AE95 4AFE plus a turbo

[BrianRA23]

I am not sure why, but I purchased a AE95 (1990 4WD Corolla) for $500 with a broken timing belt. Two hours later it was running and I finished changing the rest of the belts, oils etc.

The plan was to make a cheap runner by installing an LPG system, with the WA govt $3000 and a bit of my own money and then leave it as a spare car. Then I started reading about turbo kits to run them at 7psi and make them go better and potentially improve the economy. Others have said the engine can put out 160-170HP safely, which is fine since some have said that the drivetrain on the AE95 is not that strong. Mildy boosting this engine seems like a safe way to go, although the few turbo and supercharged AE95s getting around seem to be going fine.

I will put together my own manifolds and plumbing etc to keep the price down and I bought a CT12b turbo cheap, which should hopefully do the job.

Where is the best place to get an oil feed for the turbo? Is the oil pressure switch port on the block OK?

Does anyone have an unwanted bypass valve from the 4AGZE they no longer need? I will set it up to only boost on LPG so that I do not have to consider additional injectors and controllers.

[mullett]

Sounds like a good plan man, should be sweet. I might have a bypass valve at home, I know i had one for ages, but I might have thrown it. Oil pressure port should be fine, you'll need some fittings and hose of course, hi-temp rubber hose will be fine, especially if you run steel or copper line from the turbo far enough to get the rubber out of the worst of the heat.

-RM.

[BrianRA23]

I never bothered looking to see what the bypass valve looks like (esp internally) when I did my 4AGZE conversion a few years ago. Do you think it would have enough flow or should I look at installing one or more BOVs with low spring pressure to do the job?

Hopefully I will be able to use steel tube for the oil feed and solder/bronze the ends on as required.

[oldeskewltoy]

turbo will likely be easier on the drivetrain then a S/C.

Interestingly enough that car made it to the US... I've had 2 so far! Bill can tell you how to build an AFE, what and where to port.

Some interesting facts... the notch in the 20V block........ well the notch was originally designed into the 1988 4AFE so as to fit the AE95 transaxle! That means a 20V conversion should be a snap!!

Another potential torque boosting mod is using the 7AFE. I've done some preliminary research and there are 7A blocks also with the notch.

At one time........ Cusco made all the LSDs you'd need... even a central one. The rear suspension is old rwd AE86 and earlier, using 6.38" diff. A swap to the larger r & p is possible... this would allow rear disc brakes..........


AE95 is a wonderful platform..... would make an extraordinary little sleeper

[BrianRA23]

I have read of few comments about how the drivetrain is not that strong, but I don't know if that is based on hearsay or under what conditions the failures occurred.

Does anyone have good or bad stories to tell about the reliability of the drivetrain in a modified engine setup.

Putting the turbo onto my car "as is", is not in a push for serious power, just a nice improvement and hopefully an economy gain as turbos and LPG are well suited. If I come to like the car, the drivetrain can b upgraded to handle some reasonable power then I can see some serious consideration going into a much stronger engine.

So far I have not really even checked out the car. I bought it on the Friday, installed the new belts to get it running, changed the oils etc and CV boots. I was busy over the weekend then left home on the Monday to go back to work.

Do you have any pics so I can see what is meant by the notch missing?

The A series engine certainly has a bunch of options and experienced modifiers if big power is the ultimate goal.

[oldeskewltoy]

Do you have any pics so I can see what is meant by the notch missing?

20V pan... note the notch...

The notch is there because the transaxle to the AE95 was designed for compactness.

The ring gear part of the transaxle is what "fits" into the notch. Look up the repair time to do a clutch in an AE95... book time is 9+ hours! One of the reasons for this is the entire front sub-frame must be dropped, then the eng/trans lifted off the sub-frame as a unit... the trans is unbolted, then pulled 12-15mm, and then rotated to come free of the block...

[c2888]

Haha, pulling the transaxles off the AE95 4afes takes me back to a painful place.
We got a few of these in a container from Japan when it was still profitable.......

