3A 4A 4AFE 5AFE 7AFE etc...

[fancypantsmcgee]

alright, I just need a solid answer on this one. The 3AC in my t4wd is in need of complete rebuild and it's adding up beyond my budget(see "oil & coolant in cylinders"). It will need to be bored out, plus turning the crank, all new resized bearings and pistons etc..
SO; can I put my 3A cylinder head onto a 4AF, 4AFE, 5AFE, and/or 7AFE block? I realize it will not necessarily be the most sensical combination; however I have not been able to find any 3A or 4A's bottoms or completes. I have found plenty of 4AFE's. and I read the thread on club4ag about someone putting a 4AC head on a 7AFE block and getting it to work quite easily. making a "7AC."
Will this work with the 3A head too?
If so; How do I figure out which timing belt to use?
Will the 3A engine mounts work on the transversely mounted models?
Any other real snags I may encounter?
thanks a bunch..

[dlb]

not sure, some folks here might know but you might also want to post this question on the 4ac forum. some solid cats over there too.

http://4ac-powered.forumotion.com/

[LittleRed4wd]

I've thought about the 7ac before- There's quite a few writeups on club4ag and 4ac-powered that go over the details including what timing belt to use. It should work with the 3ac head, I believe it is the same as the 4ac. Only problem would be the added height of the 7afe block. You'd most likely have to shim down the x-member in order for the hood to close. As long as you set up the engine like someone did for a rwd corolla it'll bolt right assuming you address the height issue. The stock motor mounts should fit fine too.

Good luck!

[Petros]

it might work, but I do not know of anyone that has done it. Someone put a 4age head on a 7afe (making a "7age"), so it seems the 3ac head should fit, a 4ac head would be better because I think the exhaust valve is a bit larger on the 4a head. one good thing is the 7ac crank has the same six bolt flywheel pattern as the 3a and 4a engine, so the tercel flywheel should bolt up. the oil pan might take some messing with to make it work on the tercel, the 7ac has a strange cast "girdle" with a near flat oil pan under it, the 3a oil pan and oil pickup might fit, if it does I would swap those over, but just check the crank and rods clear before you bolt it together. Also, the 7a was designed for tranverse installation, so there might be some issues with coolant circulation, use the 3a water pump and plumbing if you can make it work. You do not want to change the direction the water flows through the head, it must come out the front of the head and got into the top of the radiator (btw use the head gasket modification outlined in the repair guides sectoin on replacing the head gasket).

might be less trouble to make the 3a head fit on a 4af block, those are common engines to several models of Corolla.

Rebulding your current engine is also an option, it is not too costly. I would be surprised if you needed to regrind the crank, unless it was run dry of oil until it siezed, usualy marks on the journals can be hand polished out and standard bearings can be used. Over sized pistons, rings and overboar would cost you about $200, bearings, seals and gaskets, plus new exhaust valves and valve seat regrind should also be able to be done for less than $200. I would not buy a whole gasket set, just buy the seals and a head gasket as you need them, it usualy saves you money. pan can used form-a-gasket and you usually can reuse the intake/exhaust gasket (if not damaged) and the valve cover gasket.

Good luck.