Going to look at one of these this weekend and haven’t really been able to find any good solid info on them. What commonly goes wrong with these? How is the aftermarket? Were do I look for rust? Easy to work on? Etc...
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Feb. 11, 2011 12:02 p.m. garaithon New Reader
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Feb. 11, 2011 12:18 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
Rust is really all that commonly goes wrong with them.
Aftermarket is good, but not Civic-good. Still plenty.
They're about as easy to work on as it gets in a FWD 4-banger.
If it's red, it will be pink. If it's not pink now, the owner just buffed and waxed it, and it will be pink within 2 months.
Gas mileage is good, they handle well, and most importantly, they have FLIP UP HEADLIGHTS!!!!!!!
90-91 is better, FYI. Quite a bit more power.
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Feb. 11, 2011 12:26 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
89 got the small port. My 88 has 20 valves. Y0.
Fairly easy to work on, except the clutch MC, which is a royal PITA. I have Koni's and GC Coilovers on mine. Otherwise, just normal wear items like tie rod ends, etc. I've put 60-70K miles on mine. Drove it to work today on my snow tires. Google up AE92, look through club4ag and check out http://ae92gts.com/home.html
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Feb. 11, 2011 2:22 p.m. garaithon New Reader
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
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Feb. 11, 2011 4:10 p.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
garaithon wrote:
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
For what it's worth, i'm jealous. I would like to replace my MX6 with a later AE92 GTS with the power bump.
I think if the ST rule changes go into effect, they could be a viable option.
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Feb. 11, 2011 5:10 p.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid Reader
What I do know is that they use the 4A-GE (16 and 20 valve) in FWD guise. It is still on the AE92 platform from the firewall forward, so any parts from JDM or AUDM AE92 Toyotas will work (ie 4A-GZEs will fit).
The Cons are the tops of the rear strut towers have a tendency of rusting out.
It maybe more info than you need, but I used to have an '89 AE92 Wagon (which I really miss) and I did a lot of research on what I can use from overseas Toyota Corollas.
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Feb. 11, 2011 5:50 p.m. triumph5 Dork
If it's not rusting out, buy it. It's a no lose car.
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Feb. 11, 2011 8:03 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
+
=
Phun.
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Feb. 11, 2011 9:46 p.m. tedium850 New Reader
If it's a 5-speed watch for it popping out of 5th gear. 89 must have been a split year, I've got an early one with a big port 4AGE. It's been a pretty much trouble free car since I've had it...and it's a beater with almost 278,000 miles. Averages around 30mpg highway on the winter blend (non-ethanol), but closer to 35 mpg on the summer blend fuels (don't really know why we need different blends in Tennessee, but that's a different story)
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Feb. 12, 2011 11:58 a.m. oldeskewltoy Reader
88 and 89 are big port, 90 and 91 are small port.
IF you are in cally forget about a 20V... it just won't pass visual.
I've built an emissions compliant(Oregon) smallport that plants about 170 hp @ the flywheel.....
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Feb. 12, 2011 9:29 p.m. NickF40 Reader
I'm alsocurious as i'm looking at a 90 Twin Cam, really want it...and it's red lol
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Feb. 12, 2011 10:08 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
Build dates 8708-8908 are the same head, so I guess "model year" 88 to 89 would be Large Port. 8908-9106 have a different part number, which would be Small Port. I thought they change over was 88 to 89. My bad. I've actually never driven a 16 valve motor, besides about 1 mile on a MR2SC that wasn't working. 20 valves rock, and the PRC sux.
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Feb. 23, 2011 12:04 a.m. sanman New Reader
Oldskewltoy, what did you do to the smallport to get that kind of power over it? That is about as much power as the 4agze. I like the 20v blacktop/silvertop, but parts seem like they would be a pain to get. Also, I kind of like the idea keeping the 16 valve in there if possible and keeping it original. Maybe throw some velocity stacks on there for a great look and sound.
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Feb. 23, 2011 5:43 a.m. bigbrainonbrad Reader
canoe Yay! My first canoe flagging!
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Feb. 23, 2011 9:27 a.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
garaithon wrote:
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
For what it's worth, i'm jealous. I would like to replace my MX6 with a later AE92 GTS with the power bump.
I think if the ST rule changes go into effect, they could be a viable option.
If you ever decide to sell the MX6, give me a shout.
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Feb. 23, 2011 9:30 a.m. garaithon New Reader
I went ahead and picked this one up! It needs some little things but nothing to keep it from autocrossing this weekend. I have to say these are great little cars in almost every way, especially the 4age it just makes power everywhere and sounds great!
First thing on the list is new struts/shocks and springs, what are you guys running?
