialed in and figure out how much you like the chassis before you sign on for thousands of dollars to put more ponies into the car. If you don't like the way she goes with stock power or don't feel like it would be any more fun with doubling the hp, then maybe you can save yourself some coin and enjoy her at a more modest power level. I have done the supporting mods already and am piecing together stuff to turbo the stock motor and can't wait for a little more power, but i'm not shooting for the moon by any means. I've had a 7mgte car with busty stock suspension and brakes, do not want to do that again. Suspension/brakes is far cheaper than engine swaps also, and you can enjoy it every day until you can afford the ponies.
 
#8 ·
I agree with you about doing suspension and brake upgrades, but I'm not sure how much longer my old 5MGE will keep puttering along and soon I'm gonna need to have this thing to be highway worthy. Since I've had this car, I've only driven it on the highway once, and that was on the way back home from picking it up. The Xterra I traded for the supra ran 80 mph at i think 2500-2750 rpm if i remember correctly composted to 2500 rpm at I'm guessing 60mph since my speedo doesn't work in the supra lol. Regardless, when I drove it on the highway that one time, I was getting passed like a grandma that's had two hip replacements out on a Sunday drive. My brother was following me and he said I never got above 65 mph. And this is in 5th gear. On top of that, this past semester I've been driving to and from my school twice a week which adds up to 148 miles a week, and that's not including anything I do back in my home town. That's just the two days if the week I go down to school. I didn't want to take the highway cuz I didn't want to have the engine staying at a constant rpm level for that long that often. Plus, I need to get the piston rings replaced along with who knows what else when it comes to the engine so at this moment I'm wanting to go with to most affordable and reliable option cuz hopefully within the next couple months I'm gonna have to be driving double that distance one way at least once a week for about 3 months if I graduate college this Friday and get sent to the police academy. That's why I'm trying to figure out which swap would be more beneficial in the pretty near future and the long run. Hopefully with graduation, Christmas and my best all being within a month of each other I'll get enough money from all three of those things to afford either option.
 
#10 ·
If you want this car to be doing that sort of trip every day in any short amount of time don't bother with an engine swap. Check your compression on your current engine and figure out what is needed to get it running well as is if possible. If you cannot diagnose and keep the 5mge in good running order you might need to rethink your engine swap goals unless you are just going to pay to have it done.

On top of that, you will have more fun over 150 miles with suspension and brakes than you will with hp, and likely that stuff is in need of replacement anyway.
 
#11 ·
Yeah I was planning on paying to have it done because as much as I love cars, I'm not mechanically inclined when it comes down to it. I've always preferred to drive than work on it. My younger brother is the mechanic out of the two of us. When we were younger, we've always said that if we had a racing team, I'd be the driver and he'd be the pit crew chief. But I'd get it done by a friend who has his own shop and who's done swaps before, just none on a mkii. He's actually the one who replaced the head gaskets and the fuel pump. My car is actually the first mkii he's ever worked on. He's a 240 guy. He can blueprint a KA by memory. Anyways, yeah he'd be the guy I'd have do the swap and since he'd let me help, he takes off a little on labor costs. He also knows where to get a very good solid engine for a really good price cuz of his connections. He said that doing a 1jz swap would cost about $1200-$1500 total.
 
#12 ·
Also, my suspension and brakes are actually really solid considering it's age. Of course that could be me cuz my first car was a 1977 impala that basically rode like a boat, I've had two SUVs, and the worst one by far was a Honda accord. It handled nice cuz the suspension on those things were stiff when they were new, but other than that, I've only owned cars where if I took a turn faster than I should, it felt like I was gonna slide out of my seat if the car didn't roll first lol I actually love the way my supra rides now. I'm sure it would ride better once I get realigned and get some new or used tires on it. As long as the tires aren't dry rotted and have +50% tread on them, any tire will be better than what I've got on there now.
 
