JDM Engine Question

[dbekk]

All

Background:
I have a 1991 Camry with 161K miles. I recently repaired the suspension, air conditioner, new tires, new front brakes, brake lines, radio so I have invested some money in the last 6,000 miles.

I went on a 2500 mile trip out east and I burned though a quart of oil every fill up. When I got home I put in 20W50 and a friend took a 2000 mile trip. He only burned through a quart every 750+ miles.

I picked it up from his house and drove it 1/4 of a mile and it was very doggy then it stalled. I tried to start it again and it will not crank over.

The MI weather is close to freezing I wonder if the oil it too thick to crank it over,

Question:
I am looking at a JDM engine out of a 1991 camry engine is rare. There are many 3SFE, but are typically out of a Rav4. Obviously this will work but how much modification is requried (wires, mounts, ...)?
http://www.attarco.com/index.php?mai...products_id=92

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely

Dean

[91 Camry]

Negative.
That engine does not come with a wiring harness and I'm pretty sure your ECU wont work with it.
Secondly, 96+ engines are OBD2.

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by 91 Camry

Negative.
That engine does not come with a wiring harness and I'm pretty sure your ECU wont work with it.
Secondly, 96+ engines are OBD2.

'96+ US engines are OBD-II, but that's not true of the whole world...

I don't have a 100% answer to the original question though. I'm pretty sure you can make it work, as you would generally use the wiring, manifolds, etc. from your current motor on the new one. I think it has been done before, but I'm not sure.

-Charlie

[dem2757]

20W50 is too thick at that temp for our cars. try to get it to a garage or warm place and drain as much as possible. hopefully nothing got bent or locked up.

the engine should work with the addition of a new comp. might need a new tranny but this engine in a 91 would make it beefier ha

[Doctor J]

The Rav-4, Corona and Vista 3sfe "long block" will work assumming you are using your intake & exhaust the mount bracket holes are the same. One of our community members has such engine in his 87 wagon, with more power and 35 MPG freeway.
with negative cable removed from engine place 22 mm socket head on alternator pulley nut and turn the engine clockwise using 8-inch long ratchet handle. If you cannot do that the engine may be seized.

['88 All-Trac]

Heads are the same as far as manifold bolt patterns across all generations of S-block, F-series engines... In my experience. Don't dick around with another 3SFE, go find a 5SFE to drop in, reuse your stock intake/exhaust manifolds, and gain another ~30ft/lbs of torque. Trust me on this one.

A Rav4 engine will work just dandy... Just replace the intake/exhaust manifolds with yours and you're good to go. But a 5S will make you happier.

fwiw, we bought a JDM engine a couple years ago for our '91. I've put 15k miles on it (bringing it up to a supposed 75k max) and it has a rodknock from hell. Sure, it's a decent deal on a low-mileage engine, but you've got to remember that they've been sitting in a junkyard for nearly 20 years more often than not. That's no way to treat an engine.

[Brandondavis]

If you are going to the effort of putting in a jdm motor and are looking for power like I have explained over and over again get a 3sgte.BUt if you want to keep it stock with the 3sfe dont get a long block because it will be a pain in the ass ur better off getting a used engine and replacing all the gaskets and slamming it in there because the rav4 has a long block where as the 2nd gen camry only cam with the short block.

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by Brandondavis

If you are going to the effort of putting in a jdm motor and are looking for power like I have explained over and over again get a 3sgte.BUt if you want to keep it stock with the 3sfe dont get a long block because it will be a pain in the ass ur better off getting a used engine and replacing all the gaskets and slamming it in there because the rav4 has a long block where as the 2nd gen camry only cam with the short block.

Be careful with such advice until you have done it yourself.

And what the hell are you talking about with the Rav4 long block vs. Camry short block? A long block is a block with crank/rods/pistons plus head(s), a short block is just the engine block with crank/rods/pistons installed.

-Charlie

['88 All-Trac]

Short block is just the engine block; long block is a bare engine (block and head, no intake/exhaust)

A 5SFE swap is a drop-in deal. Reuse your stock manifolds. I was told about it here, did more research into it, and it's the route I'm going with my Gen 2 2wd.

A 3SGTE swap is more power, sure, but costs an order of magnitude more. A 5SFE swap can be done for just a few hundred dollars...

Edit: Charlie beat me to it, but that's because my internet died while trying to post. He's right, though... Just like with bigger engines, long vs. short block is essentially heads vs. no heads.

[Brandondavis]

Ok my bad for mis understanding but anyways, it was asking about jfk engines and if ur thinking power or even torgue they use a 3sgte in both the Ae86 corolla and the Mr2.if ur looking for reliability or a cheap simple swap a 5sfe would be a good idea but if ur looking for a track or even play toy is suggest that or and all engine 3sge

['88 All-Trac]

Wait, what? The AE86 was an A-series platform... They got for the most part the 4AFE or the 4AGE... That's why the BEAMS 4AGE is a common swap for them- same block, bolts in. You could do a 3SGTE swap but it would be difficult and incredibly expensive...

An all engine 3SGE is a great idea... If you've got the time or money to do it. Could just do a red-top BEAMS engine. 200bhp and I've heard stories of them hitting 10k rpm. Still a lot of work, though. 5SFE doesn't weigh anymore and makes far more torque down low- it's a much happier engine with a Camry trans than a 3SGE would be... So a 3SGE is going to need a new trans. A red-top would anyway, they make quite a bit of power and I'm not sure how happy our stocker transmissions would be with having the input spin that fast.

I still vote 5SFE replacement or rebuild what ya got. Any 3SGE you get is going to be either a JDM engine that's old and liable to burn out, an incredibly expensive JDM engine, or from a 22-year-old Celica. I went with one from an '87 Celica only because I could source it cheap and I can do my own rebuilds.

A reasonably low-miles 5SFE will not run you too terribly much. Could probably find one on one of the Celica boards in good shape from someone who did a 3SGTE swap.

[dbekk]

'88 All-Trac

If I go with the 5sfe do I have to worry about the wiring harness or ECU if I go with something past '96? Or are all 5SFE the same if I use my existing manifolds?

['88 All-Trac]

Simply reuse your existing manifolds. They bolt on as do all of the mounts and the like. I'm not 100% on the water neck but I'm also fairly certain that will bolt on as well. If it doesn't, I would imagine the sensors are cross-compatible.

I've been on the hunt for a low-miles 5SFE to drop in my 2wd. Try to avoid a last-gen 5SFE, as those were coil pack ignition instead of distributor ignition and would require a harness and computer swap. Any of the earlier ones will work.

I, personally, have been looking for a 5th gen Celica 5SFE, as they were very similar in all aspects to our Camrys.