7MGE engine and auto

[NeddyBear]

I'm looking for a good reliable engine for our 1975 Toyota Crown and I can get a 7MGE Cressida with 140,000 kilms for $1600 and I'm wondering if the motor and auto is worth rebiuilding. Only have $4,000 for the entire project.

[amichie]

I'm looking for a good reliable engine for our 1975 Toyota Crown and I can get a 7MGE Cressida with 140,000 kilms for $1600 and I'm wondering if the motor and auto is worth rebiuilding. Only have $4,000 for the entire project.

Hi I am one of the biggest 7M fans around here but $1600 is way too much for that motor. You could get a 2JZ-GE engine gearbox package and have lots of change for that price. 7M may be slightly easier to fit but 2JZ-GE would give much better performance, reliabililty, economy and truck loads more potential.

[NeddyBear]

41,66 for the entire vehicle so we can have the wiring and all.

[andrew_mx83]

yeah thats waaayy too much

u could almost do a stock rebuild for that



amichie: enough of your 2jz talk!!!

[amichie]

41,66 for the entire vehicle so we can have the wiring and all.

What sump position is a crown? Cressida is front.

BTW if you are patient you will pick up an engine and gearbox almost for free. Many people fit 1jz or 2jz engines and virtually give the 7M away.

I once picked up two in one day for about $200 including 4 hour box trailer hire.

[MS112]

I guess I am going to side with the 7M in this case. Power does not seem to be the goal of this conversion, and will be a step up from the 4M at any rate.

Firstly, regarding the fact that $1600 is considered too expensive, I will add further to this notion: a friend of mine manage to acquire a good condition running Cressida for under $1000 with over 200,000km on the clock, but with the head gasket recently replaced. So you can probably do better on this front. If you can't find anything better, then this is probably your best choice since the car comes with everything you will need for the conversion.

Now regarding the 7M versus JZ choice...

Hi I am one of the biggest 7M fans around here but $1600 is way too much for that motor. You could get a 2JZ-GE engine gearbox package and have lots of change for that price. 7M may be slightly easier to fit but 2JZ-GE would give much better performance, reliabililty, economy and truck loads more potential.

The JZ engine is a fantastic choice, but when you are deciding between a JZ motor an a 7M, there is one expensive issue that works against the JZ choice. The Crown has it's own sump position that only appeared in the JZS13* series. See here for a discussion on this issue (continues onto next page). The conclusion here is that one needs to buy the JZS13* half cut or purchase a sump from Toyota, which is not cheap. He might end up spending more trying to get a JZ than the 7M in this case.

What sump position is a crown? Cressida is front.

The sump configuration of the 7MGE is actually not an issue, the sump and pickup from the original Crown motor will swap onto the 7MGE. Thank you Toyota

Suspect you already know this but felt it should be pointed out for NeddyBear's sake.

BTW if you are patient you will pick up an engine and gearbox almost for free. Many people fit 1jz or 2jz engines and virtually give the 7M away.

I once picked up two in one day for about $200 including 4 hour box trailer hire.

What condition have these freebie engine and gearboxes been in, though?

If they are stuffed, I would estimate you would need to spend at least a grand on a rebuild kit and do most of the work yourself (excepting any machining work of course). Then he will need everything from a Cressida to make it work anyway (1975 Crowns were carby 4M if I remember correctly).

On the flipside, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to start with a relatively low km motor, change the headgasket and probably get another 200,000km before a total rebuild is required.

My two cents plus GST.

[3sgte]

I don't want to come across as a hater, but I wouldn't pay 5$ for a 7M, and I certainly wouldn't put 7M and reliable in the same sentence.
I had to fix way too many BHGs on those back in the early 90's. Best ever was a 7M-GTE that needed at headgasket with 12,000 km on it.

If the head and block are properly decked, and a metal headgasket is fitted, then sure you can have reliability. That isn't cheap though.

#JZ all the way.

[andrew_mx83]

most cheap/free 7m's just have the BHG, fix it properly once and it wont come back....

[amichie]

No need for the MHG on a NA 7M.
ACL gasket works for me.