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90 Le Can It Handle What I Have In Mind?

by mikejax20, August 30, 2010



i have a 90 corrola le with a 1.6 thats racked up 200k miles on the dote and it still runs like a champ i know the engine cant take much as far as tuner upgrades so i just want to do a few after market add ons. i wanted to know if any one has had any luck with e-turbos. a buddy of mine has clocked 1.83 psi on his mr2 mkiii but i dont want to blow and engine with that many miles on it. and do any of the gts and ae92 bumper kits fit the le body?

Those e-turbos are pretty are pretty much junk, never run them on any car that you want to last more than a few thousand miles. Many are based off of marine bilge pumps - spec's show pretty high outputs, but cap one of the ends and the fan will stall. Worthless for the forced induction application. Since they don't typically see the same temperatures that you'll find under the hood of most cars, there is a very good chance that the blades themselves could fragment and get ingested into the engine. Not to mention that you are making no provisions to adjust afr's and timings for such a mod.

You'd get better results with typical bolt-ons (i/h/e) - don't skimp there, no eBay stuff. Get a good tune up, lightweight wheels and tires, and jettison any extra weight that is not needed on the car. Also running a programmable EMS system will yield some gains on the stock setup. Toyota has always tuned the engines conservatively, to help extended the engines lifespan. You can tighten up those maps and maybe consider running better cams, enlarged throttle body, etc. to help complement the I/E/H bolt-ons. Well known, rock solid mods - won't gain tons of power, but you'll see better throttle response, little better pickup at higher revs from the enhanced breathing.

What fish said is the way to go. You can also shave decades off a car by running a PEA based cleaner through it like Regane or Redline, cleaning the throttle body out, and replacing the plugs and MAF sensor (if they're still factor or the plugs are worn), and PCV valve. MAF sensor can get lazy as the miles rack up. A good tune up can go a long way to restoring power age has robbed the car off. Also make sure you're running the right viscosity oil, using something decent, and look into a good high flow oil filter and a decent paper air filter (K&N filters will let in more air, but more dirt too, and not worth it imho). I'd start with that, weight reduction, and then the other things fish recommended. It might not make a huge difference on a dyno, but you'll feel the difference in throttle response and top end. And you'll accomplish it without stressing to failure components that weren't designed to work with a turbo charger.

-Spyder

thanks for the advice. should i go synthetic with he oil as well. and are there any other parts i should replace just to be on the safe side i can sink about 250-350 a month into the car. and again will the bumber kits from the coupe models and the ae92 models fit? i need a new set of bumbers and i dont like the stock ones

thanks for the advice. should i go synthetic with he oil as well. and are there any other parts i should replace just to be on the safe side i can sink about 250-350 a month into the car. and again will the bumber kits from the coupe models and the ae92 models fit? i need a new set of bumbers and i dont like the stock ones

Synthetic is a matter of taste. Some swear by dino and run it their car's entire life. Some are wary of synthetic because they're afraid it will create oil leaks. Until very recently I fit into both camps. That syn oil will create leaks is a myth. I'm running it in an oil burning 1ZZ-FE and so far my oil consumption, rather than increasing, has been decreasing - so I consider myself a convert. Some benefits of syn:

- it doesn't need to be changed as often;

- its more resistant to high temperature shearing (more resistant to thermal breakdown), so viscosity remains more constant;

- it has a lower pour point and better cold crank numbers, so it lubricates faster in colder temps because it gets to engine components faster;

- there is a small mileage improvement (1-2 mpg is probably typical) with syn.

The only drawback is it costs more. I'm running Pennzoil Platinum and I have Castrol Syntec on hand to go in next summer. When I buy syn I look at how good the oil is and how its priced compared to others here. Where I am, these are two of the cheapest syns but Platinum is also among the best (and Syntec is good too, although Edge is better but too expensive for me here). A step up from these, and one of the best synthetics you can buy, is Redline - but you'll pay a bigger premium for it.

There is a separate thread here or in the performance forum (within the first couple pages) called something like 'the 100k tuneup' where fish gives a really good list of things to inspect and/or replace as part of a major tuneup. Its a pretty complete list and I can't think of anything not mentioned there or in this thread other than tires:

I'm not sure what is stock on your model, but on mine its P175/70/R14 with a P185/65/R14 option. The first provides a more comfortable ride, but the latter is more of a perfornance tire and provides better handling at the expensive of a little ride comfort. There's also a big gap between good rubber and bad. You can research this in more detail on sites geared toward perfornance upgrades that also talk about tires. Better rubber will be lighter, and provide better traction in wet and dry conditions translating into better acceleration (less tire spin) and better cornering and control. There's not much relationship between price and performance, as the most expensive tires aren't always the best ones out there, while some that are a little less expensive are also among the best for these characteristics plus longevity. Lots of choices, best to research this one separately and once you've got a small list of tires that look good, price them out to see what offers the best bang for the buck.

