swap or just turbo it?, what should i do? Options

[massbrandon]

ok if i was just to turbo my car which is an automatic how much of a difference would that make? ive never driven a turbod celica. the only one i drove was an srt4. since then i wanted to turbo my car. it wasnt until i found this site that i found about the swap. which one is cheaper? i want my car to be fast but im mechanically inclined. would my best bet be to have someone do the swap or turbo work for me?

This post has been edited by massbrandon: Apr 4, 2006 - 3:43 PM

[presure2]

brandon,
come down to the CSP meet on the 22nd, youll be able to go for rides in a few swaped cars, and my 5sfte, and see and feel for yourself what theyre all about.
the swap will be a little more $$ up front, but with the 5sfte, its an unproven thing. noone REALLY knows how long it will last.
im a firm believer that with modest boost levels, (7-10lbs) a good tune, and a solid build, the 5sfte can last a LONG time.
in the end, which ever you decide to do, your BEST bet is to continute to research, get out to the meets, start making friends here on the board, and youll learn more than you ever thought you could about the celica and turboing/3sgte...i know i have.

[massbrandon]

wow thanks manny. im definately coming on the 22nd. itll be my first one. did you(manny) do a swap or did you just turbo yours?

[urbandork]

brandon,
come down to the CSP meet on the 22nd, youll be able to go for rides in a few swaped cars, and my 5sfte, and see and feel for yourself what theyre all about.
the swap will be a little more $$ up front, but with the 5sfte, its an unproven thing. noone REALLY knows how long it will last.
im a firm believer that with modest boost levels, (7-10lbs) a good tune, and a solid build, the 5sfte can last a LONG time.
in the end, which ever you decide to do, your BEST bet is to continute to research, get out to the meets, start making friends here on the board, and youll learn more than you ever thought you could about the celica and turboing/3sgte...i know i have.

I second that with all of my heart

[massbrandon]

are there any places on the web where i should look for a 3sgte? and are there any places where i can just get the turbo? or should i just look on ebay

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

You're definately in the right hands if you're serious about making power in your Celica....theres lots of knowledge in the guys that have performed a swap or turboed. First you should be familiar with some basics of the power game that all of us guys face.

Some essentials to keep in mind for the 3SGTE motor swap is that you want to get a FULL front clip complete with the ECU, uncut harness, etc in the absolute best condition you can find for longevity purposes. This is a full front cut of a JDM ST185 Celica GT-4 and will give you all the little parts you need to make the swap run properly in your car. Without a complete clip, life will be much harder or yourself and just isn't a good starting point. From there you're going to need to convert your car to a 5 speed manual transmission using either the S54 trans found in the 6th generation GT or the E153 transmission thats found in the Camry, Solara, or MR2.....the latter of which will need to be converted for FWD use in your car. The automatic trans can't be used with that motor so you'd have to source one of the ones that I listed.
Heres a link to the stickies of all the info you need to know-
http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=28825

For the 5SFTE setup you'll be able to use your automatic transmission if you want. However its a good idea to either use an automatic transmission cooler or run only a lower boost level because you might fry it otherwise if the power becomes too much for it to handle. 5SFTE might not be a bad idea for you if you have a good stong motor in your 1999 GT, Manny aka presure2 started with a very strong low-mileage 5SFE out of a 1998 and its lasted a long time through alot of power. Anything is possible, its really just what your goals and ambitions are. Read alot of the 5SFTE stickies in the FI forum and you'll know everything you need to know- http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5574

To find parts or clips, you can always start here and check out what members are selling but EBay is a great place to look also. You might also want to look at Superior Trading International or Jarco, Inc. for a high quality motor.


Manny put it best though......come out to the meet in Rhode Island in a few weeks and you'll be able to scope out both options in person, and get a ride from the guys who have completed them both. Also you'll probably learn an immense deal just talking to everybody and getting a feel for what its all about.

Hope to see you there.


Corey