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Feb. 23, 2011 9:47 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
93EXCivic wrote:
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
garaithon wrote:
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
For what it's worth, i'm jealous. I would like to replace my MX6 with a later AE92 GTS with the power bump.
I think if the ST rule changes go into effect, they could be a viable option.
If you ever decide to sell the MX6, give me a shout.
It ain't gonna be Challenge-friendly pricing, just so you know.
Last time i had it up for sale, i got two cash offers at $3300, including all spare parts. 
But the time will come in the next year or so, depending on a few things, mainly the ST shakeup.
OP, congrats on the car!!!! I don't know much about what people run on these, i haven't gone that far into one. Sorry.
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Feb. 23, 2011 9:57 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
I'm running Koni strut cartridges and GC coilovers.
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Feb. 23, 2011 10:01 a.m. 93EXCivic SuperDork
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
93EXCivic wrote:
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
garaithon wrote:
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
For what it's worth, i'm jealous. I would like to replace my MX6 with a later AE92 GTS with the power bump.
I think if the ST rule changes go into effect, they could be a viable option.
If you ever decide to sell the MX6, give me a shout.
It ain't gonna be Challenge-friendly pricing, just so you know.
Last time i had it up for sale, i got two cash offers at $3300, including all spare parts.
But the time will come in the next year or so, depending on a few things, mainly the ST shakeup.
I kinda figured that it wouldn't be Challenged priced.
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Feb. 23, 2011 10:40 a.m. oldeskewltoy Reader
sanman wrote:
Oldskewltoy, what did you do to the smallport to get that kind of power over it? That is about as much power as the 4agze. I like the 20v blacktop/silvertop, but parts seem like they would be a pain to get. Also, I kind of like the idea keeping the 16 valve in there if possible and keeping it original. Maybe throw some velocity stacks on there for a great look and sound.
http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=26593
the Cliff's notes version
OEM Singapore TVIS pistons (10 to 1), with custom wrist pins (lighter by 26 grams per rod) - 3 rib internals(crank and rods) - shotpeened and fully balanced - Loynings Engine service ported smallport head and block, block decked for a tighter squish - head was cut about .75mm to reduce the combustion chamber volume to 33.25cc - 264 type cam from Web camshafts(their 264 type cam is called grind#577) - FJO Racing's 341B version2 management system
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Feb. 23, 2011 10:47 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
93EXCivic wrote:
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
93EXCivic wrote:
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:
garaithon wrote:
Yea its red. Sounds like its just what im looking for! Thanks guys!
For what it's worth, i'm jealous. I would like to replace my MX6 with a later AE92 GTS with the power bump.
I think if the ST rule changes go into effect, they could be a viable option.
If you ever decide to sell the MX6, give me a shout.
It ain't gonna be Challenge-friendly pricing, just so you know.
Last time i had it up for sale, i got two cash offers at $3300, including all spare parts.
But the time will come in the next year or so, depending on a few things, mainly the ST shakeup.
I kinda figured that it wouldn't be Challenged priced.
Hey, at least i can gaurantee 300whp+ and over 400wtq.
But back to delicious AE92 content. I LOVE these cars. One of my favorite FWD cars ever.
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Feb. 23, 2011 4:22 p.m. sanman New Reader
oldeskewltoy wrote:
http://forums.club4ag.com/zerothread?id=26593
the Cliff's notes version
OEM Singapore TVIS pistons (10 to 1), with custom wrist pins (lighter by 26 grams per rod) - 3 rib internals(crank and rods) - shotpeened and fully balanced - Loynings Engine service ported smallport head and block, block decked for a tighter squish - head was cut about .75mm to reduce the combustion chamber volume to 33.25cc - 264 type cam from Web camshafts(their 264 type cam is called grind#577) - FJO Racing's 341B version2 management system
I didn't know that any of the smallport engines were available with TVIS. I thought only the bigport engines had them. Is that something only relegated to the Singapore market?
OP, congrats on the new ride! Have fun with it. Though, I never got to drive one with a 4age, an ae92 was my first car and taught me the joys of light weight and corners put together. I'm hoping to join you soon if I can find a good example. There is one sitting at a garage a few miles from me that I am checking out soon. However, I am waiting for a really clean example I can hold onto as even pristine cars are less than $3k and I am looking to hold on to the next one I buy for a long time.
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Feb. 23, 2011 4:29 p.m. oldeskewltoy Reader
sanman wrote:
I didn't know that any of the smallport engines were available with TVIS. I thought only the bigport engines had them. Is that something only relegated to the Singapore market?
mix and match... all Toyota "A" series engines have the same main journals, that allows mixing and matching of parts. The head and block are smallport, the crank, rods and pistons are early TVIS based.
