87questkid Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Whats the most dependable, cost to power ratio, simplest to install engine swap.I travel to az from pa 3-5 times a year and would love to take the conquest but i feel the stock engine is not reliable enough. (Sry not trying to make anyone mad ) what would you swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87redcat Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) Although I have not swapped nor intend to (at this point) a chevy 350 would be a good all around for reliability and ease of access to parts. Just my 2 centsDave Edited March 12, 2014 by 87redcat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOHO Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 No swap is bolt in. And it really depends on your goals and your fabrication skills. 1j/2j and 302 would be "easiest" in my opinion because front sump and you can use the factory steering. Also Matt makes mounts that will drop in. You can use factory steering with some other small block options but require custom headers or work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87redcat Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 ^^^Good info there^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeph_tsi Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 No swap is bolt in. And it really depends on your goals and your fabrication skills. 1j/2j and 302 would be "easiest" in my opinion because front sump and you can use the factory steering. Also Matt makes mounts that will drop in. You can use factory steering with some other small block options but require custom headers or work. yep, my daily is a 1jz/r154 quest. The dropout is cheap and makes very good power stock, the only irritating problem for me is that I still haven't found a sway bar that fits it due to its larger oil pan. I think horsepower per dollar its better than the 2j, especially with parallel twins instead of sequential which is a much more simple setup. Now if you plan on more power I think the 2j is better but in stock form the power isn't much different and the 1j is a much more simple engine and turbo setup. I've put over 15k miles on mine and have had no problems, always starts and runs very reliably, even when it was -10. The only problem I've had is when its really cold (below 35ish) I think my intercooler works a little too well and my boost creeps to fuel cut (15psi) which could pretty easily be fixed. I prefer to keep mine stock for reliability and have loved it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malykaii Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you think your current setup was unreliable, what makes an engine swap any more reliable? I daily drive my starquest turbo swap montero. I use it as a work truck and log over 30 miles a day in strict stop go nyc traffic and stop/start the motor over 40 times a day. Its fine. Just saying that if you cant make your current setup reliable its not the cars fault. I fully encourage a nice swap and am more than happy to help if you were local... just know what your getting into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTTY Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 A 2.6 powered SQ makes for a great cross country freeway mile eating car when healthy and taken care of ,iv'e driven across the U.S in many different Starions and Conquests in the past years without one breakdown , it's like anything else if well maintained it'll be just fine and do it's job, as for swaps i'd go for either the Toyota 1jz or the 1uz Lexus/Toyota V8 , both readily available and cheaper than the much desired 2JZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOHO Posted March 12, 2014 Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Yeah I had 1jz before I swapped and loved it. Mikie has it nowadays its its screaming on a hx35...It also come with the r154 for a decent price. Definitely 1jz 1uz awesome engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasQuest Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 JZ fanboys....................................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malykaii Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 If anything... what I would do, and will do to my montero. Dsm swap. 4g64 wide block with a 4g63 top. About as bolt in as it gets. Keep it stock and its as reliable as anything else mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GINASQ Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Think the 302 would be the easiest. 1uz if you keeping it auto is probably right behind it. Making the 1uz a manual is where it gets expensive. I vote 302 for you though. A whole 302 and t5 together for $500 are plenty on Craigslist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 you guys for get these cars did the 1st 100k + miles with no problemwe got guys that have close to 300k on the oreg engine,if you engine is not reliable it's the owners fault not the car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeph_tsi Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 If anything... what I would do, and will do to my montero. Dsm swap. 4g64 wide block with a 4g63 top. About as bolt in as it gets. Keep it stock and its as reliable as anything else mentioned. This was something I considered before going jz... while it is relatively cheap, putting it all together isn't exactly easy, that g64 wideblock isn't exactly plentiful and assembling the dropout will take some time, finding all the right parts, machine work, etc... The part I was concerned about here is if something catastrophic happens replacing the engine won't happen too quickly and as I stated earlier my quest is my daily driver so if something bad happens I need to be back on the road asap. This is where I like the 1j, 800-1200 for new (used jdm) engine and you're back on the road. Think the 302 would be the easiest. 