Replacing the engine

kiwisunset · March 14

I am mainly talking about Toyota Corolla 121/Axio 141 and Vitz/Yaris Hatchback/Belta (In the case of Corollas replacing the same engine, but vitz/belta with a higher capacity)

I am planning on buying one of the above cars with the plan of replacing the engine in a few months. Most cars I believe have done way more than 200k with the ODO rolled back.

Those after less than a decade old are out of my price range.

1. do I have to inform RMV/reregister the car/new plates if I am replacing with the same engine?

2. If I don't inform RMW or whoever will I get into trouble when doing emissions test or reselling the car?

3. what if I replace the engine with a higher capacity ? A Vitz/Yaris/Belta 1000cc with 1300cc or 1500cc ?

4. How do I find people who are willing to do this ?

iRage · March 15

On 3/14/2025 at 6:00 PM, kiwisunset said:

I am mainly talking about Toyota Corolla 121/Axio 141 and Vitz/Yaris Hatchback/Belta (In the case of Corollas replacing the same engine, but vitz/belta with a higher capacity)

I am planning on buying one of the above cars with the plan of replacing the engine in a few months. Most cars I believe have done way more than 200k with the ODO rolled back.

Those after less than a decade old are out of my price range.

1. do I have to inform RMV/reregister the car/new plates if I am replacing with the same engine?

2. If I don't inform RMW or whoever will I get into trouble when doing emissions test or reselling the car?

3. what if I replace the engine with a higher capacity ? A Vitz/Yaris/Belta 1000cc with 1300cc or 1500cc ?

4. How do I find people who are willing to do this ?

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1. You first need to file the change with the RMV by filling some forms. To submit the change you will have to provide the invoice for the engine (ideally withthe engine number, etc...). If you are swapping to an engine of the same fuel type there will not be a number change.

2. If you don't inform the RMV and do the change no the emission guys won't make a big fuss. They will simply turn a blind eye. You might have a problem with the cops if they catch you for something and decide to check. You will also have issues with cops and insurance if by some chance the car gets stolen or is involved in a serious accident.

3. You can replace with a higher capacity engine. However the increase cannot be more than 500cc.

4. Most major garages do it. You need to ask for recommendations and go with the best mechanic who will do it. Everyone will say they cando it and you will be quoted a wide range of prices. However, only a few will do the job properly. Please remember that swapping the engine might require you to change the harness, ECU and at times even the gearbox.

Now...here is my two cents....and this is the part where I make you wonder what the #@#$ are you doing...

Why do you feel you need to swap the engine?

Fine, a 1L VItz/Belta can use more horsepower, but if you get a 121 or 141 what is the point in going for a new engine unless it is really bad ? 200,000km for these engines are nothing provided they were properly taken care of. The issue is these engines don't get taken care of because the typical owners of these cars are cheap. Also, even if you replace the engine you are still stuck with a car that might have really badly fixed accident damage and questionable suspension,brake and transmission.

Although the new engine is new to you it is still an old engine. Over here in Japan our car exporters just rip these engine out of cars and just dump it out in the field..ship it and then dump it out in fields in SL before cleaning it out and putting it in a shop. By the time it gets to the shop they are all clogged up with mud and rusted out. So...even if you get a new engine, you will have to refurbish it by change all the seals, check for compression (if bad then fix that) then swap/check timing belt/chain, replace components like tensioners, look at things like waer pump, etc... so you are getting an unknown engine and have to refurb it. The only way one of these new engines will be completely safe is if you know which car it came from and you know a car exporter who will dismantle it and then ship it to you. Buying one of ex-stock engines is a gamble. Also...this is going to cost you a lot ! So do not think that you will increase the desirability or value of the car. In fact it might lower the value of the car (most Vitz/Belta owners want the 1L engine because it is cheap to run...for 121/141/etc...they are going to haggle to you about a replaced engine because the old one was hacked)

So here is a thought...and probably the most logical and sensible path for anyone...

Why not get the best car you can for your budget? Get it properly inspected...make sure that there are no significant engine issues beyond normal wear and tear in the best possible body/frame? Get it checked out by a place like Car Checks or the agent or both if you can (each does certain things better than the other). Then take all that money you were going to spend on an engine replacement and put it in to actually restoring the car that you have bought? At least you will not be starting off with the devil you know than the one you don't. You can be focused on what you fix...which might save you some money on the engine work which you can put towards refurbishing the transmission, brake, suspension and body.

kiwisunset · March 16

On 3/15/2025 at 7:33 AM, iRage said:

1. You first need to file the change with the RMV by filling some forms. To submit the change you will have to provide the invoice for the engine (ideally withthe engine number, etc...). If you are swapping to an engine of the same fuel type there will not be a number change.

