Engine Drop In

[rollaobsessed]

I'm looking to drop an engine into a KE70 corolla, but not sure what engine i should be droppig in, cheap and reliable is all I'm after atm but later on ill be keen to drop a sr20 when the rest of the rolla is complete.

[ae824ate]

Have a look in the FAQ, there are endless engine choices you can go for. Or keep your K engine untill you are ready to commit to a full blown conversion, and have the time and money.

[Sam_Q]

we seem to be getting one of these threads every month

[MattyZ]

things you have to consider or at least post for a more specific answer.

 

Budget

Use (daily, economy, performance, drift, circuit, drag)

will you be doing the work yourself or paying someone else

will you want to modify the engine later on.

[Twinky]

If its the SR20 you want for the endgame then don't bother with doing a conversion inbetween. Just go for the thing you want straight up

otherwise you will be wasting time and money. An SR20 will cost you a bucketload to do correctly and safely.

 

As above if you want some serious advice tell us what your budget is. And don't exaggerate.

 

I think that most of us dreamed of power the same as you have, alot of people have done it

reletavely cheaply but mainly because they work in the industry and have great skill. If you have

no idea about mechanics then don't dare dream of an SR20 to start with (unless your budget is 10k).

Just a quick list for you to think about:

 

Engine

Gearbox

Driveshaft

Diff

Brakes

Electronics (custom loom required/ or dodgey chopped loom)

Fueling setup (lines, pump, surge tank etc)

Mounts (motor, gearbox etc)

 

All of this stuff will have to be a custom job and not on the cheap side.

Or if you have a cheap budget try to source a 5K. Average price is about $600 for one in good condition. I bought mine for $450 + $150 for a 5 speed

and I am absolutely stoked with the motors perfomance over the 4k. Sure it's no power house but it still keeps up in traffic

and in some cases leads the traffic.

[Grand Master of Awesome]

sr20 conversions aren't really that hard or costly. No worse than a 4age conversion really, only thing thats a bit more difficult is aftermarket ecu and custom tailshaft.

Friend did one and it only ended up costing him around $3500 - $4000

[Jono.C]

yeah, a mate of mine dropped a full sr20det in his ke70 for $3000. That was me andd him doing all the work though.

 

Really its cheaper and easier to keep the corolla and buy and s13 for $4000~ if you want sr20

[Twinky]

I'm probably wrong but even with doing the work yourselves $3000 seems too cheap to me.

I guess that I was looking at prices for engines that had warranties so that bumped up the price aswell.

[Jono.C]

Where you maybe looking at half cuts? an s13 half cut was $3750 with no box. Mate pickup up his full sr20det blacktop with loom and box etc for $1750.

 

Although he had an ae71 wreck to nick clutch setup and and diff etc out of.

 

still needs a front end upgrade though

[rollaobsessed]

things you have to consider or at least post for a more specific answer.

 

Budget

Use (daily, economy, performance, drift, circuit, drag)

will you be doing the work yourself or paying someone else

will you want to modify the engine later on.

 

 

Will be doing the labour myself, not modifying, need it for a-b driving, reliable engine, no engine in rolla

[rollaobsessed]

Hey guys will be dropping the engine in myself.

Just need a cheap one which will be reliable for getting to work and back.

Will go for a 4k or 5k engine.

Must be able to fit a 5speed gear box, not to sure if there is any difference.

 

cheers. :dance:

[beerhead]

Saying that a motor swap that needs a custom gearbox xmember, engine mounts and a custom tailsfaft is no worse than a motor swap that you can source every last bit from the factory corolla parts bin and bolts straight in is a little misleading. I guess lots of people are running S13 crossmembers these days, but I don't think crossbreeding parts that modify steering geometry should be taken so lightly, loyds 1UZ KE70 is probably the only KE with an S13 xmember in the country that handles right, and look at what he had to do...

 

BTW You shouldn't need an aftermarket ecu unless you're putting a bigger turbo in the car.

 

sr20 conversions aren't really that hard or costly. No worse than a 4age conversion really, only thing thats a bit more difficult is aftermarket ecu and custom tailshaft.

Friend did one and it only ended up costing him around $3500 - $4000

[Sam_Q]

well said beerhead. People seem to swap and change parts that mess with the geometry with little regard to what the effect could be.

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

Saying that a motor swap that needs a custom gearbox xmember, engine mounts and a custom tailsfaft is no worse than a motor swap that you can source every last bit from the factory corolla parts bin and bolts straight in is a little misleading. I guess lots of people are running S13 crossmembers these days, but I don't think crossbreeding parts that modify steering geometry should be taken so lightly, loyds 1UZ KE70 is probably the only KE with an S13 xmember in the country that handles right, and look at what he had to do...

 

Well said, half of these s13 front end rolla would be a struggle to keep on the road trying to go round a corner.... Something as simple as changing lca or steering arms will hinder your steering, be it only very small.

 

 

Sr20 conversion could be done for 3k and are not too hard, if you can weld and have good engineering and wiring type skills.

if you don't have these skills and do attempt it, its likely you will sell as an unfinished project,

or be one of those cars that are so rough and poorly done that i get great laughs out of it, and check your location to make sure its not near me.

 

On top of that 3k you will need to upgrade your diff and brakes, probably another 3k to be spent there, and with big brakes comes bigger wheels- more $$$.

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

Saying that a motor swap that needs a custom gearbox xmember, engine mounts and a custom tailsfaft is no worse than a motor swap that you can source every last bit from the factory corolla parts bin and bolts straight in is a little misleading. I guess lots of people are running S13 crossmembers these days, but I don't think crossbreeding parts that modify steering geometry should be taken so lightly, loyds 1UZ KE70 is probably the only KE with an S13 xmember in the country that handles right, and look at what he had to do...

 

Well said, half of these s13 front end rolla would be a struggle to keep on the road trying to go round a corner.... Something as simple as changing lca or steering arms will hinder your steering, be it only very small.

 

 

Sr20 conversion could be done for 3k and are not too hard, if you can weld and have good engineering and wiring type skills.

if you don't have these skills and do attempt it, its likely you will sell as an unfinished project,

or be one of those cars that are so rough and poorly done that i get great laughs out of it, and check your location to make sure its not near me.

 

On top of that 3k you will need to upgrade your diff and brakes, probably another 3k to be spent there, and with big brakes comes bigger wheels- more $$$.