What is the volume of the engine 4a. "Reliable Japanese engines"

Toyota has produced many interesting engine designs. The 4A FE engine and other members of the 4A family take their rightful place in the Toyota powertrain lineup.

Engine history

In Russia and the world, Japanese cars from the Toyota concern are deservedly popular due to their reliability, excellent technical characteristics and relative affordability. Japanese engines, the heart of the concern's cars, played a significant role in this recognition. Over the years, a number of the Japanese automaker's products have been powered by the 4A FE engine, whose performance is still looking good today.

Appearance:

Its production began in 1987 and lasted more than 10 years - until 1998. The number 4 in the title denotes the serial number of the engine in the "A" -series of Toyota power units. The series itself appeared even earlier, in 1977, when the company's engineers were faced with the task of creating an economical engine with acceptable technical performance. The development was intended for the B-class car (subcompact according to the American classification) Toyota Tercel.

The engineering research resulted in four-cylinder engines ranging from 85 to 165 horsepower and a volume of 1.4 to 1.8 liters. The units were equipped with a DOHC gas distribution mechanism, a cast-iron body and aluminum heads. Their heir was the 4th generation, considered in this article.

Interesting: the A-series is still produced at the joint venture of Tianjin FAW Xiali and Toyota: 8A-FE and 5A-FE motors are produced there.

Generational history:

1A - years of production 1978-80;
2A - from 1979 to 1989;
3A - from 1979 to 1989;
4A - from 1980 to 1998.

Specifications 4A-FE

Let's take a closer look at the engine marking:

digit 4 - indicates the number in the series, as mentioned above;
A - engine series index, indicating that it was developed and started production before 1990;
F - talks about technical details: a four-cylinder, 16-valve non-forced engine with a drive on one camshaft;
E - indicates the presence of a multi-point fuel injection system.

In 1990, the power units in the series were modernized to provide the ability to operate on low-octane gasoline. For this purpose, a special power system for leaning the mixture, LeadBurn, was introduced into the design.

System illustration:

Let us now consider what characteristics the 4A FE engine has. Basic engine data:

Parameter	Value
Volume	1.6 l.
Developed power	110 h.p.
Engine weight	154 kg.
Motor compression ratio	9.5-10
Number of cylinders	4
Location	Row
Fuel supply	Injector
Ignition	Trambler
Valves per cylinder	4
BC building	Cast iron
Cylinder head material	Aluminium alloy
Fuel	Unleaded Gasoline 92, 95
Compliance with environmental regulations	Euro 4
Consumption	7.9 l. - on the highway, 10.5 - in city mode.

The manufacturer claims an engine resource of 300 thousand km, in fact, the owners of cars with it report 350 thousand, without overhaul.

Features of the device

4A FE design features:

in-line cylinders, bored directly in the cylinder block itself without the use of liners;
gas distribution - DOHC, with two overhead camshafts, controlled by means of 16 valves;
one camshaft is driven by a belt, the torque on the second comes from the first through a gear wheel;
the injection phases of the air-fuel mixture are regulated by the VVTi clutch, the valve control uses a design without hydraulic compensators;
ignition is distributed from one coil by a distributor (but there is a late modification of the LB, where there were two coils - one for a couple of cylinders);
the model with the LB index, designed to work with low-octane fuel, has a power reduced to 105 forces and a reduced torque.

Interesting: if the timing belt breaks, the engine does not bend the valve, which adds to its reliability and attractiveness from the consumer.

Version history 4A-FE

During the life cycle, the motor has gone through several stages of development:

Gen 1 (first generation) - 1987 to 1993.

Electronic injection engine, power from 100 to 102 forces.

Gen 2 - rolled off the assembly lines from 1993 to 1998.

The power varied from 100 to 110 forces, the connecting rod-piston group, injection was changed, the configuration of the intake manifold was changed. The cylinder head has also been modified to work with the new camshafts, and the valve cover has been ribbed.

Gen 3 was produced in limited editions from 1997 to 2001, exclusively for the Japanese market.

This engine had increased power to 115 "horses", achieved by changing the geometry of the intake and exhaust manifolds.

Pros and cons of the 4A-FE engine

The main advantage of the 4A-FE is a successful design, in which, in the event of a break in the timing belt, the piston does not bend the valve, thus avoiding costly overhaul. Other benefits include:

availability and availability of spare parts;
relatively low operating costs;
good resource;
the engine can be repaired and serviced independently, since the design is quite simple, and the attachments do not interfere with access to various elements;
vVTi clutch and crankshaft are very reliable.

