starting engine swap -3SGTE, some answers would help! Options

[duga10]

i have a few questions for the people in the know!

if i miss an important question to ask please reply with an answer, thankyou

car info:1994 celica gt with 5SFE, automatic, FWD



1.Power per dollar wich gen of the 3SGTE would be best? (i was thinking st215/st205)

2.if the engine is made for AWD how will my FWD handle that extra power?, is a conversion absolutly necesery?

3.I dont want to change it to a manual (if possible) will this result in power loss? if yes how much?, is there an automatic alternative? (Auto Gearbox from GT4?)

4.trouble spots to be wary of?, anything in particular

5.Reasonable price? ive found a 3SGTE with no gearbox for $4000 AUSD (australian dollars) good price?

any help would be greatly appreciated

[Digndoug]

Il be nice about it, SEARCH..

for real these questions have been awnsered a million times and are every where.

[jgreening]

1. If the 3rd gen (ST205) is available locally, I would go with that. In the U.S., I think the 2nd gen is a better choice due to parts availability.

2. AWD conversions are not easy and should not be pondered lightly. They take real fabrication skills and the tolerances to get them right are not high. As for a fwd 3sgte, there are plenty of us that have them and they are fun. Traction from a stop is an issue if you are driving for performance but, other than that, not bad. I recommend a LSD to reduce torque steer.

3. I know of no FWD auto transmission that bolts up to a 3sgte. It was mentioned as a posibility in a post by Kuya1284 about 16 months ago. You might want to search for that.

4. Its a finicky motor (for toyota). Maintenance issues WILL come up if you buy this motor but they can be resolved.

5. This is a question that is market dependent and I can't help you.

[Supersprynt]

It is NOT an AWD engine, the engine (2nd and 3rd gens) are both equipped in MR2 turbos, which are rear engine- rear will drive which is inherantly FWD but backwards.

If you dont want to change to a manual, then dont get a 3sgte. IMO if your going to do a 3s swap 1/2 asse dont do it. Auto is weak, you wont get the same power, you dont have the same gearing, or the same amount of gears.

[Drocay]

u could go with a caldina 215 auto transmission if you go allwheeldrive but even with that wiring will be a pain.

[MonsterBOX]

in a nutshell heres all u need.....mr2 front clip...time and money to do mr2 tranny conversion and engine in

This post has been edited by MonsterBOX: Apr 27, 2005 - 9:26 PM

[lagos]

in a nutshell heres all u need.....mr2 front clip...time and money to do mr2 tranny conversion and engine in
[right][snapback]279196[/snapback][/right]

i would never recomened an mr2 clip for anyone doing a celica swap for the 1st time.

[Supersprynt]

u could go with a caldina 215 auto transmission if you go allwheeldrive but even with that wiring will be a pain.
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[946thGenGT]

in a nutshell heres all u need.....mr2 front clip...time and money to do mr2 tranny conversion and engine in
[right][snapback]279196[/snapback][/right]

i would never recomened an mr2 clip for anyone doing a celica swap for the 1st time.
[right][snapback]279263[/snapback][/right]

... I especially wouldn't recommend an MR2 front clip.

[steve0178]

in a nutshell heres all u need.....mr2 front clip...time and money to do mr2 tranny conversion and engine in
[right][snapback]279196[/snapback][/right]

i would never recomened an mr2 clip for anyone doing a celica swap for the 1st time.
[right][snapback]279263[/snapback][/right]

... I especially wouldn't recommend an MR2 front clip.
[right][snapback]279301[/snapback][/right]

lol exactly what i was thinking

[CheesyLobster]

Why not mr2 clip? Becuase of wire extending? what else would need to be done?

[jayi12-15psi]

he said mr2 front clip, the engine is in the rear, so you would need the rear clip.

thats all he was saying

[CheesyLobster]

Why not mr2 clip? Becuase of wire extending? what else would need to be done?
[right][snapback]282245[/snapback][/right]

he said mr2 front clip, the engine is in the rear, so you would need the rear clip.

thats all he was saying
[right][snapback]282404[/snapback][/right]

Yeah of couse, I caught that. I mean what is the difference between swaping from an mr2 clip compared to a st185 or 205? Just wiring? Why are people so stuborn about geting a celica clip compared to an mr2 clip, when the mr2 clip come with the trany you need?

The question was dirrected at lagos' comment.

This post has been edited by CheesyLobster: May 4, 2005 - 5:27 PM

[Digndoug]

1.  If the 3rd gen (ST205) is available locally, I would go with that.  In the U.S., I think the 2nd gen is a better choice due to parts availability. 

2.  AWD conversions are not easy and should not be pondered lightly.  They take real fabrication skills and the tolerances to get them right are not high.  As for a fwd 3sgte, there are plenty of us that have them and they are fun.  Traction from a stop is an issue if you are driving for performance but, other than that, not bad.  I recommend a LSD to reduce torque steer.

Ok if the mr2 isnt recomened, what lsd is there to get??
Also do you think its worth getting the 185 just cause of avalible parts compared to hp gain?

[Consynx]

they reccommend buying a ST185 clip, swapping, and then later down the road getting the e153 w/ lsd

[jayi12-15psi]

Yeah of couse, I caught that. I mean what is the difference between swaping from an mr2 clip compared to a st185 or 205? Just wiring? Why are people so stuborn about geting a celica clip compared to an mr2 clip, when the mr2 clip come with the trany you need?

The question was dirrected at lagos' comment

my bad

[CheesyLobster]

Yeah of couse, I caught that. I mean what is the difference between swaping from an mr2 clip compared to a st185 or 205? Just wiring? Why are people so stuborn about geting a celica clip compared to an mr2 clip, when the mr2 clip come with the trany you need?

The question was dirrected at lagos' comment

my bad
[right][snapback]282633[/snapback][/right]

haha, no prob man.

But can anyone answer why st185>sw20?

[jayi12-15psi]

well, personally, I'd rather have the sw20, not for ease of swap, but because of the trans. as it stands, I'm planning a 3s swap within the next couple of months, and, I'm trying to debate which to get sw20 or st185. Because I'm still debating on swapping the trans.

[duga10]

i found a 96 GT-4 front clip from japan and should be geting the engine, but now my problem is the transmission.

are the transmissions alike? or do the differ to the engine.?

eg. if i get a st185 do all trannys fit that engine? this is the same question i want to to ask but with a st205?

[jgreening]

There are a lot of extra steps you have to do with a MR2 clip that you dont have to do with a Celica clip. Here is an incomplete list:

alternator bracket
tranny needs shifter module from the SAME YEAR GT4/Alltrac.
hole for rear mounted selector fork needs to be closed (welded shut)
tranny mount needs work
the wiring harness comes out the wrong side on a MR2 clip so needs to be rewired.
there is other stuff too but I am not recalling right now.

The good news is that you get the tranny with the clip.

If I had to do it over, I would buy the GT4 clip and get the solara V6 tranny. That is surely the easiest way for the do-it-yourselfer swapper.