2. If you don't inform the RMV and do the change no the emission guys won't make a big fuss. They will simply turn a blind eye. You might have a problem with the cops if they catch you for something and decide to check. You will also have issues with cops and insurance if by some chance the car gets stolen or is involved in a serious accident.

3. You can replace with a higher capacity engine. However the increase cannot be more than 500cc.

4. Most major garages do it. You need to ask for recommendations and go with the best mechanic who will do it. Everyone will say they cando it and you will be quoted a wide range of prices. However, only a few will do the job properly. Please remember that swapping the engine might require you to change the harness, ECU and at times even the gearbox.

Now...here is my two cents....and this is the part where I make you wonder what the #@#$ are you doing...

Why do you feel you need to swap the engine?

Fine, a 1L VItz/Belta can use more horsepower, but if you get a 121 or 141 what is the point in going for a new engine unless it is really bad ? 200,000km for these engines are nothing provided they were properly taken care of. The issue is these engines don't get taken care of because the typical owners of these cars are cheap. Also, even if you replace the engine you are still stuck with a car that might have really badly fixed accident damage and questionable suspension,brake and transmission.

Although the new engine is new to you it is still an old engine. Over here in Japan our car exporters just rip these engine out of cars and just dump it out in the field..ship it and then dump it out in fields in SL before cleaning it out and putting it in a shop. By the time it gets to the shop they are all clogged up with mud and rusted out. So...even if you get a new engine, you will have to refurbish it by change all the seals, check for compression (if bad then fix that) then swap/check timing belt/chain, replace components like tensioners, look at things like waer pump, etc... so you are getting an unknown engine and have to refurb it. The only way one of these new engines will be completely safe is if you know which car it came from and you know a car exporter who will dismantle it and then ship it to you. Buying one of ex-stock engines is a gamble. Also...this is going to cost you a lot ! So do not think that you will increase the desirability or value of the car. In fact it might lower the value of the car (most Vitz/Belta owners want the 1L engine because it is cheap to run...for 121/141/etc...they are going to haggle to you about a replaced engine because the old one was hacked)

So here is a thought...and probably the most logical and sensible path for anyone...

Why not get the best car you can for your budget? Get it properly inspected...make sure that there are no significant engine issues beyond normal wear and tear in the best possible body/frame? Get it checked out by a place like Car Checks or the agent or both if you can (each does certain things better than the other). Then take all that money you were going to spend on an engine replacement and put it in to actually restoring the car that you have bought? At least you will not be starting off with the devil you know than the one you don't. You can be focused on what you fix...which might save you some money on the engine work which you can put towards refurbishing the transmission, brake, suspension and body.

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Hi Thank you for your detailed comment, I really appreciate it. Yes you are right engine replacement/and acquiring a new one sounds like a hassle, however as I do not plan to buy one with a busted engine, a relative of mine has a Axio 141 that needs an engine and transmission replacement and according to them there were no obvious signs when they purchased it and so far have been managing with repairs due to financial reasons. So instead of purchasing a car with a rolled back ODO and expensive. I thought of getting a car that is high milage with the expectation that I will have to replace the engine & transmission.

The filing with RMV; does it have to be done before or after the replacement ?

iRage · March 17

On 3/16/2025 at 3:24 PM, kiwisunset said:

So instead of purchasing a car with a rolled back ODO and expensive. I thought of getting a car that is high milage with the expectation that I will have to replace the engine & transmission.

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Well irrespective of what you are going to get a car with a roll back ODO....honest cars are hard to come by. But sorry your logic has failed here.

The point is...rather than get a used engine and fix that...it is better off to take the engine that is already in the car and fix that. Engines become unfixable (thus requiring a new one) at extremes (as long as the block is not cracked an engine can be salvaged depending on how much you want to put in to fixing it).
If you take it to a proper inspection place then you are going to have a good chance of getting a car that has an engine is not completely junk. It is good that you are buying one with the expectation of having to replace the engine. But the engine replacement should only be considered if the existing engine is completely unfixable. The CVT transmission swapping I can understand but the engine...replacement would not be entirely the case.

On 3/16/2025 at 3:24 PM, kiwisunset said:

So instead of purchasing a car with a rolled back ODO and expensive.