A forum called "Bob is the oil guy" is all about the pros and cons of different oils, viscosities, and discusses good and bad oil filters as well. They're pretty hard core over there about engine oil, but there's a ton of info to be had as well (and you can also ask for recommendations there but you'll get a lot of different opinions on what to use as many are very brand loyal and use and promote nothing but that brand - Mobil and Pennzoil will be among two of the most common responses you will get).

Edit:

I should add that I'm pretty hard core about fluids and especially engine oil (and am a newer member on BITOG but I post a lot there too), which I liken to a car what blood is to the body. The right oil and correct viscosity will quieten an engine and make it purr like a kitten, while providing the best performance characteristics you get from oil and the most protection for longer engine longevity. The wrong oil (mainly the wrong viscosity as this is the most important characteristic) will make a car feel sluggish and/or stress the engine (too thick) or provide too little protection (too thin, leading to metal on metal contact and engine wear and early failure). The right oil will also provide a good detergent package to keep the engine clean (preventing sludge and carbon buildup that rob performance and can also lead to early engine failure) and good anti-wear additives to maximimize engine life. Give the cost of a better oil and filter versus the cost of an engine rebuild, its my (very strong) opinion that oil & filters are two items that aren't worth being cheap about - though if you do the research and shop around a bit you can get very good oil for a couple bucks more than the cheap stuff. For instance, the Platinum I'm running now was bought on a rollback at Walmart where it cost only a few bucks more than most brands of dino (conventional) for a 4 & 1/2 quart jug of it (I plan to stock up because I know the price won't stay where it is for long).

Oil prices vary a lot from region to region. What's cheap, but good, here may be expensive there, and vice versa.

-Spyder

Good stuff Spyder!

As for the bumper fitment - there are modifications that are needed (bumper supports), but for most cases - the bumpers for AE92 coupes will fit (note: not 100% bolt on). Though your best bet would be to look into lip kits. Those can make the LE bumper look more like the ones on the GT/GT-S without modifying any of the supports.

thanks for all the advice what would be the best rim size for my le?

thanks for all the advice what would be the best rim size for my le?

Stock on that model year is 13". You can go a few sizes bigger, but the bigger you go the more it costs and you also start running into potential issues with tires rubbing or scraping. On 4 light weight alloy rims and performance tires, the cost difference can be substantial. That said, were it me I'd go up to 14" alloy wheel and P185/60/R14 tires for them. Tirerack has a decently priced (and very nice looking) 14" alloy wheel that is under 10 lbs.

My model year comes with 14" standard and I'm considering this wheel for my summer tires - right now I have none as the dry rot in the 8 year old mismatched set finally got the better of them and I put my winter tires on a little early. P185/65/R14 is the optional size for my model year and I'm looking at different options there. I'm partial to Kumho Eco Solus & Ecowing, Uniroyal Tigerpaw Touring, and Michelin (Destiny, Harmony, and Hydroedge with Green X).

The Kumhos and Hydroedge are "low rolling resistance" tires. My criteria for tires is: fuel economy (low rolling resistance), ride comfort, performance, and tire longevity. I'm undecided which tires I'm going with, but so far the Hydroedge are at the top of my list. An upgrade I'm planning over the winter is four new all season tires and alloy rims for next spring. I'm aiming to buy them as a package, likely from tirerack, and expect it'll cost about $1,000 for the set (shipping is the killer to Canada). Tiger Paw Touring, Michelin Destiny and Harmony are all tied as my second pick. I have 8 months to decide though default_smile

YMMV

-Spyder

thanks for the advice i didnt think you guys would be this helpful!!!!

thanks for the advice i didnt think you guys would be this helpful!!!!

This forum helped me solve a lot of minor problems I inherited with my car and pointed toward possible solutions for the only two issues remaining.

