1mzfe swap..., tranny crossmember Options

[celicasteve]

Hi all, first post here.

i have been researching about putting the v6 from a solara into my 1994 stx.
i have a shop tha specializes in toyotas that is willing to do the labor for $1500 inculidng some fab.
Im going to gather all of the parts, including engine and trans. out of all the research that i have done to use the solara trans i need the st205 mounts (im not positive) so i would need the crossmember also? Or will a gt member and mounts work? Also shifter cables? i would need the st205 cables also. I have all of the part numbers for the mounts and cables (st205) so i don't need those ( the search function works great

now i know of 2 celicas running a v6, one a 5th gen gt with a 1mzfe, had to lower the engine 3ins to make it fit under hood, and the other is a alltrac that has the 3mzfe (yes a v6 alltrac that he kept the all wheel drive!)
http://celicatech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15984

i don't think this has been attempted in a 6th gen at all, so it would be nice to be the first

if you have any useful info it would be greatly appreciated. Also if another tranny that is easier to install is avialible would be great!

Thanks
Steve

[presure2]

steve, i believe there are a couple members here currently doing this swap..im sure theyll chime in here soon.

[Clipsetuner]

The Search button and you should become friends, there are 3 threads about the subject matter, that answer's basicly all qeustions.

Other Engine Swaps

Progress on V6 swaps

1MZ shopping list

DTE

[burneeed]

ok... as far as the solara tranny goes and the cross member. You can use the same one theres no need to change that. That tranny is pretty much the same design as the mr2 turbo tranny so for a converstion you can follow the guide on how to swap trannys. Mounts are prolly the most painful part of it. I have done the tranny swap on my gt and it was not easy heres what I did.

Converted to fwd... but yours is already setup for that.
Front Gt tranny mount in the front under the rad that will work.
The mount that goes on the top of the tranny you will have to combine the GT tranny mount + A Mr2 turbo tranny mount.
Now the rear is the hardest you will have to make a mount for this. I looked at about 300 different mounts at advance before I found something I liked. Then I had to get 2 peices welded for each side of the rear mount to connect to.
GT shifter cables will work with that tranny. Mine had to be modified to work with 4th gear.
Make absolute sure that you pick up the bracket that bolts to the block that holds the carrier bearing. Along with the snap ring that goes inside. Other wise its not going to hold your axles.
As far as axles goes. Go to mr2oc and see about getting mr2 inners. Get 2 sets of them. So you can put one set in and take the other set power saw off the one end and make a spacer. So you can make an extention otherwise your axles are going to fall out. Then make sure you get etiheri st185 axles or Camry v6 axles. And you should be good.

Atleast I think I covered everything?

[celicasteve]

K not alot of info...(i read those but i just didn't put 2 and 2 together)
Looks like you can use a stock gt trans and such..but do i want to? i guess i can always upgrade to a mr2 lsd tranny if one ever rolls around.

Im going to start to hunt down some yards for a gt i guess.

Any more info would be great, i just want to have everything that is needed so there is no problems, im going to have to use my '93 silvia for my girl to drive as a daily until this is done.

Steve

[celicasteve]

your post wasn't there when i started mine! lol

So will the st crossmember work or do i need a gt..will a st205 member solve the rear mount?

thanks!

Steve

[burneeed]

yes the st205 cross member will..... but where are you going to find one of those at? Good luck your better off making mounts or getting the shop to make them. That motor puts out to much power for the gt .... especially low end torque you would destroy the gt tranny easily. E153(mr2 turbo trans / Solara / camry trans) Is the best tranny to use other wise you wil waste your money buying a different clutch / pressure plate setup for the gt tranny. And when that breaks you will have to buy another PP and clutch for that tranny whenever the gt one breaks. Along with how much its going to cost for converstion parts + The amount of time it will take. To make a E153 work with your car.

[celicasteve]

yes the st205 cross member will..... but where are you going to find one of those at? Good luck your better off making mounts or getting the shop to make them. That motor puts out to much power for the gt .... especially low end torque you would destroy the gt tranny easily. E153(mr2 turbo trans / Solara / camry trans) Is the best tranny to use other wise you wil waste your money buying a different clutch / pressure plate setup for the gt tranny. And when that breaks you will have to buy another PP and clutch for that tranny whenever the gt one breaks. Along with how much its going to cost for converstion parts + The amount of time it will take. To make a E153 work with your car.

Exactley what i wanted to know!!! Thanks alot. There has to be people that buy a front clip that use a stock tranny....And the only other thing im seeing as for mounts is a front mount, which would have to be changed anyways on the st..

thanks
Steve

[burneeed]

ok you need that cross member... yah it will work but there really rare and chances are your prolly not going to find it many places. I talked to eggman last week he said the mounts he used were st205 tranny mounts. He ordered them from toyota. He had a part # and they came in it worked. But like I said before.

Front mount use the GT Mount
top Combine Both mr2 turbo and GT Mount
Back your going to have to make.

[K-ESD]

steve, i believe there are a couple members here currently doing this swap..im sure theyll chime in here soon.

i'm one of them. still trying to find major parts
i have no further updates in R&D at this point

[K-ESD]

and steve, the v6 alltrac is a 3VZFE (3.0L) , totaly diffrent from a 3MZFE (3.3L)

please take a look at these articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_VZ_engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_MZ_engine

this swap is something very involved, you have to make alot R&D before you can attempt this, even if it's done by a shop.

if you are serious about it, I highly recommend you visit this:
http://www.mr2oc.com/ and read everything in the v6 section
the foundation for the swap is in there

[celicasteve]

thanks didn't know the difference. now why wouldn't you want to use the 2mzfe? seems like a higher revving engine with the same hp...

Steve

[K-ESD]

you're welcome

the 2mzfe is very rare, i have yet to encounter evidence of it's existance
also the 3MZ is much better than it's precedestors both the 1MZ and 2MZ, it is only harder to install due to it's complex/diffrent systems (intake, vvti, immobilizer, returnless fuel, etc...) lots of options when dealing with this engine.

the MZ engines are more for daily driver who wants a decent amount of power and at the same time keep maintnance cost (reliability) and opperation costs (gas prices) to a acceptable low.

the VZ engines are perfect for high HP applications where big fat turbos and nitrous can be iused. they are overbuilt for their stock applications (trucks., suvs, older camrys, etc...)

This post has been edited by K-ESD: May 21, 2006 - 8:49 PM