Interestingly, when production of the Toyota Carina E began in the UK in 1994, the first 4A FE ICEs were equipped with a Bosh control unit with flexible settings. This became a bait for tuners, as the engine could be reflashed, getting more power from it while lowering emissions.

The main disadvantage is considered to be the above-mentioned LeadBurn system. Despite the obvious economy (which caused the widespread use of LB in the Japanese car market), it is extremely sensitive to the quality of gasoline and in Russian conditions shows a serious drawdown of power at medium revs. The condition of other components is also important - armored wires, candles, the quality of engine oil is of critical importance.

Among other shortcomings, we note the increased wear of the camshaft beds and the "non-floating" fit of the piston pin. This can lead to the need for a major overhaul, but it is relatively easy to do it yourself.

4A FE oil

Permissible viscosity indicators:

5W-30;
10W-30;
15W-40;
20W-50.

The oil should be selected according to the season and air temperature.

Where was the 4A FE installed

Only Toyota cars were equipped with a motor:

Carina - modifications of the 5th generation of 1988-1992 (sedan in the body of T170, pre- and post-styling), 6th generation of 1992-1996 in the body of T190;
Celica - 5th generation coupe in 1989-1993 (T180 body);
Corolla for the European and US markets in various trim levels from 1987 to 1997, for Japan - from 1989 to 2001;
Corolla Ceres generation 1 - from 1992 to 1999;
Corolla FX - generation 3 hatchback;
Corolla Spacio - 1st generation minivan in the 110th body from 1997 to 2001;
Corolla Levin - from 1991 to 2000, in the bodies of the E100;
Corona - generations 9, 10 from 1987 to 1996, T190 and T170 bodies;
Sprinter Trueno - 1991-2000
Sprinter Marino - 1992-1997
Sprinter - 1989 to 2000, in different bodies;
Premio sedan - from 1996 to 2001, body T210;
Caldina;
Avensis;

Service

Service procedures:

engine oil change - every 10 thousand km;
fuel filter replacement - every 40 thousand;
air - after 20 thousand;
candles must be replaced after 30 thousand, and need to be checked annually;
valve adjustment, crankcase ventilation - after 30 thousand;
replacement of antifreeze - 50 thousand;
replacement of the exhaust manifold - after 100 thousand, if it burns out.

Malfunctions

Typical problems:

Knocking from the engine.

The piston pins may be worn out or valve adjustment is required.

The engine "eats" oil.

The oil scraper rings and seals have been worked out; replacement is needed.

The internal combustion engine starts up and immediately stalls.

There is a malfunction in the fuel system. Check the distributor, nozzles, fuel pump, replace the filter.

The turns are floating.

Check the idle speed control and throttle valve, clean and replace, if necessary, injectors and spark plugs,

The motor vibrates.

The likely cause is clogged nozzles or dirty spark plugs and should be checked and replaced if necessary.

Other engines in the series

4A

The base model replacing the 3A series. The engines created on its basis were equipped with SOHC- and DOHC-mechanisms, up to 20 valves, and the "fork" of the output power - from 70 to 168 forces on the "charged" turbocharged GZE.

4A-GE

This is a 1.6-liter engine, structurally similar to the FE. The characteristics of the 4A GE engine are also largely identical. But there are also differences:

gE has a larger angle between the intake and exhaust valves - 50 degrees, in contrast to 22.3 for FE;
the camshafts on the 4A GE engine are driven by a single timing belt.

Speaking about the technical characteristics of the 4A GE engine, we cannot mention the power: it is somewhat more powerful than the FE and develops up to 128 hp with equal volumes.

Interesting: a 20-valve 4A-GE was also produced, with an updated cylinder head and 5 valves per cylinder. He developed power up to 160 forces.

4A-FHE

This is an analogue of the FE with a modified intake, camshafts and a number of additional settings. They gave the engine more performance.

This unit represents a modification of the sixteen-valve GE, equipped with a mechanical air boost system. The 4A-GZE was produced in 1986-1995. The cylinder block and cylinder head have not changed, a crankshaft-driven air blower has been added to the design. The first samples produced a pressure of 0.6 bar, and the engine developed power up to 145 forces.

In addition to supercharging, engineers reduced the compression ratio and introduced forged convex pistons into the design.

