What is the 2JZGTE?
One of the most powerful and robust inline six motors ever produced, the 2JZGTE is one of the most known import motors of it’s era. Overbuilt and overengineered this engine can produce upwards of 800 whp without upgrading the internals. With just a handful of tweaks and modifications like a multilayer steel head gasket from Cometic or HKS, with ARP head bolts is a great way to step up from the BPU crowd.
Which 2JZGTE do I want to swap into my 240?
Although the 2JZGTE is still a production motor, over 90 percent of swap candidates come from JDM engine importers. There are many reasons for opting for the JDM motorset, it’s cheaper and easier to install than the USDM 2JZGTE because there’s no MAF to wire or incorporate.
Kicking off our How to Swap a 2JZGTE guide is taking a look at the USDM 2JZ vs the JDM 2JZ.
What differences are there between the USDM and JDM 2JZGTE?
Internally there are no differences between the two motorsets but there are some significant items you will want to take note of.
– Camshaft Profile
– Different turbochargers
-Injectors
You may be best served purchasing a pulley kit that will allow you to convert all your accessory pulleys for your serpentine belt.
Click here for our How To Install Pulleys on a 2JZ Guide, and don’t forget our How To Install Injectors on a 2JZ either.
What parts should I upgrade before swapping the 2JZGTE into my 240SX?
The obvious upgrades would be a great choice here, either upgrading the side mount air to air intercooler or stepping up to a front mount, now is a good time. Selecting a front mount for your chassis will allow you to get the 2JZGTE pipes as well. For more information on intercooler sizing, check out our article here.
Fuel injectors – Ditching the 440cc JDM injectors for top feed aftermarket injectors is easy enough, what rail and other components will you need? Check here for our complete walkthrough.
Oil pump – Another great idea to check now while the motor is out of the car, checking the oil pump is a must do for any serious 2JZGTE enthusiast.
You can also purchase a universal intercooler core with end tanks fit for your 240SX, and get a intercooler piping kit for the MKIV or the fourth generation Supra. The inlet and outlet will be close enough so that you can get it close before driving it to a shop or some slight modification.
Sensors
The 2JZGTE enjoys a full compliment of Toyota dealers that can sell you components for your engine swap, but just in case we have you covered with a lineup of 2JZ DIY Guides.
If you plan on running the JDM ECU, be aware that it’s set for 440cc injectors and may require additional sensors or a piggyback computer if you wish to get it running right with a larger fuel injector setup.
Common issues involve broken ignition clips, igniters and missing plugs or wires. If you need additional help with wiring, check out our how to’s on wiring in a 2JZGTE S13 swap, S14 swap and much more.
Planning your exhaust system
Let’s get the easy part out of the way and select your favorite catback of choice for the 240SX chassis. From there you will have a few options to complete your 2JZ engine swap. If you are keeping the JDM turbos, you will want a JDM JZA80 02 housing or cat delete, to get your stock twins to terminate near the transmission.
From there you can opt for the standard 3 inch downpipe from the manufacturer of your choice. Cost isn’t much of a factor considering you are building this on your own and these parts are just metal. Picking a chinese downpipe is just fine in this scenario.
If you are lucky enough to have a complete working USDM turbo set, then picking any off the shelf downpipe for the MKIV Supra will work just fine. Try to wrap your downpipe with exhaust wrap to help deal with the under hood temps of the 2JZGTE.
Fuel Delivery
Looking for the fastest, cheapest way to resolve your fuel delivery issues in your 2JZGTE engine swap? A Walbro 255 high pressure is what you will want, giving you the pressure you need at the rail.
If you are on the hunt for a true solution to your fuel delivery needs, a stock Supra Denso pump is an excellent choice with a 320 lph rating. If you need a writeup on how to install an aftermarket fuel pump in your 240sx, click here for the article. Our How To Install Top Feed Injectors in a 2JZGTE article is located here.
Realize however that raising the fuel pressure in your rail with no way to crank it down is a bad thing. If you are having problems sorting our aftermarket fuel pressure regulator options, take a look here at our fuel pressure damper install.
Cooling
One of the most important steps to your 2JZGTE engine swap is the cooling components in your car. Upgraded radiators, oil coolers and a fan shroud are very much recommended. With an aluminum cylinder head, temperatures above 210 degrees will warp the head and compromise your cylinder combustion seal.
