possible engine swap questions - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

98blackcamry · 03-15-2009, 09:42 PM

I've done some searching and found a few threads about VVT-i 1mz swaps into a non-vvt 1mz car. Specifically, the car is a 97 ES300. Everyone always says it's not worth it since the power increase is almost negligible, but I don't want to hear from anyone who is going to just say that.
First.. How does Toyota take care of the VVT control? Does it have cam phasers on the drivers side of the cams where the gears are on my 98 1mz-fe in my camry and my friends lexus?
Why wouldnt the engine run great without the cam phasers hooked up? I'm not necessarily concerned at all about keeping functional vvt. I would assume that to get that, I would just need a newer PCM that could control my trans and the cam phaser+ harness.

If VVT is possible, why cant I just get a 3MZ-fe which is the 3.3l, i believe? It has drive by wire, yes but I could just swap on a regular throttle body (possibly). Is that seriously the only problem with the 3mz swap? I want you guys to get technical as hell about this. I'm gonna do some reading about the toyota VVT monday when i get to work. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks
-Rob

bigbird · 03-16-2009, 05:33 AM

we dont deal much with the VVT motors here in gen3&4 section. ya may want to ask this of some of the minds in the 5&6 section. in theory it can work if you just swap EVERYTHING over.

btw, theres no benifit in the VVT-i 1mz

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98blackcamry · 03-16-2009, 12:25 PM

Thanks for the tip, I will see what they say