In 1990, the 4A GZE engine was updated and began to develop power up to 168-170 forces. The compression ratio has increased, the geometry of the intake manifold has changed. The supercharger gave out a pressure of 0.7 bar, and the MAP D-Jetronic mass air flow sensor was included in the motor design.

GZE is popular with tuners because it allows the installation of a compressor and other modifications without extensive engine conversion.

4A-F

It was the carbureted predecessor of the FE and developed up to 95 hp.

4A GEU

The 4A-GEU engine, subspecies GE, developed power up to 130 forces. Motors with this marking were developed before 1988.

4A - ELU

An injector was introduced into this engine, which made it possible to raise the power from the initial 70 for 4A to 78 forces in the export version, and up to 100 in the Japanese version. The engine was also equipped with a catalytic converter.

Engines 5A, 4A, 7A-FE
The most common and by far the most widely repaired Japanese engine is the (4,5,7) A-FE series. Even a novice mechanic, diagnostician knows about possible problems with engines of this series. I will try to highlight (put together) the problems of these engines. There are few of them, but they cause a lot of trouble to their owners.

Date from scanner:

On the scanner you can see a short but capacious date, consisting of 16 parameters, by which you can realistically evaluate the operation of the main engine sensors.

Sensors
Oxygen sensor -

Many owners turn to diagnostics due to increased fuel consumption. One of the reasons is a banal break in the heater in the oxygen sensor. The error is fixed by the control unit code number 21. The heater can be checked with a conventional tester on the sensor contacts (R- 14 Ohm)

Fuel consumption increases due to the lack of correction during heating. You will not be able to restore the heater - only replacement will help. The cost of a new sensor is high, and it does not make sense to install a used one (the resource of their operating time is large, so this is a lottery). In such a situation, the less reliable NTK universal sensors can be installed as an alternative. Their service life is short, and the quality is poor, so such a replacement is a temporary measure, and it should be done with caution.

With a decrease in the sensitivity of the sensor, an increase in fuel consumption occurs (by 1-3 liters). The performance of the sensor is checked with an oscilloscope on the diagnostic connector block, or directly on the sensor chip (number of switchings).

Temperature sensor.
If the sensor does not work properly, the owner will face a lot of problems. In the event of a break in the measuring element of the sensor, the control unit replaces the sensor readings and fixes its value at 80 degrees and fixes the error 22. The engine, with such a malfunction, will operate in normal mode, but only while the engine is warm. Once the engine has cooled down, starting it will be problematic without doping, due to the short opening time of the injectors. It is not uncommon for the resistance of the sensor to change chaotically when the engine is running on H. - the revolutions will float

This defect can be easily fixed on the scanner by observing the temperature reading. On a warm engine, it should be stable and not change randomly from 20 to 100 degrees

With such a defect in the sensor, "black exhaust" is possible, unstable operation on the Х.Х. and, as a consequence, increased consumption, as well as the impossibility of starting "hot". Only after 10 minutes of rest. If there is no complete confidence in the correct operation of the sensor, its readings can be substituted by including a variable resistor of 1kΩ in its circuit, or a constant 300Ω, for further verification. By changing the sensor readings, the change in speed at different temperatures is easily controlled.

Throttle position sensor

Many cars go through the disassembly assembly procedure. These are the so-called "constructors". When the engine is removed in the field and then reassembled, the sensors suffer, and the engine is often leaned against. If the TPS sensor breaks, the engine stops throttling normally. The engine chokes when accelerating. The machine switches incorrectly. The control unit fixes error 41. When replacing a new sensor, it must be configured so that the control unit correctly sees the X.X sign when the gas pedal is fully released (throttle valve closed). In the absence of a sign of idling, adequate regulation of the Х.Х will not be carried out. and there will be no forced idling during engine braking, which again will entail increased fuel consumption. On engines 4A, 7A, the sensor does not require adjustment, it is installed without the possibility of rotation.
THROTTLE POSITION …… 0%
IDLE SIGNAL ……………… .ON

MAP absolute pressure sensor

This sensor is the most reliable ever installed on Japanese cars. Its reliability is simply amazing. But it also has many problems, mainly due to improper assembly. Either the receiving "nipple" is broken, and then any passage of air is sealed with glue, or the tightness of the supply tube is violated.

