Whats the best engine to swap into this? 4AC How sweet it is

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:13 am

kamiphloj wrote: PS,some girls like going on 4wd picnics in cute little Tercels.

I shall see this for myself...

Does the 4A-C really get the Terc moving that much faster? I'd like a 4A-C but the 3A-C I have now runs pretty darn well.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:10 pm

I have someone who is interested in buying my 86 to put in a 454 or 504. No joke.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 11:49 am

Back on topic. I'm not having much luck searching for a 4AC motor. It seems that all the sellers are selling by car model, not engine model. A reman facility is getting rid of a couple of long blocks on Ebay, a 3AC and a 4AC. They want $500 but are taking bids. If I bought the 4AC, I will need a pan and valve cover. How much will I be able to use from the old engine?

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 11:52 am

keith wrote:Back on topic. I'm not having much luck searching for a 4AC motor. It seems that all the sellers are selling by car model, not engine model. A reman facility is getting rid of a couple of long blocks on Ebay, a 3AC and a 4AC. They want $500 but are taking bids. If I bought the 4AC, I will need a pan and valve cover. How much will I be able to use from the old engine?

You should be able to get basically everything you need from your old engine.

Aldavr6 · Post by **Aldavr6** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:40 pm

Today I was doing my smog test and when I was about to go the smog guy telling me about people doing an engine swap from a celica. I told him about the tranny issue, then he said that if you replace some shafts there'll be no problem. What do you think about this?

hornett22 · Post by **hornett22** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:38 am

go to http://www.car-part.com and look up an engine from a 87 corolla or chevy nova in your area.
as far as radiators,copper is the way to go.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:05 pm

Aluminum has better transfer and is lighter, however is God-aweful expensive. Copper is definitly the best cost to effectiveness option.

I think the issue lies in shafts, bearings, and a few of the gears. Essentially the whole God-aweful thing. The real question lies in cost. I have yet to get an estimate for custom gears and/or shafts, but when I pull the dead trans from the 87 I'll see what failed and see what some local machinists say.
I want a T4wd tranny that will take 450HP. Doubt its possible with the stock tranny case, but why the heck not try? I dunno how long till I dissemble the thing, but I'll try to do it within the next year or so.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:14 pm

As far as transmissions go, I think the weak link in this one is 5th gear. Almost all 5 speed transmissions of this era were 4 speeds with an external 5th gear. This transmission has a basic 4 speed case for RWD. Then there is a front section that houses the 5th gear and the differential for the FWD. The shafts have to pass through the front case bearings and the fifth gear cluster is bolted to the shafts. I think they use a roll pin or something to keep each gear in place on its shaft.

My first transmission lost 5th gear only. The 4wd also has a section added to the back with the EL gear and transfer gear. After my OEM transmission was repaired a fork broke. There are 5 forks in this case so I'm guessing they are none to beefy, no room. Right now I'm using a JDM replacement. I'm planning to take the OEM apart just to see what makes it tick.

BTW, the junkyard 3AC motor just blew yesterday. Coolant is pouring into the oil, not a good sign eh. I hope to have the 4AC by next week. I changed the oil in it last weekend and pulled the plugs to inspect them. Two of them showed signs of coolant contamination, but it hadn't lost any coolant and the oil was clean (for old oil). Pulled them again this morning and did a compression test, 1-3 ok, 4 not ok. Its making a lot of noise and smoke.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:22 pm

The 5th does go out on ours pretty easily. My instructor said that that was the biggest complaint T4wds were getting. People would pop out of 5th without clutching and it would eat up the tranny.
I think the whole tranny is weak though. The whole thing needs a beefing up.

keith · Post by **keith** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:27 pm

I won the bid on ebay for a reman 4AC for $250. I should have it by next week and put it in next weekend. I'm going to start with the original 3AC carb with a mechanical secondary, maybe later go to a weber.

keith · Post by **keith** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:27 pm

Pulled the 3AC, you can see right through the block at the #4 cylinder. Both sides of the block blown out. Looks like the piston shattered and a couple of chunks hit the crank. I'll take some pics when I finish putting in the 4AC.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:09 am

keith wrote:Pulled the 3AC, you can see right through the block at the #4 cylinder. Both sides of the block blown out. Looks like the piston shattered and a couple of chunks hit the crank. I'll take some pics when I finish putting in the 4AC.

Crap, thats crazy. I'd love to see the pics. Also like to see pics of your new engine, and your comments on it.

Post by **ARCHINSTL** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:36 pm

keith wrote:I won the bid on ebay for a reman 4AC for $250.

That was a really good deal on the 4AC. I spoke with the sales department at ProFormance, the source of your longblock (I was particularly interested, as their facility is just a 3-hour drive down I-44 from St. Louis, in Springfield, so could avoid freight charges by picking up).
The fellow said they had 12 reman 3AC longblocks and that they had NO plans to do the eBay route with them, as the 4AC went for such a low amount (lucky you!). Buying direct would be $1400 (same as Jasper), but he suggested going through Autozone, and the price would be $1330 (plus core), delivered to my local store.

So - I guess the key is to wait and periodically check eBay to see if their mind has changed - if I ever want a reman 3AC. It does seem odd that they would: A) Have so many reman 3ACs on hand for so (relatively few) old cars that would usually be scrapped because the reman cost so much (plus labor and ancillaries, of course); and B) Be unwilling to lower the cost on an old inventory item that would have so few takers in the 21st century; and C) Want the old core back - maybe on this last, AZ would be flexible.
Tom M.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 7:55 pm

Heres some pics I promised.

Broken rocker

Hole under starter

Hole on manifold side

combustion chamber, note hole in valve and bent plug tip

and the best for last, the piston and the two holes in the cylinder

Mickey_D · Post by **Mickey_D** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 11:42 pm

Tercel4WD.com

Whats the best engine to swap into this? 4AC How sweet it is

4A-C Power...

engine swap

4AC all the way.totally worth doing terceldude.