'89 Corolla SR5 Carb, worn out, new engine or new car?

[retiredat44]

1989 Corolla SR5 Carb, 5 speed stick: worn out (365,000 miles), new engine or new car? I just don't know how soon I will have the money and how much. I cannot do the work myself, my health is bad..

A long block is the best way to go if it gets a new engine. as all the parts are worn out..

365,000 miles.
it doesn't smoke..
the tappets are getting a wee bit noisier lately..
not a good idea to replace the head with a new/rebuilt with very high mileage, would definitely turn it into an oil burner..

Choice #1 ) sell it as is... as an old beater..
2) replace the engine and trans (all at one time)

3)if replacing egnine and trans,,
a)long block with rebuilt tranny
b)new engine : same exact engine
c)different engine, more horsepower (must pass smog laws) (California).

**Sell as-is and get whatever it's worth and buy new/used car.
Or--
**Rebuild and put at least $1,500 (not counting extras... seats, interior carpet etc.. (interior is clean.. just really worn out.., no tears..)

Long Block is about $800.00 plus 250.exchange. I don't know about tranny cost. Transporting cost engine, unknown at this time.

Would consider replacing engine with a rebuilt with more horsepower..
only problem is the new engine might have fuel injection, this has carb...
(again, smog laws, changing ecu, wiring, gas tank..) Unless the new 4a-f engine with carb could get gotten with maybe 130 hp (stock with carb is about 90hp.

body is straight, shocks and brakes are good,, interior clean but worn out..

Now that I think about it, it is just easier and wiser to sell it as-is and get a nice Corolla or Camry to replace this one...


ideas?

[90 GP]

Think it might be money better spent to find a replacement( hopefully with fuel injection) that is sold with documentation of passing your tough smog laws and sell off your old car. Since your health prevents you from doing any work in replacing an engine you are at the mercy of the mechanic(and his labor charges) .

[DahnAE92]

I vote on finding a new ride. I found my 89 GTS in such fine condition at a local "Your Job is Your Credit"-type dealership for only a couple grand out the door.

Under ideal circumstances, I would find a new AE92 (Pref an All-Trac) and use that as a DD while dropping new and exciting tech into the unused SR5 as a project.

Win the lottery, go crazy. Throw a lift kit and 6-cyl. into that badboy. Paint it deep, deep crimson with glossy black trim... call it the BLOODLUST MACHINE, and pick up ladies from Long Beach.

/endpsychorant

[retiredat44]

How much would a replacement engine cost? ,, maybe take out the 4a-f and put a 4A-GE in it's place (JDM engine website says $1,000, almost $1,500 with a couple extras)).. I would consider keeping the car, and maybe just rebuild the head, with a new timing belt.. if, and only if the compression is still as good as it was the last ime the compression reading were taken, about 3 years ago, they were really good...

But since the car only has an idiot light for the oil light, I have no idea how much oil pressure the engine has. A real oil pressure gauge would tell me what shape the bearings are in...

It's been a very dependable car... but the tappets are beggining to sound like a bunch of sewing machines.. it really doesn't use hardly any oil... no smoke... but it does seem to take a little water once in a while in the radiator (I put a new radiator in about 10 years ago).. which could be a very small leak somewhere, a pinhole headgasket leak is also possible.. plus I still have the have the smog fail problem diagnosed to see why it failed the HC readings by a large number...

If I got a 4A-GE, JDM engine,, and used my C52 trans.. and paid a shop I know to pull mine and drop that in, I am looking at about $2,000.

my old engine probably isn't worth more than $150.00 as it is...

my only prob would be smog.. I suppose getting it smogged wouldn't be to hard would have to get it tested and fill the DMV paperwork showing an engine change...

[retiredat44]

anyone know anyone that took an old Corolla SR5 and put a replacement 4A-GE, JDM engine in it? (complete engine and trans package). They say it is 165 horses on their website. I would think the car would be very pleasant to drive considering that is almost double the horsepower with the change. Only thing different would be going form carb to fuel injection on my car, and the stupid ECU change (maybe the wring harness different, don't know. I would just add an electric fuel pump (inline) on the fuel line with the filter.

The complete engine says it comes with a new power steering pump, so, it would probably be earier just to add new power steering hsoes to the hookup (hook the the hoses up pre-install), and connect them to the rack, then bleed the steering after dropping it all in and bolting it up.

also, need to put the axles back in the new tranny. put in a new radiator. New carpet.. and refurb the seats. Clean up the paint, and have a 165 hp 5 speed 1989 SR5 Corolla with a silvertop engine.

new engine with trans, new carpet..., including labor, etc... less than $2,300 for all. (I think about that..) Car already has good struts.

[mikejax19]

Originally Posted by retiredat44

anyone know anyone that took an old Corolla SR5 and put a replacement 4A-GE, JDM engine in it? (complete engine and trans package). They say it is 165 horses on their website. I would think the car would be very pleasant to drive considering that is almost double the horsepower with the change. Only thing different would be going form carb to fuel injection on my car, and the stupid ECU change (maybe the wring harness different, don't know. I would just add an electric fuel pump (inline) on the fuel line with the filter.

The complete engine says it comes with a new power steering pump, so, it would probably be earier just to add new power steering hsoes to the hookup (hook the the hoses up pre-install), and connect them to the rack, then bleed the steering after dropping it all in and bolting it up.

also, need to put the axles back in the new tranny. put in a new radiator. New carpet.. and refurb the seats. Clean up the paint, and have a 165 hp 5 speed 1989 SR5 Corolla with a silvertop engine.

new engine with trans, new carpet..., including labor, etc... less than $2,300 for all. (I think about that..) Car already has good struts.

im swamping in a 4afe in my 88 sr5. your gonna need to do your research. im still having trouble figuring out how im gonna get my gauge cluster to work. although im building my car to be a daily driver it will be the same for a performance engine.

[verlaryder]

I think all you need is to get another 4A-F carburetor for $30 from a lower mileage 4A-F engine you can find in a wrecking yard:http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx Pull the EGR valve and EGR vacuum modulator off the wrecking yard engine too to help your motor pass NOx smog emissions. You can get new seats and other interior parts in the yards as well.

Your engine does not likely need to be replaced since it does not smoke or do other bad things like foul the spark plugs with oil. A bad carburetor alone could cause weak power and high emissions. The valve clearances are adjustable and can be tightened to quiet the valvetrain. If your engine needing rebuilding it would have low compression and be hard to start and would idle lumpily.