Engine swap, vvt questions - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

98blackcamry · 03-16-2009, 11:54 PM

I had posted in the gen 3-4 section because I have a 98 v6 camry which is very similar to my friends 97 ES300. We need to install another engine and perhaps you guys would have some good information. Here is a copy of my post:

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

98blackcamry · 03-17-2009, 11:31 PM

I'm going to bump this once time...

BUMP!!

Redline_Me · 03-17-2009, 11:40 PM

sorry man, can't really help you. The only thing i can say is that i would guess that it's the same drive train but i don't know about the motor mounts IMO.

TTercel · 03-17-2009, 11:46 PM

One guy on this forum has done 3MZ block and 1MZ heads. I'm pretty sure it was non-vvt though, but it was supercharged.

98blackcamry · 03-18-2009, 08:12 AM

Yeah I have found out about the guy who did the "hybrid 3mz-1mz" that was pretty cool. I notice that I'm going to have to make/modify some mounts, but I'm wondering about the vvt. Does it have an oil pressure solenoid somewhere? Is it PWM or just on or off? If it was on or off, I could control that with an rpm window switch. Just some ideas. Thanks for the replies, but I'm willing to read as much as you guys can post!
-Rob

Redline_Me · 03-18-2009, 11:36 AM

I believe the vvt is on all the time, unlike vtec in hondas.

98blackcamry · 03-18-2009, 12:22 PM

So you mean it is always actively making changes to valve timing (by varying pulse width to oil solenoid)? The only reason I ask is that a guy at the junkyard had a 01 Sienna 1mz with VVT-i. It has the dual bore TB and I think it had EGR delete plates. Either way, he said that he sells them all the time to replace regular 1mz-fe. All you have to do is swap intake and exhaust manifolds. That sounds good and all, but I dont want there to be a power loss by going to a VVT-i engine that doesn't have vvt hooked up. Tell me what you think.
-Rob

Redline_Me · 03-18-2009, 12:41 PM

you see i'm used to honda engines. but because vvt is on from i think 1500 rpm (dont quote me on that) to redline, an engine that is built with vvti will lose power if vvt is not active. for example my i4 makes around 160 hp without vvt it would probably make like 130 hp. I would think that if you buy a vvt-i engine all you would need to make it work properly is the ECU.

98blackcamry · 03-18-2009, 07:38 PM

That's cool, it would also be nice to have the engine harness and an ecu that will run my trans. The beauty of the window switch is that I can change the "turn on" rpm to whatever I want. I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried controlling their vvt independently from the ecu. It's also hard to say whether a non vvt 1mz>inactive vvt 1mz in the power department. I did some looking today at work and vvt-i does have a cam phaser on the intake side with an "oil control valve" in each head. Thanks for the replies everyone, let me know if there is any more good info.
-Rob