With such a rupture, fuel consumption increases, the level of CO in the exhaust rises sharply up to 3%. It is very easy to observe the operation of the sensor using a scanner. The INTAKE MANIFOLD line shows the vacuum in the intake manifold, which is measured by the MAP sensor. If the wiring is broken, the ECU registers error 31. At the same time, the opening time of the injectors sharply increases to 3.5-5 ms. During gas re-gasings, a black exhaust appears, the candles are planted, a shaking appears on the X.X. and stopping the engine.

Knock sensor

The sensor is installed to register detonation knocks (explosions) and indirectly serves as a "corrector" for the ignition timing. The recording element of the sensor is a piezoplate. In the event of a sensor malfunction, or a break in the wiring, at overgazings of more than 3.5-4 tons. The ECU registers an error 52. There is lethargy during acceleration. You can check the operability with an oscilloscope, or by measuring the resistance between the sensor terminal and the case (if there is resistance, the sensor must be replaced).

Crankshaft sensor
A crankshaft sensor is installed on 7A series engines. A conventional inductive sensor, similar to the ABC sensor, is practically trouble-free in operation. But embarrassment also happens. With a turn-to-turn closure inside the winding, the generation of pulses at certain speeds is disrupted. This manifests itself as a limitation of engine speed in the range of 3.5-4 t. Revolutions. A kind of cutoff, only at low revs. It is quite difficult to detect an interturn short circuit. The oscilloscope does not show a decrease in the amplitude of the pulses or a change in frequency (with acceleration), and it is rather difficult to notice changes in Ohm fractions with a tester. If symptoms of speed limitation occur at 3-4 thousand, just replace the sensor with a known good one. In addition, a lot of trouble is caused by damage to the driving ring, which is damaged by careless mechanics when they replace the front crankshaft oil seal or timing belt. Having broken the teeth of the crown, and restored them by welding, they achieve only a visible absence of damage. At the same time, the crankshaft position sensor ceases to adequately read information, the ignition timing begins to change chaotically, which leads to a loss of power, unstable engine operation and an increase in fuel consumption

Injectors (nozzles)

During many years of operation, the nozzles and needles of the injectors are covered with resins and gasoline dust. All this naturally interferes with the correct spray pattern and reduces the performance of the nozzle. In case of heavy pollution, there is a noticeable shaking of the engine, and fuel consumption increases. It is really possible to determine the clogging by conducting a gas analysis, according to the oxygen readings in the exhaust, one can judge the correctness of the filling. A reading above one percent will indicate the need to flush the injectors (with the correct timing and normal fuel pressure). Or by installing the injectors on the bench and checking the performance in tests. The nozzles are easy to clean with Laurel, Vince, both in CIP installations and in ultrasound.

Idle valve, IACV

The valve is responsible for the engine speed in all modes (warm-up, idle, load). During operation, the valve petal becomes dirty and the stem wedges. The revolutions freeze on heating or on HH (due to a wedge). Tests for changing the speed in scanners when diagnosing this motor are not provided. You can evaluate the valve's performance by changing the readings of the temperature sensor. Put the engine in "cold" mode. Or, removing the winding from the valve, twist the valve magnet by hand. Sticking and wedge will be felt immediately. If it is impossible to easily dismantle the valve winding (for example, on the GE series), you can check its operability by connecting to one of the control outputs and measuring the duty cycle of the pulses while simultaneously monitoring the H.H. speed. and changing the load on the engine. On a fully warmed up engine, the duty cycle is approximately 40%, changing the load (including electrical consumers) can estimate an adequate increase in speed in response to a change in duty cycle. With mechanical jamming of the valve, there is a smooth increase in the duty cycle, which does not entail a change in the speed of H.H. You can restore work by cleaning carbon deposits and dirt with a carburetor cleaner with the winding removed.

Further adjustment of the valve is to set the H.H. speed. On a fully warmed-up engine, by rotating the winding on the mounting bolts, they achieve tabular revolutions for this type of car (according to the tag on the hood). By pre-installing jumper E1-TE1 in the diagnostic block. On the "younger" motors 4A, 7A, the valve was changed. Instead of the usual two windings, a microcircuit was installed in the body of the valve winding. Changed the valve power and the color of the winding plastic (black). It is already pointless to measure the resistance of the windings at the terminals on it. The valve is supplied with power and a rectangular variable duty cycle control signal.

