[Taxx024]

Hi, so i bought this 1989 celica gt (the fourth gen) and just finished restoring it, its only the gt so it isnt turbo charged and i was wondering what were the best ways i could make some power.

I have never really worked on japanese cars even less on 4 cylinders.

Ive read that this engine (3S-GE) is pretty okay so i dont want to swap it (plus i dont really have the time nor knowledge)

I dont know how forums work its my first time here but thank you in advance

 

[93celicaconv]

Your 1989 Celica GT has the 3S-FE engine (2.0 liter, fuel efficient head design). Instead of swapping, you could look to find a 1989 Celica GT-S, which has the 3S-GE engine in it (2.0 liter performance head). You can look up the power/torque differences between these 2 engines from 1989 to determine if it is worth finding a 3S-GE Celica or not.

You can find a good Gen 1 3S-GTE engine (turbo version of the 3S-GE) to swap in, but the swap is not easy. You would need the engine, all the water-to-air system for the intercooler, the entire engine wiring harness and ECU (and if you have an automatic transmission, which the 3S-GTE engine did not have attached to it in the North American market, you'll have to figure out how to handle an ECU made for a manual transmission to work an automatic transmission - I don't know how to do that). Better yet, find yourself a 1989 Celica All-Trac instead (the Canadian version may go by a different trim name). Then you would have it all together. And you will find some for sale occasionally - but they are rare.