Engine Rebuild or 3S-GTE Swap, HELP PLEASE!!! Options

[CelicaST96]

I have a 1996 ST and I am having a hard time deciding to either rebuild the 7A-FE engine in right now with a good 263,000 miles on it or to at least try and find a good 3S-GTE engine. I'm not a big genious about the engine and everything quite yet, so I need some opinions about how to maximize the engine power in the 7A-FE or just get a swapped 3S-GTE. I just want a car that will be quick and depenable, so I want to put the best under the hood. Also price estimates for both a rebuild and swap would be extrememly helpful. Tell me anything that should be done to help my car get a lot better under the hood.

Thank you, opinions and information will help me understand a little more about these sweet 6G cars!!!

-Seth

[SwissFerdi]

Power and 7A-FE is a contradiction in the same sentence. NA, you can get maybe 130 HP at the crank, with turbo that rises to 220-240 on stock internals. However, there goes your reliability.

Being an ST, you'll need at least a GT tranny, motor mounts, GT shifter cables, and axles (not sure about those). You're looking at least at spending $2000 for the engine, another $1000 for the above and other assorted items...all in all, quite expensive.

In short, and in my opinion...if you want 100% reliability, rebuild the 7A. Having said that, if you find a good 3S-GTE (talk to Jim here) you should have no trouble running that reliably either, as long as it has good compression and maintenance is done once the engine goes in.

Hope this helps.

[CelicaST96]

Power and 7A-FE is a contradiction in the same sentence. NA, you can get maybe 130 HP at the crank, with turbo that rises to 220-240 on stock internals. However, there goes your reliability.

Being an ST, you'll need at least a GT tranny, motor mounts, GT shifter cables, and axles (not sure about those). You're looking at least at spending $2000 for the engine, another $1000 for the above and other assorted items...all in all, quite expensive.

In short, and in my opinion...if you want 100% reliability, rebuild the 7A. Having said that, if you find a good 3S-GTE (talk to Jim here) you should have no trouble running that reliably either, as long as it has good compression and maintenance is done once the engine goes in.

Hope this helps.

So are you saying if I were to turbo it, that would ruin the reliability? and who is Jim? haha And if I were to find a 3S-GTE, will I have to change a lot of things?

4a-ge would be a better idea, easier swap

Never heard of that type of engine, more details? Thanks!

[SwissFerdi]

So are you saying if I were to turbo it, that would ruin the reliability? and who is Jim? haha And if I were to find a 3S-GTE, will I have to change a lot of things?

Depends on how much boost you run; basically, you'll definitely be incurring more wear and tear on the engine, and at a certain boost point, will start hurting the internals, mainly the piston rods if I'm not mistaken.

I didn't mention this, but from what I know, the cost of a 7A-FTE and 3S-GTE setup is roughly the same. You won't need the axles, transmission, mounts, any of that for a 7A-FTE setup. You will need a turbo (duh), engine management system, and a tune (which is 700 alone!), and maybe a higher-performance clutch. For a 3S-GTE setup, you'll need the engine (duh again, hopefully), axles, GT transmission, and GT motor mounts, along with one from an ST205 for the rear passenger mount...if I'm not mistaken. The thing you'll need for either one is a front mount intercooler (should you not choose to use the stock top mount intercooler, which comes on the 3rd gen 3S-GTE) and all the intercooler piping, along with a custom exhaust.

Again, I probably missed something...but that's basically the gist of it.