Cheap Engine Mods For A 4a-ge

[towe001]

Pretty much, as the title says, looking for some cheap mods that will give the engine a tad more power.

 

The only that has been done is a new 2.5" cat back exhaust system.

 

Open to most things. I don't want to turbo the car yet, still want to drive it as an N/A car. :bash:

 

Anyway, any ideas are good. :P

2.5 inches ?? I'd say thats a bit big for a 1.6 litre. 2inch would have been a better idea. No, its not to do with back pressure.

 

Basically if you want more power you have to make the motor breath better

like what everybody else has said - intake, cams, exhaust.

 

If your willing to crack the motor apart, bore it out to about 1.7 litre

 

And i'd go the same route as the witzl - do the suspension. 0deg front toe, about 1deg toe out on the rear etc etc

[quadeyquade]

Can someone please make a "Cheap 4age/4afe/4ac mods" thread then sticky it?

[trav_555]

Why?

 

Just search around and read up yourself?

 

The more you read the more you learn aobut different little things, not what one person rekcons is best and thats the law.

 

Read up and don't expect it on a silver plater, it takes a bit of learning, and SEARCH!!

 

Heres a quick link for you anyway.

 

http://www.twincam.info/index.php?showtopic=27794

 

Travis.

[towe001]

Can someone please make a "Cheap 4age/4afe/4ac mods" thread then sticky it?

Would be interesting, but whats your idea of "cheap" ? Cause someone else's idea of cheap could very well be something that comes under a grand.

Like, for example - someone's idea of ditching the whole airbox and piping for a pod filter stuck to the manifold is cheap. For me thats utter rubbish and not worth the 25 bucks. I'd sooner spend 100-150 for a K and N panel filter, mod the airbox a little and maybe re-do the airboxes intake from inside the guard for better air intake.

[trav_555]

Yes exactly.

 

But you can't say lets make a thread with no budget, cause all you would have to do is give them the part numbers you need to build a Formula Atlantic 4age. Which I have.

 

And who is going to bother listing a whole heap of modifications that you could do to your 4age?

 

Just cruise around the forums do the research ask advice and look at what mods others have done tot here 4ages and develop your own from that. You can't be told what to do with your car because when you become unhappy with it it just gives you someone else to blame because you didnt do the research.

 

Thats my 2c anyway.

 

Travis.

[930LLO]

Hhhmmm not sure if this has been said but bigport cams in a smallport head will help abit and thats pretty cheap?

[trav_555]

I don't know if you would really notice a difference,

 

Duration: 232° vs 240°

 

Lift: 7.1mm vs 7.56mm

 

Intake opening: 8°BTDC vs 9°BTDC

 

Exhaust opening: 47°BBDC vs 51°BBDC

 

You would notice a tiny bit I guess.

 

Just get 256° or bigger, Screw all these on the cheap mods, there not worth the time. Do it right and do it right the first time.

 

Travis.

[930LLO]

Well he did ask for cheap when you are looking for after market cam shafts how much are you expected to pay for just a little increase. Going to the wreckers and taking the cam shafts out yourself they would only charge you $30-$40. But buying the HKS 256° cam shafts would cost close to $350.

[trav_555]

Yea but when you think about cheap does it make it worth it to do these tiny little modifications that do shit all, when you could just save your money for something that does it right and does it right first time. Tiny modifications will give you a poofteenth of extra power but with all mods you will lose something, its like putting a weber 32/36 on a 4k, your doing it on the cheap cause it gives you a tiny bit more top end but you lose any kind of fuel economy.

 

Make it worth while and don't spend money on things that you sacrifice something like fuel economy for a poofteenth of power increase and mostly likely not over the entire rev range.

 

But go ahead prove me wrong make a 4age with a shipload of a power increase from "cheap" mods and see how long the 4age lasts/how long it takes for you to get bored and realise you just wasted money and either change to a different car/engine or actually do the modifications that are worth while.

 

Travis.

[towe001]

But buying the HKS 256° cam shafts would cost close to $350.

Is that the one with about 8.35mm lift ? You might also have to swap the shim and buckets for a shim under bucket style. So there's also a bit more of a cost. But if you can get them the buckets from the 1sv-fe (1litre yaris/vitz) are compatible. And also grab a pair of adjustable cam gears. And not forgetting having the upgrade the stock injectors

 

But why not just have the big port cams re-ground for a bit extra duration on the lift.

 

Or use the adjustable cam gears to dial in the big port cams - for more bottom end power retard the exhaust 4° and advance the intake 3°. For more top end, advance intake 4° and exhaust 3° from stock settings.

[quadeyquade]

Ah, I wasn't asking so I can do it to my car, I have a 20v ;). I was more referring to the idea that this question seems to pop up more heaps, and that if it was stuck to the top, people wouldn't keep asking. Also could be a good place for discussion on things like the airbox and intake design. I would do it myself, but I haven't got enough experience imo. Perhaps list things like information on different exhaust setups, different CAI set-ups and the best cams for different scenarios etc, so that all the noobs don't install 4inch exhausts and pod filters cause commodore owners do it.

[trav_555]

Yea but the faq has a heap of info already, people just don't search, they just ask and ask in a stupid way, you could put a giant sign up the top thats says: GO HERE FOR INFO ON 4AGES and people would still ask. can't help that apart from giving them a few links and telling them to search.

 

Travis.

[dbr11k]

just face it there is not really such a thing as "cheap engine up grades

 

only things i can think of that would be cheap would be advancing timing and adding octane booster , shaving the head for a bit of compression , using thermo's and getting rid of clutch fan,

 

i once heard a quote "to increase performance just add lightness"

[Johno]

I don't know hardly anything about engines but my idea of "Cheap" Upgrade is $150 - $300

 

I am dropping off my 4age to the mechanics as soon as my clutch arrives in the mail. The work he is preforming on it will be a brand new water pump, new cam belts, machined flywheel, Exeedy heavy duty clutch and a new throw out bearing.

 

When the car gets back on the road (in 2013 most likely) I will be taking it back to get Genie extractors, 256 cams and cold air intake with a custom made air box to keep out the hot engine air. Still gotta work out the box.. lol!

 

After that i'll chuck him $1000 here and there to do more work on it but i don't know what to get just yet..

The head as already been Ported, polished and grinded and it has a 2" sports exhaust with high flow cat so it revvs up nicely but it should go better once i get more work done on it and it's actually bolted in my rolla.. ;)

 

Hope that gives you some idea's ;)

 

 

Edit.. almost forgot to say for ever who said remove the door bracing.. Are you Nuts?? its there for a reason.. to save your life! :?

Edited June 8, 2009 by Johno

[towe001]

And don't forget anything thats a power sapper, like air con, power steering, water pump. Or just change the sizing of the pulleys.

 

And join http://www.club4ag.com/