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Again..this is what makes your logic simple illogical. What makes you think a proper engine replacement is not going to be expensive?
Only way this would be cheap is if you take it to a maka baas (which by sounds of it seems to be the case with the 141 you mentioned. The total cost of repairs is probably or soon to be the same as a new replacement engine/transmission in the first place or at least an engine rebuild...also...I don't get how the engine keeps working for ever with multiple band-aid fixes but not a proper overhaul/rebuild...sorry but this 141 seems to be some maka baas's meal ticket). A lot of these maka baases will also advice you to just swap the engine and transmission because they want to do as little work as possible and charge you the most they possibly can and get you out of the door fast as possible so they can take in another job.

There are plenty of people who buy these cars and not having to replace entire engines. It is just that most don't want to put a lot of money into fixing it properly...which you seem to be willing to do.

The paper work needs to filed before you rip the engine out. Getting it done after the engine swap becomes a bit of a hassle. Als you will have to take it to a RMV inspection center and get it reassessed (weight measured....then depending onthe person inspecting it he might start checking other things to see if he can penalize you).

matroska · March 24

On 3/14/2025 at 6:00 PM, kiwisunset said:

I am mainly talking about Toyota Corolla 121/Axio 141 and Vitz/Yaris Hatchback/Belta (In the case of Corollas replacing the same engine, but vitz/belta with a higher capacity)

I am planning on buying one of the above cars with the plan of replacing the engine in a few months. Most cars I believe have done way more than 200k with the ODO rolled back.

Those after less than a decade old are out of my price range.

1. do I have to inform RMV/reregister the car/new plates if I am replacing with the same engine?

2. If I don't inform RMW or whoever will I get into trouble when doing emissions test or reselling the car?

3. what if I replace the engine with a higher capacity ? A Vitz/Yaris/Belta 1000cc with 1300cc or 1500cc ?

4. How do I find people who are willing to do this ?

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1. Yes.

Step 1: Inform RMV that you need to change the engine and get a letter of approval. (Visit Werahera)

Step 2: Make sure you have an invoice for the new/recon engine you are getting, clearly mentioning the engine number.

Step 3: Once the engine swap is done take the car to Werahera and get it weighed. Other elements of the car is inspected, some inspectors will fail you even if a light is not working. Your wheel size etc has to be the same as in the CR. Most of the time unless you grease the palms of the inspector, they will find a reason to fail you. Some may not. It's all down to luck I guess.

Step 4: IF all is order , they will update your CR with the new engine number - of course there is no 'one-day service' for this, currently it might take upto 3 months for you to get the updated CR.

2. Most of the time you won't. Emissions testing people will generally not care, they check only for the VIN number and not the engine number. When reselling the car, the potential buyer might be vary of this. If the next owner is going for a lease/finance SOME leasing companies check this, while some will turn a blind eye. I know at least one company that instructed the seller to stamp the old engine number on the new one (this is illegal btw) in order for them to proceed with the lease. If there is some legal matter such as an accident, if insurance is involved etc then it might be a problem.

3. You can replace your engine within 500CC difference of a capacity, given that it's from the same maker. You can swap a 1.3L engine with a 1.8L but not with anything bigger.

4. You mean mechanics? Well there are a few places that do engine swaps you need to ask around a bit on the forums and FB groups usually.

But my question is why? I can understand swapping the engine on a 40 year old car, but a Yaris/141 from 15-20 years ago? These engines can take a lot of abuse. Unless you really want to burn some money and do a swap for performance improvements etc I'd suggest you stay away from them. 200,000 is nothing for these engines. They can be repaired.

If you want to do an engine swap for the fun of it, do something like a 7K swap on an old European car or something like a KE20, B210 etc.

iRage · March 25

On 3/24/2025 at 10:18 AM, matroska said:

But my question is why?

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I think I offended the OP by asking why and later saying his thought process was illogical

kiwisunset · May 21

On 3/24/2025 at 10:18 AM, matroska said:

But my question is why?

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I am mainly talking about Toyota Corolla 121/Axio 141 and Vitz/Yaris Hatchback/Belta (In the case of Corollas replacing the same engine, but vitz/belta with a higher capacity)

I should have made it clear but the reason for engine swap is performance for Yaris/Belta (1000cc) and IF there are issues with the 1500cc (121/141).

On 3/25/2025 at 5:18 AM, iRage said:

I think I offended the OP by asking why and later saying his thought process was illogical

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No I wasn't, I appreciate your detailed response.

On 3/17/2025 at 6:28 AM, iRage said:

sorry but this 141 seems to be some maka baas's meal ticket)

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This was my initial thoughts as well but they(my relatives) insisted that the garage is reliable/well known to them.

