Engine swap years for 1999 Camry

[dbilik]

Hey everyone, great forum.

I am looking to swap out the engine in a 1999 camry. I have been researching but I am hesitant to trust what I have found. I have a 1999 with a 4 cylinder engine, the 5sfe. Do I need to take a 5sfe from a 1997-2001 Camry or will any 5sfe work somehow? I have swapped engines in my Dodge trucks, never a toyota before so I am capable of doing it mechanically speaking.

[dbilik]

I should add it looks like, to me anyways, that any 5sfe will work if I know what to swap? The blocks remained the same basically.

[LynchburgCSI]

I believe EVERYTHING from the mechanicals to the electrical is the same from 97-01. But i'll wait for another member to chime in.

[Rattlin_Steele]

I had done some heavy searching here on TN in the past (year ago) when preparing to swap out a 5SFE in a 97. I had an opportunity to get one from an earlier model, but ultimately decided to stick with a gen4 motor (1997-2001). I can't remember all the details, but it was more trouble than I wanted to deal with. Yes the blocks are the same, but if I recall correctly (please correct me if I'm wrong), it seemed like the head needed to be swapped and also the oil pump (due to crank sensor maybe), and there might've even been a threaded hole in the block (anti-knock sensor maybe) that wasn't present on the earlier ones. I think I recall someone saying that you might not have to do all these things if you swap over the ECU to an older one.

This question comes up pretty often so it would be nice to get some expert advice.

I've heard of folks going the other direction, Gen4 motor into a Gen3 car, without too much problem but not so much the other way.

[dbilik]

I have an opportunity to get a 1996 engine for $350. I can swap the heads, no problem there, even the oil pump if need be. The threaded hole for the knock sensor scares me a little. If anyone else can give me the exact details which need to be done to make a 96 engine work in a 1999 I would appreciate it.

Thanks for all the replies from everyone so far.

[RichieRichJP]

Originally Posted by dbilik

I have an opportunity to get a 1996 engine for $350. I can swap the heads, no problem there, even the oil pump if need be. The threaded hole for the knock sensor scares me a little. If anyone else can give me the exact details which need to be done to make a 96 engine work in a 1999 I would appreciate it.

Thanks for all the replies from everyone so far.

That threaded hole probably just needs a plug.

[dbilik]

Originally Posted by RichieRichJP

That threaded hole probably just needs a plug.

Unless I am misreading something, I am putting an older engine with no hole into a vehicle requiring one, which means I would need to drill and tap the block to add a hole.

[dbilik]

Anyone ever sucessfully swapped a 96 or third gen engine into a 4th gen?

[LynchburgCSI]

^ Not that I know of. It's easier to just put what belongs in there.