1uz if you keeping it auto is probably right behind it. Making the 1uz a manual is where it gets expensive. I vote 302 for you though. A whole 302 and t5 together for $500 are plenty on Craigslist. The 302 would be ok, I'd doubt the 500 dollar dropout is as common as you say, remember you will not only need the engine and trans but also the ecu, wiring harness and all accessories. Also the t5 I believe is a cable clutch (although I may be wrong here) so thats another hurdle. Plus the 302 in stock form would be lacking in hp for all of the hassle of swapping so then you would need to put more effort into modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 due to all the countless 302's i have out ran,, it's not my first choice for an engine swap beside $2k can put you into MPI and close to 300 HP , 300 HP is nothing to sneeze at Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeph_tsi Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 you guys for get these cars did the 1st 100k + miles with no problemwe got guys that have close to 300k on the oreg engine,if you engine is not reliable it's the owners fault not the car This is true, I also find the g54 to be reliable, my first went from 65k to 180k on original engine and turbo and only expected maintenance. I think many of the issues they have today are simple to fix, and with good maintenance they will run for as long as you take care of them, but as you push them for more hp the reliability goes down, its hard to make over 300hp reliably with the g54, not impossible, but difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeph_tsi Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 due to all the countless 302's i have out ran,, it's not my first choice for an engine swap yep, they are just too weak, definitely would need help in the hp department which would make the cost effectiveness drop as your hp goals rise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19cturbo Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 1jz... single turbo..... done.. haha.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malykaii Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Just thought about this. If you make frequent trips, you know your car will be down for 6months if you do a swap? Took me two weeks to swap from a stock montero to a starquest powered montero. Between waiting for parts and fabricating little things, it takes time. Mind you I was unemployed at the time.if I had a full time job it would have prob taken 2 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeph_tsi Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 6 months to swap a jz? Maybe a few years ago, but now you can buy the mounts and driveshaft, the wiring is cakewalk and there are some well documented swaps for guidance. I guess if you only have one free day per week it may take 6 months... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOHO Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Mikie and I did it in a weekend....It can be done. and I'll take my 420whp and 27mpg thank you....Stop promoting a g54b in a swap titled thread lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malykaii Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 What I mean is if you have the know how and done an engine swap of any sort before its not too bad. However some people I've met seem to think a swap is a weekend job and have never done anything close. Not uncommon to see half finished projects on Craig's list where people get in over their heads and bail. Like now that I have a feel for this, I prob can do my dsm swap someday in half the time it took me to go from g54b to turbo g54b. Just want the op to be prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19cturbo Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 done my swap in just a few weeks.... granted i had engine mounts already made and a driveshaft ready to go.. but the swap wasnt bad, if i had to make my own mounts add another day or so.. wiring is cake.. as far as the stock engine goes, i rebuilt mine to begin with.. then went MPI. I cut absolutely no corners on my build, new pistons, arp everything, block decked, head surfaced, rotating assembly balanced, everything was plastigauged and well within spec. brand new cam, lifters, timing components, balance shafts eliminated, the whole nine yards.. well, my block still cracked and that was the last G54B i built.. and i swapped the 1jz and i can say, ive never had more fun driving the car. Stock 1j swap was great. then i added the single turbo and it was even better.. once i up the boost im going to have a hard time not driving it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19cturbo Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 Mikie and I did it in a weekend....It can be done. and I'll take my 420whp and 27mpg thank you....Stop promoting a g54b in a swap titled thread lol. What I mean is if you have the know how and done an engine swap of any sort before its not too bad. However some people I've met seem to think a swap is a weekend job and have never done anything close. Not uncommon to see half finished projects on Craig's list where people get in over their heads and bail. Like now that I have a feel for this, I prob can do my dsm swap someday in half the time it took me to go from g54b to turbo g54b. Just want the op to be prepared. me and braden literally swapped his chassis and suspension in just 2 days.... We had a third hand with my little brother who done the suspension but is really not a mechanic or gear head, he likes to learn though so we let him do the petty things. Granted he had the engine mounts and drive shaft ready again, but i had to remake his tranny mount. we had to rework the front of the car for his new fan shroud, and make brackets for everything.. we done it in two days. all he had left was wiring, and some button up things but the swap was 90% done when i left.. If you have the ability it can be done.. If you are not mechanically inclined and have no fabrication skills, your going to have a bad time... If you are pretty mechanically inclined, and have decent fabrication skills, you wont have much of a hard time and can do it in a few weeks. Working alone, a month. Its all about your own ability.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screemin eagle Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 I have a 4g63 narrow swap in my car with a r154. Not worth it. I would say 302 would be best fit. If you notch the cross member they basicly will bolt in. A good running 302 will get between 20-25 mpg highway. A fms B cam and a set of gt40 irons and you will rape 90's of the cars on this board.Then the jz swaps next. Your gonna have to beat up the trans tunnel to get the tranny to fit though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted March 13, 2014 Report Share Posted March 13, 2014 i once did a quest TBI Raider to MPI in 2 days and owner drove 90 miles the evening of the 2'd day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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