my 4k is still going strong after 3 years of abuse since i acquired it. was jap import with unknown kays on the clock. the engine was in good nick, i pulled the head and sump off, checked and retorqued the bearings. add some porting, skimming, cam and a few reliability adding mods.

 

it is a 20 year old engine, bottom end never rebuilt. still has the original rod bolts.

 

it hasn't had an easy life. has had plenty of work up around valve bounce (8 grand, still standard springs). have had quite a few people ask me if i've ever heard of a rev limiter at the motorkhanas ;)

 

unless you are planning on going over 8 grand i really don't think they are needed. a new set of orig bolts would be fine, cost dependent on toyota.

 

if you plan on going over 8 grand then yes, use them. then you really need to be lightening and balancing things, and start thinking about rod preparation. etc. $$$$$$

personally i think 2 grand plus spent on a 4k is better off spent on a 4ag conversion, unless you are building for a motorsport class. sorry jamie :)

 

it is not the size of the rod bolts that is most important. it is the tensile strength that matters, the grade of the rod bolt.

 

a 4k bottom end has more bearing journal surface area than an early 4ag.

unless you are planning on going over 8 grand i really don't think they are needed. a new set of orig bolts would be fine, cost dependent on toyota

 

personally i think 2 grand plus spent on a 4k is better off spent on a 4ag conversion, unless you are building for a motorsport class. sorry jamie :)

keep in mind an ARP set of bolts would probably have to be bought in sets of 8, being for an 8 cylinder motor and all

 

and yeah that's fair enough. this way i don't have to engineer it, and i don't really like efi. that's why i went with a 4k

 

the bottom end itself has only cost about $1300 - that's boring, chemical clean, balance, lightened flywheel, hd clutch, new flywheel bolts, 060 pistons, all new bearings and gaskets, timing chain and tensioner, water pump, camshaft, distributor, everything below the deck

 

the remainder was work on that bigport head, which wasn't in the best shape when i got it (triple helicoils everywhere), and still really isn't (cracked above plug tube to deck). plus new valves, hd springs, seats cut twice, stripped manifold stud, etc etc. if i knew then what i know now, i'd have spent the ~$750 getting a standard 4k head ported and with bigger valves, but as they say hindsight is better than foresight

 

either way i'm happy with it, and i know what to do next time ;)

the best thing about K motors is that you can go all out on them and spend 2 grand like i did, or you can get them reconditioned and stick in a cam and still have a f@$king kickass motor for under 500 bucks - if you do some bits yourself like head porting, assembly, fitting, etc

 

and yes, it totally rocks beating something which is twice or three times your capacity, in a 1300cc engined car :)

 

it ocurred to me a while back that most v8 drivers who lose to doug probably just think there's a rotary in the car. dude you need a numberplate like "ITS13L" or something ;)

*very big grin*

 

It still lives, it must be a strong motor!

 

telling bogans that its not a rotor / 1.8L must be rather funny... must get it on tape 1 day... !

I tried killing me 4k, which was owned by some old fart - Killed the gearbox instead! :P

its survived 2 years so far, and al ive done is new head gasket and carby kit.

And havent got it 2 valve bounce yet - not trying hard enough! (only got 154000 kms on it) :D

Oh, what have i got myself into!

 

After reading all that from you guys, i have just realised that it is truly one of a kind being a corolla fan!

 

OLD SCHOOL ROLLN 4EVA!

 

( you guys are just physco sometimes, hearing all the things youse do! )

I can't wait to come on a cruise!