For the impossibility of removing the winding, non-standard fasteners were installed. But the wedge problem remained. Now, if you clean it with a conventional cleaner, the grease is washed out from the bearings (the further result is predictable, the same wedge, but due to the bearing). It is necessary to completely dismantle the valve from the throttle body and then carefully flush the stem with a petal.

Ignition system. Candles.

A very large percentage of cars come to service with problems in the ignition system. When operating on low-quality gasoline, spark plugs are the first to suffer. They are covered with red bloom (ferrosis). There will be no high-quality sparking with such candles. The engine will run intermittently, with gaps, fuel consumption increases, the level of CO in the exhaust rises. Sandblasting cannot clean such candles. Only chemistry will help (silit for a couple of hours) or replacement. Another problem is increased clearance (simple wear). Drying of the rubber tips of high-voltage wires, water that got in during washing the motor, which all provoke the formation of a conductive track on the rubber tips.

Because of them, sparking will not be inside the cylinder, but outside it.
With smooth throttling, the engine runs stably, and with sharp throttling, it “crushes”.

In this position, it is necessary to replace both candles and wires at the same time. But sometimes (in the field), if replacement is impossible, you can solve the problem with an ordinary knife and a piece of emery stone (fine fraction). With a knife we \u200b\u200bcut off the conductive path in the wire, and with a stone we remove the strip from the ceramic of the candle. It should be noted that it is impossible to remove the rubber band from the wire, this will lead to the complete inoperability of the cylinder.

Another problem is related to the incorrect plug replacement procedure. The wires are forcefully pulled out of the wells, tearing off the metal tip of the rein.

With such a wire, misfires and floating revolutions are observed. When diagnosing the ignition system, always check the performance of the ignition coil on the high-voltage arrester. The simplest check is to look at the spark on the spark gap with the engine running.

If the spark disappears or becomes threadlike, this indicates a turn-to-turn short circuit in the coil or a problem in high-voltage wires. Wire breakage is checked with a resistance tester. Small wire 2-3kom, further to increase long 10-12kom.

The closed coil resistance can also be checked with a tester. The secondary resistance of the broken coil will be less than 12kΩ.
The next generation coils do not suffer from such ailments (4A.7A), their failure is minimal. Proper cooling and wire thickness eliminated this problem.
Another problem is the leaking oil seal in the distributor. Oil on the sensors corrodes the insulation. And when exposed to high voltage, the slider is oxidized (covered with a green coating). The coal turns sour. All this leads to the disruption of sparking. In motion, chaotic lumbago is observed (into the intake manifold, into the muffler) and crushing.

« Subtle "faults
On modern engines 4A, 7A, the Japanese changed the firmware of the control unit (apparently for faster engine warm-up). The change lies in the fact that the engine reaches H.H. rpm only at a temperature of 85 degrees. The design of the engine cooling system was also changed. Now the small cooling circle passes intensively through the block head (not through the pipe behind the engine, as it was before). Of course, the cooling of the head has become more efficient, and the engine as a whole has become more efficient. But in winter, with such cooling when driving, the engine temperature reaches 75-80 degrees. And as a result, constant warming up speed (1100-1300), increased fuel consumption and nervousness of the owners. You can deal with this problem either by insulating the engine more strongly, or by changing the resistance of the temperature sensor (by deceiving the ECU).
Butter
Owners pour oil into the engine indiscriminately, without thinking about the consequences. Few people understand that different types of oils are not compatible and, when mixed, form an insoluble slurry (coke), which leads to the complete destruction of the engine.

All this plasticine cannot be washed off with chemistry, it is cleaned only mechanically. It should be understood that if you do not know what type of old oil, then you should use flushing before changing. And more advice to the owners. Pay attention to the color of the dipstick handle. It is yellow in color. If the color of the oil in your engine is darker than the color of the handle, it's time to make a change, and not wait for the virtual mileage recommended by the engine oil manufacturer.

Air filter
The most inexpensive and readily available element is the air filter. Owners often forget about replacing it, without thinking about the likely increase in fuel consumption. Often, due to a clogged filter, the combustion chamber is very heavily contaminated with oil burned deposits, valves and candles are heavily contaminated. When diagnosing, it can be mistakenly assumed that the wear of the valve stem seals is to blame, but the root cause is a clogged air filter, which increases the vacuum in the intake manifold when dirty. Of course, in this case, the caps will also have to be changed.

