ready to get on the road

xxpeppaxx · 05-12-2009, 01:23 AM

So i bought an 89 na last summer with a cracked block for 500$ and i just finished my first year of college . I want to have this car on the road by august. Im going to need a new engine.Everyone thinks im crazy for wanting to put so much money in a car that came out the same year i did but ive been in love with this car since my mom had one when i was like 4 or 5. Im just wondering what im getting myself into. I want to put a 7mgte in it and not the orignal 7mge. Ive been looking at ebay a lot but im not too confident with some of them. Anyone have experience buying an engine from ebay? Also am i going to need to change the ecu from my ge when i replace it with a gte? What all am i going to need to replace. I know this has been asked countless times and ive read them all countless times but none of them address this very clearly. (or maybe ive yet to see them) Thankfully i have a mechanic stepdad that will be guiding and doing much of the work but i want to make sure im buying quality parts and everything i need.

here she is

mirage83 · 05-12-2009, 01:54 AM

Looks like a nice clean Supra, though I'm not especially a '89+ person.

I'd be careful about buying a JDM, and I haven't myself so I can't personally recommend a supplier. But historically speaking it's a coin-toss as to whether any JDM engine you buy will be in a sufficiently good shape to just throw in and run with it. At least half the time people end up having to rebuild them anyway.

If you go with a JDM engine you'll either need a JDM ECU or add the EGR system to the JDM engine and keep the USDM ECU. JDM engines don't have the EGR system that USDM engines do.

In any event you're going to spend at least $1000 before you're done, and probably a lot more depending on exactly which route you go in regards to your engine and which of the various bits and pieces need replacing when you're doing major work to and around the engine.

The Supra can be a good car, but it's more demanding of attention than the worst high maintenance girlfriend you can imagine. Be prepared.

shaggydude1111 · 05-12-2009, 01:58 AM

i would have to say that was well bought. as far as a swap to the gte, im in the same boat. been told you can turbo a 7mge though, but i dont know that for sure

mirage83 · 05-12-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaggydude1111

i would have to say that was well bought. as far as a swap to the gte, im in the same boat. been told you can turbo a 7mge though, but i dont know that for sure

You can, but it's simpler to just find a good (or good rebuildable) GTE and swap it in.

MZDA5274 · 05-12-2009, 04:16 PM

Looks good! I'm in the same boat as you for a project, hopefully I get mine though.

Vacationtime247 · 05-12-2009, 08:04 PM

Just fix the 7MGE. Trying to convert it over to a turbo car is more involved than you can possibly imagine. If you are not mechanically inclined, forget it. Don't even try it. When (or if) you do fix the 7M, take LOTS of pictures. You'll need them. Then again, you could do like I did and put in a 350 Chevy with a 700R4. Easy swap and the upgrades are endless. I'm sure people will want to burn me at the stake for even suggesting that, but fixing a dead 7M is NOT fun at ALL!
VT247

dunewarz · 05-13-2009, 09:03 AM

This is a really reliable engine buying source. Jspecautosports.com I've bought 2 rx7 motors and 1 sr20det from this site. They are most of the time cheaper then ebay motors and they come with warranties and also all the parts you need like the ECU.

As for converting a 7mge into a 7mgte. I wouldn't do it. It's just too much work and too much money. Also when you go to buy parts like the ECU and other electric parts like the coils you are looking at thousands of dollars worth of parts. I think you'll have to get the MAF sensor too which at the dealer is 800 bucks.

craig · 05-13-2009, 11:23 PM

just turbo your NA its really cheap. all u need is manifold, turbo, and intercooler. then make your own piping for it with some elbows and rubber boots and clamps. tap a oil line and run the oil return to the plug on the side of the oil pan. use all the non turbo electronics. u will need to get a vac line for the blow-off valve. cost me like $300 to get everything i needed.

dunewarz · 05-15-2009, 03:57 PM

craig, where ever you got your items let me know LOL. It's impossible to turbo a non turbo with 300 bucks. I'm gonna name some items (not all) and name the lowest prices you'll find.

