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Thread: 7MGE swap notes and pics

  1. #1

    7MGE swap notes and pics

    Recently I’ve been asked some questions on my 7MGE Supra engine swap. So I thought I’d put up some information. Originally my rig had a 22-RE, so the information I’m giving is geared to a 22RE-7MGE swap, the 3.0 V6 is a bit different. Also, I swapped in a naturally aspirated engine, the turbo can also be bolted in but uses a different harness, AFM and ECU, plus there is intercooler plumbing to find room for. The biggest difficulty in this swap is finding room in front of the engine since it is an inline 6, but some creative trimming goes a long way. The 7MGE is built typical Toyota rock solid, but many have had problems with headgasket leakage - the problem with the headgasket was insufficient factory torque (52 ft/lbs) and is remedied by increasing the torque to 72 ft/lbs. A completely bullet-proof fix would include an MLS (multi-layer steel) headgasket and ARP head bolts or studs.

    Here are some engine numbers for comparison
    20R, 2.2L, 90 HP@4800, 122 Ft-Lbs@2400
    22R, 2.4L, 96 HP@4800, 129 Ft-Lbs@2800
    22RE, 2.4L, 112 HP@4600, 142 Ft-Lbs@3400
    22RTE, 2.4L, 135 HP@4800, 173 Ft-Lbs@2800, 6psi
    20R/22R Hybrid, Estimated 135-155 HP depending on build
    2RZFE, 2.4L, 142 HP@5000, 160 Ft-Lbs@4000
    3RZFE, 2.7L, 150 HP@4800, 177 Ft-Lbs@4000
    3VZ-E, 3.0L, 150 HP@4800, 180 Ft-Lbs@3400
    5VZ-FE,3.4L, 190 HP@4800, 220 Ft-Lbs@3600
    5M-GE, 2.7L, 143 HP@5200, 154 Ft-Lbs@4400
    7M-GE, 3.0L, 199 HP@6000, 188 Ft-Lbs@3600
    7M-GTE,3.0L, 232 HP@5600, 254 Ft-Lbs@3200, 5psi

    Since everyone is considering fuel economy these days, I'll also say that my 22RE before the swap got 20mpg and I recently got 19.5 mpg highway cruising 80mph with the 7MGE (15mpg on the trails in Big Bear).

    I spent ~ 3 months researching this swap during down time at work and several more months searching for parts in Junkyards. This swap could also be done by buying a running Supra. The engine I got from a JDM importer for $375 off ebay (I picked it up in person to avoid shipping). Total cost for the entire project was less than $1k (can’t beat junkyard prices). The entire swap took me about 2 -3 days once I had all the parts together, however I’ve since tweaked and changed a few things here and there after driving it awhile. The biggest obstacle is fitting a large enough radiator that will still allow for an electric fan, a lesser problem is exhaust routing since it needs to cross over form the passenger side to join the rest of the exhaust on the driver side.

    The majority of my research came from SupraCharged.com and the write-up that I liked best came from Andrew Hulse’s 1st gen 4runner swap.
    1G 4runner swap pg 1
    1G 4runner swap pg 2
    1G 4runner swap pg 3

    Here’s the thread 4RnrRick had when he swapped in a 7M 4RnrRick’s swap thread, though he concluded he would have been happier with a 3.4 swap


    The write-ups above go through the actual install fairly well, so I’ll try to avoid repeating too much. What you’ll need to get the 7MGE bolted in:
    - Supra bellhousing, clutch fork & throwout bearing retaining spring, clutch slave cylinder & hose - Supra’s used a “W” series transmission which uses the same bellhousing-trans bolt pattern as the “W” series truck trans – you will use your stock “W” series trans and transfer case – use a pre ’89 bellhousing, after this Toyota changed the clutch and pressure plate design, pre ’89 is the standard “fork and throwout” style


    - 5MGE motor mount brackets – bolt on one position further back on the 7MGE block and allow you to use the stock 22RE rubber engine mounts

    - 7MGE Cressida oil pan and oil pump – the Cressida used a front sump oil pan (vs Supra mid sump which interfered with the IFS front diff) which clears the front tie rod perfectly though you do need to remove the steering damper - also the Supra used a mid sump oil pan, so the dipstick needs to be relocated is using a Supra block, there is already a boss to drill through and it's no big deal using a hand held drill, just make sure you use a drill bit the same size as the dipstick tube, brace the tube to a nearby bolt and seal it up with black RTV


    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  2. #2

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    - wire harness – I junkyarded mine for $30 and made sure to be careful pulling it out – don’t break connectors pulling them off, don’t pull on wires and when you get to the big connectors that connect the engine harness to the rest of the vehicle (behind dash) leave yourself ~1’ of wire and take both sides of the connector (male and female side – it makes wiring everything together easier)
    - ECU – I was able to mount everything in the stock location down in the passenger side kick panel using the 22RE ECU brackets - it's a tight fit, but works nice if you keep wire length to manageable lengths and tuck them up and behind the ECU


    - Vane Airflow Meter to match your engine (smog will want everything to be the same year or newer as your vehicle, but they really have no visual way of checking)
    - igniter and ignition coil - I moved the ignition coil to the passenger side so I could use a shorter coil wire

    - Injector Resistor (leave this connected to the harness when you get it at the junkyard)

    - use the factory throttle cable and fab a simple cable holder –or- use the factory Supra cables, setup and linkages

