FAQ

JDM

JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market. This is why our business is named JDM Engine Zone. The term 'JDM' often refers to engines or other vehicle parts that are sourced directly from Japan with very light use and very low miles (instead of higher-mileage American junkyards). They work perfectly well with American cars and are the best option for replacing an old engine.

We have been a JDM motorsports industry leader for over 17 years. We first opened our doors in 2003 in Clifton, NJ. Since our humble beginnings, we have made it our mission to not only provide the highest quality engines and parts, but also stronger and longer warranties than any other JDM engine provider as well as expert technical support from hardcore car enthusiasts. Our team is made up of people that share your same passion for all things related to engines and speed. Feel free to give us a call at 973-249-7000 and let us prove it to you.

All of our engines are imported from Japan with just 45-60K miles.

When cars in Japan begin to approach 45-60,000 miles, they must undergo a rigorous inspection called the Shaken in Japan. If any part of the vehicle has violations (including windshield defects, bald tires, etc.), the entire car fails and must undergo re-inspection. In many cases, vehicle owners are encouraged to sell off and/or recycle their car before the Shaken inspection is required so that they may simply buy another vehicle rather than spend large amounts of money on a costly state vehicle inspection. It is at this point that we get to inspect the engine, drivetrain, and other critical components of vehicles with very low mileage that are regularly very well maintained throughout its lifetime. If it passes our compression, leakdown, and comprehensive performance tests, we then extract the drivetrain from the vehicle and ship them from Japan to our warehouse in New Jersey. We make sure to perform these tests carefully because the risk of importing a bad engine and having to provide a refund after selling such item is an enormous risk we are not willing to take on behalf of our valued clientele. This is how we have managed to stay in business for so long: by providing nothing but the best engines and parts possible, and always standing proudly behind our products.

NO, there are NO CORE CHARGES. That means you get to keep your original engine and parts. During most swaps, you may have to reuse certain parts from your original engine. For this reason, we do not require any engine cores back.

Warranty

Thankfully we test each and every one of our engines, transmissions, and parts so that our customers can avoid the experience of any issues. Excellent performance is our mission and we reject any item that does not meet our standards. Our items do come with a Zone Gold Standard Warranty that covers the longblock and/or transmission for up to 120 days depending on the style of item.(certain exclusions such as rotary engines apply*)

The engines and transmissions we offer often come with exterior parts. We sell engines as "longblocks", meaning the bottom end and cylinder head (including the valvetrain, pistons, crankshaft, and camshafts). Exterior parts and systems related to fuel injection, ignition, intake, etc. are not considered parts of a longblock. These parts are considered gifts and are not covered under warranty. These parts include but are not limited to: oil pan, timing covers, valve covers, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, fuel injection system, turbo, alternator, power steering pump, starter, and A/C compressor. These parts can be transferred over from your original engine and/or transmission. Often times these included parts can and will work, we just offer them as a gift.

Shipping

Yes, we can definitely ship to a residential address or we can arrange for you to pick up the item at the closest freight terminal near you. Liftgate service means that the truck service delivering your item will be equipped with a mechanical motorized lift on the back of their truck that allows them to drop the heavy item down to ground level and move it around. Liftgate is required if a forklift or commercial loading dock is not present at the delivery address.

Zone's Advice

Yes, once you transfer over certain parts from your original engine and install them onto your newly purchased engine, it will then be ready to drop in and install. Every engine type unique and our expert support staff is here to assist you with your specific project needs. There are also all kinds of installation tutorials for specific engine swap projects that are often readily available on search engines like Google, forums, and Youtube.

We highly recommend replacing critical tune-up parts like water pump, timing belt (or chain tensioner if applicable), and any other timing-related components. Other common replacement parts include spark plugs, gaskets, thermostat, and other critical parts related to timing, cooling, ignition, and other critical performance systems. The best time to perform maintenance work is before installation, as this will ensure a long, healthy life and a valid warranty.

If we mention your vehicle's year, make, and model in the item specifics, we 100% guarantee that the engine or transmission will fit your car. If you are delivered an item that is not suitable for your car, we will take the item back at our expense and replace the item or refund you. We will also reach out to you before shipping to confirm you are receiving the correct engine in the event that your vehicle came with multiple engine options. If you have any questions about item fitment, please feel free to contact us.