JDM motors

Wendigo

Ericsplosion
Jul 25, 2005
331
0
0
New Paltz NY
The JDM motor I bought had #1 and #6 cylinders blown and a broken rear exhaust valve in #5 cylinder. AND because my FORMER mechanic took 42 days to install it the engine wholesaler wouldn't stand behind his 30 day warrenty. IF I hadn't listened to my FORMER mechanic when I developed rod knock I may have saved about $3000. :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil
 

Insidious Surmiser

Formerly 89jdm7m
May 12, 2006
2,172
0
0
Oceanfront
Wendigo said:
The JDM motor I bought had #1 and #6 cylinders blown and a broken rear exhaust valve in #5 cylinder. AND because my FORMER mechanic took 42 days to install it the engine wholesaler wouldn't stand behind his 30 day warrenty. IF I hadn't listened to my FORMER mechanic when I developed rod knock I may have saved about $3000. :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil :icon_evil
sounds like you've had worse luck than I... :nono: , I at least hope you were financially secure when that happened... shit happens though, i rolled the dice on a jdm motor, and it's worked out perfect (bought from jazzproparts.com when the price was 975$ shipped), like i said, they even gave me a wiring harness for the same model car as mine, pluss auto tranny (not that i needed or will ever use either)
 

ForcedTorque

Join the 92 Owners Group
Jul 11, 2005
6,099
2
38
59
Satsuma, Alabama, United States
I've always heard the JDM's were a little stronger than the US models. Don't know if that is true, but mine seems to be. I got mine second hand. The guy I got it from had installed a new head gasket, but the motor was just the block, internals, and head. I had to do the rest. It seems way stronger than my 87 with stock motor, but I have 3" exhaust it didn't have.

This thread seems to be a line up of horror stories about them. At your stage, all you can do is hope. Maybe it will be OK. I doubt they all have bad HG's cause they have long been recommended.

For you guys that buy them and rebuild them........why would you do that unless your motor was shot to hell? Seems like a waste of a good $1000 you could put into the motor you have.
 

jdub

Official SM Expert: Motor Oil, Lubricants & Fil
SM Expert
Feb 10, 2006
10,730
1
38
Valley of the Sun
ForcedTorque said:
For you guys that buy them and rebuild them........why would you do that unless your motor was shot to hell? Seems like a waste of a good $1000 you could put into the motor you have.

You can still drive the car ;)
Took me a year to build mine up...I didn't rush and kept the cash flow managable. Then you sell all the parts off the JDM on eBay...I recouped a big chunk of the outlay for the JDM motor.
 

ForcedTorque

Join the 92 Owners Group
Jul 11, 2005
6,099
2
38
59
Satsuma, Alabama, United States
jdub said:
You can still drive the car ;)
Took me a year to build mine up...I didn't rush and kept the cash flow managable. Then you sell all the parts off the JDM on eBay...I recouped a big chunk of the outlay for the JDM motor.
2 really good points.......are you still doing good on ebay? My parts have died on there (sludt5). Nobody is chasing stock 7m parts anymore. My parts I have gotten thru you are holding up fantasticly
 

SupraChrisMk3

New Booster
Feb 8, 2006
170
0
0
Salisbury, Vermont, United States
For those guys out there with N/A's that didn't settle for just turboing their N/A motor, what is route to go when you want to do a complete gte swap. Are these JDM motors a good way to go, or are there some other options. I am asking this because I know that I want to do a gte with mine in the not-so-distant future.
 

jdub

Official SM Expert: Motor Oil, Lubricants & Fil
SM Expert
Feb 10, 2006
10,730
1
38
Valley of the Sun
ForcedTorque said:
2 really good points.......are you still doing good on ebay? My parts have died on there (sludt5). Nobody is chasing stock 7m parts anymore. My parts I have gotten thru you are holding up fantasticly

Not as well....everybody seems to want cheap and the coating I use is def not that ;) Got a fair amount left and will likely stop once they are gone.

Glad you liked the stuff man...it is a great coating.
 

Insidious Surmiser

Formerly 89jdm7m
May 12, 2006
2,172
0
0
Oceanfront
jdub said:
Not as well....everybody seems to want cheap and the coating I use is def not that ;) Got a fair amount left and will likely stop once they are gone.

Glad you liked the stuff man...it is a great coating.
what are you refering to?
 

Insidious Surmiser

Formerly 89jdm7m
May 12, 2006
2,172
0
0
Oceanfront
hey, i like expensive, just my wallet tends to be a bit thin.... god a i can't wait to become a certified tech :-/.... then ase master cert. :D


sounds like a wonderful product though, if you're still doing it, i'll probably hit you up when i get another turbo + exhaust mani. + DP
 

mattsplat72

is sofa king
Jan 17, 2006
1,738
0
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Sedro Woolley, Washington, United States
Well I guess I will put my two cents in. I got a jdm 89 7mgte with ecu and harness for 1400 shipped has dealer sticker on timing cover with 105000 km on it (figure about 63000 miles) only thing wrong on it was a broken power steering pump pully.Motor is in and I drove the car home from the shop (300miles) .Only problem was the harness ,an 89 harness wont work in a 92 chassis and their wasnt any indication as to what year we where dealing with . So make sure you know what the year is of the motor.All seems to be in proper working order stay tuned...
 

Wayne G.

87Turbo 5sp Targa
Apr 19, 2005
213
0
0
Gainesville,Ga.
I purchased a JDM 7mgte from Sunrise motors on eBay and so far after
the teardown it looks VERY good no blown gasket nothing low wear on
bearings , bores etc. It is being completly rebuilt as I am still driving the
Supra daily while this is being done. Paid $1170 shipped to the house.

http://www.sunrisejapanese.com/