This is as turning the legendary 2JZ-GTE from a 3.0L engine into a 3.57L/3.6L long-stroke performance engine by changing the crankshaft, pistons and connecting rods as a matched package.
🔬 The key numbers
|
Specification |
RSE 3.6 CP |
Standard 2JZ-GTE |
|
Bore |
87.0 mm |
~86.0 mm |
|
Stroke |
100.0 mm |
~86.0 mm |
|
Displacement |
3,566.8 cc |
~2,997 cc |
|
Piston |
CP forged |
OEM |
|
Compression height |
29.5 mm |
~34 mm |
|
Rod centre distance |
139 mm |
~142 mm |
RSE specifies the kit at 87.0 mm bore × 100.0 mm stroke = 3,566.8 cc. The 100-mm crank therefore adds about 14 mm of stroke over the standard 2JZ.
🧠 Why the 100-mm stroke matters
The standard 2JZ is famous partly because its 86 × 86 mm bore/stroke configuration is relatively square.
This RSE kit changes the geometry dramatically:
86 × 86 → 87 × 100 mm
That extra 14 mm of stroke means the piston travels farther every revolution.
The result is:
More swept volume → more air/fuel per cycle → greater torque potential.
And this is particularly interesting for a turbocharged 2JZ.
Instead of relying exclusively on a giant turbo to make power, the larger displacement gives the turbocharger a larger engine behind it.
⚙️ The CP piston is important
The “CP” in RA201A-TY03BP refers to the CP piston version. RSE lists the corresponding 87-mm CP forged piston with a 29.50-mm compression height for the 3.6L configuration.
That shorter compression height is necessary because the crank stroke has increased.
Think of it like this:
Longer crank stroke
↓
piston travels farther
↓
piston would otherwise rise too high
↓
shorter compression-height piston
↓
correct piston position in the cylinder
RSE also lists a 139-mm forged H-beam connecting rod specifically for the 3.6L configuration.
🏎️ What does 3.6L do to a 2JZ?
The biggest change isn’t simply the peak horsepower.
It’s torque density and response.
A 3.6L 2JZ can potentially produce substantially more torque at a given boost level than a similarly configured 3.0L because the engine is moving more air naturally.
For a turbo setup:
3.0L 2JZ
→ turbo has to supply relatively more airflow
→ potentially later response
→ huge top-end potential
3.6L 2JZ
→ larger displacement
→ more airflow demand and capacity
→ stronger torque production
→ potentially earlier/stronger turbo response
→ enormous high-RPM airflow potential
That makes the 3.6L configuration particularly attractive for a high-output street/drag/track 2JZ build.
🔥 But there is a trade-off
Longer stroke isn’t automatically “better.”
At the same RPM, a 100-mm-stroke engine has substantially higher piston speed than an 86-mm-stroke engine.
At 8,000 rpm:
- 86-mm stroke → mean piston speed ≈ 22.9 m/s
- 100-mm stroke → mean piston speed ≈ 26.7 m/s
So the 3.6L configuration places greater demands on:
crankshaft → rods → pistons → bearings → lubrication → cooling → valvetrain → engine calibration
That’s why this isn’t simply a “bolt-on horsepower part.” It is fundamentally an engine architecture upgrade.
🧩 What you’re actually buying
The interesting part of RA201A-TY03BP is that RSE isn’t just increasing bore.
It’s a coordinated geometry change:
87-mm forged CP pistons
＋
100-mm stroker crankshaft
＋
139-mm forged H-beam rods
＝
3.5668L 2JZ-GTE
RSE’s own documentation identifies the 3.6L 100-mm configuration and its CP piston variant, while its current catalogue separately lists the 3.6L 87-mm CP kit as RA201A-TY03BP.
🏆 The verdict
I’d describe this kit as:
“A 2JZ-GTE transformed from a high-revving 3.0L turbo platform into a 3.57L torque monster without abandoning the 2JZ architecture.”
The 100-mm stroke is the heart of the transformation.
The 87-mm bore gives modest additional capacity, but the enormous jump from 86 → 100 mm stroke is what turns the engine into a fundamentally different displacement/torque proposition.
And that’s why the RSE 3.6L is much more interesting than simply fitting bigger pistons.
It changes the character of the entire 2JZ.
