2UZ-FE swap into 1GR-FE T4R

[colson3265]

Title says it all. I think I broke the internet trying to find out if anyone has done this before when an engine goes tits up (serious rod knock) I know anything is possible with $$$, but before we go there lets talk options.

Vehicle is a 2003 4Runner SR5 (vin says sport though)



1.) Why don't you just go to a salvage yard and pick up a running one. I live in the interior of Alaska. A quick search shows no 1GR-FEs in the state

2.) Why don't you buy one and ship it up. Not a bad idea. So far the average cost with shipping and core it $4000.

3.) Local rebuild is around $3500 and can go up.

4.) Buddy has a complete 2UZ-FE, and by complete I mean... Engine, Trans, Transfer case, harness, cluster and computers...cost to me for all of that $1000

So, I ask the experts (I am mainly a Land Cruiser guy and we swap stuff like diapers on babies) if they know of this even being basically a bolt in operation, if the engine and chassis harnesses are separate and interchangeable. Ideas, thoughts? :flamewar:

 

[colson3265]

The diagnosis part begins. Hopefully have it out and flipped over with the oil pan off by next Monday. Work and other things are slowing this down.

 

[NJshadow93]

I don't think anyone has done this because it makes zero sense financially and not worth the effort when you could just sell your current truck and buy another, or trade in and buy another with the V8.

However, seems like due to your situation, it might actually make sense to give it a shot. If you do, maybe you can document it and do a nice write up on here. It would help lots of people

 

[BlackWorksInc]

4.) Buddy has a complete 2UZ-FE, and by complete I mean... Engine, Trans, Transfer case, harness, cluster and computers...cost to me for all of that $1000

That's a smoking deal, its mostly cost prohibitive unless you can get the other items that need to go with the engine.

For that price it might not be a bad idea to experiment, what year is the engine/drivetrain, harness, ect. from?

 

[colson3265]

The 2UZ is out of an 05 Tundra. I would certainly be less hesitant if it came out of a 4Runner. It would almost be a gurantee that the 2UZ ECM harness and ecm would work.

 

[robtmc]

That's a smoking deal, its mostly cost prohibitive unless you can get the other items that need to go with the engine.

For that price it might not be a bad idea to experiment, what year is the engine/drivetrain, harness, ect. from?

Yeah, if I had the time and facilities to do it, I would give it a shot. After far too many hours looking at the schematics for both engines, I really wonder how much would not connect right up. Mechanical connection issues are another thing of course.

Sure looks like Toyota uses the VIN to control what the various ECU's do or do not. Swapping in the ECU that has the VIN programmed in might be the key. Dunno which ECU that is, BlackWorksInc might know.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I don't remember when we started VIN encoding the 4th Gen ECMs, my '04 does not record the VIN, but later models do.

 

[JB.]

Good luck with the project. This will be fun to follow.

Here's a link to a guy who swapped a V8 into his 3rd gen. Might be something of interest in there for you if you run into any snags.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/94282-v8-conversion.html

 

[colson3265]

I am not locked into doing the 2UZ swap yet. the telling moment will be when I pull the pan and look at the cylinder walls. If the block is shot, well this I guess the odds go up in favor of the swap. :wacko:

 

[colson3265]

Got word back from my engine builder today. He cannot get the head bolts out. From what I understand is that with an aluminum block and heads if things get to hot it can actually destroy the block.

Doing more research into the 2005 Tundra 2UZ my buddy has. Looks like I need to find out if engine mounts, crossembers, exhaust and what not from my 03 T4R will work with the tundra engine, trans and xfr case. After that it's the 05 tundra harness will work with the runners cluster or if the tundra one will work. Looks like this weekend I will go and get some pics and measurements of the 2UZ stuff.