1996 Celica GT-S Engine Replacement Options (Camry?) Options

[chris14020]

As the title states, I'm looking for engine replacement options. I imported a 1996 Toyota Celica with a blown engine. The engine is DEFINITELY blown, there was no oil when I got it and it's locked right up. What are my options for swaps? I want to stick stock, and swap as easily as possible. I'd prefer just a 'pull the whole thing, drop in the whole thing' 1:1 swap if possible -- I know when I swapped my 1996 ST engine with a 1995 ST engine it was the absolute worst project - so damn many different things. I have a 1992 Celica GT that also has the 5S-FE in it; body's pretty rotten so it has to go soon anyhow, but good engine. Would that swap over okay, or would emissions make it a huge pain in the balls? I was also wondering if a Toyota Camry's engine would be a good option for a swap. Anyone done this yet, that might have some insight? Thanks!

[VavAlephVav]

The biggest difference is that 1990-1995 is ODBI and 1996+ is ODBII. But really most any 5sfe from a Celica or a Camry from 1990-1999 will work you just keep your original parts, like the distributor and intake, and bolt them to the new motor.

[chris14020]

The main issue I'm curious about is sensors (crankshaft sensor, for example) and EGR-related stuff. I noted that both of these were snags on my way through replacing my 1996 7AFE with a 1995 7AFE I had rebuilt.

[Box]

The 5S-FE was available in several variations each being distinguished by valve cover design. The first generation, introduced in the 1990–92 Celica GT/GT-S and MR2, had a power rating of 130 hp and 144 lbs-ft/torque. The second generation was introduced in 1993 with the fifth generation (ST184) Celica, and continued through the sixth generation (ST204) Celica. The second generation was also used in the MR2 (SW21) and Camry/Scepter (XV10) series and had a power output of 135 hp and 145 lbs-ft/torque. It had slightly less aggressive cams, no cold start injector, a knock sensor, and more aggressive tuning to give it slightly more power. In states that had adopted California emission standards the 5S-FE was rated at 130 hp and 145 lbs-ft/torque due mainly to emission equipment used to meet those emission regulations. The third generation was the last 5S-FE engine produced and was used in the 1997–01 Camry XV20 and 1999–01 Camry Solara; however, from 1996 onward, the engine received a crank angle sensor instead of a cam angle sensor for a smoother idle. From 1997 to 1999 the engine produced 133 hp at 5,200 rpm and 147 lbs-ft/torque at 4,400 rpm. From 2000 to 2001, the engine received modest improvements to increase power output to 136 hp at 5,200 rpm and 150 lbs-ft/torque at 4,400 rpm. The 5S-FE was replaced in all applications by the 2.4 L 2AZ-FE.

California specification 1994-1996 5S-FEs in the Celica and Camry used air-assisted, 250 cc injectors, and sequential fuel injection for reduced emissions over the grouped (2+2) firing scheme. The 1994-1995 MR2 did not receive this change, nor did Camrys/Celicas in federal emissions states.

Camry 5S-FEs have a counter-rotating balance shaft assembly to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. They reduce the 2nd order vibrations common to 4-cylinder engines by spinning at double the crankshaft speed. The 1994-1999 Celica and 1991-1995 MR2 5S-FEs lack these balance shafts, so any 5S-FE engine with balance shafts likely came from a Camry.

In 1997, for the fourth generation Camry, the 5S-FE was updated for the last time. This engine received a direct ignition system with external camshaft and crankshaft sensors. This system used a waste-spark design, and the coils had integrated igniters. The engine did not use a typical coil-on-plug design, but rather two coil+igniter assemblies mounted near cylinder four, and provided spark via normal high-tension cords (spark plug wires). This change means that the 1997-01 Camry 5S-FE has a blocked off distributor mounting hole and could be used with older 5S-FEs without swapping cylinder heads.

The 1997-99 Camry 5S-FE continued with the air-assisted, 250 cc injectors. The Camry 5S-FE also had a factory 4-to-1 exhaust design - in Federal form, it had no pre-catalyst, although the California version did replace the collector design of the Federal version with a warm-up pre-catalyst for reduced cold start emissions.