Fuel filteralso deserves attention. If it is not replaced in time (15-20 thousand mileage), the pump starts to work with overload, the pressure drops, and as a result, it becomes necessary to replace the pump. The plastic parts of the pump impeller and non-return valve wear prematurely.

Pressure drops. It should be noted that the operation of the motor is possible at a pressure of up to 1.5 kg (with a standard 2.4-2.7 kg). At reduced pressure, there are constant lumbago in the intake manifold, the start is problematic (after). Draft is noticeably reduced. Check pressure correctly with a pressure gauge. (access to the filter is not difficult). In the field, you can use the "return filling test". If, when the engine is running, less than one liter flows out of the gasoline return hose in 30 seconds, it is possible to judge the reduced pressure. You can use an ammeter to indirectly determine the pump's performance. If the current consumed by the pump is less than 4 amperes, then the pressure is sagged. You can measure the current on the diagnostic block

When using a modern tool, the filter replacement process takes no more than half an hour. Previously, it took a lot of time. Mechanics always hoped in case that they were lucky and the lower fitting did not rust. But it often did. I had to puzzle for a long time what kind of gas wrench to hook the rolled nut of the lower fitting. And sometimes the process of replacing the filter turned into a "movie show" with the removal of the tube leading to the filter.

Today, no one is afraid to make this replacement.

Control block
Until 1998 release, control units did not have serious enough problems during operation.

The blocks had to be repaired only because of the "hard polarity reversal". It is important to note that all outputs of the control unit are signed. It is easy to find on the board the required sensor terminal for checking, or for wire continuity. Parts are reliable and stable at low temperatures.
In conclusion, I would like to dwell a little on gas distribution. Many owners "with hands" carry out the belt replacement procedure on their own (although this is not correct, they cannot properly tighten the crankshaft pulley). Mechanics make a quality replacement within two hours (maximum). If the belt breaks, the valves do not meet the piston and the engine does not collapse. Everything is calculated to the smallest detail.

We tried to tell you about the most common problems on engines of this series. The engine is very simple and reliable, and under the condition of very tough operation on "water-iron gasoline" and dusty roads of our great and mighty Motherland and "avos" mentality of the owners. Having endured all the bullying, it continues to delight to this day with its reliable and stable work, having won the status of the best Japanese engine.

All successful repairs.

"Reliable Japanese Engines". Automotive Diagnostic Notes

4 (80%) 4 votes [s]

Japanese cars produced by the auto giant Toyota are very popular in our country. They deserve it for their affordable price and high performance. The properties of any vehicle largely depend on the smooth operation of the "heart" of the machine. For a number of models of the Japanese corporation, the 4A-FE engine has been an invariable attribute for many years.

For the first time toyota 4A-FE was released in 1987 and did not leave the assembly line until 1998. The first two characters in its name indicate that this is the fourth modification in the "A" series of engines produced by the company. The series began ten years earlier when the company's engineers set out to create a new engine for Toyota Tercel, which would provide more economical fuel consumption and better technical performance. As a result, 85-165 hp four-cylinder engines were created. (volume 1398-1796 cm3). The motor housing was made of cast iron with aluminum heads. In addition, the DOHC gas distribution mechanism was used for the first time.

Technical specifications

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It should be noted that the resource of 4A-FE until the bulkhead (not overhaul), which consists in replacing the valve stem seals and worn out piston rings, is approximately 250-300 thousand km. Much, of course, depends on the operating conditions and the quality of service of the unit.
The main goal in the development of this engine was to reduce fuel consumption, which was achieved by adding an EFI electronic injection system to the 4A-F model. This is evidenced by the attached letter "E" in the device marking. The letter "F" denotes standard power engines with 4-valve cylinders.

Advantages and problems of the engine

4A-FE under the hood of a 1993 Corolla Levin

The mechanical part of the 4A-FE motors is designed so competently that it is extremely difficult to find a more correct engine design. Since 1988, these engines have been produced without significant modifications due to the absence of design defects. The engineers of the auto enterprise managed to optimize the power and torque of the 4A-FE internal combustion engine in such a way that, despite the relatively small volume of the cylinders, they achieved excellent performance. Together with other products of the "A" series, motors of this brand occupy a leading position in reliability and prevalence among all similar devices manufactured by Toyota.

For Russian motorists, only engines with an installed LeanBurn power system have become problematic, which should stimulate the combustion of lean mixtures and reduce fuel consumption in traffic jams or during quiet movement. It may work on Japanese gasoline, but our lean mixture sometimes refuses to ignite, which causes failures in the engine.

