1JZGTE...vvti or non

RikGTT

RikGTT

Member
Ok guys, had a quick flick through the threads on here and on various forums but I've hit a wall as to decide which to go for.

I'm going to be fitting a 1jz in my car but can't decide between the jzx90 non vvti engine or the jzx100 with vvti.

Basically so far the pro's of the vvti are that it makes more torque at half the rpm compared to the non vvti, it's a newer engine so less wear and already comes single turbo. The cons I've come across with this engine are I've read that they are harder to tune? But I've been told by others they are easier?

Aftermarket parts seem to be rarer for them, only the last couple years companies have started making parts (cams are mainly what I'm looking at, HKS and tomei only seem to make vvti cams, I know I can use non vvti cams on the exhaust side but the HKS 264 intake cam is like 500 on its own without shipping and tax..) and I've only spoke to one person who runs a vvti in his bdc car and he said to go for the non vvti due to having problems with his vvti but unsure what these problems are as I've not had a reply yet.

Pros for the non vvti are obviously more parts available and again, I've heard they are easier to tune plus less to go wrong with not having vvti?

Cons are older engine etc.

I've seen more people running the non vvti in drift cars, whether thats because of the tuning or due to being cheaper or more reliable I'm not sure? Also whichever engine I get won't be staying stock, non vvti would be going single top mount with cams + the rest of the parts to make it around 500-550hp with hopefully similar torque, would this help cure the torque issues with the non vvti?

Just wanting peoples opinions who have experience with both engines and if they can tell me what problems I would have with either, whether the internals differ as people have said they are weaker in the vvti and then others have said they are exactly the same? Are heads interchangeable? So if I do go vvti and I get a shit ton of problems can I swap to a non vvti head?

I've been looking for info now for a good month or so and I just seem to be going back and forth between the two.

So if anyone cares to help me out after reading my mass question essay then that would be great!

Oh and the price for the 1jz would be 999 euro's whilst the vvti will set me back around 1299 euro if that helps in the choice.
 
Why does an older engine matter?
The non VVTI engine is stronger due to thicker con rods, theres more parts available, theres tons of information out there, the engines themselves are readily available. Why make life hard for yourself?
 
any tuner worth their bill should be able to tune a vvti engine just as easily as a non vvti car these days, its not like its a brand new technology by any means.

personally id be going for the VVTI and keeping it simple with maybe a new exhaust mani, turbo, FMIC exhaust and a tune, maybe injectors, that should see 400hp easily

,you have to ask yourself do you realy need 550hp??? are you a professional etc etc? the more hp the more tires, clutches, gearboxes etc you will fuck.

im in japan atm and got taken to a Nagano Togue with friends and Ebisu matsuri last week, what they could do with 200whp (180sx with 3" exhaust, 1bar actuator tein adjustables and 2 way, thats it) cars makes us westerners look fucking stupid TBH
 
In my eyes the vvti engine is the better engine.. The vvti increases torque the whole way through the rev range...

BUT..

As Craig has just said, the non vvti lends itself more, as it's cheaper, stronger, & easier to find parts for etc.. Try finding a standalone ecu that supports vvti for less than £1500..lol


Mule, yeah I totally agree... But with just a handful of key mods (ecu, turbo, injectors) will make 500hp on an otherwise stock 1j.. So in my opinion, why would you only run 400 when you can have 500:thumbs:
 
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Good to see the replies rolling in :) I agree on the power, my sr was running only 300 and it was an animal and awesome fun but like dale_b says, I have 12s on the rear now so obviously it struggled to spin those unless wet. Tbh the power doesn't matter just the response which sounds like the vvti is better for. I'd be sourcing a decent ecu for it second hand so things like Link, Hydra, Syvecs etc if any of those pop up I'd be looking into them, selling my power fc djetro should cover the cost of that.

Do they have different rods then? I'd be after reliability the most. Basically I was looking at the setup that the DW R32 or Ryan Tuerck run as they seem quite responsive (also non vvti engines) but obviously a bit less power to have it more reliable. Also like you say with parts more easily obtainable if anything were to happen then they would be cheaper and easier to find and replace. I can't see vvti making much of a difference once I have new cams etc as I ran tomei cams in the SR without vvt and it was really good low down the rev range.

Thanks for the replies so far guys :)
 
The non VVTI engine has thicker, stronger rods. To all intents and purposes its a 2JZ bottom end with a shorter stroke crank.
 
What kind of max power to keep it fairly reliable are we talking on the vvti's? Are they just a bit weaker or alot?
 
That would be awesome to own! Good to see that it wasn't going to have forged internals fitted at that power so guessing stock internals can handle around that ok, defo won't be running that much myself lol
 
600hp is achievable on stock vvti internals, it'll need cams etc to see that figure but the bottom end should be ok. There is a certain thing to be said about the thinner, lighter ConRods in the vvti, they are lighter and thus have a lighter rotating mass which will aid pick up.
Believe me, if I had the budget, I'd take the vvti 1j.. But I don't, so I'll make do with my non vvti making a reliable 500hp(ish):thumbs:
There is a lot of really nice parts available for the vvti engine, most are all around the world and no where near the uk, but they do turn up every now and again.
 
I think I'm defo going to go for the vvti then :) It's going to be a long project so just gonna save up bits at a time after I've got the engine and box. I just put a stock SR back in the 14 so that will get me around until I have all the parts needed. Also had a lad message me thats also putting a vvti in so it would be good to swap info with each other if we come across anything. Cheers for the help in making up my mind people :)
 
swampy442, stop posting up internet gossip. 1jzs all have the same rods, vvti or not.

the vvti 1uzs have thinner rods than the earlyer non vvti engines.

for what it is worth, a comparison between 1jz vvti rods on the left and RB26 rods on the right

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You wont cover the cost of a link g4 xtreme by selling your power fc lol. Personally i'd just go with the non vvti because of the availability of parts etc.
 
Ricky Emery said:
You wont cover the cost of a link g4 xtreme by selling your power fc lol. Personally i'd just go with the non vvti because of the availability of parts etc.
Click to expand...

Haha I know that man, I'd get like £600 for the d-jetro I guess? Meant it would cover some of the costs towards a new ecu. I might even just stick with a power fc for the 1jz? Not sure yet. See what second hand stuff pops up!
 
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