So this is gonna be my first engine swap from the 20r to a 21r for my 74hilux. Same fittings but building the 21r from block. Hoping you guys could give me some pointers or helpful tips or stuff to watch out for?

 

I think theres only been one person on here that swapped in a 21R.

from what i remember its pretty much the same engine as the 20R or 22R

 

Its pretty much a 20r just held back by California emissions. Straight swap.

 

Hmmm... why go to a 21R?

IIRC, 20R > 22R > 21R.

The 21R is a non-USDM version of the 2xR engine series that importers brought in as a cheap replacement for blown 20R.

Edit: or maybe not. Just looked at Wikipedia and saw it is a 2.0 liter that makes more power. Confusing...

 

Are you sure you weren't looking at the 21-ru for the non usdm version? I did hear the 21r being the warranty replacement in later years. But from my research the 21r was made for California emissions standards and something about it needing to be under 2000cc.

 

To the OP, where are you located?

 

I'm almost 100% sure that the 21R/RU was never federalized in the US. It definitely was not a warranty replacement...

That it is a 2-liter motor suggests it was intended for countries in Europe and Asia that tax cars with engines larger than 2-liters more heavily.

I remember back in the 80s (or 90s?) the 21R started popping up in the Recycler as ads for cheap 20R engines started drying up. IIRC, sellers usually said that "all" you had to do was switch the intake and exhaust equipment after stripping down the 21R. One of the car mags did an article about the 21R that said it had no "JDM magic" over the 20R and was a smaller displacement on top of that.

BUT, then I read (last night) the Wikipedia article on the Toyota R engines which said the 21R had 107hp compared to the 20R/22R's 95hp or the 22RE's 105hp.

So, apparently it DOES have some "JDM magic"? Leaving me, confused.

It wasn't my intent to discourage the OP from, or argue against, using a 21R. I was just curious why he would buy a 21R to replace his 20R, based on (my apparently outdated and possibly incorrect) understanding of the 21R...

 

Eugene or

 

One of the reasons for going to the 21r is so i could do a complete rebuild on the 20r. Without losing my day driver. Previous owner of the 20r decided to use ford pistons so theres that.

 

Do you have to do any kind of emmissions testing? If not it should be pretty easy to desmog it and run it

 

Oh, okay. That

Oh, okay (NOT that you need my approval or anything). That makes sense since rebuildable, loose 20R just don't seem to exist anymore and 22R are so expensive. I have the same idea about buying a W55 or W58 (prefereable) transmission: rebuild it on the side so I can keep driving my truck meanwhile.

Curiosity answered. Thanks!

 

Havent had any emmissions testing only thing i know about the 21r is that it runs good with 150k miles

 

Shit should be pretty straight forward then