Engine Weight

[Brendon Bosy]

My 92' SC400's engine is getting towards the end of its life and I'm looking at doing an engine swap. As such, I'm interested in getting a more fuel efficient engine. About anything beats 18 MPG city, 22 highway on premium! As muich as I love the sound of the V8, I'm more than willing to part with its thirsty appetite. The engines I'm looking at are the V6's from the GR family.

2GR-FE - From the Camry, ES350, and the Avalon (280 HP old SAE testing)

2GR-FSE - From the IS350 (315 HP old SAE testing)

4GR-FSE - From the IS250 (204 HP, about 210 HP based on old SAE testing)

My engine right now makes 250 HP, so these engines are within my power needs. I'm favoring the IS250, since it gets a commendable 24 MPG city, and 30 MPG highway. It can also take regular gas if I wanted it to. I saw one on eBay with only 6k miles on it and its only 200 miles from where I live. I'm just wondering how much each of them weighs as compared to my current 1UZ-FE engine (without VVT-i). Also, I'm wondering how much the SC300's engine weighs, the 2JZ-GE.

Thanks!

[smooth1]

My 92' SC400's engine is getting towards the end of its life and I'm looking at doing an engine swap. As such, I'm interested in getting a more fuel efficient engine. About anything beats 18 MPG city, 22 highway on premium! As muich as I love the sound of the V8, I'm more than willing to part with its thirsty appetite. The engines I'm looking at are the V6's from the GR family.

2GR-FE - From the Camry, ES350, and the Avalon (280 HP old SAE testing)

2GR-FSE - From the IS350 (315 HP old SAE testing)

4GR-FSE - From the IS250 (204 HP, about 210 HP based on old SAE testing)

My engine right now makes 250 HP, so these engines are within my power needs. I'm favoring the IS250, since it gets a commendable 24 MPG city, and 30 MPG highway. It can also take regular gas if I wanted it to. I saw one on eBay with only 6k miles on it and its only 200 miles from where I live. I'm just wondering how much each of them weighs as compared to my current 1UZ-FE engine (without VVT-i). Also, I'm wondering how much the SC300's engine weighs, the 2JZ-GE.

Thanks!

Have you already done the engine bay measurments and motor mounts? Not to mention your gonna need the transmission, and probably need to custom make a drive shaft. And isn't the 2GR-FE designed for front wheel drive, along with the tranny? That sounds like an interesting conversion, expensive also. Not to mention the motors you have listed are big $$$$$!!! I would think for a 92, you might consider the 2JZGTE aluminum block Supra motor. Inline 6 that produces more than enouph HP and no VVTi. You'll still need the rest of the drive train, and some custom work.

[Brendon Bosy]

The Lexus IS250 and IS350 are rear wheel drive, so I assumed that the GR engine family can be fitted for RWD. I'm sure I would need custom mounts to fit the engine in, as well as a tranny swap, but I assumed I would have enough space in the engine compartment. The 1st gen SC's hood is huge! The 4GR-FSE is only 2.5 liters. The one I'm looking at on eBay is only $3900. It's from an 06' and has only 6k miles on it. I would prefer to swap in a new engine, rather than some 15 year old one that's got 100k miles on it and probably needs to be retuned.

The only other option for my swap is to put in a newer UZ engine like the LS430/SC430's 3UZ-FE engine. It would be a near direct swap from my 1UZ-FE, but the problem is they are almost double the price for something of the same year and mileage.

[smooth1]

Well, I don't know what your background is, I mean mechanic, welder, engineer or what.

The 4GR-FSE your looking at with 9k miles on it? 4k for the motor, and you'll need the trannyand ECU.

The issue isn't about how much space you have in the engine compartment. this issue is where the motor mounts are located in relationship to the drivetrain lining up. For example, if the motor you looking at putting into the car is smaller than the stock motor, but in order to line up the tranny to the motor you have to raise the motor mounts and narrow them, the top of the motor could still stick right thru the hood. Your going to have to do alot measureing and research before you can just shove any motor in your car.

I will say that anything is possible though. If you have the expertise at welding and understand the dynamic torque that is exerted on the welds and metals, and you have the mechanical experience to change over all the neccassary issues, then you can put a chevy 350 small block in there if you want. But then it raises the question, if you do in fact have all that, then why not buy an engine block already made to fit, and then build your own motor the way you want it ( Better fuel mileage, or more hp) and then put it in. Dollars to sense should come out ahead.