Engine Swap 2000 into a 1998

azcat90

azcat90

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Is it feasible to take a 5VZFE engine and transmission out of a 2000 4Runner Limited 4WD and put it into a 1998 4Runner Limited 4WD that has a blown 5VZFE?

Any changes Toyota made 98 to '00 that would complicate it?
 
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Leaving transmission alone

Good to know thanks - thought it might be simpler to swap transmission and engine together but OK. My son's 2000 has a rusted frame and I'm thinking of buying this 98 with a blown engine.
 
Seriously consider a JDM engine. You can get a 2004 JDM 5VZ from a Toyota Granvia.

I'm putting a 2004 into a 1997 right now.
 
I'm doing my head gasket right now and currently at the point of where the intake manifold and vacuum lines are. I peeked at my buddy's 00' 5VZFE and noticed that some vacuum lines/hoses may be different than my 97. Not 100% on this but fairly certain i saw some differences, especially in the back (hard to see) area of the intake manifold.

I'll try to find some pics online to show what i mean.
 
Whitson Metalworks said:
That sounds awesome, where could you find a jdm motor? EBay maybe?
Click to expand...

eBay is the last resort. Look around for a local importer. You really want to be able to take a look at the engine and ensure that it isn't full of sludge and doesn't look like it's been sitting around for 5 years.

All JDM sites will claim that they have "low miles" but the truth is that they're all really just the middle man and have no idea of engine history. They have no way of knowing if the engines they got have 25k miles or 250k miles. They literally get a shipping container full of engines. If you're lucky, it will be power washed before being sold.

A JDM engine IS a junk yard engine. It's just that it's from a junk yard in a country where people are forced to take good care of their cars due to a tough inspection and don't drive all that much because tolls are insane.

The Granvia engine will also need the oil cooler, oil pan and exhaust manifold from the 4Runner.

I'll see if I can post a detailed thread about my experience putting a JDM Granvia engine in as soon as I'm done.

Edit: Also the only way you can find out the year is by looking at the water pump. You'll be able to see a date stamp on it. You'll need to take off the top of the timing belt cover, the belt should look new as well. Also 2000+ have fins on one of the valve covers. (driver side IIRC)
 
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Any year 5VZ will work as long as you strip it down to the longblock and swap over the sensors/coolers/brackets/oil pan(if 2wd) from yours. I put in a 2wd motor from a van or something in my runner, just had to take the extra time to swap all the stuff over.

Another way to tell the year of the motor is check the date stamped on the plug wires. Granted they could be aftermarket or someone could have swapped them, Ill assume most people wont touch them if the motor is getting pulled at 50-60k
 
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agloukhoff said:
eBay is the last resort. Look around for a local importer. You really want to be able to take a look at the engine and ensure that it isn't full of sludge and doesn't look like it's been sitting around for 5 years.

All JDM sites will claim that they have "low miles" but the truth is that they're all really just the middle man and have no idea of engine history. They have no way of knowing if the engines they got have 25k miles or 250k miles. They literally get a shipping container full of engines. If you're lucky, it will be power washed before being sold.

A JDM engine IS a junk yard engine. It's just that it's from a junk yard in a country where people are forced to take good care of their cars due to a tough inspection and don't drive all that much because tolls are insane.

The Granvia engine will also need the oil cooler, oil pan and exhaust manifold from the 4Runner.

I'll see if I can post a detailed thread about my experience putting a JDM Granvia engine in as soon as I'm done.

Edit: Also the only way you can find out the year is by looking at the water pump. You'll be able to see a date stamp on it. You'll need to take off the top of the timing belt cover, the belt should look new as well. Also 2000+ have fins on one of the valve covers. (driver side IIRC)
Click to expand...

I must have a 2000 in my 96 then cuase I have fins on my cover
 
Thread went the opposite direction - I have the engine already

I have a 2000 4Runner with a rusted frame - I was considering putting its engine into a 1998 Limited that currently has a blown engine but the owner never emailed me back - I think it sold.
 
Wait

The throttle boties are different. And so is the wire harness.
The newer throttle bodie ie 2000 up have more electronics on them. And the 96 97 98 99 wire harness doesn't plug into the 2000 TB
 
BiggJerry said:
The throttle boties are different. And so is the wire harness.
The newer throttle bodie ie 2000 up have more electronics on them. And the 96 97 98 99 wire harness doesn't plug into the 2000 TB
Click to expand...

Correct. You reuse the original throttlebody, really entire upper inatke, and all wiring.
 
PitbullRescuer said:
I just put a 98 engine into my 00. No issues. Used everything from the 98 except the MAF and intake tube.
Click to expand...

I am doing the same swap. A 3.4 from a 98 into a 00 that had the 3.4. I pulled both engines with the wire harness still attached. The engine went in no problem and all connectors that had been unplugged from the 98 connected to the 00 with no problem. When I went to plug the harness back into the ECU behind the glovebox there was 4 connections instead of 5 and they had 4 rows of pins instead of 3. So, my question is, if I swap the harness on the 98 engine for the one that came in the 00, should it operate properly. All connectors from the t-case to the ECU are the same, the pigtails are just configured differently. I am brand new here so I hope I'm in the right thread and asking the right questions.
 
You also reuse your fuel injectors. Jdm fuel injectors are Mich smaller vs usdm. If you don't swap over, it will misfire.
 
I had a rod failure in my 98 SR5 4X4 3.4L, I did a swap with a 2001 JDM out of a Hiace van, this Spring. As has been mentioned, you're doing just a longblock swap. Everything from your old engine will have to be re-installed on the replacement, including the oil cooler... everything stays in the truck that isnt bolted to the engine. Expect a 2 weekend job as long as you get the tools/sockets required.

my experience: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/167172-my-engine-swap-progress.html
 
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