Getting Started
When more power and near stock reliability are your goals the 3S-GTE swap is your best bet. The 3S-GTE is an inline 2.0 liter 4 cylinder dual overhead cam turbocharged engine. The horse power and torque ratings vary depending on generation and the region where the engine is sold. The 2nd generation is by far the most commonly used. USDM engines produce 200 horsepower and 200 pounds of torque while the JDM version produced 225 horsepower and 225 pounds of torque. These are not the only options but for the sake of this write up they will be the only ones referenced.
Before you start, think about where you live. If you have strict emission laws it would behoove you to find a USDM engine and ECU. The USDM engines are equipped with emission equipment such as an EGR system. On the other hand if you live in a place that doesn't have rules governing emissions then the JDM engine and ECU are the way to go. Not only do the JDM engines produce more power they are much easier to come by.
The next step is finding an engine. This is not as easy as it sounds. There are a few way to go about this. First and by far the easiest is to source yourself a front clip. A front clip is just as it sounds. It's half a car, usually cut at the A pillars and just in front of where the front seats mount. A front clip will have 95 percent of what you need to successfully get your swap running.
Another option is to find a crate engine. Although they are less expensive finding the parts to make your swap run will probably end up costing you more than just getting a front clip.
Engines can be found from many importers and on eBay. Price will vary depending on the mileage and what is included; location can also bring the price up depending on shipping costs.
The rest of this write up will be based on purchasing a front clip.
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