Engine Swap

[fendercontender]

Hey guys, just signed up for this site cuz I gunna need sum help with a HUGE project I'm about to start. I'll be receiving my black '05 3 dr echo hatch within a month. first thing goin in is a $2500 kicker sound system with lots of fiberglass. iv inquired about a killer bodykit found at carcept.com. hopefully that works out for me. interior i'll do myself, paint i'll do myself, now of course the only thing left is the engine. no im not made of money, but this will be a several year project, so little at a time. as most cars are! basically im going to leave the engine til last because i dont want to swap in a new one until all my warranties are expired. i'll build up an engine to put in 5 years from now or whenever i can. im willing to sink pretty much ALL my spare cash into this because its different, unique, and if it can impress, turn heads and snap necks then iv proved a LOT of people wrong that say its a ugly granny car. haha, i like a challenge and DONT like to follow the crowd (civics). so wats my best bet for an engine? just rebuild the same one with lots n lots of mods to squeek out as many horses as i can? someone already inquired about droppin a supra engine in a corolla, i cant see that happening. but maybe a celica GT engine? does anyone know how well that would work? of course i know its going to take a LOT of mods to get it to work no matter wat i put in. im not new at this. i helped install a blown 500 HP 350 chev in my cousins jeep yj, but he had a swap kit, and its not an import! so anyone know if a celica gt engine would b practical? any suggestions at all for my ride would be great! i hope to build the best canadian echo hatch iv ever seen. (which at the moment wouldnt take much). its gotta make people wonder wat it is by appearance, gotta blow them away with the sound system, but most importantly, it has to b backed up by sumthin that'll hurtle it across the line faster than most done up imports around the city. hope to get sum feedback, thanks guys!!!

[fendercontender]

just looking at some engines, maybe also the mr2 2.2 L from mid 90s? would i run into huge issues puttin a mid engine up front? thanks again!

[Razo-E]

the 2.2 from the MR2 is the same 2.2 from the Camry, Solara, and the Celica...

your best bet, is to just get a BLITZ supercharger for your engine so it'd run moderately, once you're though with everything else, and you learn more about engines and stuff, you can sell the S/C on eBAY, and finally perform the engine swap that you chose...

[fendercontender]

thanks, i'll find out wat those r worth. i can see doin that til i can do the swap, but "untill i learn more about engines"? thats not really an issue. i certainly dont know everything about them. but iv done a few rebuilds and a swap, although imports ARE new to me. im a hobby mechanic, wat i dont know i can learn. i have all the spare time in the world. plus i have 2 helpers who REALLY know their stuff. im renting a big 900 sq ft shop that iv got filled with every tool and piece of equipment id need so i gotta make use of it i'll look into that s/c though, didnt know anyone made one for the echo 1.5 L, thanks!

[fendercontender]

im not sure wat i was thinkin, how does a supercharger help me? that will definetly void all waranty. i dont want to do anythin that will void warranty until it is expired, i want to have lots of things ready to swap in as soon as it is though. so s/c wont work, as much as im droolin over that blitz one now any other suggestions?

[Wraith]

One engine ... 5E-FTE ( 5e-fe block, 4e-fte head, pistons, rods, wiring, harness, and ecu) ...
Please dont think you can install a 3s-gte , a 2jz-gte or a Big block chevy ... its just plain un-do-able...
If you post about anything else I'll lock this thread...

[fendercontender]

thanks! that helps alot, cuz like i said, i dont know toyota, or imports at all. im startin to learn toyota since im getting one, but im glad for all of u who can help so much. the 5E-FTE is the one i had pictured the most suitable, and probably the most available. i didnt know wat any of these engines were so i had to look them up haha, the 3S-GTE i think could b possible, but not worth the effort at all. the 2JZ-GTE and big-block? hahaha, i wish! yes i know, completely un-do-able. but not impossible, NOTHING is impossible. i just heard this mornin i get my echo next week, cant wait. i'll probably start lookin for a 5E-FTE to work on for the next few years with spare cash. thanks for ur help in identifying engines. why would u lock the thread if i post again?? thnx guys!

[Wraith]

Originally Posted by fendercontender

thanks! that helps alot, cuz like i said, i dont know toyota, or imports at all. im startin to learn toyota since im getting one, but im glad for all of u who can help so much. the 5E-FTE is the one i had pictured the most suitable, and probably the most available. i didnt know wat any of these engines were so i had to look them up haha, the 3S-GTE i think could b possible, but not worth the effort at all. the 2JZ-GTE and big-block? hahaha, i wish! yes i know, completely un-do-able. but not impossible, NOTHING is impossible. i just heard this mornin i get my echo next week, cant wait. i'll probably start lookin for a 5E-FTE to work on for the next few years with spare cash. thanks for ur help in identifying engines. why would u lock the thread if i post again?? thnx guys!

I'm one of the few people on this board that modifys Echos also...
I have a 2000 Echo sedan 4dr
most of my mods are suspension thought..

Mod list:
-Tein Super Street Coilovers 6kg all around but going to 7kg in the front and 8kg in the back ..
-Cusco Mid brace
-Cusco Camber Plates
-JIC front brace
-WhiteLines rear sway Bar
-DC Sport strut tower bar
-Do-Luck copy center floor brace
-TRD rear brace
-ELP Cold Air intake
-ELP Header
-1999 1ZZ-FE MRS injectors
-Apexi S-AFC
-Apexi EL 1 Tach
-Tom's 7.84lb flywheel
-Spec Stage II clutch
-Custom Earl's brake lines
-PBR front brake pads. will do a XB brake swap ...
-2.5" cat back exhaust
-Exhaust Tech Muffler ...sooon to be a Tanabe hyper Medallion
-Custom harness bar
-15"x7" 5Zigen Pro-Racer GN+ street use wrapped in 205/55-15 Yokohama ES100
-14"x7" Panasport Pro-Rally track use wrapped in 205/60-14 Toyo RA1's
-Sparco Evo 2 racing seat with custom rails
-Crow Enterprise 5 point harness
-XA passenger seat
-Razo brake and clutch pedal
-TRD Shift nob
-Momo shift boot

and the car uses nothing but Motul oil for motor oil and tranny oil ...

at the track :


in the streets: