Which engine swap would you do? I am swapping engines and want to explore before I buy!

OK...lets have some fun. Money is no object up till 20k. Project would need to include Engine, Rebuild of engine, and Trans with adaption plates....

I am THINKING, this upcoming winter I will put a 4.7L 2UZ V8 with a SuperCharger mated to an adapted R154 Supra Trans(due to power concerns with the W55 5 Speed I have now).

I want to retain 4WD. Any other ideas?

Here is the truck.

https://www.4runners.com/threads/1998-sr5-rebuild-on-going-project.44595/#post-718577

 

Are you doing it or having a shop? I'd be having the conversation with a good engine/machine shop. But I love your passion and willingness. Shout out to you for doing this.

 

LSA and ZF 8 speed if it were me but probably out of the budget.

 

My vote for N/A 4.7L VVT 2UZ-FE V8 if the space allows. If not a N/A 4L V6 1GR-FE with DVVT.

 

I’m no fun but since I know little about engine swaps I’d be worried about packaging first. I’d look at tossing in a more modern four-cylinder to compensate and hopefully eke out some minor gains in both efficiency and power.

But I also don’t know what’s would make for less work hooking up gauges and whatnot - or if it’ll be all the same.

 

V8 with a supercharger is a killer combo. I drove a tundra the other day with a maggie...and Holly $hit that thing could go. I was impressed. .

 

I would most likely use a stand-alone ECU to make life simple, and just get a digital gauge cluster (AKA a tablet gauge size behind the dash) to display speed and the likes. 4 Cylinder is too little. I have a v6 Now, that would be a downgrade.

Gas mileage is not going to be terrible. I will gear for it. Im not looking to save the planet with this vehicle, that's what my gas sipping daily is for.

 

AGREED.

I will most likely take it to a shop. I am in Chicago, so I am confident a shop near me could handle the job. I am a believer in letting true professionals do something that I could not do as well. I did an STi conversion to a 2.5RS Impreza 10 years ago and it was great, but it took 12 years of gathering knowledge to figure out all the nuances of that swap. I know I could do it, given the knowledge, which I just got into 4Runners a year ago, and am just getting my feet wet.

 

If you want easy, and functional, and virtually bulletproof, start looking for a 2007-2009 Tacoma or 4Runner with the 1GR-FE 4.0 engine, trans, and if you can find a TRD Supercharger super score. If not you can buy the magnuson supercharger for them which is the same as the TRD Supercharger. If you can find a dealer with one of the old panasonic work books that still has the dealer supplied ECU reflashes for the ECU in the 1GR-FE trucks you will be in a double super score. If not you can have the OTT (Overland Taylor Tuning) do tuning to the stock ECU.

Why i think this is the best setup to run
1) its virtually bulletproof and it works
2) it fits in your engine bay without anything crazy
3) it makes twice the power as your OEM 3vz-fe engine with the old TRD Supercharger
4) its intercooled which fixes the high intake air temp problems of the 3vz-fe TRD supercharger
5) the Toyota TRD ECU tuning was flat out phenomenal and absolutely worked. The trans shifting was perfect, the towing was awesome, pulling, burnouts, drag racing, you could beat on it all day every day and it was a freakin animal
6) work in a set of doug thorley long tubes, and an upper pulley, and the OTT tune and you have yourself a 300-310whp animal that is freakin reliable as hell.
7) it uses the same basic transmission you have now, and will allow you to retain 4wd

Why you SHOULD NOT try to do the 2UZ-FE combo
1) the engine is uber reliable but isnt a fan of boost
2) lotta folks have lost engines running the TRD Supercharger
3) the powdered metal rods dont like boost
4) it costs a metric fortune to make the 2UZ-FE happy to have boost
5) the cost of building the engine to make the 2UZ-FE happy to have boost, would be about the cost of the whole 1GR-FE engine and trans and wiring harness combo and they are ready to go in stock form. I personally had my 2008 TRD supercharged tacoma with supporting mods at 330whp and drag raced it practically non stop its first 55,000 miles and towed a trailer with it for work almost daily for 6+ years. I sold it with 275,000 miles on it and it never gave me a minute of trouble. This engine and trans would take boost, take a beating, and it was / is reliable as hell.
6) the 2UZ-FE is quite large, with its massive fan you are likley going to have to run the radiator OUTSIDE the front of the radiator support. The 99 4R has a very short engine bay, i doubt you are fitting the 2UZ-FE in there easily. The 1GR-FE 4.0 v6 however would be a direct fit and you can buy them at junk yards with engine, trans, and wiring harness for like $2500. I saw one on marketplace the other day that was a direct pull out, it was a questionable junk yard and the engine was laying on its side but the engine harness and engine was listed for like $1300. You barely can buy a set of good rods for the 2UZ-FE for $1300