AE85 Learner Question

[mybmw]

Looking at buying this stock standard, manual, 3au powered, ae85 off a friend.

Just wanted to known what parts are needed to convert it to a 4age Engine ?

Obviously:

4AGE Engine, mounts ? & Loom/ECU
T50 Gearbox & mounts - clutch & accessories.
Driveshaft - are they the same ?
New fuel lines as im going to EFI?

Can i use my standard Pedals ?

Cheers Guys

[Steelo]

Looking at buying this stock standard, manual, 3au powered, ae85 off a friend.

Just wanted to known what parts are needed to convert it to a 4age Engine ?

Obviously:

4AGE Engine, mounts ? & Loom/ECU
T50 Gearbox & mounts - clutch & accessories.
Driveshaft - are they the same ?
New fuel lines as im going to EFI?

Can i use my standard Pedals ?

Cheers Guys

The engine mounts off the 3a will bolt onto the 4age.

I don't think you can use your current drive shaft, either get one custom made or find an ae86 one.

Yes, get new fuel lines. Or you can bend up new ones if you so please. (using ae86 ones is a lot easier)

You will have to modify the clutch pedal so you can use the hydraulic clutch for the t50. (attaching the master cylinder to the pedal)

[mybmw]

Can anyone recommend a shop in auckland that can carry out the conversion for me ? Or any members willing to give it a go ?

[Bling]

Unless your friends one is a minter, and you already have all the parts for it.... consider buying one with a 4age already installed. Should save you money and hassle

[mybmw]

Im buying it off him for 2 Grand with a new paint job. Surely the whole coversion wouldnt cost me anymore than 4 grand ? compared to the other 10 grand ae85/86's on trademe.

Looking at running the k50 gearbox in the meantime to lower costs while i leave the engine stockish and get it running.

[AE92-5ONIC]

looking at around $3000-3500 in just parts, and getting some to do the conversion for you Well, that's for them to charge and you to pay.
I take it you're talking about the white one on trademe? Looks tidy, but yeah, unless you can do the work yourself... Might cost a little more than you expect.

[mybmw]

Thanks for the help guys, But why am i looking at paying $3500 for parts alone ? when im looking at running the k50 gearbox aswell & 3a mounts fit 4age engines right ?

You can buy RWD 4age engines off trademe for about a $1500 + new fuel lines and tank. Is there anything else im not taking into consideration?

Im not questioning any of your advice at all, infact i am very grateful for it.

Cheers Guys.

[Adoom]

Don't forget you will probably need a cert. $400++ whatever they are now?
Driveshaft $200-300.
And all the little things you never think of add up real fast. Hoses, hose clips, engine oil, gearbox oil, replacing worn out stuff, etc.....
And your AE85 will have smaller front brakes, diff, struts and only drums on the back than an AE86 has....

Its almost always cheaper to buy any car already converted.

I did a CA18ET/diff/brakes conversion into a Starlet. My engine was free and I could get most stuff at trade or cost price. I did almost all the work myself and it still added up to about $6000 once it was "done".

[Adoom]

Woops, too slow. If you're using the k50, you can take off the $200 driveshaft.

[deaf_rattle]

Is there anything else im not taking into consideration?

yes, doing things properly.

with some conversions you can sell your current drive train to help recoup costs, but 3aus are crap and so are k50s, so best kept for a rainy day when you need to put an annoying heavy lump of metal somewhere someone else doesnt want it.

Its all the little bits and pieces that add up.

bottle of oil
oil filter
coolant
air filter
fuel filter
water pump, etc etc

things for tidying it up, loom tape, cable ties etc etc

And if you are paying someone... then unless you are getting very cheap labour, that gets bloody expensive very quickly.

As mentioned, its nearly always cheaper in the long run to buy a completed tested and proven project.

Second hand engines are a gamble too, you just never know what state its in unless you strip it down and inspect it (but then even if it is fine, you might as well freshen it up)

If you dont have the time, money and space for a project that will take 3 times as long as you think, cost you 4 times as much as you have budgeted then i wouldnt bother.

then of course once you have the standard 4age set up in there, you will get frustrated with lack of lsd, shitty brakes, crap suspension and low power.