Any advice avoiding Maka basses for myself ? I got the 121 and I have to replace the engine mounts. I already spent 200k at D*mo for AC compressor. They also stated that I need to replace the transmission upon which I took to Toyota that told me some engine mounts need to be replaced.

iRage · May 21

On 5/21/2025 at 4:36 PM, kiwisunset said:

I should have made it clear but the reason for engine swap is performance for Yaris/Belta (1000cc) and IF there are issues with the 1500cc (121/141).

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You are better off buying a 1.5L car instead of the 1L and swapping it. A good conversion is going to cost you, plus you have to deal with the legal stuff. So whatever the price differential is for a 1L you are going to end up spending as much or even more than the cost of a 1.5L.

If I am not mistaken there are a lot of Yaris (imported via agent) that are 1.5L.

The problem with a 121/141 is finding a good one. Most have been hacked and then touched up and made to shine for a quick sale. The fact that these cars are robust is its own downfall (i.e. risk to the buyer).

Why a Toyota though ? You will have better chances finding a decent Lancer or Axela or something. Yes...your neighbor's uncle's husband's colleague's husband and your friends circle will say you are being id10tic buying a non Toyota and you will hear all the "market naha" stories. Not really the case...

1. You will be buying it at a reasonable price compared to Toyotas which are all hyper/artificially inflated.

2. The whole Toyotas increase value is a myth. The only time that happens for any car would be under circumstances like an import ban or drastic changes in taxes. Actual owners don't get to sell their cars at hyper-inflated prices. It is mostly the brokers playing games. So as the owner you won't be losing more money by not buying a Toyota.

3. When trying to resell it cars like Lancers and Axelas attract a certain type of buyers who are different than the typical market value searching cheapo maintenance craving bargain hunters. You take care of the car and ask for a reasonable price it will get sold (sometimes, if not most, faster than your typical Toyota models - because there are so many Toyotas out there and most are junk anyway that no one wants to buy them)

matroska · May 28

On 5/21/2025 at 6:03 PM, iRage said:

1. You will be buying it at a reasonable price compared to Toyotas which are all hyper/artificially inflated.

2. The whole Toyotas increase value is a myth. The only time that happens for any car would be under circumstances like an import ban or drastic changes in taxes. Actual owners don't get to sell their cars at hyper-inflated prices. It is mostly the brokers playing games. So as the owner you won't be losing more money by not buying a Toyota.

3. When trying to resell it cars like Lancers and Axelas attract a certain type of buyers who are different than the typical market value searching cheapo maintenance craving bargain hunters. You take care of the car and ask for a reasonable price it will get sold (sometimes, if not most, faster than your typical Toyota models - because there are so many Toyotas out there and most are junk anyway that no one wants to buy them)

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I used to regularly advocate for the same ... lancers and axelas were some of the cars I used to recommend all the time. A couple of observations that I've made of late regarding the above has made me think twice on this.

Due to (3) the honest Lancer/Axela buyers do not sell their cars and potential buyers having realized the overpriced nature of Toyotas have started looking into these options. As a result (1) is no longer valid. There are very few good Lancers/ Axelas for sale and they go for eye-watering prices. In fact if you tried a bit hard you could find a decent Toyota for much cheaper nowadays. (2) is correct - there are a LOT of Toyota's for sale now and due to this competition prices have gone down somewhat and sellers are likely to accept offers well below the listed price.

iRage · May 29

On 5/28/2025 at 8:27 AM, matroska said:

In fact if you tried a bit hard you could find a decent Toyota for much cheaper nowadays.

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I don't know... I was helping a friend look for a E100-E120 Corolla over the last four months. 99% of them were dressed-up, fake badged piles of junk. This is a very sad situation. So there no longer are any decent reasonably priced vehicle options in SL. You either pay a premium or drive around in a bucket of putty.

matroska · May 29

On 5/29/2025 at 1:01 AM, iRage said:

So there no longer are any decent reasonably priced vehicle options

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Yeah that extends to all makes and models nowadays and not just Toyotas. Even premium priced cars are rust buckets. the ONLY reasonable priced models now are Diesels - of course that comes with a whole different can of worms. But the silver lining is that Manuals are so unpopular now, you can get a great deal if you are ok to drive stick.

iRage · May 29

On 5/29/2025 at 5:54 AM, matroska said:

But the silver lining is that Manuals are so unpopular now

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Might be a good time to start collecting some automatic transmissions for these manual car models for export to SL.
Let's be honest...our guys might just start converting these manuals, hoping to sell it at a premium. After all, we are a country who now describes the age of the car by "seatbelt year".