You can go up to a 16" or 17" wheel on your model, but I don't recommend it. I think upsizing just one notch to the 14s will offer the most bang for the buck as they will look a little shaper on nice alloy rims and the weight reduction should boost acceleration. Best of both worlds. I have my own shopping list of things to improve my Corolla with, including:

- tinted windows

- detailing inside & out (after I finish the inprogress body work I'm doing now)

- light weight alloy rims and new, low rolling resistance, tires

- resurfacing the pipe, replacing gaskets, replacing the muffler with a Magnaflow and adding a polished steel tip

- replacing my instrument lights with blue coloured ones

- replacing my front bumper (cracked and clear coat is badly peeled)

- replacing my damaged oil pan & plug (using the dipstick hole for now to change the oil - it works well enough but isn't a permanent solution)

That's the short list of stuff I've come up with over the last 4 months since buying it. They're a mix of cosmetic and mild performance upgrades (some are both). End goal for me is a sharper looking, more fuel effiecient, and peppier 'rolla. I'll be doing this stuff bit by bit, most of it myself, and estimate the total cost at about $1,500 (a big chunk of that will be tires and lightweight alloy rims). As I got this car for a very good price, and plan to keep it indefinitely (I will store it in the winter when I get a project beater as a winter driver next year), I consider that a fair enough investment for the end result I'm looking to accomplish (sharp but not ricer).

-Spyder

well i was fortunate enough to buy mine from an older lady that gave me a stack of receipts that filled my glove compartment so i was very pleased with how well maintained my rolla was when i bought it. but another thing i was going to ask is would down force be easy to tweak and is it worth it to invest in an adjustable suspension

ive seen alot of kits out there that are decently priced. and i want to put cross bars in my engine compartment where do i need to mount them?

Not sure what you are after - most body kits have never seen any aerodynamic testing, so any gains you get from them is questionable.

As for adjustable suspensions - there are a number of options. Depends on your intentions on the car and how bad of a ride you can tolerate. From performance struts and springs, to full coilovers - from around $200 for some Sprint lowering springs set to over $2300 for JIC FTL-TAR coilovers.

Cross bars - again depends on what you want from them. A few of them are nice to have, but unless you are setting up an impressive tire setup or wanted to Auto-X, bars will only add weight on the top end of the car. Chassis stiffness is as only as strong as the weakest link. Even with a well maintained 1990 car, upgrading to chassis stiffener bars is a function of diminishing returns.

Where the car will really take a shine to, are brake/wheel/tire and suspension modifications. Upgrading the OEM pads, rotors, and tires to something a little more performance oriented, coupled with a mild performance spring and strut combination (to retain a good everyday ride) - will make the car feel and ride completely different.

4a-gte swap!!!.....jk I'm in the middle of getting my dx ready for a 4age (then gte) swap and I'm finding if you dont want to shell out serious cash it takes a TON of work and research, specifically when your not so good at electrical problems......as far as suspension goes start with front and rear sway bars from wrecking yards, they make a huge difference for less than 20$ a piece. Thats as far as I've gotten on my suspension so far but I am very pleased with the results.

As far as adding chassis stiffness goes, a good strut tower brace will work wonders on a front-wheel drive compact car like the Corolla. I installed a Megan Racing strut bar a couple of months ago and there was a very noticeable improvement in steering response and it tightened the front end up a bit. The best part - the total cost was about $50.

thanks for the advive what im looking for is to make my ae92 into a good perfomance sedan. i want it to look good and perform just as well as it looks. my main goal is to have good handling and i would like to achive this goal buy hugging the road and having strong rpm tach up. imstill debating between a 3 speed with and over drive or converting a 5 speed into a padal shifteras im not quartinated enough to shift on time with a clutch id also like to know if any one has had any luck with an all track conversion. one of my neighbors has a corolla all track wagon and i was wondering if the running gear is compatiable?

Rob Millen did an All-Track conversion / complete powertrain lift from a JDM Celica GT-4 to a 7th gen Celica - he did a bunch more, but conservatively, cost him about $400K to make it happen. Granted he did a lot more stuff, but this is a non-trival swap. Even those FWD to RWD conversion run into the 10s of thousands of dollars - most of the cost is in getting the subframes and unitbody beefed up to take different stresses.

Paddle shifters are a tough installation as well. I've seen hybrid systems that use push-button shifters with an automatic transaxle - but these are nothing like the shifters on a mega-buck car. Sequential shifter options are at the top of the heap - but you wouldn't see any performance advantage with those in a lightly modded car. Those running over $10K also puts a damper on things.

I'd consider a 5-speed swap and time to get used to it. Lots of good support for it + it weights significantly less than an automatic transaxle. Coordination is like anything else, takes time to learn. Heck, if I can teach my wife to drive a standard, anyone can drive one. In a couple of months, it will be second nature, won't even be looking at the tach to shift, everything at that point will be by ear and feel.



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