Next-Best 5 JDM Engines

Like a younger sibling, these engines are from the same family as their famous counterparts, but are just as capable, and are usually the second choice.
This list will show you what the alternative engines you should consider are.

Toyota 1JZ-GTE

The 1JZ-GTE is the smaller version of the JZ engine.
It was slightly smaller than the 2JZ, being only a 2491cc however on paper it made the same output of 280HP.

It came standard in vehicles such as the Chaser, Cresta, Soarer and Mark II.
The later version of 1JZ-GTE came standard with VVTi hence the longer design with the notoriously longer throttle body to compensate for the extra length.

RB25DET

The RB25DET first appeared in the R33 Skyline and is a well-known tuner’s engine.
The output ranges between 235HP and 280HP depending on the vehicle and year of manufacture.

It came standard in the Skyline, Laurel and Stagea however the latter two had a de-tuned version with 10-20HP less than the Skyline.
Although they already had Variable Cam Timing, the NEO saw a re-designed head, and power output increased to 280HP across all 3 vehicles in 1998 onwards.

EJ255

The EJ255 is a turbo boxer engine. It features double-overhead cams and a capacity of 2457cc.
Power output was between 245 and 300hp depending on the vehicle.

It was found in the Australian Subaru Liberty and Forester and the Japanese Impreza STI A-Line. Mhhmmm, Australia got the best of the bunch for once.

20b-REW

The 20b REW was the world’s only triple rotor that was manufactured for a production vehicle.
It had a capacity of 1962cc and was limited to 280HP, but is said to make over 320hp in the real-world. It was only found in the Eunos Cosmo.

13b-MSP

A special mention goes out to the 1308cc 13b-MSP.
It was essentially a peripheral ported 13b from factory that made up to 250HP - without a turbo - in the Type S and Shinka models.

H22A

This Honda engine was only found in the Accord and Prelude SiR, where in Japan it made between 210 and 220hp - that is pretty good coming from a 2.2L naturally aspirated unit.

While it’s not as common as a B-series engine swap, this is something that should be considered by any Honda fan, especially since the Prelude was the flagship model in markets that didn’t get the NSX, and since it makes more than most other naturally aspirated engines of the time - even the RB25DE.

The title image is an RB26DE - SkylineDom sitting naked at his PC

Yes, that’s a naturally aspirated RB26 from factory. It was made by tuning company Autech (the same place that tuned the SR20DE to 200HP and put an RB26DETT in an R33 sedan and Stagea) and only found in the R31 and R32 sedans that Autech pinched from the assembly line. By the way, they are super-rare, have 220HP and have ITB’s, and are one of my dream engines.

I hope you enjoyed this list.