Repairing the 4A-FE is not difficult. A wide range of spare parts and factory reliability give you a guarantee of operation for many years. FE engines are free of such disadvantages as cranking of the connecting rod bearings and leakage (noise) in the HVT clutch. A very simple valve adjustment is of great benefit. The unit can run on 92 gasoline, consuming (4.5-8 liters) / 100 km (due to the mode of operation and the terrain). Serial engines of this brand were installed on the following Toyota lines:

Model	Body	Of the year	A country
Avensis	AT220	1997–2000	Except for Japan
Carina	AT171 / 175	1988–1992	Japan
Carina	AT190	1984–1996	Japan
Carina ii	AT171	1987–1992	Europe
Carina e	AT190	1992–1997	Europe
Celica	AT180	1989–1993	Except for Japan
Corolla	AE92 / 95	1988–1997
Corolla	AE101 / 104/109	1991–2002
Corolla	AE111 / 114	1995–2002
Corolla ceres	AE101	1992–1998	Japan
Corolla spacio	AE111	1997–2001	Japan
Corona	AT175	1988–1992	Japan
Corona	AT190	1992–1996
Corona	AT210	1996–2001
Sprinter	AE95	1989–1991	Japan
Sprinter	AE101 / 104/109	1992–2002	Japan
Sprinter	AE111 / 114	1995–1998	Japan
Sprinter Carib	AE95	1988–1990	Japan
Sprinter Carib	AE111 / 114	1996–2001	Japan
Sprinter Marino	AE101	1992–1998	Japan
Corolla / Conquest	AE92 / AE111	1993–2002	South Africa
Geo prizm	based on Toyota AE92	1989–1997

"The simplest Japanese engine"

Date from scanner:

On the scanner, you can see a short but capacious date, consisting of 16 parameters, by which you can realistically evaluate the operation of the main engine sensors.

Sensors
Oxygen sensor - Lambda probe

Fuel consumption increases due to the lack of correction during heating. You will not be able to restore the heater - only replacement will help. The cost of a new sensor is high, and it does not make sense to install a used one (the resource of their operating time is large, so this is a lottery). In such a situation, the less reliable NTK universal sensors can be installed as an alternative. Their service life is short, and the quality is poor, therefore such a replacement is a temporary measure, and it should be done with caution.

When the sensor sensitivity decreases, the fuel consumption increases (by 1-3 liters). The performance of the sensor is checked with an oscilloscope on the diagnostic connector block, or directly on the sensor chip (number of switchings).

Temperature sensor.
If the sensor does not work properly, the owner will face a lot of problems. In the event of a break in the measuring element of the sensor, the control unit replaces the sensor readings and fixes its value at 80 degrees and fixes error 22. The engine, with such a malfunction, will work in normal mode, but only while the engine is warm. Once the engine has cooled down, starting it will be problematic without doping, due to the short opening time of the injectors. It is not uncommon for the resistance of the sensor to change chaotically when the engine is running on H.H. - the revolutions will float.

This defect can be easily fixed on the scanner by observing the temperature reading. On a warm engine, it should be stable and not change randomly from 20 to 100 degrees.

With such a defect in the sensor, "black exhaust" is possible, unstable operation on the Х.Х. and, as a consequence, increased consumption, as well as the impossibility of starting "hot". Only after 10 minutes of rest. If there is no complete confidence in the correct operation of the sensor, its readings can be substituted by including a 1 kΩ variable resistor in its circuit, or a constant 300 Ω resistor, for further verification. By changing the sensor readings, the change in speed at different temperatures is easily controlled.

Throttle position sensor

MAP absolute pressure sensor

With such a break, fuel consumption increases, the level of CO in the exhaust rises sharply up to 3%. It is very easy to observe the operation of the sensor using a scanner. The line INTAKE MANIFOLD shows the vacuum in the intake manifold, which is measured by the MAP sensor. If the wiring is broken, the ECU registers error 31. At the same time, the opening time of the injectors increases sharply to 3.5-5 ms. During gas re-gasings, a black exhaust appears, the candles are planted, there is a shaking on the X.X. and stopping the engine.

