3s-gte Motor Swap Progress: ST205 Motor into SV21 (pics!)

[white90dx]

Hey guys,

Now that my project is getting close to completion, I figured it would be a good time to post a few teaser pics. The final product is going to be a 3rd gen 3s-gte from an ST205 (JDM '95 Celica GT4) with an E153 tranny and KAAZ LSD.

Picture of the GT4 clip before I bought it:


ST205 AWIC heat exchanger + tranny cooler:


Now you see it, now you don't:


I had to use a smaller water pump for the intercooler:


The motor is buttoned back up after a new timing belt, water pump and seals all around:


Motor going back together


V6 Camry rear disk brakes:


I'm currently waiting on my tranny (LSD install in an E153) and the bracket to hold the e-series tranny axles to the block. Wiring is done (except for the A/C wiring) and ready to plug in. After I get those parts, its time for the flywheel (Fidanza aluminum) and clutch (SPEC Stage 2), assembly, install, test, troubleshoot then break-in.

Comments and questions are welcomed!

-Charlie

[a94autoCamry]

looking good charlie...what ever happened to your 3sfte??

good luck with this swap, the things gonna be a beast

[camryfour]

Sweet. Keep us updated. Its too bad you live so damn far .. I would really love to see this in person. What brackets are those, are they the one from the turbo MR2(3sgte w/e153)? You doing all the work yourself? That's pretty impressive with the wiring and all (I don't have a lot of patience like that, one day I might ). If you did do it yourself, was it pretty straightforward? (like get diagrams and just match up all sensors and such?) or was it a total mess of confusion? Oh and one more thing, which clip would be better to get for this swap, the GT4 or the Turbo MR2? Good Job, looks nice so far .

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by UfoZ

Boy that setup sure sounds familiar...

Sweet man, we're going to have to go cruise around sometime when both of our cars are sporting the 3S powah.

Are you going to make it to TORC this weekend in Long Beach or is the car not going to be ready by then?

It may SOUND familiar, but I have the AWIC and a stock ECU.

Even if I got the tranny back from KAAZ tomorrow, I wouldn't have time to get it ready by Saturday (I have to get the exhaust welded and a few other little things that I didn't mention in my original post). Its only about 10 hours of work to get the motor started, but a lot of little things after that to get it running right.

And yes, we will definitely have to go out cruising. I can't wait for this thing to be running... I haven't driven the car in over 5 months now.

-Charlie

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by a94autoCamry

looking good charlie...what ever happened to your 3sfte??

good luck with this swap, the things gonna be a beast

The crank thrust bearing went out for some reason... Probably a bad rebuild by the previous owner of the car. I sold the turbo kit to help fund this project.

I'm hoping for about 250whp at 15-16lbs of boost with everything else being stock on the motor.... I should be able to make it to the high 13's in the 1/4 mile. So yeah, it should be fun!

-Charlie

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by camryfour

Sweet. Keep us updated. Its too bad you live so damn far .. I would really love to see this in person. What brackets are those, are they the one from the turbo MR2(3sgte w/e153)? You doing all the work yourself? That's pretty impressive with the wiring and all (I don't have a lot of patience like that, one day I might ). If you did do it yourself, was it pretty straightforward? (like get diagrams and just match up all sensors and such?) or was it a total mess of confusion? Oh and one more thing, which clip would be better to get for this swap, the GT4 or the Turbo MR2? Good Job, looks nice so far .

The engine mounts (what I assume you mean by brackets?) are a mix and match of my stock parts (3s-fe mounts) and the Celica mounts.

So far, I've done all the work but the LSD install (there were too many special tools necessary to complet that). The rear motor mount (really the rear tranny mount) still will need some modification, but I can start the motor with 3/4 mounts in place. Wiring was a pain, but reasonably straightforward. I only had issues with a few of the wires that didn't match my diagrams (Euro diagrams with a JDM car = not happy). You basically keep all the engine wiring original (sensors, etc), keep your car wiring stock (power, alternator, A/C) and put them together. Its pretty involved, but I'm an electrical engineer.

It would be a huge pain to use an MR2 clip. The water inlets/outlets are different, the alternator is mounted differently, you'd loose your power steering, the wiring is harder, etc. The Celica engine bay is very similar to the Camry engine bay and things bolt up reasonably well.

-Charlie

[dna59]

Looking good, that thing is gonna be a beast when its finished.

