My 2JZ Taco Build

(2001 Double Cab Tacoma 4x4) + (1995 2jzge block, vvti head, twin scroll turbo) + (R150F 4x4) =

This swap is going to take me a while so stay tuned, will post progress as it happens, but I'll try to keep it short with pics along the way
I will be building up the chassis and the engine separate and when both are ready I will yank the 5VZ/Auto out and drop the 2JZ/R150F in.

Right now the truck is not much to look at, the rear is sagging , paint is shot, rolling on steelies.. but the body is straight w/o rust.
I plan to get all the little stuff correct and refreshed, suspension lift, new wheels/tires, and finish it with new black factory paint. Swap it and strap it in to a dyno and see what happens!

The Project Taco


The 95 2jzge na-t that is getting torn down and resealed etc.. Had a crazy thick headgasket on it that let go. Leakdown test was fine so going to clean it up and get it back together and see how it does with a vvti head and some boost thrown at it.
Just got to disassembling it, haven't had time to clean it all up but the vvti cylinder head is on the way, cleaned up the old head just because and put viton valve stems in it in case I use it on another project. That toyo tool for the springs is a must, makes it so much easier.




Probably going to be a bit before I make more progress on the engine since I am in the middle of a move right now, but I did order the Old Man EMU 2.25" lift springs for the rear.
Once I get those installed and see the final height I will get the front suspension sorted out, and probably new balljoints etc... I think it needs new rack bushings or a rack as well :thumbup:

Will post more progress once I get the cylinder head in and cleaned up. Then engine cleaning and assembly will be next on the list. In the meantime I may try and get to the rear lift springs.

 

Better shoes for the time being, can't roll around on steelies anymore.
Will get bigger tires after the lift etc..

 

Can't wait to see how this turns out. I'd love a 2j in my taco as well.

 

This is going to be a sic build!

 

Got my SC300 vvti harness in (runs into the cab and a 2jzgte vvti ecu plugs right in), and an IS300 vvti cylinder head.
Will find some time to get the cylinder head cleaned up and install some new viton valve stem seals.
Then it will be ready to drop on my non vvti 2jzge block with a 2jzgte headgasket and ARP headstuds.

Still collecting parts as I go, the intake manifold will have to wait till I drop the motor in so I can see what I can fit in there.

 

Throwing a pic up of my old sc300 2jzge na-t which was my first 2jz build for motivation, and I am shooting for this vvti setup to look and perform better than my old setup.
I ended up selling the SC, but the setup performed flawlessly just a little lazy on the spool... but with vvti that shouldn't be an issue

 

This is crazy cool

 

Tracking down some of the more "rare" parts I need to put this Frankenstein setup together.
Even though the non turbo intake that wraps over the engine adds some torque, it also adds heat, makes turbo placement harder, and is harder to change plugs.

So I am planning to go with some type of front facing intake manifold (FFIM) and try and make it fit in the tacoma.

Since I want to keep the stock 2jzgte vvti ecu for driveability, I need to use a vvti ETCSI partial drive by wire throttle body.
The is300 throttle body would work but is very bulky sideways, so I tracked down one off a 1jzgte vvti motor that comes with the factory FFIM and bought a weld on throttle body flange.

My thinking is I will adapt one of the available front facing intake manifolds by shortening it some and welding this throttle body flange on at an angle towards the drivers headlight.
That should give me enough room to get everything in and the intercooler piping will go straight down where the battery currently is (will have to relocate it somewhere else).

At least that is the plan in my head.. we shall see what actually fits/happens.

 

Oh this will be sick. I'm watching this.

My dream is to do a 2JZ-GTE one day.

 

Followed

 

Picked up the cylinder head, was hot tanked and 10 thousandths milled off of it.
With a tt headgasket and early n/a pistons I should be around 9.2-9.3 compression.
That will work well for my altitude and power goals.

Its so clean now I am really happy I didn't have to clean it myself
Going to slowly start putting it all together..



Been having a really hard time getting the old crank gear sproket off the crank, it moved a bit and seems stuck now.
Will take a couple more tries at it before I bust out the grinder... normally they just pull right off but its always something that goes wrong.

 

Got the crank gear sprocket off after a lot of work, getting the block cleaned up and oil pan changed to front sump.
will post some progress pics of that when I get further along assembling stuff.

For now got the rear OME Dakar leaf springs installed with bilstein shocks. Looks a lot better I think.
Front has a spacer lift from when I bought it and will be doing bilsteins up front with some OME coils at some point along with fresh uppers and ball joints.

You guys think the tire size looks ok or should I go a little bigger?

 

Bigger! 33" no more

 

I was actually debating between a 285/70/17 (almost a 33) and a 285/75/17 (almost a 34).
I am a little concerned about the amount of bashing that would be needed for the 34".

So my brother brought up a good point that I won't be able to put 2JZ power down in 2wd.
I can already spin the tall skinnies.. so with a stick and much more power it will just spin.

So I ordered up a FJ cruiser transfer case from a 6spd, which has the full time 4wd with the center torsen differential.
I will be swapping the front input shaft from the r150f transfer case due to the spline difference and I should have a full time 4wd torsen setup with a manual shifter.

I went with the FJ case and am doing the input swap cause I wanted a fully manual transfer case without electronics.
The one from a 4runner or gx470 needs the ecu or more wiring, and has the electronic actuator on the back that can leak.. no thanks!

I should be getting it in tomorrow so will throw up some pics when I get it and when I start tearing into it.
part of me wants to stick it in the tacoma early just to test it out before I swap the engine/trans.

So the updated title should be

(2001 Double Cab Tacoma 4x4) + (1995 2jzge block, vvti head, twin scroll turbo) + (R150F 4x4) + (FJ full time 4wd transfer case) =

 

Looking forward to seeing this build!

 

This is going to be epic!

 

Some Progress =)

 

subbed' could i recommend updating the original post with the updated pics? makes it easier to watch the progress w/o having to scroll through the pages as they come in

 

Nice build. Personally I would have kept the steelies, done them in white, and did some nice big tires on them.

I also had a built *myself* single turbo 2JZ SC300 back in 2002. Had the car 4 years. Been on ClubLexus for about 19 years now.

Saw this pic and thought of you: