The company produced the 1.6-liter Toyota 4A-GZE compressor engine from 1986 to 1995 and installed charged versions of such popular models as the Corolla, Sprinter or MR2. This power unit is very often used for inexpensive garage tuning of old cars.
The A family also includes engines: 8A‑FE, 5A‑FE, 5A‑FHE, 4A‑FE, 4A‑FHE, 4A‑GE, 4A‑GZE, 7A‑FE.
The engine was installed on:
- Toyota Corolla 6 (E90) in 1987 – 1991; Corolla 7 (E100) in 1991 – 1995;
- Toyota MR2 1 (W10) in 1986 – 1989;
- Toyota Sprinter 6 (E90) in 1987 – 1991; Sprinter 7 (E100) in 1991 – 1995.
Specifications
| Production years | 1986-1995 |
| Displacement, cc | 1587 |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Power output, hp | 145 (1 Gen. 1986 – 1990) 165 – 175 (2 Gen. 1990 – 1995) |
| Torque output, Nm | 190 (1 Gen. 1986 – 1990) 210 (2 Gen. 1990 – 1995) |
| Cylinder block | cast iron R4 |
| Block head | aluminum 16v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 81 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 77 |
| Compression ratio | 8.0 (1 Gen. 1986 – 1990) 8.9 (2 Gen. 1990 – 1995) |
| Features | DOHC |
| Hydraulic lifters | no |
| Timing drive | belt |
| Phase regulator | no |
| Turbocharging | supercharger |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 3.2 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 2 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Toyota MR2 1989) — city — highway — combined |
11.4 7.5 8.9 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~250 000 |
| Weight, kg | 140 |
Disadvantages of the 4A-GZE engine
- Despite being supercharged, this unit is very reliable and, with proper care, lasts a long time.
- Most often, such engines fail after an unsuccessful garage tuning.
- After 150 – 200 thousand kilometers, rings often lie down and the oil burn begins.
- Also, due to contamination of the injectors and the throttle, the idle speed often floats.
- There are no hydraulic lifters and valve clearances need to be adjusted every 100,000 km.
