the 4th gen 3s....(aka st215), people dont seem to like it much? Options

[easternpiro1]

ive been researching about the 215 swap that the good DR will be putting in for me and ive gotten alot of good advice, what i dont understand fully is how can the st215 be so different from the 185 and the 205? i was told looking for replacement parts would be a NIGHTMARE if at all possible, but the engine is mostly identical to an st185 and 205. im confused, someone please clear this up for me and provide more insight!

This post has been edited by easternpiro1: Aug 24, 2006 - 6:20 PM

[Dr_Tweak]

We went with the ST215 for a few reasons. For one, the supplier I went with had an ST185 and an ST215 in stock... no ST205. The ST215 was on special for only $300 more than the ST185, so I though, hey, for 35hp more, and an engine that's at LEAST 6 years newer, better turbo, MAP-sensored, etc, might as well go for it, so that's what I recommended to easternpiro.

The whole argument of "OMG LOL PArTs are GoInG to Be sO harD To FiND it's GonNa be a NiGtmAre LOL!!!11" is purely speculation. (Just for the record, I'm referring to threads in times past, not to anyone in this particular thread). There are a few things that are different from the USDM 3SGTEs that we know of. DLS ignition which means no coil, ignitor, or wires, different shaped intake manifold, and different exhaust manifold/turbo setup. Other than that, I can't see that Toyota would have made any changes to speak of when it comes to the timing belt, water pump, etc. It's STILL a 3SGTE, it's just a newer version of it.

And what a lot of people have said about the ST215 not being "worth the money" since you can get 260hp out of an ST185 with "a few bolt-ons" isn't really an issue here, since we only paid $300 more for this engine set. And it comes with a better turbo, larger injectors, and no pesky AFM, so it's got plenty of potential.

Lastly, the biggest obstacle to overcome with this swap is the wiring, and everyone is probably on-track saying that it's going to be quite a bit more difficult than a typical ST185 swap. Thankfully though, I'll be doing the wiring, so that's nothing to worry about!

Cheers!

This post has been edited by Dr_Tweak: Aug 24, 2006 - 9:44 PM