#13 ·
The popularity of LS motors is for several reasons. They are compact so they fit in cars that originally had small motors (i.e. RX7s). They came in several cars in trucks so they are plentiful, cheap, and have many different configurations. Third they have a great aftermarket support and ability to make power. A forth reason is they make bolt in kits for many cars now. Similar reason were why so many used to swap Ford 5.0 motors into cars 15 years ago. I don't think the modern Dodge Hemi motors are anywhere near as popular as the LS motors.

As far as modding you're daily driver. I think its doable if you are reasonable. A stock 2JZ or LS1 if you install it right should be as reliable as the car it came out of. You need to address the weak spots though. The 2JZ should get an R154 and an upgraded diff. The problem with 2JZ, and especially the early 1JZs, is they are so old. You figure the newest 2JZGTE is over 10 years old now. If you get the older non VVTI its more like 15 years old at best. Being a typically Toyota they need valve seals at that age. Stock turbos are questionable forcing you to do a single upgrade or a really expensive rebuild.

If you upgrade the engine brake and suspension upgrade are mandatory. The stock Mk2 suspension even when new is worse than a modern Cadillac.
 
#14 ·
Gotcha, so I guess I'm just used to having a loose ride then lol. And from what everyone has been saying on this thread, I'm starting to lean towards the LS option. Now, the other question, what's the difference between all the different LS engines? I've had multiple ppl try to explain it to me, but the way I've usually had it explained to me makes me think that they didn't really know the difference either. Lol
 
#15 · (Edited)
Here are some factual engine weights that you can figure into your build.

I did not have time to ferret out some Mopar engines, sorry you will have to figure that one out.

LS3 / L92 Alloy 6.2L (403 / 430 HP ) 495 LBS With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade potential Easy 550 to 650 HP with low dollars per power gain ratio, this is why the LS is so popular.

1UZFE Alloy 4.0L ( 250 - 300 HP depending on year ) 432 LBS With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, *Power steering*, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade potential: Don't bother, its too expensive.

5.0 Ford (302 small block) 411 to 450 LBS Depending on Alloy VS iron heads. With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade Potential: 350 to 550 HP, slightly more expensive to upgrade per point of power gain than an LS GM engine.

Cost to fit a V8 and getting it running properly as to avoid constant problems.

Manual or Auto LS3 / L92 6.2 L engine is not that bad in price; if you are willing to run a GM spec T5, then you can fit one for Around 500 - 600 bucks, + a 200 to 400 dollar bell housing, flywheel and pressure plate / clutch and various parts. If you want the nifty T56 6 Speed trans, just expect to pay about what you did for the engine; they are kinda expensive for a transmission but they are VERY nice and very strong. (if you go GM, get the T56, you will forget the cost after you drive it)

Manual 1UZFE: The manual Toyota option is kinda expensive for what it is... Outright the engines are dirt cheap at 300 to 400 bucks per good running motor. The trick is getting machine work done or buying custom parts to fit a manual trans of your choice; it gets semi expensive for what it is in a big hurry. Also note that its an old Toyota, they are typically 10 - 20 year old motors, and will need gasket kits, valve stem seals, and so on. If you go this rout, but genuine Toyota parts, After market seals and gaskets are just simply not as good 90% of the time.

Manual 5.0 Ford, the least expensive option possible for V8 Power. 400 to 500 dollar engines + 200 to 300 dollar transmissions that include bellhousing, and flywheels are almost give away and all of it can be had easily at almost any time. Also you have a ton of aftermarket support thanks to the fox body mustang guys making this easily one of the most basic V8 swaps a guy can do. Like the Toyota option, the Ford's are all kinda old now, so you will need to fit them with some new gaskets and seals, but because its a domestic V8 the parts are inexpensive.

Auto 1UZFE: If you like auto transmissions, then the A341 lockup converter 4 speed overdrive is a VERY good option. This setup may not be as playful but it is bar none the least expensive.
Please note that trying to squeeze more power out of the 1UZ can be done, but why would you when its so much more expensive to do than any domestic engine. (factor in re-fitting seals and gaskets for both the engine and trans)

Please note that when you upgrade to V8 torque, the rear end of your drive train is going to suffer, expect breakage or upgrade before it happens.
 
