4afe To Silver Top Swap

[ktownkrolla]

Hey guys. Well a few months ago i did my first oil change on my car and i put in 10w-30V. Well shortly thereafter my oil pressure light started to flicker at idle. So i drained out that oil and put n some 20w-50 oil. The light never came back on. Did my oil change again a week ago with some 10w-30 again and now my light is starting to flicker again. So i have a feeling that my bottomend is going out. So instead of keeping the 4AFE and rebuilding it, i want to install a silver top. So my question to you guys is what computer do i need, what wiring harnesses do i need, and what else do i need to make his installation a simple and easy one? And does the engine bolt right up to my mounts and transmission?

[macst19]

Originally Posted by ktownkrolla

Hey guys. Well a few months ago i did my first oil change on my car and i put in 10w-30V. Well shortly thereafter my oil pressure light started to flicker at idle. So i drained out that oil and put n some 20w-50 oil. The light never came back on. Did my oil change again a week ago with some 10w-30 again and now my light is starting to flicker again. So i have a feeling that my bottomend is going out. So instead of keeping the 4AFE and rebuilding it, i want to install a silver top. So my question to you guys is what computer do i need, what wiring harnesses do i need, and what else do i need to make his installation a simple and easy one? And does the engine bolt right up to my mounts and transmission?

I'm gonna lead you in the same direction everybody else does. There's plenty of information on here that if you just click search will tell you what you need and don't need for your car. There are plenty of active threads with swaps too.

[ktownkrolla]

Originally Posted by macst19

I'm gonna lead you in the same direction everybody else does. There's plenty of information on here that if you just click search will tell you what you need and don't need for your car. There are plenty of active threads with swaps too.

ya but with working two jobs, i don't have enough time to sit on the puter and research. Hense the reason why i created the thread. So that way when i have the chance i can just log on and take a quick glance at the responses.

[Blof-fan]

Question: Why not go for the improved version: The Blacktop instead?

But for your questions:

Yes, a 4A-GE based engine (Both the ST and BT are 4A-GE's) will bolt right up to your mounts and tranny.
Make sure you buy a complete engine! (a frontcut would be even better. Then you will have a easy and simple swap, just mount everything from the frontcut in your car)
Get the wiringloom and ECU and everything that goes with the engine you bought.

If you don't, you will have to scavange for parts later on and that can take time and even more money!

So again: Get a complete engine or a frontcut and you will have less trouble.

[ktownkrolla]

Front cut? whats that? And by Wiring loom do you mean the whole wiring harness the plugs into the ECM and branches out to all the connections? Or can i be a cheap ass and just find the connectors. My dad is an electrical freak, anything with a wire and he can fix it. And he has all sorts of wiring tools. So would i just be able to splice the connectors onto my connectors? And i found a Silver top & five speed for about 900. I figure i would hold onto the tranny until my three speed grenades itself.

[Blof-fan]

Three speed automatic?!

Don't bolt that to the Silvertop! It will eat it alive!
A Silvertop revs a lot more than your current 4A-FE...it's a screamer engine going right up to 7500rpm. And you will need those revs to get everything out of the engine.
It's a performance engine that needs to rev and only a manual tranny will do it justice
So when swapping the engine, replace the shifter aswell and get a clutchpedal!

A frontcut is precisely what the word implies. It is the complete front end of a car, that is cut of. So everything you will need for a engine swap will be in there, all the parts are already there, so you only need to put it into your own car. Is a bit more expensive, but it's well worth the money!

And splicing the wiring loom is going to be hell, espacially if you don't have all the drawings for it.
Get the complete engine wiringloom and ECU (will be in a frontcut) and hook that up to the rest of the wiring loom that goes with the rest of your car. That's going to be work enough as it is already. Trust me. Been there, done that.

[SCT]

Front cut, front clip.... From the front nose of the car all the way up to the windshield. The motor, trans, whatever in the front will be there intact. I couldn't find an AE101 front clip pic, but this is the best one I can find, a 300ZX front clip Like this:

and yes, the WHOLE UNCUT WIRING HARNESS! It's different from a 4AFE's. It'll save time. If your dad can't do it, $500 and both your 4AFE and your new 4AGE uncut harnesses, send to Dr. Tweak (phoenixtuning.com). He'll have a plug n play wiring harness afterward where you just throw in, plug up, and go.