For 2000 Toyota removed the air-assisted injectors and moved to superfine atomization (~50 micrometers), 12-hole, 235 cc injectors made by Denso. They are of a different design, and required a change in the cylinder head casting.

For 2001 Toyota started fitting factory MLS (multi-layer steel) head gaskets and other metal gaskets layered with Viton to engines, including the 5S-FE. MLS head gaskets require cylinder head and cylinder block resurfacing on older engines to ensure proper sealing; consequently, the MLS head gasket did not supersede the old composite head gasket.

The 1994-99 Celica 5S-FE was not updated with these changes, and continued to use a distributor and the older electronic control system and injectors. Any used engine marked as a 1997-01 Camry 5S-FE with a distributor is a Celica 5S-FE or older Camry 5S-FE.

[Tool875]

So what's the best camry engine to use in a 99 celica for someone who doesn't have the knowledge to change much. I really just wanna use the same engine as I bought the 99 with a blown engine but I am having trouble locating one for my year.

[Smaay]

put a V6 in there

[njccmd2002]

2gr

[trdproven]

stock wise, if you got a 96, just use an OBDII camry engine. but make sure you don't get the COP version since yours is distributor.

[Tool875]

Do You need to use the oil pan and oil pump out of a celica or the camry engine if you use a camry engine? I bought an engine with 100k on it from a camry bit can't find someone to tell me what I need to use off which car.

[VavAlephVav]

The motor itself is the same thing, it will mostly drop right in. There are some later model Camry that have a coil pack instead of a distributor, all you would have to do is put the distributor on it the motor itself is almost exactly the same. You don't need to worry about internal stuff like the oil pump.

Mine originally had a Camry motor in it when I got it and there was a little chunk of the cowl that covers the oil pan cut away to make it fit or something. So it may look a little different but there is no need to modify the oil pan itself.

It's one of those things I USED to have a picture of on this site until we got hosed by photobucket.

This post has been edited by VavAlephVav: Jul 30, 2017 - 9:55 AM

[Tool875]

Thanks that helps a lot lol. Last question do you need to remove the balancers that help remove the vibrations or can you you leave those in without issue?

[VavAlephVav]

The Celica model does not have them. but there's no need to remove them.
The 2.2 is a stroker and so it inherently idles rough, they put those on the Camry to make it idle a bit smoother.
Maybe they add to the inertia of the crank slightly and might cost just a second of acceleration ? /shrug

[slavie]

It would be easiest to strip the manifolds and wiring harness, and replace just the long block, if you want it to work right. If you want it to be exactly like the one in celica, need to strip all the way down to long block.

Exhaust manifold is different.
Intake manifold may be different, depending on year.
As mentioned, Camry has balance shafts, so the oil pan is different. You can remove the bal shafts to save weight (it's a heavy piece of scrap) and increase oil pressure slightly.
Celica has oil cooler. Some earlier Camry do as well, but 97+ do not.
Wiring is of course different.
Valve cover is different vs newer camry's at least. Throttle body, too.

If you leave Camry TPS, IACV, and other sensors, it may or may not work. Some sensors are interchangeable, some may be not. Depends on how much work you put up front vs how much you want to risk having to chase tails later.

I'd just strip it to long block, which are identical, and rebuild with all Celica parts. Guaranteed no issues now or later (with replacement parts and having to remember which part is from which vehicle).

[Tool875]

Thanks that helps a lot lol. Last question do you need to remove the balancers that help remove the vibrations or can you you leave those in without issue?

[VavAlephVav]

The celica model doesn't have them. It will just seem like it idles rough, but that is normal.

[brandon702bmx]

In my personal experience, guy the current 5S block you have (I.e. Oil cooler, water sensor housing, etc...) and put them on your current block. I pulled an engine from a Camry I'm 100% sure and I just scavenged the outer pieces of the block, installed the wiring, and it was basically plug and play. Good luck.