frisps 3vz-fe conversion by Woodsport Options

[frisp]

OK posted a teaser in another thread. I've chosen a great crew to do the swap as I no longer have the facilities to do this myself.


Woodsport are well reknowned for their MR2 work in the UK. Paul, the boss, wanted to try a Celica conversion.

So, without further ado, here we go..........


V6 Conversion by Paul Woods of Woodsport

Anyone wanting to watch live can do so HERE. User: woodsport pass:tv



On arrival.



The "old" engine.

Spare battery was a little on the short side, so, not being heightist, I gave it a little help =))



Making way for a good clean & a V6



Stripped ready for detailing, new gaskets, etc.



Heads ported to improve flow & BHP. Should be worth around 25-30 horsepower >:)

Update



Heads & cams refitted

As an Irish comedian once said, "and there's more"

From the engine maestro Paul Woods-

well today was full of cleaning,priming,shotblasting and painting parts..... here are the major components all mocked up on the engine,i still have a lot of stuff to fit before this all goes on for good.....

Yesterdays update (I was working then off on the falling down juice )









That's the engine 95% completed. Not long to wait for the fitting

Was watching the Fidanza flywheel & new clutch being fitted today, as well as a VERY shiney gearbox

Todays update

Fidanza flywheel and new clutch fitted.


Gearbox also had a makeover... check out the gold blingy clutch slave cylinder


Then the box was bolted to the engine... bubble wrap on top to protect the paintwork....


Next job was the driveshaft fitment,this was one of the obstacles with the celica conversion,the old carrier bracket wont bolt up to the V6 block,and the V6 carrier bracket doesn't line up with the NA output hole,it only lines up with turbo boxes....

SO...... Paul had to make an axle carrier bracket from scratch. He started by making a flat plate that bolts to the block....


Then a plate is cut that fits the driveshaft bearing carrier....


Then its given a top hat bracing piece and seam welded....


And here is the completed mount back on the engine painted silver, (Paul thinks it's a wasted effort though as nobodys ever going to see it)



And for todays episode......

Fabricating the engine mount....

First thing to do was make the drivers side engine mount,for this its simply a piece of 5mm thick plate with four holes drilled in it in the right places,two for the v6 engine platform and two for the celica mount,problem is though that part of the celica mount interferes with one of the v6 mount holes,so we need to chop that area of the mount away....


The mount is then bolted to the bar and also given seam welding to both sides to make up for the area Paul chopped out,it would probably be fine on just the bolts but Paul wanted extra security.Now before you all scream athat the celica mount part is cast,he knows this.... and it will weld if you do it right,lets just say the added welded areas on it make him/me feel better about the mount than just having two bolts on it.


Here's that mount fitted....


Oops how did that get there....






It was tight going in but no harder than a v6 mr2 install really.The real fun starts now connecting it up! Paul's already had to move a power steering pipe out of the way and grind a small section of the radiator fan cowling away to clear the exhaust manifold.....


Oh, more bling too....... =))


Today was about starting to connect stuff up, Paul got the alternator fitted,and it slightly fouls on the relay box,so that will be moved forward so that it has no chance of ever coming into contact with it....


Sorted out the radiator hoses too.... pretty easy.


In this pic Paul's done heater hoses,mounted the coilpack/amplifier and joined the fuel feed and return lines....


The gear selector cables are also refitted along with the hydraulic line,thats just the same as the old engine set up though.
Some stuff just plug n plays though,like the brake servo line here,same as before...


Paul has also taken the liberty of filling the front and rear torque mounts with polyurethane,they look a little weedy to him and the v6 is going to ask a lot more of them than the 3sge did,so poly filling them will make them more resistant.
Shouldnt be long now before it gets wired up! B-)

More & more

Todays work.

Today was full of a million little jobs,too many to mention! but here are the highlights..... Paul had to extend the throttle cable,there was no way on earth it was ever going to reach the throttle body the conventional way,so he made an adapter piece that joins the old celica cable onto a section of camry shifter cable ,its circled red below.... also got lots of vac hoses and the idle bypass hose fitted among other things.


Also the intake system is fitted, he made brackets to hold all of that so its supported....


Here's an overview of what it looks like now...



Next on the list is the exhaust and spaghetti,which is Pauls' favourite bit.

OK update time. There was a small delay due to Paul running out of exhaust piping.

Time to pick this back up where we left off... Paul's exhausted,quite literally! It took a full day of exhaust mods to get the v6 downpipes to clear the subframes and eliminate the Y pipe.....


Also to make the rest of the system line up properly with the V6 pipe, Paul unbolted this middle section, flipped it 180 and bolted it back on.... it now lines up with the V6 downpipe exit...