The manual boxes were scrapped straight away, they are based on the E series boxes used by the gze and S-series motors. They don't break, not behind a 4afe

You get sloppy sychros from wear and tear but that's it. But remember that you can break anything with abuse so 6k rpm dumps probably aren't the best for them

I think a low pressure turbo would be a great thing, give it some real midrange stomp for daily duties. Remember the AE112 sportivo turbo they did, they kept the compression standard and just tuned it around that.

[mullett]

If it's an 'E' series box, and a sprinter diff, it should be well tough enough, and I think the best conversion I can think of is a 20V with a turbo That would be sweet...Or even easier, a 4AGE head, makes the turbo conversion a snap (all the bits are easy to get, especially the manifold

-RM.

[BrianRA23]

Thanks for the picture of the sump - it becomes very clear. So maybe the references were to the Tercel, that used the longitudinal engine configuration and different drivetrain. Either way it seems that even with the turbo, I won't be driving it in such a way to destroy it, but at some point the clutch may need to be upgraded and if it needs a day spent on it then keeping my eye out for an engine and parts more suited to a turbo seems like a good idea.

The first step will be to send in an application to the WA vehicle modifications group, as this will save me having to pay $500 to an engineer for the approval. Unfortunately, I think they take some time to get back to you so this will cause delays.

[Hiro]

Thanks for the picture of the sump - it becomes very clear. So maybe the references were to the Tercel, that used the longitudinal engine configuration and different drivetrain.

Correct, AL25s have a drivetrain made out of toothpicks....and they don't share a gearbox/transaxle with any other Toyota either. AE95s are pretty solid in the transaxle deparment (as mentioned, as solid as a GZE Corolla, V6 Camry or turbo MR2)

[BrianRA23]

I assume the driveshafts from the AE92 with the 4AGZE should slip straight into the AE95. I think these CVs are similar size to the V6 Camry, but are they interchangeable since getting some of the 4AGZE driveshafts might be a bit difficult?

It may be possible that the CV/driveshft upgrade is not required since only half the power will be going through the front due to being 4WD, but collecting information and parts for future upgrades is never a bad idea.

[c2888]

AE95 have two really short shafts, something to do with the transfer case that sits in the notch good for people trying to fit 4ages into Starlets.......

They are fairly stout, but as you mention v6 camry ones are way way bigger.

Clutch on a AE95 is also bigger than your regular AE92 too.

Since the rear end is a T-series, you can get a LSD from lots of manufacturers.

It's embarrassing knowing so much about all wheel drive corollas :s

[BrianRA23]

Great information. I am interested to have a look underneath at the transmission, since I was quite surprised at the big bump in the floor on the drivers side for the transfer case.

It's embarrassing knowing so much about all wheel drive corollas :s

Maybe you should PM me to save face and we will never mention this again

[BrianRA23]

I have been doing plenty of research and I have decided the 4AFE is best in another vehicle instead of mine. To this end I have ordered a AE101 20V silvertop frontcut fitted with the superstrut brakes.

The frontcut can sit in my shed for a couple of months while the WA licensing dept process the modification application. While it is there I hope to have the turbo manifold built, new plenum made intercooler and piping so that when the engine goes into the car it will have the upgrades performed soon after.

I will have the factory ECU running and use the Jaycar programmable ignition system with a MAP sensor to intercept the ECU ignition output to the coil and introduce a retard when under boost. I have one of the DFA units and the hand controller so I m familiar with their operation.

Before any other mechanical work I want the LPG system installed and running on the car as it is.

Items outstanding on the modification application are regarding a disk brake upgrade for the rear and what tyre/rim size I will run. I will need a 15in or 16in rim to go over the front brake, but what cars have a similar offset and wheel stud pattern as the (AE92 say) Corolla?

[brum]

Most small front wheel drive cars will have 4x100 stud pattern with similar offset (ET), some other cars may also have 4x114.3 in similar front wheel offset.

