Replacement engine with different distributor please help

I just replace the 2.4 L 2rz engine out of my 1995.5 Toyota Tacoma with another 2.4 L 2r z engine out of a 1997 SR5 extended cab that doesn't have a normal distributor with one plug it has some type of coil pack deal with two plugs that will not work with my original wiring harness not sure what to do other than splicing wires with a new plug or replacing the whole head please help or give advice if you can

 

Unfortunately if you don't want to change the head or do any rewiring, you're probably screwed, but you could get lucky and they already changed the head on the 97 back in the day. What you need to do is remove the bracket holding the coils to the head and see if there is an expansion plug in a hole underneath it. If there is a plug, you can remove it and install your distributor. If there is no hole you will either need to convert to a wasted spark ECU/wiring setup, swap the head on the engine, or some other crazier modification.

There are 7 part numbers for the 2RZ/3RZ cylinder head used in the Tacoma, some more interchangeable than others. Within those 7 part numbers there are essentially 4 versions of the head.

1995 - 1997 (excluding 1997 4WD, up to Jun 1997 production for 2WD): 8 Intake Ports, Distributor-type Ignition (Only compatible with 1995-1997 distributor-type)
1997 - 1999 (up to Dec 1998 production, excluding 2WD up to Jun 1997 production): 8 Intake Ports, Distributor-less Ignition (Compatible with 1997-2000 DLI, excluding 2000 California-spec)
1999 - 2000 (from Dec 1998 production, excluding 2000 California-spec): 8 Intake Ports, DLI but has holes for both distributor type and distributor-less ignition (Compatible with 1995-2000, excluding 2000 California-spec)
2000 - 2004 (excluding 2000 Federal-spec): 4 Intake Ports, DLI only

Basically if you have an early 8-port head, it's for distributor only, if you have a mid production 8-port head or any 4-port head it's DLI only, and if you have a late 8-port head you can use it with or without a distributor using the appropriate plugs for the head.

For using a late 8-port head with a distributor, order 11444-79275 and 91511-A0612 to plug the cam position hole.
For using a late 8-port head with a cam position sensor, order

$12 90339-36001 Cylinder Head Plug

90339-36001 to plug the distributor hole.

If you want to use a mid production 8-port head with a distributor, you will have to get a machine shop to drill the 36mm distributor hole in the head and order 11444-79275 and 91511-A0612 to plug the cam position hole.

If you want to use a 4-port head with a distributor, you will have to get a machine shop to drill the 36mm distributor hole in the head and order 11444-79275 and 91511-A0612 to plug the cam position hole. You will also need the lower intake runners and a different gasket to the head, part numbers 17111-75070 and 17177-75030 respectively.

Jeff

 

This guy

 

I don't specifically know what rewiring that guy did, but it doesn't seem that simple.

After looking at the wiring diagrams, there is no easy way to just run the newer ECU and swap a connector or two. The ignition coil trigger wires don't even run up to the distributor connector, and the ignition coil connectors (4-wire) on the newer engine are not the same as the old distributor connector (5-wire). He also doesn't talk about how he connected the cam position sensor which would likely set a code at best and would cause completely incorrect timing at worst. That said, do I think it's possible to run the engine using the newer ECU in and older truck? Absolutely.

The way I see it, you really have 3 options, the first one is to run the new engine with the matching wiring harness and ECU. This is the best way to go and what I would recommend. Basically everything should just plug in and you'll be good to go. The second and third options are similar, one is to use the new engine with the matching ECU and your original wiring harness and modify it to work, the issue here is that there is only one ignition trigger signal wire from the ECU in your original harness. Now you can just split that signal to both ignition coils, or you can add a second wire from the ECU to the second coil. Another issue is that the ignition signal from the ECU in your original harness goes to the igniter on the RH fender apron and not to the ignition coil, so you'd need to move that connector over to the ignition coil. You will also need to change the connector for the cam position sensor inside the distributor to the one that will plug into the cam position sensor on the head instead. Lastly, the tach signal wire originally came from the igniter on your truck, but comes from the ECU on the new engine. If your truck doesn't have a tach, no big deal, but if it does, you'll need to rewire that to go to the ECU connector instead.

The last option is to try to run it on your original ECU and modify your original wiring harness to run it. This case is similar to what I described before with the note that your ECU only has one ignition trigger output so you will have to split that signal to run both coils. I am sure the first two methods I described can work, I am not sure this last method will work because I don't know if the cam position sensor timing is exactly the same between the distributor and the tooth on the camshaft. It probably is, but it might not be.

My preferred methods would be option 1, then option 2, and lastly option 3. If you want I can tell you the part numbers for the new connectors you'd need to do option 2 or 3, and even what pins you need to add or move around, but if you can swing option 1, that's really the way to go.

Jeff