Putting a 2RZ in an Older Truck

The RZ swap into a 1979-1995 Pickup or 4Runner is one of the most sensible engine swaps in the Toyota world — a modern fuel-injected engine with considerably more torque than the 22RE it replaces, and still a Toyota four in a Toyota truck.

The Chilkat Designs conversion mounts make it a bolt-in rather than a fabrication job. They replace the factory block mounts and need no modification to the factory frame mounts, and they cover 1995.5-2004 Tacoma 2RZ and 3RZ engines. Two versions: TIG welded or MIG welded.

A note if you are choosing a donor engine: both mounts fit either RZ, so the swap does not lock you into the 2.4. If you have not bought the engine yet, the 2.7 gives more torque for similar effort.

The rest of the swap

  • Header — nothing off the shelf fits a newer RZ in an older chassis. The engine swap header was built for it.
  • Oil pan clearance — if a solid axle is involved, see Oiling.
  • Power steering — below.

Mounts for Trucks That Work Hard

Factory rubber mounts deteriorate from engine torque, and oil contamination speeds it up.

The Trail-Gear Bomb Proof mount exists for a specific failure. Run dual transfer cases with 4.70:1 gears and the torque through the mounts is enormous — factory rubber is a known failure point in that combination. When one snaps the engine shifts and drives the fan blades into the radiator shroud, turning a broken mount into a cooling failure.

For a standard truck, OEM mounts or the OE pair are direct replacements.

A quick diagnostic: if your fan has been touching the shroud, or the engine moves visibly when you load the driveline, the mounts are gone.

Power Steering

The Chilkat bracket is for TC-style pumps, not a stock replacement — 1/4" pickled and oiled plate, laser cut and TIG welded, with a 5/16" chainstay built in so you can hoist the engine without removing the pump. A small thing that saves real time on an engine pull.

Short Shifter

The LC short shifter kit covers 22R/RE 2WD and the 2RZ — the 2.4 shares its transmission family with the older four rather than with the 2.7.

Read this before ordering, because we mean it: you must measure your transmission for fitment, and no returns are accepted on any short shifter kit.

The reason is not policy for its own sake. Toyota changed transmissions often and inconsistently — we have seen factory trucks running a completely different transmission from the one the door sticker calls out. Measuring what is actually in your truck is the only reliable answer.

The full range is on the Short Shifters page.

Chevy Transmission Adapter

Fitting a GM automatic behind the 2RZ? The 5-degree offset adapter kit preserves the factory engine tilt the Tacoma sits at from new — what you want if the engine is staying in a Tacoma chassis. A vertical version exists for purpose-built chassis. Both are on the Transmission Adapters page.

Tell us the donor engine and the truck it is going into and we will list what you actually need.

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