Supra 2JZ-GTE or Lexus 1UZ-FE Engine swap?

Happy new year TW everyone!!

My 02’ 4 door 4wd with the 5vz-fe v6 is closing in on 300,000 miles and running strong. I’ve always loved the 5vz for its reliability but it lacks real power.
Eventually I want to do an engine swap because My perfect truck would have 400 hp and as much torque as possible while being supremely reliable

I love the shit out of this truck, it will continue to be my daily driver.

The two engine swaps options I like are the Supra 3.0 2JZ-GTE capable of producing more power than I would ever want.
And the Lexus 1UZ-FE 4.0 V8 That gives an extra 100 hp stock.

I like that the Lexus v8 is considered to be as reliable as the stock v6 while producing close to 300 hp stock.
The Supra 3.0 produces 329 stock but can be easily made to produce as much power as I would ever want

Graded on the following, which swap would y’all recommend, and why??

- Ability to maintain 4wd with stock IFS
- Cost of conversion
- Cost of engines and parts
- Reliability of engines with Max 500 hp
- Difficulty of swap

 

Easiest of the 2 I would think is a UZ engine from a tundra. Wiring is near identical with the excepting of a few de-pins.

 

So you want to more than double the horsepower but keep stock divetrain?

 

Yea this won't be reliable.

 

Following as we talk about this alot. Infact I have access to a 1uz if I want it. But the 2jz has a great deal of more go fast aftermarket parts available. Buy the V8 may be good enough all stock.
But couple considerations. I have not measured the overall lenght. If the fire wall needs to be moved in to accomidate the 6 cylinder and not modified for the V8, it might persuade me to use the V8, as I would rather not move the firewall.

In both cases the wiring will be the biggest challenge. You will need the original ecu or go stand alone which will probably need a dyno tune as the base map may not work.

Interesting to see what you decide on....

 

We all know neither swap is gonna happen anyways. Nobody serious is going to ask for everyone's opinion on which is better. Only the OP knows the answer to that after actual research has been done.

 

If you have several thousand dollars burning a hole in your pocket, do the GTE. The importers are asking $5,000-$7,000 for one with ECU and some wiring. The 2JZ-GTE came mated to the A340E on the auto variation, so in theory - you can bolt the 2JZ-GTE to an A340F to retain 4WD. Keep in mind a USDM GTE is extremely rare.

The UZ swap will be far cheaper and relatively easier due to it's shape and relative size to the 5VZ. @Timmah! did it on a 3rd Gen 4runner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fce7IgMTdKg&ab_channel=TimmyTheToolman

 

Well, I didn't really do it. I was the one that documented the swap and did help with some of the wrenching. The brains behind the operation was Mikey and Wes.

 

if you shit gold bricks ide probably do the 2jz. The v8 is probably the safer route.

 

2j is a rather expensive swap. Could always try finding an old gs300 and swapping that as a more affordable option?

 

How about just having your current motor hyped up, rebuild with performance cams, pistons, head work, ecu tune, exhaust, injectors etc. and have the less trouble of trans/driveline adaptors and ecu issues. Do they do a supercharger for this motor? Get one of them also.

 

The drivetrain would not stay stock.

 

Good info!

 

Ok then, no 2JZ if the engine alone in 5k +!

what about the Lexus 4.0 v8 1uz -vs- the tundra 4.7 2uz?
between those two options, what would be the easiest and most cost effective swap???

 

LS Swap. Aftermarket is much bigger, far cheaper, and you can actually put a tune on the OEM computer.

 

If this is your daily driver it may be difficult to have the down time required for a swap project you are thinking about...

For the easiest way to bolt on some power and keep reliability how about adding the supercharger just the way TRD wanted us too?!

https://www.lceperformance.com/Supercharger-Assembly-3-4L-5VZFE-p/7015249.htm

Not quite as much power (265 lb torque or so) but way more affordable and even better way less work and time. This is more like a swapping your intake manifold and just adding a pulley vs the countless tasks that will inevitably sneak up on you when you dive into such a complex project for the first time.

You can also modify from there and gain quite a bit more power down the road with other smaller mods of course such as pulleys, injectors, controllers, intake, exhaust, etc

Add this one to the cart and start down the path of more power TODAY!!

 

Is there a particular power (or torque) level where the front diff might become a weak link?

 

One of your requirements was "ability to maintain stock IFS"

I guess I assumed that meant keeping the stock IFS.

Sure, you could throw in some heavy duty CVs, but now the diff is the weak point, or maybe the hubs.

There's a reason most people doing v8 swaps also SAS. Throw some tons under there and you won't have to worry about anything.

 

Seeing as how people can break CVs etc... with a stock motor, I wouldn't image it's all that much higher than stock.

I'd say anything over what a supercharger puts out and you're probably asking for trouble.