So I'd like to build a 4AGE for a car I have yet to find. I've been looking at early supras and corollas, and would like to have the engine ready to drop in when I happen to find the best candidate.
What are some things to look for when buying a used motor to rebuild? What are some things you wish you had known before you built your first motor?
Bumping because interested
replace any parts people say to usually (i.e. piston rings, head gasket, exhaust manifold gasket) "gdo because why not the damn thing is disassembled and you don't want to bother removing shit again when you decide to replace something, also btw new parts chew more money but it's worth it.
Also I hope you have one of those dedicated parts cleaning sinks, bretty useful
I'm planning to replace everything. I work in a machine shop so machining the block and head won't be an issue. I've always worked on my own cars, I've just never done a full engine rebuild, and being an obsessive hobbyist, I'm pretty dead set on it to tie myself over for the next 3-4 months before tax season hits and people start selling their shit boxes
>sticking a 4AGE in a Supra
Don't do this, get a Corolla, and don't just limit yourself to the AE86, look into TE70s and such
The earliest supra were still 3k lbs and that's a lot of weight for that 4A
>I work in a machine shop so machining the block and head won't be an issue
Aww sweet, you're good to go bud
That's a good point. I first wanted an AW11, but I'm 6 4" so that idea didn't last long.
>4A-GE
>Supra
Too heavy
>Corolla
This is okay
By far the most notable thing I can respond with is give yourself about 30% more time than you think you'll need to rebuild the engine. Then double it. That's how long it will ACTUALLY take, once you're done sourcing tools, parts, figuring out wiring and finicky little things that differ between generations of an engine.
If you're buying a used engine, assume it's shit and that everything needs reconditioning to save yourself a headache later on down the track, although it seems that you're already on top of that.
Lastly, if you're running ITB's, please filter them for the love of god.
I'm definitely buying used. I plan to pull a motor out of a junkyard this weekend or next. First thing I'll do it tear it down, clean it, and machine the head and block. Them I'll just be sourcing parts. The thing that sparked this idea is a friend of a friend wrecked his 86 and gave me the supercharger since I'm a "car guy", even though I had no use for it.
Which super? SC12/14?
That's a good question. I'm a BMW guy so I don't know much about yotas. Would it be stamped?
Nvm, it's the 12. The picture I posted helped ironically enough
...
>Big port
Ewwwww, smallport or bust nigga
buy a 20v. What other car motor will give you ITBs, aggressive cams, light flywheel and clutch, a tubular header, and VVT for $800? I bought a silvertop and prepped it with a new toyota gasket/seal kit, kevlar timing belt, ARP rod, main, and head studs, and a thinner head gasket, and it was pretty much ready to go to 9000 rpm. you can upgrade the cams and EMS later on as you go. theres no telling what you'll get from the importer, but mine looked brand new inside. rinsed the oil out and it all looked like NOS parts. the valves were even in spec.
toyota echo would be psick with the 4a and it has room for days for a tiny car.
>Ruining the intake noise
Issue with the 20Vs are if you plan on boosting in the future, you have to get a custom made plenum that can handle the boost which can get quite expensive for one piece.
Best 4A project for power is the MAF smallport 4AGZE which can be converted to turbo quite easily
more importantly, you need either a well designed airbox or open trumpets to have proper intake resonance. sock filters kill a huge amount of power. i've seen up to 15hp on back to back dyno sheets.
i wouldnt take the best n/a toyota ever made and kill the throttle response, quick revving, and broad powerband in favor of more power. if i was looking for big power i'd leave 4AGEs alone entirely. 180hp is enough for any RWD corolla in my opinion. you can get there without anything incredibly expensive with careful cam, exhaust, and intake selection, and find a dyno tuner who knows what he's doing.
>Best NA Toyota ever made
That's not the BEAMS 3S though Trolly, I thought you knew your shit?
the BEAMs has exceptionally high power potential, especially in Gr.A touring car form, but the BT20V is the best out of the box. oh except maybe the LRGOOEY, but its too fat and too long to fit a proper car
I'd rather not have to import something honestly. Maybe down the road if I happen to fall in love with yotas, but for this project I'm really just interested in rescuing a junkyard queen to drop into a shell at a later date
they're just sitting in warehouses all over the country waiting to be picked up. i've gone to dallas for one motor, had another shipped to my door in 4 days. the convenience of a junkyard motor is wiped out with the fact that every junkyard 80s toyota has 250k miles on it.