    - factory 22RE fuel pump works fine, no upgrade needed, fuel filter will be factory mounted to the 7MGE block on driver side – need to bend fuel lines to run gas from the passenger side to driver side

    - the 7M mechanical fan can not be used, so an electric fan is in order. I looked for a thin electric fan and found that you can get one with decent CFM under 3" thick. I wired an electric thermo switch and an extra sensor to warn of possible overheating (220* puts the gauge about 3/4 of the way to the red) - the threads are 3/8" NPT - the 3 hole t-stat housing was sourced from a 7MGTE (turbo) and had the 220* sensor already in it

    - I was able to reuse the 22RE P/S pump by moving the reservoir down on the inner fender a bit and having the 7M pulley center bore machined to .710" and hand filing a keyway (7M uses a ribbed belt) - further the 7M A/C bracket needs to be cut up a bit and a simple bracket fabbed up to adapt the pump to the A/C bracket, I also made a nother bracket to brace the pump in an attempt to reduce vibration and bracket flex under belt tension



    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  3. #3

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    - for the exhaust I bought 2 tight radius u-bent pieces from Jegs and cut off bits of angle as I needed them to route the exhaust under the Cressida oil pan (with heat shields on top of the pipe to keep heat away from the oil pan) – also try to keep the catalytic converter as close to the engine as possible so it can get hot enough to pass emissions – another option would be to run the exhaust down the passenger side and cross it over under the t-case, there is just enough room to fish the pipe through a hole between the t-case / crossmember / frame rail, this setup would also allow you to mount the cat converter just after the exhaust manifold (while this routing would be easier, I didn’t like it for a couple reasons)



    - firewall will need to be clearanced slightly for the EGR valve on the driver side and for the 90* coolant hose on the passenger side (hose barely touches metal if not clearanced)


    - relocated battery from passenger to driver side, I used the factory alternator wire to get power from the new battery location to the original fuse box (I later ran an additional 10 ga wire and added a 120 amp manual reset circuit breaker for accident safety)

    - the actual wiring of everything is in this link - 7M Wiring - if you are comfortable with a soldering iron and 12V electrical, there’s nothing to it.
    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  4. #4

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    *edit* additional pics and content added
    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  5. #5

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    Nice job, did you ever get smog problems worked out ? (maybe you already told us) I would love to see it smogged. When I did my buddies we were able to get rid of all the EGR stuff. It gave us a lttle more room to play. We also used the existing 86.5 radiator/+ 2 10" electric fans. Have had no heating problems yet. He doesn't have smog issues cause his trucks an 1985 deisel rig.

    Yours looks as clean as it gets

  6. #6

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    Quote Originally Posted by 4runnerchevy
    Nice job, did you ever get smog problems worked out ? (maybe you already told us) I would love to see it smogged. When I did my buddies we were able to get rid of all the EGR stuff. It gave us a lttle more room to play. We also used the existing 86.5 radiator/+ 2 10" electric fans. Have had no heating problems yet. He doesn't have smog issues cause his trucks an 1985 deisel rig.

    Yours looks as clean as it gets
    Thanks for the

    I had an appointment for the smog ref on the 1st before I was going to head up to Big Bear, but I got a phone call from BAR that morning saying that the college had a power outage and they weren't doing inspections. So I called a few days later to reschedule and got a message that said "due to the current budget crisis, this office will be closed until further notice" . . . I just can't win. It's passed all the smog ref visual and functional and runs like a champ. The numbers were much better last time after moving the cat closer so it would get to temp and light off quicker, so I took out my worn MagnaFlow high flow cat (I ran it with a heavy misfire a couple times after washing down the engine, likely damaged it that way) and re-did my entire exhaust with an Ebay cat that has more surface area and a bigger body (better scrubbing). I also redid cat back pipe and tailpipe. The exhaust smells much better now and I'm sure it'll pass once I can get it in again. I had to install the EGR after the engine was already installed - took me nearly 12 hours over two days. I'll be sure to post the numbers when I get them.

    I was thinking of trying a factory V6 radiator, but when I installed the Griffin I trimmed sheet metal and the mounting holes off to move it forward to make room for a puller fan. So now I'm kinda stuck unless I get the urge to weld in new sheet metal. I also think this has a bit to do with why I'm overheating

    that crusty trail leads right up to the headgasket and gets damp after I've been running it awhile (no fluid mixing). I think the damage got done by a cheap fan would intermittently quit while towing 3,500 lbs cross country. Luckily I have a used head that I just got done polishing the intake and exhaust on. Gotta get ARP studs yet, have the exhaust seats touched up (pitting) and surface the head, I'll probably skip the MLS headgasket.
    Keith '88 4runner SR5 Garage Thread

  7. #7

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    Believe me I know about smog woes. I hope our local ref is not closed cause we have a date in September.

    Good Luck

  8. #8

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    one of the cleanest swaps ive ever seen! especially with a more complex modern Japanese engine.

    hope you get your emission stuff dealt with soon. look forward to seeing you again before you leave cali.
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  9. #9

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    Thank you!!! Very nice work.

    -Matt<br /><br />1988 4Runner, 22re, 5spd<br />1994 Mustang Cnvt, 302, 5spd

  10. #10

    Re: 7MGE swap notes and pics

    Man, Corax...that is exactly what I want to do to my runner. Lately, I haven't had the time though. If I promise not to talk politics while you do it, will you come and swap one in for me?
    SI VIS PACEM PARABELLUM

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