85' 5spd hatch project.

[terc85]

I've seen people swap the 4age into 4wd tec's, and I know the 85fwd from firewall forward is basically the same as the 4wd version, but what about the transmission? Will the 4age line up with a fwd transmission? This so far is my only hesitation to poring crazy amounts of money into my little blue berry for a 4age swap...

[Petros]

It should probably fit okay, there is the hood clearance issue, and you would be better off with the RWD version of the 4age in this model Tercel. I do not know how well the trans will hold up, but it should bolt up okay. You might also see if you can get the side plates and the frame braces they put in the T4wd version to stiffen up the cross member and the transaxle. I have an extra set of side plates (they bolt from the sides of the front diff to the engine block). If you want them I will send them to you cheap.

Toyota did something similar, they put the 4age into the transverse engine fwd hatch back body, called it the FX-16. It was light weight, powerful and fast. Not a lot of them around.

[danzo]

If memory serves the fwd 4age was also in the fast version of the mid '80's Corolla/Nova. If you really love that motor and don't need a back seat you could just buy a driveable version of the first generation MR2 for $1k or less.

[4wdchico]

It should probably fit okay, there is the hood clearance issue, and you would be better off with the RWD version of the 4age in this model Tercel. I do not know how well the trans will hold up, but it should bolt up okay. You might also see if you can get the side plates and the frame braces they put in the T4wd version to stiffen up the cross member and the transaxle. I have an extra set of side plates (they bolt from the sides of the front diff to the engine block). If you want them I will send them to you cheap.

Toyota did something similar, they put the 4age into the transverse engine fwd hatch back body, called it the FX-16. It was light weight, powerful and fast. Not a lot of them around.

Not many of the FX-16s around any more because if you drove them hard, the front shock towers cracked. The car was really fun so pretty much everyone drove them hard and they went away.

[terc85]

you would be better off with the RWD version of the 4age in this model Tercel.

I would love to make my terc a rwd, I just dont know of parts that where swappable for this model.
I've removed the backseat for more storage room plus I'm about to throw in $200 of second skin sound dampening. I want to be sure I can do something with this car when it comes to speed and maybe a mpg boost. If I can find a plan for the swap, I'll totally take those side plates off your hands.

[Petros]

not easy to convert this car to rwd (very costly, not worth it) you just want the rwd version of the 4age. this model of Tercel is one of the last of the engine in facing foward, vs. the transver install that all subesequent models of Toyota got (except the truck). If you put the transverse version of the 4age *'88 and newer GTS or all MR2, FX16 versions) into this Tercel it puts the throttle body up against the firewall, the rwd version is the same excep the intake maniold is reversed so the throttle body is up near the rt. front head light.

If you can find just the rwd manifold you can swap it out from the transvers install 4age. the transvers install is way more common and cheaper to get than the RWD one., All the kids want the rwd collora GTS for a drift car (and usually trash it, what a shame). So the rwd version of the 4age is less common, unless you can get one from the AE86 Corrolla GTS that has aleardy been transhed. You can buy whole wrecked MR2 for only $300, a good sourse of parts, and the front brakes and master cyl. will swap over to the Tercel to much improve braking (I wrote a repair guide for doing this swap).

Good luck.

[terc85]

I dont mind not having rwd, so get a newer transverse engine and swap the intake manifold/throttle body off a rwd 4age. I really didn't want to mess with Efi wiring, I might just try to find a carbed rwd 4age engine for the swap... As the Mr2 front brakes, is there any disc convertion for the rear, or does it have to be a custom after market/fab? So if this is the plan for the swap, how much for those sideplates?

[4wdchico]

I dont mind not having rwd, so get a newer transverse engine and swap the intake manifold/throttle body off a rwd 4age. I really didn't want to mess with Efi wiring I might just try to find a rwd engine for the swap... As the Mr2 front brakes, is there any disc convertion for the rear or does it have to be a custom after market? So if this is the plan for the swap, how much for those sideplates?

I have a RWD ae86 tb/intake manifold assy left over from my corolla gts days if you need one...

[terc85]

Ok guys, here it goes, I'm an r'tard... I totally thought The earlier 4age came carb'd not efi. I really didn't want to mess with wiring, and a carb kit is around $1200; I'm seriously rethinking this plan. any thoughts of a 4AF, thats carbed right?

[terc85]

I've found a company that does custom wirework that will build a plug and play wire harness for 4AGE's to what ever your project including toyota plugs/adapters. they even do silvertop 20v swaps. It costs a bit at $550, but making the swap a hell of a lot easer, and not pumping $1200 into carbs..http://stores.ebay.com/Dr-Tweaks-Garage ... ec0Q2em322. So the build is still on! Ordering the second skin in a couple day's, going with the Damplifier Pro 40sqft. I'm hoping this will answer my prayers with loud road noise, I'm pretty sure I can also take the headliner down and do the roof. I'll post a write-up with pics if you guys want, maybe a before and after vid with a HD flip cam.

[Petros]

EFI is a much better way to go. OTOH, there are carb versions of the 4AF engine (and weber kits to go with them), but you would have to convert to distributorless ignition or cut a hole in the firewall to make room for the distributor mounted off the back of the head. there are also kits for the distributor less conversion, but they are costly too.

Cutting a hole in the firewall and swapping in a carb 4af would be much less costly and less trouble than fitting a 4AGE (but the 4age has a lot more power potential). Go read the thread on several of us doing the 4age swap, mine is going to cost about $1500 (including a rebuild on the used 4age) doing the work my self and adapting the factory wire harness and fuel pump to the Tercel (doing my own rewireing).

Either of these engines will require either a custom header, or to take an off-the-shelf header and have a muffler shop alter to fit the Tercel. If you can weld it yourself it would be a cheap way to go.

Either engine would be a BIG improvement over the 3a engine. Good luck, post picture of your progress.

[terc85]

So I've come up with a plan. I've found a 4a-f motor with 115,000miles for $220 and I've heard its basicly simple to swap into the tercel. I have to cut a hole for the distributor, use the flyweel out of my 3a motor that fits the bolt pattern of the 4a-f, and get a custom exhaust. I I'm guessing that this is all I'll need. I have no idea about the carb/intake routing, but I thought I can use the same carb off the 3a. If I'm wrong can some one let me know. With this plan I hope to have a weee better mpg and clime hills alot better. I've searched the forums for 4af and 4a-f and nothing comes up.

[Petros]

I suspect the 3a carb will not fit, but you should be able to make the 4af carb work with the Tercel throttle linkage. I would keep the carb that comes on the 4af. It is better suited to that engine.

[terc85]

deal, I've also just checked out on the "telling between A model engines" post that swapping the 16valve 4af engine is much more difficult than the typical 4a/a-c sohc model, but how so if its carbed?

[tercel4wdrules]

deal, I've also just checked out on the "telling between A model engines" post that swapping the 16valve 4af engine is much more difficult than the typical 4a/a-c sohc model, but how so if its carbed?

It's a lot more complicated to swap in because the 4af was installed in a transverse setup, the water connections are in different locations than they would be on an engine in a RWD setup. The 16 valve head routes the exhaust on the right so you will have to address the issue of routing the exhaust around the steering. Also, I believe the engine with the 16 valve head sits higher too. The distributor sits at the back of the head so either a hole will need to be cut in the firewall or you will have to convert to distributor-less ignition. These are some of the issues that need to be overcome. The 4af is rated for 90 HP, quite an improvement over the stock 62 HP that the 3ac is rated for.