1997 Corolla Advice

[IAmTheAttack]

Hey guys,

 

I own a 1997 Corolla, 130k on the clock and no oil leaks at all and very well looked after, nice and tidy.

 

I am posting because I am looking for advice from someone in-the-know. (Please don't get the wrong impression) I am a young driver so am restricted to lower performance cars (for a good reason) and I'm not really a fan of wrapping myself or my mates around a tree. I wouldn't mind working my Corolla to increase it's performance and looks. I really like the look of a tidy, well done, corolla. But like I said I am looking for some advice.

 

Is there anything you can do to these engines that would be at all worth while? I'm not someone who will be trying to line up turbo Silvia's at the lights, but would really like to know what you can do with these cars and wether it would be money well spent for about 3 years until I can drive the car of my choice.

 

Sorry if this is covered elsewhere, I searched and couldn't find anything. I don't fit the stereotypes, if I'm doing it, I'm doing it right.

[altezzaclub]

MUCH too new for us Darcy! I think by 1997 Toyota did more in the factory than we can do to a KE70 with a $10,000 budget.

 

Thye are still built to carry 4people + luggage, so you can change the suspension to give away the loading ability and have better handling. The motor will pick up a little from intake and exhaust mods, the usual pod filter and extractors/free-flow system, but not as much as they used to. A lightened flywheel will spin it up quicker if its manual too.

 

The guys in Altezzaclub get maybe 7-10% more power with engine mods, but nowhere as much as the 25% increase we can get from an old 4K. The factory engineering has got so much better. Some of the guys here might have tackled something that new, but if not you should try the Toyota Owners Club in Aussie. They have much newer machinery.

 

..................

 

Haha! I checked Wiki and the Australian version never got the new ZZ motors with VVTi... so bloody typical! If you have the 4A-FE motor then there will be a few guys on here that can help- the usual cam grind & compression increase will help, although the best would be a swap to a 4AGE if you want it to fly.

Edited March 28, 2012 by altezzaclub

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Best most well rounded and polite n00b post EVAR

Calling it.

 

I can't help IATA but jeez that was pleasant and some people need to learn from that.

 

Hell I may even spend some time googling for you just INCASE I can help.

 

Good luck!

[IAmTheAttack]

Haha thanks BLZBUB.

 

And thanks for that altezzaclub, much appreciated. I only just got the car and I am away at the moment and only had a quick look over the engine so I can't confirm what sort I have at this stage until I am home but I will try TOC and do some more hunting and see how I go.

 

Also, how difficult is a swap out to a 4AGE ? If you could touch base on a few things perhaps. Going to look into this a lot further as well.

Edited March 31, 2012 by IAmTheAttack

[7shades]

There's not much you need bother doing to the venerable 4AFE... (or 7AFE if you got lucky and found an RV model) other than stick a set of headers and exhaust on, and a free-flowing air filter. That'll net you a few extra ponies and a nicer noise, but that's about it.

 

To extract the most enjoyment from (what is essentially) an unremarkable shopping trolley, the best thing you can spend money on is suspension/wheels/brakes/bushes.

 

Drop it 40mm on a quality spring/strut package

Upgrade the brakes (I'd find a set of front and rear discs from the Japanese 2 door models)

Replace the suspension bushes with TRD/Nolathane items

Bigger swaybars

16x7 wheels and quality tyres

 

Do all that, and you'll have a proper fun machine.

It won't outrun Silvias in a straight line, but you will be amazed how well it carves up corners.

 

Then when you get bored, swap in the 20V silver/blacktop engine from aforementioned Japanese models and giggle maniacally as you send the tacho needle off the clock right around to 9000rpm :)

[Hiro Protagonist]

There's not much you need bother doing to the venerable 4AFE... (or 7AFE if you got lucky and found an RV model)

 

Umm, all models except the CSi and some of the CSXs got the 7AFE, so hardly "lucky" :P

 

If I can sum it up in a few brief words, there are better cars out there with better aftermarket support, better performance, better looks and better image. In saying that, I personally love my AE102 and am extremely unlikely to ever sell it. I've modified it, installed both aftermarket, factory and custom components to improve looks, handling, performance and comfort, and even though it has done close to 360,000km it has been the epitome of reliability and ease of ownership.

 

As has been said, unless you look at engine swaps (either to a 20v 4AGE, 3SGE or 2ZZGE) or turbocharging, you're quite limited in what you can get out of the engine power-wise. Even with CAI, full exhaust, ported head and piggy-back computer you'd be lucky to get 80kw at the wheels. Driveability is where the 7AFE comes in though (especially with the manual) as the low-down torque gives you the ability to punch out of corners a gear higher than you would in a 4AGE, and with some mild suspension work (springs and shocks, maybe a bigger rear swaybar, and grippy tyres) you'll have quite a tidy handling package that can embarass some much more performance-oriented cars in the corners (just don't expect to keep up on the straights).

[IAmTheAttack]

Cheers for that 7, a lot of answers and info I'm looking for. And thanks Ian for the input, much appreciated.

 

I guess there is a lot of thinking to do, I will see how things pan out.

 

Thanks for everything so far. Keep the suggestions coming if there is anything un-touched already.