To do this you can purchase a Koyo or Mishimoto radiator, a 3 row is recommended along with a fan shroud that can help you keep the underhood temps down. This is a big part of your 240SX, if you want to Swap a 2JZGTE the cooling is very important.
You will need a KA24DE radiator and cut a few inches off the 2JZ upper radiator hose to make it work, or alternately get a SR20 radiator and use both upper and lower 2JZ hoses.
As far as your cooling fans are concerned, you will need slimline units and the slimmest you can possibly find would be the first criteria. Because fitment of the 2JZ in a 240SX engine bay is tight at best, you need the slimmest fans possible to help it clear. This is one of the biggest challenges you will face when it comes to learning how to swap a 2JZGTE in your car.
Problems you want to plan ahead for
Check your Sensors – Many times you will get your motorset from the importer with broken or missing wire clips, broken sensors or missing parts. Use our handy 2JZGTE swap sensor guide to help you navigate through what needs to be serviced.
The 2JZGTE is a great engine for the 240SX and better than the RB25DET because of the placement of the turbochargers. Being on the passenger side of the car for us right hand drive folks makes this swap preferrable to the RB25.
Your brake and clutch master cylinder thank you for this.
Sadly, you can’t have your cake and eat it too because most swap kits for the 240SX will butt the back of the motor very close to your coolant lines. Retaining a stock twin turbo setup almost makes it impossible to retain use of your heater core, which makes driving in the cold or reducing engine temps difficult.
Use of thermo heat tape is recommended on the heater core lines since they will be very close to the downpipe and turbo. Heat will play a big factor in how to swap a 2JZGTE, regardless of whether or not you have aftermarket cooling fans and / or a radiator.
Front Sump
In order for your 2JZGTE to fit in your 240sx, you will need a front sumped 2JZ engine set. If your engine or donor engine came from a rear sumped 2JZ, you will need a complete oil pan, windage tray and oil pickup from a front sump engine.
Engine Mount Kit
We’ll be adding reviews for each 2ZJGTE 240SX engine mount kit here at a later time, please stay tuned.
Wiring Your 2JZGTE
Option 1 : Purchase a complete plug and play harness kit from a manufacturer like Chasebays or Wiring Specialties. We’ve got a few reviews on these products that you can check out here.
Option 2 : Purchase a 2JZGE non turbo harness from a JDM Aristo, Lexus Sc300, IS300 or GS300. Use the existing SC300 harness and extend the wires needed for conversion.
One of the more miscommunicated and least documented parts of this engine swap, the 2JZGTE wiring isn’t hard to do with the right facts in front of you.
For those swapping a 2JZ into a S14 take a look at our Wiring Primer by clicking here. We also have a how to wire article for the S13 here.
Hope this How to Swap a 2JZGTE writeup helped you with your 2JZGTE engine swap, make sure to check back for Part 2 and our engine mount swap reviews as well.
Happy Boosting!
Thanks to Preston Brown for use of select images in this writeup.
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Hi, I got a MKIV aem ems v1 and I want to use it in my 93 240 with a 2JZ VVTI JDM engine. Can i use a stock igniter or do I need a AEM unit?
Hey Vu, thanks for reading and commenting.
2JZGTE coils are “dumb” meaning you will need an igniter to get the job done. You can go with a stock one, or simply wire in your own. For those instructions check here :
How To Wire a Bosch Universal igniter – http://my.prostreetonline.com/2014/08/13/how-to-wire-a-custom-igniter/
How To Wire a Q45 Igniter – http://my.prostreetonline.com/2014/08/11/how-to-install-a-j30-igniter-rb25/
Thanks for commenting and let us know how your project is coming along!
What size are the stock fuel lines on the 2JZGTE?
Hey Trey, thanks for commenting.
5/16 is the fuel hose size you are looking for. Good luck with your swap!
Hi Im from Mexico Ive 1998 240sx s14 with 2jzgte vvti automatic tranny, my problem is that I feel that my swap dont have the real horse power, the first think is that the tanny only make 3 gears, when my car was stock runs better that now with 2jz, if the car are in parking gear the engine sound awesome but if I put the car in drive mode the car runs but too slow.
please give me your advice, what i need to do, by the way the tranny have a cut wirles just have oil in the correct levels. please give me some help.
thanks
Hi Jose David, thanks for reading.
