1KR-FE Toyota Engine

[77Devil]

Tom,
I don't know about in a mini but a Moke came out of the factory in the early 70's with a 1275 and drum brakes, so you can registrar them, well you can in a lot of cases.  The mini might be different.
 

[tomhb]

Anyone found anyone that can get them?
Cheers,
Jim

Most of the Jap import guys are geared up for bringing in half cuts of Japanese hot hatches. I reckon they'd be a bit perplexed if you rang them up looking for a 1KR-FE - it has never been tuned for a performance version of the vehicles it is fitted to, unlike the engines in hot Daihatsu Charades or Suzuki Swift GTis.

I just wish Toyota would sell it to us direct, on a pallet with an allen key and some bolts in a plastic baggy.

[tomhb]

Tom,
I don't know about in a mini but a Moke came out of the factory in the early 70's with a 1275 and drum brakes, so you can registrar them, well you can in a lot of cases.  The mini might be different.
 

I can't even remember where I picked up the 1275 = Disc Conversion thing. I recall it from when I had a Clubman - I wanted more oomph but everyone said it was cheaper to open up the exhaust and put in a second carb than to go the full 1275 + discs route.

[JiMoke]

Hi Tom,

I've spoken to a few importers and they don't seem to want to touch any of the cars that these motors came in.  They just don't see a demand and can't be stuffed bringing one in for some guy doing something stupid (even though I don't tell em what I want it for!).

I've also been looking at the locally available Daihatsu Sirion motors (1L).  They are the EJ-VE engines from what I can tell.

Does anyone have any info on them?

Cheers,
Jim

Most of the Jap import guys are geared up for bringing in half cuts of Japanese hot hatches. I reckon they'd be a bit perplexed if you rang them up looking for a 1KR-FE - it has never been tuned for a performance version of the vehicles it is fitted to, unlike the engines in hot Daihatsu Charades or Suzuki Swift GTis.

I just wish Toyota would sell it to us direct, on a pallet with an allen key and some bolts in a plastic baggy.

[tomhb]

I've also been looking at the locally available Daihatsu Sirion motors (1L).  They are the EJ-VE engines from what I can tell.

Does anyone have any info on them?

From Wikipedia:

The Australian market only had the 1.0 litre (3Cyl) model up until early 2001, when the sporty 1.3 litre model - known as the GTvi - was added to the line-up. At the time, the GTvi had the most powerful naturally aspirated motor available in its class, developing 101 bhp (75 kW; 102 PS) at 7500 rpm.

----

I do know you can pick an entire Sirion up for a few grand, so I imagine a half-cut would be good value, or you could flog the remaining parts and probably get most of your money back.

A friend bought a Sirion new in 1998 - it's probably looking forward to a rebuild now though, after 180,000kms in 12 years. Daihatsu = Toyota, so they are reliable and parts support is top notch, but like most small engines they don't last longer than about 10 years without major work.

According to http://autospeed.com/cms/title_The-Daihatsu-Three-Cylinder-Engine-Guide/A_2968/article.html - an Australian site:

Sirion and Cuore’s EJ-VE 1-litre three which runs DOHC, four-valve-per-cylinder breathing, a 10:1 compression ratio and EFI. It appears that variable inlet cam timing appeared from late 2001. Unfortunately, there’s no turbocharger and you’ll have to put up with its ho-hum 41kW and 89Nm.

I think the trick would be to find a GTVi variant which some sillybugger has shunted or lift-off oversteered himself into a parked car with and measure it up.

[bnicho]

I've also been looking at the locally available Daihatsu Sirion motors (1L).  They are the EJ-VE engines from what I can tell.

Does anyone have any info on them?

There is a Clubman Van over on Ausmini running a Sirion 3-pot EJ-VE which fits quite neatly. 