[Adoom]

Do you just want the car at the end of it? = Buy one already done.
Or do you want a project car? = Go nuts on the conversion.

[mybmw]

Thanks Adoom So i still need a new Driveshaft When using my k50 Gearbox ? - cheers mate got that sussed.

Yeah i fully understand where you are coming from, the amount of money i have spent on my E30 i could of probably bought an AE86 x2 over lol But i guess thats the fun in it.

Can anyone confirm whether or not my plans of using a k50 box + a new Driveshaft, As well as 3au mounts will be okay for a 4age.

Cheers
Andrew

[Adoom]

Thanks Adoom So i still need a new Driveshaft When using my k50 Gearbox ?

Nope, but as deaf_rattle says, the k50 is ghey.

[jondee86]

Kind of a negative cast to this thread... when the 4AGE into AE85
conversion is one of the easiest. Mechanically it is dead simple. The
thing that will take the most time is matching up the wiring.

If you do the conversion using as much of your existing gear as you
can, then you will do the job for less than $2K. Buy a stock standard
RWD engine with all the accessories (ECU, manifolds, starter, alt etc)
and you are halfway done. Custom exhaust and fuel lines, cone filter
and some time to sort the wiring... you are up and running.

Sure, you won't have a hard as nails drift machine, but treat the diff
and box with a bit of respect, and you will have a handy runabout
Once you are there, you can decide how much further you want to
go with upgrading stuff. Ask anyone who owns one... these cars are
a serious moneysuck, and there is always something more you can
improve !!

Cheers... jondee86

PS: Above assumes you are gonna do the conversion yourself. If you
want to pay someone to do it... add at least another $2K. And a grand
for the auto electrician... and a grand for the cert and three new tyres
you need for a WOF... and so it goes... welcome to the club

[Dell'Orto]

I wouldnt waste my time with the K50 tbh, sell it and recoup some of the costs of a T50.

[mybmw]

Cheers for all the help guys looking at the downsides of the ae85 specs compared to the ae86 i am now considering this car.

Does anyone have any info on this car ?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 636478.htm

[d1 mule]

K50s are fine, i had 1 in my race car before i put the w55 in and as long as you not a $&#$% it will be sweet.

the 3A mounts are exactly the same,

if you still use the K50 the standard D shaft will be sweet BUT you will need to get a clutch made up with the to suit 4age/k50 as the spline on the K50 input shaft is different to t50.

if you change to T50/hydraulic clutch you will either need to modify your existing pedal or get a ae86 one (there are lost of random pedals that fit too like FWD coronas etc etc just gotta hunt)

If you just do the engine swap, no box or diff it will prob cost between 2-3k depeding on how much you can do yourself

[rx7guy]

Its all the little bits that add up. Ae86 parts cost heaps.

By the way what was up with the second hand ae86 workshop manual that just sold for $120??

[Rick]

By the way what was up with the second hand ae86 workshop manual that just sold for $120??

Thats what I thought, a bit silly when it wasn't a dedicated AE86 manual that picture was just stuck on there. You can get the factory Toyota AE86 workshop manual online for free.

[matt dunn]

It the AE85 power steer,

as when I did my conversion that was one of the hardest things.

You have to either buy a manual rack cross member and coulumn and steering arms,

or spend the BIG $$$ to get some PS lines.
The best I could find new or second hand was about $600
and I searched for months.

In the end i got a whole lot from the wreckeers and chopped,
cut and welded, and cot some fitting crimped on,
and got it all to work,

but it is all the wee things that are the problems,
accellerator cable, speedo cable, clutch lines,
finding a RWD engine with a complete loom,
etc etc

I sold my AE85 with the conversion all done,
brand new repaint and it was a real tidy car done well,
( took over 12 months to do it)
for $6k, as thats all I could get for it.

Best to search and buy one done.