[ktownkrolla]

damn this is going to be more expensive than i thought. Is it well worth it? I know my current 4AFE is a gutless wonder. Especially since it loses oil pressure at idle with 10w-30 in it. And i don't need doctor tweak, i got my dad. Give him a couple tools, some heat shrink and a few wiring diagrams and he'll have it figured out in no time. at half the price.

[toyotaspeed90]

Originally Posted by ktownkrolla

ya but with working two jobs, i don't have enough time to sit on the puter and research. Hense the reason why i created the thread. So that way when i have the chance i can just log on and take a quick glance at the responses.

this is going to come off way wrong....

first of all... there are stickies that go over very general information, such as:

Engine swaps for the AE92 Corolla
Sticky for engine swaps.

2nd... if you don't have the time to do the research yourself... then you don't have the time to do the swap. If you need a hand in finding information and expect that every detail of the swap be given directly to you with no research... then you will have an unsuspecting surprise when things don't make sense.

trust me.... spend the time to do the research. If you don't, you will spend way more than expected and will take 3-4 times longer than wanted (if not longer).

working 2 jobs? I'm sure there are tons of people on here working 2 or more jobs. When I was in college I always found time to do the research needed for car work, basically run a shop out of my house, work full time, have full time credits, and find time for my (now wife) gf who I spent 75%+ of my free time with (not at school or work). Searching for your information is easy.

[SCT]

... if the project does take a long time, don't worry. Take as much time as needed so you know you've done everything as close to right so you won't blow a wad at the end. Most info you may need are here and at various other forums.. Club4AG, some others I don't know of... There's quite enough.

If your dad can do the harness re-wirings, more power to him. I may take a shot at it myself, if I can get all the diagrams.

And also, back to the time consumption and how busy you are. If my 3 speed automatic didn't blow the differential to hell in March 2006, my car would still be a 3 speed automatic.... I needed a car, hell if I was to buy another car... BUT! It's a 5spd now So.... blow up your transmission. Encouragement!

[PhatRoyale]

Originally Posted by ktownkrolla

damn this is going to be more expensive than i thought. Is it well worth it?

Yes.

[dylangumby]

Can't wait to see how it goes, I'm doing some major repairs to me AE95 Wagon, and then I'm thinking its due for a Silver or Blacktop. Luckily I've got the 5MT in it already, but who knows, if I can get a frontcut for a decent price, I may take my tranny out for one with lower kms!

Good luck, looking forward to some pics! =)

[eage8]

Originally Posted by dylangumby

Can't wait to see how it goes, I'm doing some major repairs to me AE95 Wagon, and then I'm thinking its due for a Silver or Blacktop. Luckily I've got the 5MT in it already, but who knows, if I can get a frontcut for a decent price, I may take my tranny out for one with lower kms!

Good luck, looking forward to some pics! =)

the trans that comes with the BT or ST will have a better final drive ratio too. so it'll accelerate faster. Most transmission that come with them are a C56 which is actually a different transmission with shorter gears too.

[dylangumby]

So if I have the opportunity to get a front clip 4AGE, I should get whatever transmission is attached to it? I'd like to maintain the "AllTrac" function of my car, which motor should I be looking for?

[Frozentide]

[quote=Blof-fan;3076629]Question: Why not go for the improved version: The Blacktop instead?quote]

90% of the time the Silvertop is a better option.

The reasons:
ST is much cheaper
ST uses an AFM(air flow meter) which is straight forward
BT uses a MAP(manifold absolute pressure) which makes it more difficult for tuning and modifying
ST has a slightly stronger block, since the blacktop block has been lightened and is non-ribbed

Both engines make the EXACTLY the same amount of power: 119 ft/lbs of torque, the only difference is the blacktop has a slightly higher max power rpm: ST = 7400 rpm, BT = 7800 rpm

So basically the only reason to go with the BT engine is if you want to try and get one with the rare 6-speed close ratio transmission, however if anything breaks good luck trying to find parts for it