Timewerx's DIY 4efe Free Performance Modding

[timewerx]

Name: Mark
Model: EP91 Reflet X
Year: 1997
Engine: 4efe (the one with dizzy, no egr and no knock sensor)

Other than being incredibly thrifty on cars as me (I spend more on food!!). I make this thread to share on what I did to significantly and reliably improve my car's performance through engine/transmission mods that costed me only 5$.

As the title of this thread says, with a wee more creative thinking, you may even do these mods right in the middle of the jungle as some of the materials I used are very rudimentary.

Intake mods (This was done so far at under 5$ by recycling some of the parts and using alternatively/ridiculously cheap materials but very effective and reliable otherwise):

-Low restriction, cold intake tube with OEM airbox and filter
-Thermally insulating parts of the airbox and tube
-Thermally insulating the intake manifold from the engine block by using low thermal conductivity gasket
-Bypassing Throttle Body coolant channel

If you'll use parts that are officially automotive in nature this is the amount you'll spend in an equivalent mod:

-K&N 57S Cold Intake = 219 USD
-Gizzmo Phenolic Intake manifold gasket = 89 USD
-Magmashield thermal tape = 25 £
-Total = 463.64 NZD

Since I'm an international student, part time employee and pretty much on my own, I don't think I'll spend that much on modding!

Stock Reflet X


Stock Engine (not sure what generation this 4efe is)

[timewerx]

Here goes the mods and how I did it. All this resulted to much better street and sustained high speed uphill performance, especially darting on the roundabouts and passing in two way traffic. Tested for a thousand kilometers now with occasional high throttle, high rpm runs, showed no signs of deterioration! Fuel economy improved as well despite running at higher average rpms per trip.

These mods will basically just dramatically reduce intake charge temperatures, reduce intake restriction, and utilize mid-high end power more efficiently if you have automatic transmission(warning, may cause over-revving!!). Not exotic by any means except that what you'd normally pay for hundreds of dollars buying branded intake mods could actually be done DIY with much less, maybe a hundredth of the cost!

Disclaimer: These mods could compromise the safety, reliability, warranty, insurance, and all other good things in a car. Proceed at your own risk!!















My Starlet after all these mods, doesn't look any different doesn't it?



Credits... Find in these links the people who have helped me with ideas and advice:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11580

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11592

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11568

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11604

[timewerx]

This mod will reduce intake charge temps even further by isolating and insulating the air inlet from engine bay heat and through ingestion of air that is coming to the passenger headlights only!! Costliest mod I did to date, $14 but only used a little of the material I bought.

Note: Won't fit pod filters, this is only to compliment my last cold induction mod which uses the factory filter and filterbox.

Material used is an extremely effective heat insulator (even better than the geeky foil foam I used before, a lot better really...) and incredibly light too! You can put your hand in one side and blast the other side with boiling water(all day long) and you won't even feel it get warm!! Or dip it in boiling water (for say, forever..) retrieve, quickly dry it, touch it, it's not even warm!!

It's not for cars, but what the heck, it's really good insulator against heat. Warning!! Do not use this on the engine block and/or exhaust manifold, could melt or even burn, causing costly damage!!



Completed inlet shield/ram. Easily installed or removed without any fasteners. The bonnet secures it in place - the inlet shield will also prevent any up and down movement of the intake tube(if you're into rallying).




Bonnet stop raised on the passenger side only. You may need to reduce stop height at the driver's side. This increases the chance of cold air entering inlet due to the inlet shield not perfectly sealing the inlet against engine bay heat. You may also need to cut a portion of the rubber attached under the bonnet to increase airflow to the inlet.

[timewerx]

Was waiting for hot summer climates to feel the performance changes with latest mod but somewhat surprised it changed performance enough to be felt even in cold weather.

The latest mod had some 'ram effect' at 100 kph and beyond, it took noticeably less pedal pressure to maintain those speeds. But the most important thing is that after driving through 'extreme weather' in the motorway and driving through puddles for 30 minutes, the rubber inlet shield is only wet at the top, not dripping wet. The area around the inlet is only moist.

[edit] Got the opportunity to test under noontime sun today. After driving 30 kms today, the panels are warm to the touch, bonnet is warmer, and here's the shocker, the inlet manifold is only slightly cold to the touch! This was the best performance yet and was really felt at speed.

[timewerx]

Attention!! Please skip the Throttle Body coolant bypass and Intake Manifold insulator gasket if you have a carbureted engine and/or living in regions where temperatures often drop below zero Celsius. Could worsen carb icing or cause fuel vaporization issues.(courtesy of Majestyka)

[timewerx]

Further refinement of my cold intake mods. Complete sealing of the intake from engine bay heat below. Some hot air from evaporator fins can still be ingested though and will work on it before summer comes when A/C will be used! Tested now, A/C evap has no effect on intake.

Notice the 'turbulator' wavy lines on the headlight. They are made with a PVC tape and cause more air to come into the intake from the headlight by creating small turbulence.



New 13 inch rims and 165/70/13 tyres! Improved handling in rally driving, tail is a lot more behaved in uneven corners because of reduced unsprung mass (and perhaps the new tyres weres simply better). Surprisingly gave good grip and traction even in wet gravel. Body roll, and understeer reduced as well. Overall grip improved significantly. Couldn't be happier so I won't be doing any mods soon!

update** can't spin the front wheels in the wet asphalt anymore! Not even while turning! Could finally turn much tighter at speed even while braking. Feels like an AWD now Car is dirty from testing, almost traveled 200 kms of winding mountain roads in this bad weather, which 30 kms of that is wet gravel(taken at 100kph). Checked tyres for wear or damage and still look like new!

Toyota should get back to WRC, at least they know how to make incredibly durable cars (or at least they used to!)