Edited!

 

well played sir :)

Edited October 22, 201510 yr by coln72

bit late to the party here, but i'm going to go ahead and disagree with the rebuilt 5k idea.

 

my very first engine conversion was a 5k when i was about 18. albeit very easy, it slotted straight in. can't complain with that. the difference in power was barely noticeable though.

 

since then i've had ke's with:

3k

3kb

4k

5k

4agze

sr20de

sr20det

 

i'd honestly say the best conversion for a p plater is an sr20de.

mounts and pedalbox off ke conversions

send the sr loom, afm and ecu to PLMS in adelaide

off the shelf extractors fit around the steering as if it was made for them

get a tailshaft made

install a lift pump and surge tank with some $60 moroso 3/8 alloy line that can be bent by hand

get an ebay alloy radiator and find some hoses at repco to suit.

 

other than that theres about 5 wires that need connecting, even an auto sparky would be super cheap if you couldnt figure it out yourself. its a very simple conversion when broken down, it makes the corolla alot more fun to drive, the stock brakes can handle it and its very predictable. no one wants sr20de's so they're cheap. plus its simple to go turbo when the time comes for more power.

 

failing that if you're a stubborn die hard toyota fan, a 3tc with a locked ta22 diff is fine. skid it all day and enjoy carb simplicity.

my very first engine conversion was a 5k when i was about 18. albeit very easy, it slotted straight in. can't complain with that. the difference in power was barely noticeable though.

 

I agree with this, i went from 4k to 5k in my ke25 and there was nothing in it really. The 5k would have to work out better when you start to mod them both, cubic inches is always an advantage at some stage.

 

failing that if you're a stubborn die hard toyota fan, a 3tc with a locked ta22 diff is fine. skid it all day and enjoy carb simplicity.

 

Nah i tried this, in my ke30 i went from 4k to 3tc, yikes it really failed to be an upgrade at all! I guess once again if you modify them both the 3tc would be worth having but stock for stock a waste of time, and a whole lot more effort than a 5k.

 

As for the sr20de yes it is easy for the right person, you really need to have a mechanical mind. I have mates that i know couldn't do it, you could give them every single item and lay it out for them and it wouldn't happen. Basic knowledge, and a desire to learn, find answers, and take advice is a good place to start.

3k to 5k was 3 seconds quicker around the local autocross track - a reasonable gain for a couple of hours work....

 

 

 

As for the sr20de yes it is easy for the right person, you really need to have a mechanical mind. I have mates that i know couldn't do it, you could give them every single item and lay it out for them and it wouldn't happen. Basic knowledge, and a desire to learn, find answers, and take advice is a good place to start.

 

Hit the nail on the head there, with any conversion really.

 

Some good advice in here as usual :) An engine swap is seen as an easy way to make your car go faster when you put your foot down.

So at first people think well sweet lets just go get a more powerful motor and swap it over, just like that. But it's not that easy unfortunately!

If it's your first car and you want to learn and play with cars as an interest then I would rebuild a standard motor and just learn how it all works,

maybe some basic upgrades if the rest of the car is standard ie brakes and suspension. Later down the line do suspension and brakes.

Then do an engine swap with the matching driveline upgrade. My advice is don't try get a 5k, I have tried and you are better off with the 4k

for a few reasons, one is they are getting difficult to find in any decent condition.

 

In a nutshell playing with cars is time, money and effort. You are going to need these resources to turn a cheap car into something better.

Try think of an end goal of what you want to achieve and work backwards from there, it makes the process much easier and people will

be able to help you a whole lot more to make it all happen. For instance if you want a motor swap, get a listed kit off ke conversions as he has

been great with making up ke motor swap kits. That's just one part of the end goal, maybe work out what you want overall when its all fully done.

4k better that a 5k??????? What you talkin' 'bout Willis......................

 

Either you had a crappy 5k or a really good 4k. We had two ke20's - 1 with a cammed 5k, the other with a big cam and high compression 4k. over the 1/8th mile the 5k was a car length ahead and pulling away

Yeah its really the fact of trying to find one in good condition for a decent price to be honest, I found more vans with them still attached but then having to pay

the price for the whole vehicle. Often people already have a 4k to start so its money saved. As for modifying them that's another story for another time :)

Spode I was spoils by picking my last 5k up for $100 a number of years ago :)

Surely by now all the 4ks and 5ks either have been rebuilt or need to be rebuilt. There must be so much variation in condition.

Got my 5k for $60. With the 4th piston rusted to the cylinder wall, haha. I can't complain, $1000 later she'll be right ;) Good advice tho, sort your suspension and brakes if youre going to make your car go faster. Don't want to rely on 35 year old components holding up to abuse.

Got my 5k for $60. With the 4th piston rusted to the cylinder wall, haha. I can't complain, $1000 later she'll be right ;) Good advice tho, sort your suspension and brakes if youre going to make your car go faster. Don't want to rely on 35 year old components holding up to abuse.

 

threw another $300 for a set of big end shells and a cam regrind at mine. It was good for a few seasons of being thrashed in motorsport,

Yeah i went completely nuts with mine haha. Figured why not. my $800 4k keeps up with 4ages so I went crazy with the 5k in a hope to keep up with traffic :P did alot to it.

I'm back?!?

I ran out of money, nearly sold the car, kept it, and now I'm back on the forum. So to put all that aside, I'm going to start a new build thread maybe? I'll link it in this thread.