#16 ·
Here are some factual engine weights that you can figure into your build.

I did not have time to ferret out some Mopar engines, sorry you will have to figure that one out.

LS3 / L92 Alloy 6.2L (403 / 430 HP ) 495 LBS With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade potential Easy 550 to 650 HP with low dollars per power gain ratio, this is why the LS is so popular.

1UZFE Alloy 4.0L ( 250 - 300 HP depending on year ) 432 LBS With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, *Power steering*, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade potential: Don't bother, its too expensive.

5.0 Ford (302 small block) 411 to 450 LBS Depending on Alloy VS iron heads. With accessories: Complete EFI, coil packs, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, alternator, starter, water pump.
Upgrade Potential: 350 to 550 HP, slightly more expensive to upgrade per point of power gain than an LS GM engine.

Cost to fit a V8 and getting it running properly as to avoid constant problems.

Manual or Auto LS3 / L92 6.2 L engine is not that bad in price, but the expensive bit is the transmission. If you want a manual it will cost you roughly 2 grand to fit a t56, if you are willing to run a GM spec T5, then you can fit one for Around 500 - 600 bucks, + a 200 to 400 dollar bell housing, flywheel and pressure plate / clutch and various parts.

Manual 1UZFE: The manual Toyota option is kinda expensive.. Outright the engines are dirt cheap at 300 to 400 bucks per good running motor. The trick is having machine work done or buying custom parts to fit a manual trans of your choice; it gets semi expensive for what it is in a big hurry.

Manual 5.0 Ford, the least expensive option possible for V8 Power. 400 to 500 dollar engines + 200 to 300 dollar transmissions that include bellhousing, and flywheels are almost give away and all of it can be had easily at almost any time. Also you have a ton of aftermarket support thanks to the fox body mustang guys making this easily one of the most basic V8 swaps a guy can do.

Auto 1UZFE: If you like auto transmissions, then the A341 lockup converter 4 speed overdrive is a VERY good option. This setup may not be as playful but it is bar none the least expensive.
Please note that trying to squeeze more power out of the 1UZ can be done, but why would you when its so much more expensive to do than any domestic engine.

Please note that when you upgrade to V8 torque, the rear end of your drive train is going to suffer, expect breakage or upgrade before it happens.
So along with a V8 I'll have to get a new rear end put in? Great. I'm completely lost when it comes to rear ends. Lol I really live a manual and I'd love to upgrade to a 6 speed cuz a 5 speed just won't cut it for me on the way. Just a personal preference when it comes to transmissions.
 
#18 ·
Alright thanks man! Yeah when it comes to suspension and brakes, it is definitely something I know that needs to get replaced. I just don't think that my engine will be able to last long enough for me to save up for suspension and brakes then an engine and tranny which is why I'm opting to go engine and tranny first, then suspension and brakes cuz I'm so used to babying this thing that after I get the swap done, I can wait a little longer taking it easy so I don't break anything then really be screwed.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I think that the previously posted LS3 engine weight is way too much, The GMPP Catalog lists the weight of the LS3 crate engine at 415 pounds, that includes all accessories, and flywheel-not sure if exhaust mani's were included. I've "read" an LS3 sans accessories is about 357 lbs.
I don't know what an 1j weighs, but the 2jzgte with twins is about 600 lbs loaded.
 
#22 ·
I've only got about 6 weeks of daily driving my 84 with 1uz swap.
I really enjoy the low end torque of a v8!
so my vote is LS
 
#23 ·
Not sure on the original engine in the car and the swap over but assuming wiring is involved. At that rate you might as well go LS. for as cheap as you can get a junkyard setup and the stand alone wiring harnesses now, its pretty simple. Fire up some motor mounts and the rest is easy. The aluminum LS motors weigh less and anybody looking for more power should be conscious of the suspension so a coil spring weight change should be quite simple at that point.
 
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