But the two best conversions in terms of size and tidy installation are both Daihatsu - the guy from Bri-Tek in Cairns with the Charade Turbo-Diesel Moke and another Ausmini conversion - a CB70 Charade 1L Turbo.  Other than the intercooler piping it looks like it grew there!



Toyota Aus occasionally do good deals on motors.  They were throwing out brand new in-the-crate 7AFE 1800cc Twin Cam long motors a couple of years back for $300. 

PS: I'd love to do the Mongol Rally someday. 

Cheers,

[tomhb]

I think the trick would be to find a GTVi variant which some sillybugger has shunted or lift-off oversteered himself into a parked car with and measure it up.

eBay prevails. Smashed GTVi. $2900 is an expensive engine, but it sounds fast!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2000-Daihatsu-Sirion-GTVi-Green-5sp-M-Hatchback-/120624961604?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item1c15ced844

[Tim]

$2900 isn't that bad, if you price what it costs to source a 1275 A series and have it and the gearbox fully reconditioned. It wouldn't cost quite that much but would be up there.

Tim

[JiMoke]

You would of course have to pay for engineering and all the assorted bits and pieces to add.

The Daihatsu stuff does look a bit more appealing though.

Jim

[bnicho]

eBay prevails. Smashed GTVi. $2900 is an expensive engine, but it sounds fast!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/2000-Daihatsu-Sirion-GTVi-Green-5sp-M-Hatchback-/120624961604?pt=AU_Cars&hash=item1c15ced844

It should not be hard to find a cheaper Sirion GTVi at the write-off auctions.  Especially a statutory writeoff which can never be road-registered again. 

I was looking at a 2007 Yaris 1.5 a couple of weeks ago with only 15,000km on the clock.  It had been hit hard in the left side and was a statutory writeoff.  The seller purchased it to use the front panels, radiator and air con condenser to repair another Yaris that suffered a front-end shunt.  He wanted $1000 for the rest of car, complete with engine and gearbox with ancilliaries.  The other unwanted bits could be sold off to recoup some of the outlay.  The only thing that really stopped me was the car was an Auto.  If I'm doing a conversion I'd prefer a manual.   

[tomhb]

Agreed Brett - autos shmautos. In all that talk about the Toyota Aygo, I read that part of the problem with bringing it to Australia is that you've got to get an automatic for it otherwise the punters won't buy it. Ford learnt that the hard way with the 'Ka' which was manual only. Now, Nissan have the new Micra which is auto only because there's not enough money in small manuals pitched at young women. We're becoming a bit American in our tastes I fear ... the Poms and Europeans sneer at our car market.

[Tim]

Autos have come a long way in the last few years, even the ones in small cars are pretty decent now. The Aygos have CVT I think, which is way more efficient than the old slush boxes.

I'm well past the age where I think that real men only drive manuals.

Tim

[tomhb]

Autos have come a long way in the last few years, even the ones in small cars are pretty decent now. The Aygos have CVT I think, which is way more efficient than the old slush boxes.

I'm well past the age where I think that real men only drive manuals.

Tim

Autos have a place, but inside a small, light, zippy car isn't one of them. An XC Falcon with a 308 V8 would be a pain in the neck to have with a manual - but in small cars with high rev ranges manuals make more sense. That said, new CVTs and 5 speed autos have come a long way from the old 3 speeds of yore.

[JiMoke]

I reckon if we do a conversion or conversion kit that we should be looking for something available locally though.....  (and exportable to South Africa )

[bnicho]

Just to clarify, the main reason I didn't want an Auto donor was the gearbox is physically a lot larger.  This makes the conversion that much harder. 

I really like the AP 4 speed Auto that is in the Moke right now.  I can shift manually when I feel the need or stick it in D when I feel lazy. 

Modern autos with a tiptronic, like the 5 speed unit in my Pathfinder, are the best of both worlds IMHO.  But the traction control on that car annoys me to the point of fury sometimes!  Stability control is fun though.  I like throwing it round to see if I can get the little red "you're being naughty" warning light to come on.