The truth about ST215 3sgte engine

alltracman78

Active member
GT4times2":2p1wzvqt said:
Mine fit. I will reinstall it and double check. I'm pretty sure it does. Now, is it a clearance issue with the RC/CS hood affecting fitment?

I still have the stock All-Trac hood for now. And, I do agree with not cutting the hood. Unless you have some really nice vent set up for it, try not to hack it.

I would think the CS hood would fit better than the regular hood.
But that's irrelevant IMO; there's no sense in using the ATA TMIC with a CS hood.
 

Killtodie

New member
Hood aside, does the ST215 harness replace the current one, or do they both need to be unwound, and spliced?

Like how much of the ST165 harness gets used?
I assume there are issues going from RHD to LHD
 
I will be doing Gen4 into ST185 this winter. Will keep original hood (not RC). Will keep ATA. It is most adequate for street.I plan no mods. Will give it to Prime to do the work. Wiregap harness, clutch etc. Front mount ATA or WTA is better but the most heat my intercooler will see is Manhattan NY trafic. ATA on top will not kill the engine in that.
 

CSAlltrac

New member
The stock hood does not fit and needs some bracing removed. Note the exposed E-Coat on the underside of the hood in photo. Running a RC hood is pointless with the top mount and the A2A cooler will heat soak very fast if that's the way its ran.

Both harnesses need to be de-loomed and reworked to mate the two together. I would use nobody else other than Doug @ WireGap. He has been through hundreds of these and has it down to a science. He also alleviates any RHD to LHD issues, note where my harness exits my engine and the fact that my stock bulkhead boot is utilized. A harness from him makes everything as plug and play as it can be.
 

GT4times2

Moderator
Killtodie":2eb7pi4u said:
CSAlltrac":2eb7pi4u said:
http://www.wiregapinc.com/

Thanks
Harness work aint cheap. Good thing my friend makes them :p


You're right about harness work not being cheap, but with what Doug charges, you can't beat it. It's the time and added peace of mind you can't beat.

Do you or your friend have the diagram for each harness and know what you'll do from there? Please share with us how it goes. I'd like to hear about your DIY experience. I think Dr. Tweak made them too. I think his prices were $650 and up. Double check.


And you're right CSAlltrac, the hood did not close when I put the top mount I/C. I already had the FMIC installed, so the Top mount was not meant to stay. I have to do my piping (and powder coating) now.
 

CSAlltrac

New member
aus jd 2703":1vh56dn9 said:
what are people doing for a throttle cable with the caldina manifold?
I plan on using my stock cable. Its only a mile long so I think there will be no issues.
 

Killtodie

New member
GT4times2":3iw61otm said:
Do you or your friend have the diagram for each harness and know what you'll do from there? Please share with us how it goes. I'd like to hear about your DIY experience. I think Dr. Tweak made them too. I think his prices were $650 and up. Double check..

my buddy has made a few harnesses from scratch for one of the teams that competes in Final Bout.
He has wired tucked all his cars, he's building a harness for my friends 1JZ swap, and one for me for the same swap.
I'm sure he has the capabilities to make me a harness for an ST215 swap as well.
 

GT4times2

Moderator
Killtodie":mt0sxpqy said:
GT4times2":mt0sxpqy said:
Do you or your friend have the diagram for each harness and know what you'll do from there? Please share with us how it goes. I'd like to hear about your DIY experience. I think Dr. Tweak made them too. I think his prices were $650 and up. Double check..

my buddy has made a few harnesses from scratch for one of the teams that competes in Final Bout.
He has wired tucked all his cars, he's building a harness for my friends 1JZ swap, and one for me for the same swap.
I'm sure he has the capabilities to make me a harness for an ST215 swap as well.

I'm not doubting your friend and his abilities. Just asking you to share the end results of your/his work. That's all. Take it easy buddy. Not doubting you. We share on this forum. This is not your typical ego filled nay sayers forum. This thread started with you wanting info. We provided you with some. When you start your project, go to the Projects section and share pics and findings. Like others have done. All I said and stick by, is that without proper preparations, you'll have a hard time completing your swap in 3 days. Not saying it's impossible. But it will take having everything ready before starting it and getting it done in 3 days or less. Best of Luck man.
 

Killtodie

New member
GT4times2":vlb9av0p said:
I'm not doubting your friend and his abilities. Just asking you to share the end results of your/his work. That's all. Take it easy buddy. Not doubting you. We share on this forum. This is not your typical ego filled nay sayers forum. This thread started with you wanting info. We provided you with some. When you start your project, go to the Projects section and share pics and findings. Like others have done. All I said and stick by, is that without proper preparations, you'll have a hard time completing your swap in 3 days. Not saying it's impossible. But it will take having everything ready before starting it and getting it done in 3 days or less. Best of Luck man.


I dont have pics, and he doenst post online much.

The only thing I need done in 3 days is the engine in the car, and the car able to move on its own power out of the driveway, and around the corner.

If I can bench start the engine, I can get it running inside the car to just move it.


at the point where I am, this project is getting shelved till summer, or whenever. I need to put all my resources into finishing my 1JZ swap, and after that is done, I'll go back to the all trac
 
I was thinking about the clearance issue with Gen4 TMICs in ST185s today, and was wondering if anyone has tried using hood spacers as an alternative to cutting the bracing? I know it's not the prettiest option, but also much less permanent. See photos below for reference (courtesy of PartsShopMAX). Hope you guys can forgive me for injecting some of my prior Nissan S-chassis influence into the world of Celicas...I guess you can take a guy out of the poorhouse, but not the poorhouse out of a guy! :smokes:

1251591998_2_FT4349_p1050258.jpg


1237425527_2_FT0_p1040307.jpg
 

Awesome-Trac

New member
All-tracDreams":2zp1ghlo said:
I was thinking about the clearance issue with Gen4 TMICs in ST185s today, and was wondering if anyone has tried using hood spacers as an alternative to cutting the bracing? I know it's not the prettiest option, but also much less permanent. See photos below for reference (courtesy of PartsShopMAX). Hope you guys can forgive me for injecting some of my prior Nissan S-chassis influence into the world of Celicas...I guess you can take a guy out of the poorhouse, but not the poorhouse out of a guy! :smokes:

1251591998_2_FT4349_p1050258.jpg


1237425527_2_FT0_p1040307.jpg

I haven't used these particular spacers but I used old shifter bushings to prop my hood up just for venting the heat out alittle better. Btw I drive a ST165 so you know it's bad with cooling
 

MWP

New member
Awesome-Trac":2nsvn9fv said:
I haven't used these particular spacers but I used old shifter bushings to prop my hood up just for venting the heat out alittle better. Btw I drive a ST165 so you know it's bad with cooling

Rear edge of the hood / bottom of the windscreen is actually a high air pressure zone.
Very very little air will vent there. Actually, it might even be the opposite, air will blow back into the engine bay.
 

TRDTurko

New member
do you know if the moroso oil pan will fit the 4th gen? looks a bit different to me from the pics. or does the 4th gen have better oil pan from the factory to eliminate the oil starvation issues from hard cornering?
 

aus jd 2703

New member
gen 3-4 are very similar in oiling. yes you could make a moroso pan work, but you would have to swap oil coolers make custom lines etc and in all honesty the gen 3-4 is a much better design.

I do track days and im yet to see any oil issues.

temp issues is a whole other kettle of fish, lots of temp issue. oil and coolant. brakes even tyres...
 

TRDTurko

New member
good to know the newer engines are not bad with starvation. so I could probably sell my pan if I went with the gen 4.
 
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