This is the new intermediate section that Paul's made, this goes between the V6 downpipes and the rest of the system, still needs some VHT paint....



Update time

We are at the spaghetti stage.... there was a bit of wiring up to do at the engine bay fusebox, a lot trickier than the MR2's Pauls used to doing but he sussed it out...


The majority of the spag is here in the passenger footwell, though, it's cramped and poorly lit, so its taking longer, plus Paul's not as young as he used to be =))



With any luck this will be firing up sometime tomorrow all being well. Paul's also fully documented every wire connection to be made for the home v6 builders, he's nice like that

[flash width=425 height=344]http://www.youtube.com/v/WAD5zWniiB8&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

She lives >:)

Can't really hear the exhaust note over the induction kit though
(taken on Pauls phone so not the best quality either )

.

You tube of her running.


taken via crap camera phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAD5zWniiB8

This post has been edited by frisp: Jul 28, 2008 - 3:31 PM

[shortydragon]

dude, when that gets done, it's gonna be so sick! U make me wanna do a v6 swap now!

[frisp]

Do it. Paul is making a wiring guide for anyone attempting the swap

[JDM_Factory]

AWESOME! I love his work, wasn't he working on a awd conversion too? or was that Sea2sky. Well I hope to see a video of it on the street when it is done.

Cheers!

[njccmd2002]

what gearbox are you using and who donated the v6, a camry or avalon?

[frisp]

gearbox is standard S54. Engine is from a Camry, UK spec.

[CelicaST_CALI]

This post has been edited by CelicaST_CALI: Jul 27, 2008 - 11:00 PM

[Batman722]

I've followed this on the ccuk, I'm glad there's a condensed version on here

looking good

why did you stick with the s54 ? why not upgrade to the V6 tranny (e153) which is has better gearing and is better suited to the power of that motor ?

[frisp]

Availability for one. It will be going back for a LSD and longer 5th gear at a later date though

[DEATH]

Damn that's nice. For those of us addicted to boost - imagine the possibilities
Would you have had the axle carrier issue had you used the E-153? I think those of us in the states who are contemplating this can source the e-153 probably easier than just the motor itself.

[frisp]

Not sure about the carrier issue, if we'd gone for the E153, it would have needed hybrid shafts I think.

The reason for a new carrier (missed in the build pics, will add back in) was because the Celica one will not bolt to the V6 block.

Paul actually recommends the S54, longer 5th ration & Celica shafts for the MR2 as the best ratios/build in the MR2's.

Picking her up on Friday or Saturday, can't wait

[l19tly]

how much did this conversion set you back?

[frisp]

with all the work, bearing in mind this was an R&D swap (so cheaper than normal). Also quite a few extras Paul has done for me around $5900. That's a turnkey job too. Drop the car off, pick it up all done

[snapshotgt]

How did you choose the 3vz? I assume boosting plans?
I just ask because it's older and slower than the 1mz at stock value...

I would suggest going with an e153 tranny in the long run and saving the money spent on beefing up the 5s tranny.

[njccmd2002]

snap, you have the 1mz-fe

assuming you have the e-153?

Frisp why choose the 3vz vs 1mz

[snapshotgt]

snap, you have the 1mz-fe

assuming you have the e-153?

Yes, i have a 1mz with e153.

[Athorn]

That powder coating looks sick!

[frisp]

3VZ was picked for a variety of reasons.

Availability. Price, ease of conversion - OBD1. Also, due to a loophole in the UK MOT testing law, fitting of an older engine allows me to legally decat the car (more free horsepower )
Also looking to boost at a later date

[snapshotgt]

3VZ was picked for a variety of reasons.

Availability. Price, ease of conversion - OBD1. Also, due to a loophole in the UK MOT testing law, fitting of an older engine allows me to legally decat the car (more free horsepower )
Also looking to boost at a later date

Cool, welcome to the select club.

Not to jack your thread, but just want to post some info for USA people looking into this conversion since this thread will get a lot of traffic from USA owners:

Availably - Here in the USA, 1mz's are pretty easy to find, camry's and solara's = EVERYWHERE in the USA.
Price - Can be found in OBDI (like mine). Prices range, if you want a clip you'd be looking up to the price of a st205 clip. Just depends who you buy from and how careful you want them to be with parts/what exactly you want like fuel pump and randoms parts etc etc.
More power - For 1mz, boost is not an option like it is for 3vz, but superchargers are made.

[frisp]

Good info

Woodsport have also supercharged the 3VZ But getting the charger (TRD one for ease of install) means buying in from the US on the rare occasions the do come up, also, freaking expensive,