Turbo: $150
Exhaust Manifold: $150
Turbo elbow: $100-150
Down Pipe: $200
Intercooler: Stock = $60-$100
After market intercooler: $100-$200

If you don't have a welder and pipe cutter than it'll cost an extra 400+pipe cost and labor to make your own intercooler piping. Other wise it'll cost.

Intercooler kit: $300

These I'm not sure if needed but I've done a lot of turbo jobs on cars and I've used all these. You may need bigger injectors and a fuel pump. Not sure about this but you may need a turbo ecu, turbo wire harness, and MAF sensor. Turbo boost gauge, air/fuel gauge.

All these items on top total range from used $300-$500.
New $1500-$3000 Depending where you get it. NOTE: I got this quote directly from the dealership.

MAF: $850
Wire harness: $1500
ECU: $800

I'm just naming from experience all the parts that I used to get my other cars to run turbo. Since none of my other cars came with turbo models I had to use all the options above except the harness, turbo ECU, and MAF. From my experiences it'll cost you close if not over $1500+ if you're choosing to do a cheap job.

May need the stock turbo intake mainifold and throttle body. Other wise ECU will most likely go haywire(crazy).

Though I have to point out that you may need a engine piggy back system unless you do an exact replica of a turbo motor.

I'll be expensive and time consuming, thats why I said it's better to just swap motors. I have not even mentioned tuning your car and all the other stuff needed. You may need the fuel rail. If you live in a state that requires emissions testing than you need the turbo model EGR system. Though I don't know if the check the VIN since I don't live in that kind of state, if they do than you are going to get screwed.

dunewarz · 05-15-2009, 04:02 PM

Add to your prices all the miscellaneous stuff like the gaskets, o-rings, sealers.

05-12-2009, 01:23 AM	#1
xxpeppaxx Stock Join Date: May 2008 Location: Memphis Posts: 11	ready to get on the road So i bought an 89 na last summer with a cracked block for 500$ and i just finished my first year of college . I want to have this car on the road by august. Im going to need a new engine.Everyone thinks im crazy for wanting to put so much money in a car that came out the same year i did but ive been in love with this car since my mom had one when i was like 4 or 5. Im just wondering what im getting myself into. I want to put a 7mgte in it and not the orignal 7mge. Ive been looking at ebay a lot but im not too confident with some of them. Anyone have experience buying an engine from ebay? Also am i going to need to change the ecu from my ge when i replace it with a gte? What all am i going to need to replace. I know this has been asked countless times and ive read them all countless times but none of them address this very clearly. (or maybe ive yet to see them) Thankfully i have a mechanic stepdad that will be guiding and doing much of the work but i want to make sure im buying quality parts and everything i need. here she is

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05-12-2009, 01:54 AM	#2
mirage83 12psi boost Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 359	Looks like a nice clean Supra, though I'm not especially a '89+ person. I'd be careful about buying a JDM, and I haven't myself so I can't personally recommend a supplier. But historically speaking it's a coin-toss as to whether any JDM engine you buy will be in a sufficiently good shape to just throw in and run with it. At least half the time people end up having to rebuild them anyway. If you go with a JDM engine you'll either need a JDM ECU or add the EGR system to the JDM engine and keep the USDM ECU. JDM engines don't have the EGR system that USDM engines do. In any event you're going to spend *at least* $1000 before you're done, and probably a lot more depending on exactly which route you go in regards to your engine and which of the various bits and pieces need replacing when you're doing major work to and around the engine. The Supra can be a good car, but it's more demanding of attention than the worst high maintenance girlfriend you can imagine. Be prepared.

05-12-2009, 01:58 AM	#3
shaggydude1111 Stock Join Date: May 2009 Location: watkins glen ny Posts: 4 Blog Entries: 2	i would have to say that was well bought. as far as a swap to the gte, im in the same boat. been told you can turbo a 7mge though, but i dont know that for sure

05-12-2009, 04:16 PM	#5
MZDA5274 Stock Join Date: May 2009 Location: MA Posts: 16	Looks good! I'm in the same boat as you for a project, hopefully I get mine though.