[camryfour]

Originally Posted by white90dx

The engine mounts (what I assume you mean by brackets?) are a mix and match of my stock parts (3s-fe mounts) and the Celica mounts.

So far, I've done all the work but the LSD install (there were too many special tools necessary to complet that). The rear motor mount (really the rear tranny mount) still will need some modification, but I can start the motor with 3/4 mounts in place. Wiring was a pain, but reasonably straightforward. I only had issues with a few of the wires that didn't match my diagrams (Euro diagrams with a JDM car = not happy). You basically keep all the engine wiring original (sensors, etc), keep your car wiring stock (power, alternator, A/C) and put them together. Its pretty involved, but I'm an electrical engineer.

It would be a huge pain to use an MR2 clip. The water inlets/outlets are different, the alternator is mounted differently, you'd loose your power steering, the wiring is harder, etc. The Celica engine bay is very similar to the Camry engine bay and things bolt up reasonably well.

-Charlie

Actually I was talking about the bracket to hold the E-series tranny axles to the 3S engine block. It is from a Turbo MR2 right? Since the Turbo MR2 has the E-153.

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by camryfour

Actually I was talking about the bracket to hold the E-series tranny axles to the 3S engine block. It is from a Turbo MR2 right? Since the Turbo MR2 has the E-153.

There are no brackets. The bolt directly to each other...

All the S, VZ and MZ series blocks bolt to the S-series and E-series trannies. From there, its simply finding the right flywheel/clutch and axle combo for your setup.

My car was originally a 3s-fe with S51 tranny and will now be a 3s-gte with E153 tranny. I'm using V6 axles from the gen2 Camry - exactly what Jetspeed did with his E153 swap into his V6 Camry.

-Charlie

PS. Technically, I am putting the exact same transmission back on the motor that came in the clip. It is being converted from AWD to 2WD with MR2 turbo parts from a busted tranny.

[camryfour]

From your 1st Post in this thread:

"I'm currently waiting on my tranny (LSD install in an E153) and the bracket to hold the e-series tranny axles to the block."

From your last post (before this one haha) in this thread:

"There are no brackets. The bolt directly to each other...

All the S, VZ and MZ series blocks bolt to the S-series and E-series trannies. From there, its simply finding the right flywheel/clutch and axle combo for your setup."

... ok dude make up your mind ... ok so what you are trying to tell me is that the V6 axles work with the right axle bracket behind the 3S block (like the 3SFE)?

[gaak]

hey, just curious, but about how much would you guesstimate that this entire project is going to wind up costing you in the end?

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by camryfour

... ok dude make up your mind ... ok so what you are trying to tell me is that the V6 axles work with the right axle bracket behind the 3S block (like the 3SFE)?

Lol... my mind is made up!

Tranny to block = no brackets

Axle to block = bracket (LHD passenger side)

The V6 axle bracket does not work on the 3s block, but it uses the same bearing as the E153 axles on the MR2 turbo. Replace the bracket (for the axle!!) and the V6 axles work on the E153.

-Charlie

[white90dx]

Originally Posted by gaak

hey, just curious, but about how much would you guesstimate that this entire project is going to wind up costing you in the end?

Enough.

Not counting tools:

$3900 -- clip (I got a smokin' deal!)
-$850 -- hood/bumper from clip
-$250 -- front suspension from clip
-$950 -- original turbo kit
+$1100 -- LSD installed
+$200 -- V6 brake conversion
+$350 -- Axles, rebuild, bracket
+$200 -- Oil filter relocation w/ -12AN lines and special adapter for the block
+$50 -- used EBC
+$50 -- alignment (hook-up price)
+$200 -- misc

= about $4k

While I was in there, I replaced the steering rack, tie rod ends, wheel bearings and a bunch of other stuff, so the real cost is higher. If you car is in good shape, that stuff isn't going to be needed. My car also already has springs, struts, F/R swaybars, all poly bushings, 16" wheels with good tires, big fuel pump, etc... so the rest of the car is ready for it. Oh yeah, there is other stuff that I should be able to sell from the clip, but I'm not counting my chickens before the hatch...

-Charlie

[JetspeedCamry]

OooH! Can't wait for this to be done..its going to be awesome!
Lucky you...250HP right out of the bag... oh well.. hehehehe

The V6 axles are very strong, and will hold a good amount of power. Just take a look at them! No pencil sticks!!

Looking forward to its completion.

[atobe]

i'm gonna goto your house and steal it once you're done j/k