Ex-Lurker having performance issues. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Froggmann · 12-29-2005, 11:43 AM

1990 Toy Corolla 4A-FE motor

Hey there guys I kinda just got the car. It's been in my GF's family for close to all of it's life. It was bought used and was posibily a rental for the first year of it's life. A few years ago the motor popped in it (They ran it out of oil) and they had what I believe is a JDM replacement. Since then they say the performance has just fallen on it's face. I have confirmed the A4-FE is supposed to be in the car so I know they didn't have any "High performance" motor in it. So I'm wondering why this motor is such a dog. It has plenty of real low-end tourque but as soon as it starts to think about getting into the midrange to upper RPMs the thing can't get out of it's own way. I know part of it is my fat butt but from what I have heard from the family this thing used to run like a juced up rabbit on crank.

I have done the ordinary stupid stuff, timing is stock, new plugs/wires/cap. An O2 sensor is next on the list.

One last thing, last time it was smogged the guy said it could be due for an EGR. Where the heck is this on this car and how do I inspect it? Sorry guys I'm a Hybrid V8/Rotary engine guy. Havent really worked with these little monsters before.

Froggmann · 12-29-2005, 12:30 PM

Oh and swapping the motor is out of the question, I already have an RX-7 I'm trying to get a motor for and ot other running vehicle is a 93 Bronco that gets 10 MPG with a failing tranny, but it does have an excuse it has 230,000 miles on it.

***REN69*** · 12-29-2005, 05:46 PM

It could also be the wrong 4AFE in the car, there are a few versions of the motor and most likely all ECUs are different, so it could just happen that the one you have in that car is not the right one for that ECU.

Froggmann · 12-31-2005, 10:26 AM

So how can I tell what version is what?

freakinbox · 12-31-2005, 12:59 PM

there were a 1.6 and 1.5 liter versions

***REN69*** · 12-31-2005, 03:03 PM

I think the 1.5 was the 5AFE which never made it to north america. 4AFEs were all 1.6 but I think from 88-92 it was different from the 93 and up. I believe it was the OBD2 or whatever its called systems.

Froggmann · 01-01-2006, 08:27 AM

Does anyone have any photographic examples of the diffrences between these two engines? Also given the ECU diffrences I doubt each engine would work right with the wrong type of computer.

AVANT · 01-01-2006, 08:33 AM

The motor is fine. The 4AFE was built for lower end, the head design, the cams, all of it. It's top end is suppose to suffer as a result. The motor has less than 110hp when it was brand new, I'm not surprised it'd feel dog slow at all. If you've driven a 4AGE, you'd notice it's low end torque is nothing like the 4AFE, but it's much more rev happy and loves to redline.