Kevin Holt

ive got a 04 montero sport with no transmission but a 3.0l SOHC v6 engine RWD, could i swap the motor in my 1988 rx-7 GXL which has a blown non-turbo engine with 5 speed transmission? what all would i have to do to make this work with my '88 GXL?

WondrousBread

That depends on how much of the Rx7 drivetrain you have and how much you end up keeping. I've never done a swap myself, but assuming you have at least the rear diff and associated running gear in place, you would probably need your Montero sport engine, a trans to match, and a custom drive shaft with one end that mates to the transmission and the other end to the diff.

The real trouble is going to be mounting. The 13B engine your rx7 originally had mounts on two mounts on the sides (you can see them if you look into your empty engine bay. I highly doubt you would be able to retain these mounts, so you would have to fabricate new ones for your new engine. And then, now that you've relocated the engine in the bay (and with it, the transmission) you will have to fabricate transmission mounts. And now you've probably relocated your shifter, so inside the car I'm not sure what you could possibly do to fix that.

Then you have to find the appropriate peripherals to swap in (brake booster, clutch MC, etc) that will fit the space, will work, and are adequate for your new setup.

And after that you buy an aftermarket ECU, and begin tuning (not as easy as it looks).



What I'm getting at is that this is a lot more work than it seems, and you've asked the engine swap question a few times. Frankly, if you're just looking for an engine that will provide you some fun in the car, the best choice is probably a stock 13B and transmission.) Bolts right in, and with some modification you can probably bring it near 200hp, which is plenty of fun in a car this light.

If you're looking for lots of power, consider a 13B turbo swap. But if your heart is set on pistons, at least try and find an engine that has been swapped in enough that kits exist or it is a well documented swap.