Will this work?

[WickedLexus96]

I have a 1996 Lexus ES300 V6 and was wondering if i could swap in the 3s-gte.

[Toyrolla]

I know the 3S-GTE bolts on to the manual, but not the automatic trannys. An automatic slushbox won't hold the power of the 3S-GTE anyway.

Doing the swap can be achieved but you will need a manual tranny swap. THe manual tranny from the Solara would be your best bet.

In addition, there are other options as well. See my thread to explain further:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...04#post1699504

Good Luck,

[yotatechie04]

I agree, that's the best advice you could get on that swap.

[WickedLexus96]

How big of a turbo do u think i will be able to fit? I dont know if this is a stupid question or not but will a T3/4 turbo work. if i got a custom intake manifold. and custom all the piping.

[WickedLexus96]

And one more thing. Do you know if i can fit 1997 camry v6 headers onto my lexus because it is the same engine?

[Toyrolla]

Originally Posted by WickedLexus96

How big of a turbo do u think i will be able to fit? I dont know if this is a stupid question or not but will a T3/4 turbo work. if i got a custom intake manifold. and custom all the piping.

The size of your turbo depends on how much HP gains you expect, which also depends on how strong your bottom end is built.

If you're not planning to build your bottom end, then you shouldn't be looking for a big turbo. A smaller turbo like a Toyota CT26 should work fine. I've seen Camry setups with a Garrett T3, which is more than enough.

You will need to custom build a turbo manifold and downpipe as opposed to using the 97 V6 header.

[undrcroft]

you deffinitely need to go to toyotanation.com and go to the forums. thats where i get my Mod info. Plenty of people whove dropped 3s's in. Turboed, tricked out, whatever.

[Toyrolla]

Originally Posted by undrcroft

you deffinitely need to go to toyotanation.com and go to the forums. thats where i get my Mod info. Plenty of people whove dropped 3s's in. Turboed, tricked out, whatever.

You can also check Camryman.org....

Many of the Camry modders that have done this are on either of these boards. You can also check out TeamSC3, which is a Camry car club in SoCal. Some of the members there have also done this type of work...

Good luck..

[WickedLexus96]

Toyrolla what do u think i would need to build up my bottom end. Because i am seriously planning on attempting this project. thanks for the advice. And I also need to know an estimate on how much it might cost.

[Toyrolla]

Note that building your present bottom end will likely be the more expensive option as opposed to a swap. This is going to take some research on your end, so you can make the right choices that work best for you. You will also need to find a good reputable machine shop to have the proper work done for you. It's highly recommended that you invest in a Toyota shop manual for your engine. This way, you have a good understanding on the work required.

If you're going to build up your bottom end, here's what you need to consider. Mind you, this is mainly an overview:

1. Condition of your block:

You will need to have your block checked for cracks and any warpage.
This is important.

It's also preferable that you have the block cleaned as well. There's a process that's called "boiling" in which your block is dipped into a solution that cleans off all impurities. This is done at a good machine shop.

You will also need to have the block decked to make sure that it's perfectly straight.

2. Forged pistons and connecting rods:

Research pricing for quality forged rods and pistons. You will need piston rings and wrist pins as well. Some shops offer packages that consist of pistons, rods, wrist pins, and piston rings. Check out companies such as ARI, Top End Performance. You can also consult Toysport as well.

3. Balancing:

Done at the machine shop, everything is balanced to make sure that weight is distributed evenly as the engine is in operation.

Pistons
Connecting Rods w/ wrist pins
Crank
Block

4. Gaskets:

You will need to either find (or make on your own) a metal head gasket. You can consult your machine shop for this as well.

While at the machine shop, you will want to consider work on your head as well.

*Porting intake and exhaust ports
*Valve work (springs, retainers, valve job)
*Cams (depending on what lift and duration you need if you go with different valves)

As I stated, this is the more expensive option because you are literally rebuilding your engine. It also depends on your skill level as well if you are planning to do the work yourself. As I also stated, get a Toyota shop manual. This should be the first thing to do.

Good luck in your research, budget well, and take your time.

[WickedLexus96]

How much will it cost to get the manual conversion?

[Toyrolla]

To do a manual conversion in your car, you will have to price the cost of the following:

Manual Tranny (obviously)
Shifter (you might luck out and find this with the tranny already)
Clutch Pedal
Clutch Slave Cylinder
Manual Flywheel (different from automatic)
Throwout Bearing
Manual Tranny Mounts
Clutch*

Getting a new clutch is disputed in some cases, but my reason why I would get a new clutch is because I feel you will get better results by breaking in the clutch on your own rather than it be broken in already.

I think the only exception would be if I was using a completely different front clip (engine & tranny together) and I was using the clutch that came with it.

Also remember to check to make sure that the hole where the shifter is has the right clearance for shifting 1-5 and Reverse.

A knowledgeable mechanic with air tools and a lift could probably do a auto-to-manual tranny conversion in about 2 labor hours from start to finish. You will have to factor that depending on the labor rate of that mechanic.

One more thing I should point out that you might have to be aware of:

If you refer to the shop manual that I recommended, I would also read up on whether or not your tranny has it's own ECU. It's my guess that it does, and you will probably have to read up and research this and also whether or not a Camry V6 5-speed also has one. I don't know if there's certain pinout leads that have to be connected when you do the conversion.

I'm not sure if this applies to your conversion, but it's good to look into this just to be sure.

I know that there are Gen3 Camry V6 owners that have done the auto-to-manual conversion, and I would seek more information regarding the tranny ECU from Gen3 owners. Lots of Gen3 guys can be found at TN and also at Camryman:

http://www.toyotanation.com

http://www.camryman.org



Best wishes with your project, Dude....