[Rossbo Baggins]

Hello Everyone!

I am looking into swapping my 2.0 L 3S-FE I4 engine in my 96 RAV with the 3.4 L 5VZ-FE V6 from a same year 4Runner. I know they use the same manual 5-speed gearbox, but my question is will it fit in the engine bay? And what else will need to be replaced? Any input is appreciated, thanks!

 

[JuneBug]

How can they share the same transmission when the 4R has a longitudinal mounted engine and the RAV engine is a transverse mount?


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[Xauterus]

There are much better engines to choose. Look at v6 engines from camry or the 3sge beams red top or aurion 2grfe. They are fwd already.

 

[sbagdon]

Hello Everyone!

I am looking into swapping my 2.0 L 3S-FE I4 engine in my 96 RAV with the 3.4 L 5VZ-FE V6 from a same year 4Runner. I know they use the same manual 5-speed gearbox, but my question is will it fit in the engine bay? And what else will need to be replaced? Any input is appreciated, thanks!

That's confusing... the RAV4 is front-engine front-drive, and the 4Runner is a front-engine rear drive. The RAV4 uses an S-series trans, and the 4Runner should be a W-series, correct?

Can you find a decent Camry 1MZ-FE with 5Sp, and just swap the subframe (or at least swap the subframes)?

My only concern is that the Camry was designed to take both a 4cyl and 6cyl, and iirc, the 4.1 is 4cyl only, so there might be some little bits that didn't take in to consideration... rear firewall, distance to fans, etc.

 

[Xauterus]

For the effort required you are probably better to start with the 2grfe from the aurion and later rav. All alloy so much lighter.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Better yet start with a V6 RAV4! The engine fits perfectly.

 

[sbagdon]

Better yet start with a V6 RAV4! The engine fits perfectly.

Are the later gens simple-swaps for the subframe (matching trans/etc).

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Are the later gens simple-swaps for the subframe (matching trans/etc).

Yes, but only if you built them with Legos. :frown :crying

 

[Rossbo Baggins]

I think I am going to stay with the 3sfe. I found a company in California that refurbs the engines and sells them ($575 for a refurbed engine). So when mine finally goes, I'll probably just get one from there.

I also realized I was looking at the completely wrong engine with the 4Runner after posting this. I'll just have to cope with the lack of power, it's not that awful though.

Does anyone know if it's a problem to put a Camry v6 in since I have AWD? Thanks.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Does anyone know if it's a problem to put a Camry v6 in since I have AWD? Thanks.

For the cost of buying TWO V6 RAV4s it might be possible. Then the first time you pushed the pedal on the right you'd hear loud crunching sounds and find your AWD parts scattered on the road soaking in oil. :egad:

 

[Xauterus]

The only weak point in the drive train is the thin geared gearbox. The rest is the same as celica alltrac. The V6 camry engine is not a fantastic power lump anyway. The 3sge or 3sgte are much easier to bolt in and tune.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

The V6 camry engine is not a fantastic power lump anyway.

True and you could always disable two cylinders to make sure the "thin geared gearbox" could handle the power. :wink

 

[Rav4hunting]

Hi Guys, reading your post, you CAN put a V6 in a 4.1 Rav4, but its true, that it's not worth it. My 3S-GTE Gen4 Turbo Swap puts out ~350 Horsepower at 12PSI, and 280-300 Lb feet of torque, that out does all the 4 Runners and puts Ford F-150's to shame. I was kind of "nervous" about owning a Turbo Engine, because of all the horror stories you hear, but what I learned is that most of those stories come from the same type of folks who say that a Turbo Re-burns Exhaust Gas LOL, it DOES NOT. The EGR Valve does. and a JDM Engine doesn't slowly poison itself by recirculating exhaust gas with an EGR System, they use high efficency engines, and very high octane fuel (the Gen4 3S-GTE is meant to run on 105 Octane, but I can only get 94 in Canada) I've learned to fear nothing. Caldina Engines and Gearboxes are TANKS. The gearbox E150 AWD with LSD is meant for the HEAVIEST of the 3S-GTE platforms, a station wagon, that ways almost 800 lbs more than the Rav4 for where that engine has a new home.

The Gen4 3S-GTE engine is about $1,200-1,600 Delivered to your door, and will cost you about another $1,000 to hook it up if your savvy.

If I swap for a big, big turbo, the Rav wont take off very quick, but one could tow a mighty big boat to the dock.

 

[sbagdon]

If I swap for a big, big turbo, the Rav wont take off very quick, but one could tow a mighty big boat to the dock.

If that's where you want to go, re-visit the MR2 mailing lists from 10yrs ago. 400 is a walk in the park, and if you can deal with getting equal fuel to all four cylinders 600 is no problem. You are correct, a big turbo will create giant-lag, yet produce monster numbers.

 

[Dr. Dyno]

If that's where you want to go, re-visit the MR2 mailing lists from 10yrs ago. 400 is a walk in the park, and if you can deal with getting equal fuel to all four cylinders 600 is no problem.

400, 600HP with old tech? Sure sounds simple. Heck they must be at 800-1000 by now! Probably at 12,000 rpm which you only reach once!

 

[sbagdon]

400, 600HP with old tech? Sure sounds simple. Heck they must be at 800-1000 by now! Probably at 12,000 rpm which you only reach once!

I dyno'ed a stock '91T to 160rwhp (200hp flywheel?), and got it up to 240rwhp with nothing more then a CAI and MBC, so that's 300hp flywheel (or so)? With a decent exhaust and fuel-cut defeat, 325rwhp.. that's 400hp flywheel? So yea, that's when things got interesting. Once it was found there was uneven fuel distribution, fixing that, adding ARP bolts and a good gasket, throwing in some ignition upgrades, and putting on a big turbo, you'd see 600hp at the flywheel. Then it came down to making it last, such as upgraded/front-mount intercoolers, improved cooling, etc. Ah, those were the days...

 

[Dr. Dyno]

I dyno'ed a stock '91T to 160rwhp (200hp flywheel?), and got it up to 240rwhp with nothing more then a CAI and MBC, so that's 300hp flywheel (or so)? ...

Interesting. When I dyno supposedly high HP bikes that don't make what the owner was promised their first question is always, "How much loss is there between the crank and the rear wheel?" My answer is, "Whatever your engine builder needs to make his numbers come out right. For example if you were promised 100 and I only measure 80 at the wheel obviously there must be 20% loss." Nice to have numbers you can pick out of mid-air!