Can you swap 1.8L Gen-3 engine to a Gen-2 (2008) prius?

Anything is possible.. it will probably cost a fortune though.
It's gonna be a tight fit and i'm sure the engine mounts will be different. You'd have to use practically the whole hybrid wiring system including the gen3 battery, inverter, several ECUs, not to mention the hybrid display if you can't figure out a way of incorporating it into the gen2 display.

 

Sure you can.
However (comma!) as the previous poster pointed out.....swapping it out and getting everything to work afterwards would be a PITA at the very least.
A very expensive PITA.

Why bother?

 

Are you actually thinking of doing such a swap or are you just curious?

 

Like everyone else is asking.... Why? Not really cost effective AT ALL. What benefits are you looking for by doing said swap?

 

Hooray for the peanut gallery! Pat yourselves on the back, guys. Let's SQUASH every bright idea that passes through these forums, before they see the light of day!

Shadetree mechanics do engine swaps all day long. Just because the car's a hybrid doesn't mean it's impossible... it's just more difficult.

If one can find the guts of a Gen3 at a junkyard / salvage, and has the shell of a Gen2, and gobs of free time, why not try a transplant?

Sure, it's much easier to throw stones from the comfort of your armchair. But keep in mind that us mechanics have BIG FREAKIN' WRENCHES and we WILL use them...

So, J, have you done this engine swap before? Where will the tight fit be? Which mounts are different, and how far off are they?

 

If the reason you are doing this is increased power, you could easily swap in the Otto cycle version of the 1.5 liter. Same physical size, so none of the worries the folks above have and 27 more HP (That is 5 HP more than the Prius 1.8 liter, and 1/10 the agony they are whining about)

Toyota NZ engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It is widely available, but if you must have the 1.8 liter, I would advise you to use the engine, transaxle and wiring harness from a Gen 3.

The land speed Prius used the Otto Cycle 1.5. l So I know it HAS been done.

Modifying the Prius

 

I'd say go at it if you have the time and resources....swing a wrench or three.

Other issues would be not just engine swap but ECU and wiring...ect...

Here is a picture of the 2ZR-FXE:


Mounts for the 2ZR


For the 1NZ-FXE:

 

+1 - much easier to accomplish. plus prob pick one up for under $500 - tuning and ECU will still be an issue tho.

 

But THIS is exactly what i plan on doing. Once I'm done with all my other projects.

 

Nope.. Neither have you.. It doesn't take a genius to presume that 2 different engine blocks will not [edit] have the same block size and not[edit] have the same engine mounts. Thanks to Justdidit for the confirmation diagram.

 

The blocks could well be the same size. Displacement is a function of bore and stroke, not a function of the outer dimensions of the engine block. So do you have an answer for my earlier question... how far off the mounts are?

Heh... genius... another saying for you, this one by Confucius: "When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it – this is knowledge."

 

The fact that Toyota named the engine block with a different code means that the designs are different and therefore will require different engine mounts. I only said "different engine mounts" not "different mounting points" where you're question is related -- two different things, Mr. Confucius. Perhaps you could answer your own question since you're too engrossed by it. Justdidit did some research already to show us different engine mounts. Maybe you could do a bit more keyboard pushing or get up from your chair and measure the mounting points yourself. That should be good for you and everyone's knowledge. If you still got time in your hands, why not do it the other way around -- swap a gen2 motor into a gen3. It should be cheaper than the former -- unless you want to question me or anyone on that again?

 

Engine mounts don't matter beans in a swap. It's a minor detail on the list. But since you're completely confounded by the concept after I call you out on it... tells us a lot about what you know.

Since Confucius seems too deep for you, let me present a modern interpretation: 'tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.

 

We know obviously that the 1NZ and the 2ZR regardless of the FXE or FE engines will need a custom made engine mounting bracket. Its nice to have some premade that you can by for other popular swaps like the K-Series or B-Series for Hondas. However, since this ISN'T a popular swap and probably the first one ever done if it ever gets done, One-Off custom made brackets can be fabbed fairly easy. Just not pre-made and mass produced.

The question of whether it fits, along with the electric motors and transmission is another battle. Most likely WOULD fit. If they can shoehorn an LS into Subi Imbrezza...


Among other odd swaps that people think up... They 2ZR would mostly fit. Prob need custom made axles as well. Then on to the EMS, suspension 2 support the additional weight of the 2ZR (214lbs) vs the 1NZ (187lbs) - although some higher spring rate springs are easy to come by....ect..ect.. details...details...

Basically like I said b4...

 

I agree it is a minor detail. But since you've been insinuating that you know more about this procedure than most of us, then why didn't you offer what you know right away? May I suggest a motto in life for trolls like you? "I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about - Oscar Wilde

I've been around Toyota engine swaps years ago. My pet project was a silvertop 4AGE from an AE101 to a KP62 which I used for autocross. "A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle" - Kahlil Gibran

It took a lot of trial and error on making custom mounts for the engine and transmission because of the RWD orientation, not to mention how big of a hole to make on the firewall without sacrificing rigidity, but hey "Knowledge rests not upon truth alone, but upon error also." - Carl Jung


moving on...

 

Those swaps sound pretty cool!! Any photos? Have you already aquired a 2ZR-FXE? might as well do the 2ZR-FE and get the extra HP like the swap done when the Bonneville Pri had the 1NZ-FE swapped instead of the 1NZ-FXE...

I'm dead set on doing the 1NZ-FE swap at some point...but if someone wants to take a crack at the 2ZR swap - I'm all game to watch and learn!

 

It's not your typical eyecandy Starlet with flared bodykit, but it was what I could manage for a bang-for-the-buck pocket rocket. I'm not the thread starter so it didn't even cross my mind to swap engines on my current car. I'll do that to a different car (not the prius) when I have some time and resources again. Anyway, can we close this thread now?

 

Oops.. ur right.. it was "Boston2008Gen2"

So... have you?..

 

...says the guy who wrote the first response, full of a bunch of hand-waving.

See my previous posts for your answer.