3.4 5VZ-FE V6 swap shop

[50Runner]

Hello all...been lurking on this site a bit but been a Toyota owner for a long time. I recently moved to the UK and am looking to do a 3.0 V6 to 3.4 V6 swap on a second gen 2 door Surf. Are there any shops that could do this? I know a lot of the wiring can be bought from the US...but theres still some work required to do it. Any suggestions?

[RebelV8]

Just my opinion but, it doesn't seem worth all the extra work and aggro for an extra 400cc. If I wanted to do an engine swap and all the work that's involved ( or money if you're paying to have it done ) I'd want and expect a lot more than just 400cc

[50Runner]

Actually, the 3.4 swap is by far the easiest direct bolt on swap to do as either a 5speed or an automatic bolt on, and the wiring harness needed can be bought from several places (if theres a 3.0 V6 in it already)...so no aggro at all! Plus, it gives full factory location for everything, diagnostics, A/C, etc etc and its a much preferred engine (fuel mileage wise) if its going to be a daily driver. Plus even though it is "only" 400cc more, a TRD supercharger is a bolt on option...no lack of power there! Ive done the V8 swap thing before...sure, it was fun, but I wouldnt want to drive it every day.

Oh and btw, its not extra work...the 3.0 is on its way out as it already has 1 cylinder with the dreaded low compression before death syndrome...so at the very least an engine rebuild will be needed. Its not a swap just for the hell of it.

Sooo...regardless of personal preferences etc, anyone have any thoughts on a shop that could carry this work out?

[AlexKzn130]

each to there own i suppose, i drive my v8 everyday (not that i have a choice, its my only car lol) ill be supercharging it in about 4 years when im bored, i wouldn't mind a nice 400bhp to poodle around london ( cos you need that on 30mph roads) hahahahahahaha

[50Runner]

haha! I hear you...always fun to have hp on tap! But thats what the car with the 7.3 V8 is for

So yes...this is more a laid back cruiser but with a better engine. Which would replace the sick engine anyway...

Surely there must be a shop doing, or able to do, this. If theres this many LS400 swaps this is a piece of cake in comparison!

[AlexKzn130]

haha! I hear you...always fun to have hp on tap! But thats what the car with the 7.3 V8 is for

So yes...this is more a laid back cruiser but with a better engine. Which would replace the sick engine anyway...

Surely there must be a shop doing, or able to do, this. If theres this many LS400 swaps this is a piece of cake in comparison!

can try these guys http://overfab.uk/services.html

for some reason some of the website is written in some sort of latin

[50Runner]

Cool...I'll give them a ring and see. They list Lexus V8 vonversions as something they do and the 3.0 to 3.4 swap is muuuch simpler than that so it should be pretty straight forward for them. The latin bit is because the website still has place holders from when it was created...for some reason its often in latin. No idea why.The odd thing is that the website hasnt been finished...which is sometimes not a good sign. But I'll have a look at them. Thanks

If there are any other suggestions theyre always welcome!

[Vagrant No2]

Overfab is owned by 2 very well clued up engineers, one I know personally, so I can recommend their work. Mark is member on here.

[Growler]

Overfab is owned by 2 very well clued up engineers, one I know personally, so I can recommend their work. Mark is member on here.

I can 2nd that, and I was actually down there yesterday and the place is full of trucks currently having work done, hence no time to finish website

[50Runner]

Sweet! That is definitively good to know! I'll see about going over for a chat soon then.

I guess its another thread that would need to get started, but apparently petrol V6s with/without superchargers arent really a thing in the UK...

[danielsprague]

If you mean specifically the 5VZ-FE engine, you'll find it in UK Landcruiser Colorados (European name for the Prado), but always mated to an auto box.

If you mean petrol V6s in general, well petrol engine are rather unfairly stigmatised in the UK for being inefficient compared to diesels. Big engines are not very popular due to emissions, taxes and fuel consumption, so I4 engines are the norm. In SUVs straight 6s are more popular as there is not so much constraint on the length of the engine compartment, they are coparatively simpler, and also inherently balanced. I'd certainly choose an I6 vs a V6.

That said, I drove a twin turbo V6 F150 in the US a few years ago and was pretty impressed. Still doesn't sound as good as an I6 though IMHO.

[50Runner]

Thats true...I would pick an I6 over a V6 as well. But the engine bay of the Surf gets tight with one. The point of this swap though is perhaps not so much what is the best engine in general, but what is the easiest to fit. And that pretty much leaves only the 5V as a choice. Or go to a Toyota I4...which doesn't make sense power wise...

I actually forgot about the Colorado having that engine. Makes me wonder now why more Surfs dont have that swap.

[danielsprague]

Thats true...I would pick an I6 over a V6 as well. But the engine bay of the Surf gets tight with one. The point of this swap though is perhaps not so much what is the best engine in general, but what is the easiest to fit. And that pretty much leaves only the 5V as a choice. Or go to a Toyota I4...which doesn't make sense power wise...

I actually forgot about the Colorado having that engine. Makes me wonder now why more Surfs dont have that swap.

I've only heard good things about the 5VZ-FE, certainly much better than the 3VZ-E according to US forums.

I wanted a petrol Toyota 4x4 for overland travel, I almost bought a Saudi Prado with the 5VZ-FE and a manual transmission, but ended up managing to find a manual 3RZ-FE Surf which I'm currently rebuilding. Very nice engine and not thirsty at all. All Japanese 3rd Gen Surfs with the 5VZ-FE were autos, and I really hate auto boxes!!