List of 4x100 cars (up to 2002)
BMW
- 3 SERIES (E21) 1976-1981 ET18
- 3 SERIES (E30) 1982-1991 ET35

DAEWOO
- CIETO 1995-1997 ET49
- ESPERO 1995 - 1997 ET49
- LANOS 1997 - ET49
- NUBIRA 1997 - ET49

DAIHATSU
- APPLAUSE 1989 - ET45
- CHARADE 1993 - ET45
- CUORE ET35
- PYZAR 1997-1998 ET45
- SIRION 1998 - ET35
- YRV 2001 - ET35

EUNOS
- 30-X 1992 ET45

FORD
- FESTIVO GLI/TRIO 1994 - ET45
- LASER (NOT SR2) 1990 - ET45

HOLDEN
- ASTRA CD/CITY/GL/GSI 1994 - ET45
- ASTRA SLX/SLE 1987-1989 ET45
- BARINA 1994 - ET49
- CALIBRA 1991 ET49
- GEMINI 1975 - 1985 ET30
- GEMINI 1985 - 1987 ET49
- NOVA - 1989 - 1997 ET39

HONDA
- ACCORD 1982 - 1989 ET45
- BEAT 1991 ET35
- CIVIC 1980 - ET45
- CONCERTO 1989 ET45
- CRX 1985 - 1992 ET45
- INSIGHT 2001 - ET45
- INTEGRA 1986 - 1993 ET 45
- INTEGRA 1993 VTIR ET45
- PRELUDE 1979 - 1992 ET45

HYUNDAI
- ACCENT 2000 - ET46

KIA
- MENTOR 1996 - ET45
- RIO 2000 - ET40
- SHUMA 2000 - ET45
- SPECTRA 2001 - ET45

MAZDA
- 121 1991 - ET45
- 323 3D/5D HATCH 1998 ET45
- 323 ASTINA/SP 1990 - 1994 ET45
- 323 ASTINA/PROTEGE 1994 - 1998 ET45
- MX-5 ET40

MINI
- MINI 2002 - ET45

MITSIBISHI
- LANCER 1992 - 1996 ET45 (NOT 4 DOOR HATCH)
- LANCER 1996 - ET46
- MIRAGE 1996 - ET45

NISSAN
- MICRA 1995 - ET45
- PULSAR/NX COUPE 1992 - 1995 ET45 (N14)
- PULSAR/EXA 1987 - 1992 ET45 (N13)
- PULSAR 1988 - 1992 ET46 (N13)
- PULSAR LX/SLX/Q/SSS 1995 - 2000 ET40 (N15)

PROTON
- M21 1997 - ET46
- PERSONA 1997 - ET46
- SATRIA 1999 - ET46
- WIRA 1995 - 1996 ET46

RENAULT
- CLIO 2001 - ET43
- FEUGO 1982 - 1987 ET42
- LAGUNA 1995 - 1996 ET50
- MEGANE 2001 - ET43
- SCENIC 2001 - ET43

ROVER
- 416i VITESSE 1983 - 1989 ET45
- QUINTET 5D HATCH 1983 - 1986 ET45

SEAT
- CORDOBA 1995 - ET38
- IBIZA 1995 - ET38
- TOLEDO 1995 - ET38

SUZUKI
- BALENO 1.3/1.6L 1995 - ET45
- CARRY VAN 1999 ET45
- IGNIS 2000 - ET45
- LIANA 2001 - ET45
- WAGON R 1997 ET45

TOYOTA
- CELICA CS 1986 - 1989 ET45
- COROLLA 2001 - ET39
- COROLLA 1998 - 2001 ET45
- COROLLA 1986 - 1994 ET39
- ECHO 1999 - ET39
- MR2 2000 - ET45
- MR2 1987 - 1990 ET39
- PASEO 1991 ET45
- PRIUS 2001 - ET45
- SPRINTER 1994 - 1996 ET45
- STARLET 1996 - ET39

VOLVO
- 440 GL 1994 - 1996 ET39

VW
- CADDY ET39
- GOLF (NOT VR-6) 1982 - 1998 ET45
- PASSAT 1995 - 1997 ET38
- VENITO 1995 - 1997 ET45


Don't know what you can do about upgrading the rear drums, although the fronts should be a bolt on job from the front cut and should be sufficient for engineering (seeing as they are the same brakes from the donor engine).