05-12-2009, 08:04 PM	#6
Vacationtime247 3" Exhaust Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Muncie, IN Posts: 86	Just fix the 7MGE. Trying to convert it over to a turbo car is more involved than you can possibly imagine. If you are not mechanically inclined, forget it. Don't even try it. When (or if) you do fix the 7M, take LOTS of pictures. You'll need them. Then again, you could do like I did and put in a 350 Chevy with a 700R4. Easy swap and the upgrades are endless. I'm sure people will want to burn me at the stake for even suggesting that, but fixing a dead 7M is NOT fun at ALL! VT247

05-13-2009, 09:03 AM	#7
dunewarz 3" Exhaust Join Date: May 2009 Location: WhiteBear Posts: 54	This is a really reliable engine buying source. Jspecautosports.com I've bought 2 rx7 motors and 1 sr20det from this site. They are most of the time cheaper then ebay motors and they come with warranties and also all the parts you need like the ECU. As for converting a 7mge into a 7mgte. I wouldn't do it. It's just too much work and too much money. Also when you go to buy parts like the ECU and other electric parts like the coils you are looking at thousands of dollars worth of parts. I think you'll have to get the MAF sensor too which at the dealer is 800 bucks.

05-13-2009, 11:23 PM	#8
craig Stock Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 27	just turbo your NA its really cheap. all u need is manifold, turbo, and intercooler. then make your own piping for it with some elbows and rubber boots and clamps. tap a oil line and run the oil return to the plug on the side of the oil pan. use all the non turbo electronics. u will need to get a vac line for the blow-off valve. cost me like $300 to get everything i needed.

05-15-2009, 03:57 PM	#9
dunewarz 3" Exhaust Join Date: May 2009 Location: WhiteBear Posts: 54	craig, where ever you got your items let me know LOL. It's impossible to turbo a non turbo with 300 bucks. I'm gonna name some items (not all) and name the lowest prices you'll find. Turbo: $150 Exhaust Manifold: $150 Turbo elbow: $100-150 Down Pipe: $200 Intercooler: Stock = $60-$100 After market intercooler: $100-$200 If you don't have a welder and pipe cutter than it'll cost an extra 400+pipe cost and labor to make your own intercooler piping. Other wise it'll cost. Intercooler kit: $300 These I'm not sure if needed but I've done a lot of turbo jobs on cars and I've used all these. You may need bigger injectors and a fuel pump. Not sure about this but you may need a turbo ecu, turbo wire harness, and MAF sensor. Turbo boost gauge, air/fuel gauge. All these items on top total range from used $300-$500. New $1500-$3000 Depending where you get it. NOTE: I got this quote directly from the dealership. MAF: $850 Wire harness: $1500 ECU: $800 I'm just naming from experience all the parts that I used to get my other cars to run turbo. Since none of my other cars came with turbo models I had to use all the options above except the harness, turbo ECU, and MAF. From my experiences it'll cost you close if not over $1500+ if you're choosing to do a cheap job. May need the stock turbo intake mainifold and throttle body. Other wise ECU will most likely go haywire(crazy). Though I have to point out that you may need a engine piggy back system unless you do an exact replica of a turbo motor. I'll be expensive and time consuming, thats why I said it's better to just swap motors. I have not even mentioned tuning your car and all the other stuff needed. You may need the fuel rail. If you live in a state that requires emissions testing than you need the turbo model EGR system. Though I don't know if the check the VIN since I don't live in that kind of state, if they do than you are going to get screwed.

05-15-2009, 04:02 PM	#10
dunewarz 3" Exhaust Join Date: May 2009 Location: WhiteBear Posts: 54	Add to your prices all the miscellaneous stuff like the gaskets, o-rings, sealers.