22r? 4age? current problems with 3a-u in it. please help

[MikeTW1669]

hi i just got this car and it is way underpwer3ed for me. i am to big for the car but got it for free so i am going to keep it. i dont like how the fwd is set up and the 4wd doesnt work except for low speed on loose terrain. i am looking to make it rwd. i like how it handles versus fwd. i dont care about drifting so dont ask if that what i wanna do with it. i was wondering if anyone knew if the 4age or 22r would be able to go in with little or no modification. also i saw a post on her that said it can be made rwd by disengagin the front axles and put it in 4wd. will that allow the rear wheels to handle normal driving speeds with fronts wheels disconnected? the car has a swapped in 3a-u due to previous owner. and also the engine spits oil through the two vents on the valve cover. one is pcv and the other goes straight to intake. i have no idea why so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[gatemaster]

If your planning on using the current transmission no matter how you configure it for use, it will require an A series engine to mate with the bellhousing. Even with that there are some alterations that need to be made to install a 4age for example. The 22R will not fit without major alterations. If you want real rwd then install a 4age for example with a rwd tranny that came with the 4age and an LSD rear axle. You would then have an engine that can be modded for more power with a drive train that can stand up to it. The current transmission is a bit on the weak side. I personally wouldn't have any interest in the car without the 4wd because there are nicer cars that could be had for less money than doing all that work with its associated expense. The one thing the car does have going for it even in a rwd setup is how light weight it is. A rear wheel drive corolla is probably in the same weight range and came with more powerful engines.

[Petros]

That trans should work in 4wd in all gears and speeds., sound like maybe the front diff vs. rear diff has different ratios (that can happen since a trans swap with a different year tranny could result in different front and rear ratio diffs). It could act that way with different front and rear ratios. Put the car on up on jacks in neutral and rotate the tires. Front and rear should make the same number of turns (do a search, there was a thread on this with more detailed info.).

I would not lose the 4wd, it is the best feature about this car.

Yes, they are underpowered, and there are a few things you can do to the stock engine, but a swap will get you further (but with a lot more effort). Go to a 4ac engine, rebuild it with max 1mm over bore, reground performance cam, install a weber carb, and put in a 2" exhaust system. That will get you about 80-85 hp, which is still not a lot, but much better than the stock 62 hp. The carb and that obsolete 8-valve head will limit how much power you can get for the 3 or 4a engine.

The high torque 4AFE (EFI engine from '88-92 corolla) will bolt in but you will have to mess with the rad hose routing, the inlet location and the distributor location (or go distributor less ignition), it has been done and there is a thread on it (do a search). This engine has the best torque curve for the car, and give good fuel economy, but the distributor location is a major problem to solve (lots of cost and or time involved). YOu will also need a custom header, or a highly modified stock one.

The most power can be made with the 4AGE engine, 16-valve EFI high performance engine (it comes in the MR2 and corolla and celica GTS models). The distributor is in a good location, and everything bolts up, but the engine is taller and will either need custom front mounts to lower the engine or a hood scoop, and the flywheel is incompatible, so you have to alter a Tercel flywheel to make it work. The best version of this engine to adapt is the older RWD Corolla GTS, it has everything in the right place, but it is getting harder to find (last year made was 1986?). I think the other issue with this engine is the power curve is way up high, and it has a rather peaky torque curve (some detuining can be done with adjustable cam sprockets, that is going to be my solution when I get my 4age rebuilt and ready to install). There is an extensive thread on this too, do a search and read about it.

Both engines will require a lot of messing around with the wiring and fuel system to convert it to EFI, but since the modern EFI are both more reliable, produce more power and better economy than the old shitty carbs, it is worth the effort if you intend the to keep the car for a long time. Otherwise keep 3a engine and do a performance rebuild, keep the carb, or go with the weber, it is far less costly and trouble to make more power.

Good luck.