There can be several reasons behind why you feel your swap is underperforming. Couple of basic questions ;
1. Do you have a wideband A/F gauge hooked up to the car?
2. How much boost are you running and with what fuel parts?
Most importantly, if you are running a stock S14 rear end, this is most likely the problem. If your transmission is only running 3 gears or is having a problem, the stock rear end gearing will not help in this regard. In the same manner six speed 2JZGTE Getrag swaps will also not have much of a 1st gear.
I would try a rear end swap and maybe looking into your transmission issue. If you have a budget for the CD009 transmission swap, this is ideal. 1500 horsepower proven six speed transmission for under 2000.
Hi its me again
I just drived the car few minutes ago and the tranny works fine all gears are working my 240sx s14 it’s oem rear end but my question is the underperforming of my car is for the boost or the tranny or everything is wrong? What do you can suggest to me to do, I just need more power I’ve other 240sx s14 Rb20det with standar tranny and the car is pretty fast very very fast, and I compare the my automatic 2jzgte vvti automatic tranny vs my rb20det and the 2jz is slow also I check boost lines and are ok use the correct gasoline but the only issue is that Idont know how much boost Inyected the turbos .
Please give me your advice for make the correct thinks .
Hi Jose, okay to start you’ll need a boost gauge or something to at least determine what base boost you are running. Do you know what turbo system you have on there now? Is it a stock JDM twin turbo manifold and turbos? If so there’s a good chance the turbos are worn, as the wheels deteriorate over time.
Try a good boost gauge to start, like the Elite series from Glow Shift, found here :
Elite Boost Gauge
Once you know how much boost you are running, then you can start diagnosing what the issue with your car is. Let us know how much boost you are running and we can go from there.
Thanks for your replay. I just check my boost and it’s ok I think where is the problem in my swap my mechanic cancel the electronic throtle body and work with cable. Also I don’t have the dbw so that’s the reason my acelerator it’s all school maybe that’s the reason my car when is in parking gear sound like a beast but when I change to drive gear the car runs but not like a Beast like normal car, some people tell me to buy standar tranny but I like the automatic just don’t like the underperformance when my car is in drive position.
It’s possible to fix my problem?
Thanks
David, what ECU are you using? You say you eliminated the DBW in a 2JZGE? and installed a GTE throttle body is that right?
I’m using the ECU oem of the 2jzgte vvti the throtle body is the oem of the swap, the only think that I make was to change or cancelled the electronic system and the throtle body is move by cable move by the gas pedal, maybe there is something wrong when the adaptation I made, I think that the tps send a wrong signal to the ECU, what do you think I need to do or change for have a real 2jzgte vvti?
May swap is on 60% of the real hp oem.
Please give or tell me what I need to do.
Remember I ve the automatic tranny oem of the swap
what trans u running?
Hi Tyler, thanks for reading!
As far as the 2JZ, there’s a few options when it comes to the transmission. R154, the six speed V160 from the Supra or our personal favorite the CD009 from a 350Z. Check out our guide here for more information!
http://my.prostreetonline.com/2015/02/11/prep-cd009-transmission/
http://my.prostreetonline.com/2015/05/08/how-to-install-your-cd009-shifter/
Thanks for commenting!
What shifter set up can I use for a s14 with a 2jz auto swap?
Hi Brandon, thanks for reading
For your auto shifter you will need a custom setup, which transmission are you using the one from an Aristo?
Yes the auto trans that comes with the motor set I know I will need an aftermarket shifter just curious if one works better than another or a proven set up
Gotcha.. if you are using an Aristo transmission one of the best is the B&M shifter, which will allow you to ratchet the shifter base forawrd or backwards up to 1 inch, depending on the mount kit you are rocking.
It’s harder to find than ever but that would be my recommendation for your swap, we’ve done several in GS and SC300s with that setup, your S14 will be significantly shorter in the drivetrain tunnel, which is what makes the B&M unit so good.
Awesome thanks for the info would you happen to have a part number for the shifter your talking about and is a manual valve body required or even possible with that trans
This is a great write up, I wish write ups like these existed for my z31 it sucks having the black sheep of the fairladys
Hi Dustin, thanks for reading and thanks for the kind comments! What do you have planned for your Z31? There’s a lot of potential there just not as much support! Thanks for commenting!