Opinions always differ (and they rightly should) about which auto manufacturer – after the proper aftermarket tuning, of course – has engineered the torquiest and hardest pulling motors to ever hit the street. Of course, there’ll never be just one; but that hasn’t prevented some manufacturers from flagrantly throwing everything except the kitchen sink into trying to claim that top spot.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, however, a choice few have looked on quietly – calmly supported their respective motorsport activities – and are content to declare that they’re committed more to designing motors that “run forever” as opposed to, “run fast.” That’s precisely what Toyota’s done, but performance fanatics have known for decades that many of their “run forever” motors have been curiously capable of producing unparalleled amounts of horsepower. Call it a coincidence if you must – Toyota would probably prefer that you did, anyway – but they’ve known exactly what they were doing the whole time.
Powerful and Reliable
Let’s be perfectly honest: although it’s hard to imagine a more unassuming roster of performers, all it takes is the right combination of aftermarket Toyota parts to turn an already solid line-up of sportscars into apex performers boasting heaps of horsepower. Depending on the application, would you be content to double or triple your horsepower? Or, maybe even quadruple or quintuple it … on a street driven engine? Does that Toyota sitting beside you have your attention now? If you’re prepared to build it properly, a Toyota can deliver the kind of power and reliability that’ll leave friend and foe alike in shock and awe.
The Right Parts for the Right Plan
Considering most of Toyota’s top performance motors will more than likely have already clocked well into the hundreds of thousands of kilometres; no matter how bulletproof a motor may seem, there’s simply no alternative to starting with a complete teardown. Even before starting the teardown, though, you need to have an idea about where you plan on coming out on the other side. Big, powerful motors aren’t built overnight – nor are they built by accident – they’re done very thoroughly, and very deliberately.
On a mild rebuild after hot-tanking, machine balancing, and decking the block and head(s), the complement of new parts you’re looking at would (as a minimum) begin with:
- Complete sets of top and bottom gaskets
- New forged pistons, rings and conrod bearings
- New main bearings, and head and main studs
Moving into more aggressive / more power-producing builds would include all of the above, but with a longer list of machine work and a stronger list of parts. Now you’re expanding into torque plating, as well as boring and honing, along with ported and polished heads. And because you’re entering the realm of bored blocks, there’s no turning back, parts-wise. Depending on the application, now you’re looking at:
- New, overbored forged pistons, rings and conrod bearings
- New valve springs and retainers
- New profile camshaft
And of course, if you’re just absolutely determined to embark on one of the most aggressive builds imaginable – the domain of stroker motors – then your machine shop and parts list have gotten even longer. Your machining list now includes tunnel boring and aligning the mains, along with cylinder clearancing and the kinds of parts that’ll make your eyes and mouth water:
- New machined billet stroker crank and main caps
- New stroker profile camshaft
- New skirted stroker pistons
Congratulations. With the right selection of Toyota performance parts, and proper preparation and assembly, you’re now at the level where there’re almost no limits to the kind of power you’re able to produce.
The Payoff
You’d be negligent at this point not to wonder where all this machine work would be likely to land you at the end of the day. Well, suffice it to say, by the time you’ve finished all the balancing and blueprinting, boring and stroking, done the headwork and added all the parts to create a perfectly spun powertrain, you’ve pretty much run the gauntlet for a naturally aspirated motor.
Turbocharging is your next stop; and fortunately for you, you’ve built a motor that’ll take it to its extremes. So, what can you really expect out of a handful of Toyota’s most infamous motors at this point:
From the Legendary 6-cylinder 2JZ
This cast-iron 3.0L block was designed in the 90’s to be indestructible … and it’s indomitable today on a rebuild. Reaching 1,000HP just with bolt-ons on motors that have already logged over 400,000kms would be incredible enough, but >2,000HP with a turbo on a rebuild defies description. It’s Toyota’s most fearsome factory motor … to date.
From the Mellow 6-cylinder 1JZ
Giving up 500cc to its more famous big brother, these 2.5L grocery-getter motors are very capable of producing 400HP on bolt-ons after faithfully putting in 400,000km. 1,000HP with a turbo on a solid rebuild, however, wouldn’t be unexpected.
From the Inconspicuous V8 1UZ
The inevitably ritual has begun for these aluminium motors to start being harvested from aging luxury cars … and although they look more than impressing with their quad-cam heads, they’re much more than eye candy. Toyota produced mountains of them – and in factory 4.0L trim, they were already producing 300HP; but it doesn’t take very much more than a rebuild with good headwork and a big enough turbo to easily breach the 1,000HP threshold.
The Final Word
It’s very possible that Toyota’s produced more motors with high performance potential than any other auto manufacturer. By designing motors that seemingly last forever, they’ve also created a slew of perfect platforms for builders and the aftermarket to want to work around; and at the end of the day, that’s how Toyota parts have formed a reputation for reliability that’s simply unmatched – no matter how much more horsepower you squeeze out of it.
If you have a Toyota and you’re considering upping your horsepower, now’s the time to experience just how reliable that bump in performance is for yourself.