Knock sensor

The sensor is installed to register detonation knocks (explosions) and indirectly serves as a "corrector" for the ignition timing. The recording element of the sensor is a piezoplate. In the event of a sensor malfunction, or a break in the wiring, at overgazings of more than 3.5-4 tons. The ECU registers an error 52. You can check the operability with an oscilloscope, or by measuring the resistance between the sensor terminal and the case (if there is resistance, the sensor must be replaced).

Crankshaft sensor
A crankshaft sensor is installed on 7A series engines. A conventional inductive sensor, similar to the ABC sensor, is practically trouble-free in operation. But embarrassment also happens. With a turn-to-turn closure inside the winding, the generation of pulses is disrupted at certain speeds. This manifests itself as a limitation of engine speed in the range of 3.5-4 t. Revolutions. A kind of cutoff, only at low revs. It is quite difficult to detect an interturn short circuit. The oscilloscope does not show a decrease in the amplitude of the pulses or a change in frequency (with acceleration), and it is rather difficult to notice changes in Ohm fractions with a tester. If symptoms of speed limitation occur at 3-4 thousand, just replace the sensor with a known good one. In addition, a lot of trouble is caused by damage to the driving ring, which is damaged by careless mechanics when they replace the front crankshaft oil seal or timing belt. Having broken the teeth of the crown, and restored them by welding, they achieve only a visible absence of damage. At the same time, the crankshaft position sensor ceases to adequately read information, the ignition timing begins to change chaotically, which leads to a loss of power, unstable engine operation and an increase in fuel consumption

Injectors (nozzles)

During many years of operation, the nozzles and needles of the injectors are covered with resins and gasoline dust. All this naturally interferes with the correct spray pattern and reduces the performance of the nozzle. In case of heavy pollution, a noticeable shaking of the engine is observed, and fuel consumption increases. It is really possible to determine the clogging by conducting a gas analysis, according to the oxygen readings in the exhaust, one can judge the correctness of the filling. A reading above one percent will indicate the need to flush the injectors (with the correct timing and normal fuel pressure). Or by installing the injectors on the bench and checking the performance in tests. The nozzles are easy to clean with Laurel, Vince, both in CIP installations and in ultrasound.

Idle valve, IACV

The valve is responsible for the engine speed in all modes (warm-up, idle, load). During operation, the valve petal becomes dirty and the stem wedges. Turnovers hang on heating or on HH (due to wedge). Tests for changing the speed in scanners during diagnostics for this motor are not provided. You can assess the valve's performance by changing the temperature sensor readings. Put the engine in "cold" mode. Or, removing the winding from the valve, twist the valve magnet with your hands. Sticking and wedge will be felt immediately. If it is impossible to easily dismantle the valve winding (for example, on the GE series), you can check its operability by connecting to one of the control outputs and measuring the duty cycle of the pulses while simultaneously controlling the speed of H.H. and changing the load on the engine. On a fully warmed-up engine, the duty cycle is approximately 40%, changing the load (including electrical consumers) can estimate an adequate increase in speed in response to a change in duty cycle. With mechanical jamming of the valve, there is a smooth increase in the duty cycle, which does not entail a change in the speed of H.H. You can restore work by cleaning carbon deposits and dirt with a carburetor cleaner with the winding removed.

Further adjustment of the valve consists in setting the H.H. speed. On a fully warmed-up engine, by rotating the winding on the mounting bolts, tabular revolutions are achieved for this type of car (according to the tag on the hood). By pre-installing the E1-TE1 jumper in the diagnostic block. On "younger" motors 4A, 7A, the valve was changed. Instead of the usual two windings, a microcircuit was installed in the body of the valve winding. Changed the valve power and the color of the winding plastic (black). It makes no sense to measure the resistance of the windings at the terminals. The valve is supplied with power and a rectangular variable duty cycle control signal.

For the impossibility of removing the winding, non-standard fasteners were installed. But the wedge problem remained. Now if you clean it with an ordinary cleaner, the grease is washed out from the bearings (the further result is predictable, the same wedge, but due to the bearing). It is necessary to completely dismantle the valve from the throttle body and then carefully flush the stem with a petal.

Ignition system. Candles.

A very large percentage of cars come to service with problems in the ignition system. When operating on low-quality gasoline, spark plugs are the first to suffer. They are covered with red bloom (ferrosis). There will be no high-quality sparking with such candles. The engine will run intermittently, with gaps, fuel consumption increases, and the level of CO in the exhaust rises. Sandblasting cannot clean such candles. Only chemistry will help (silite for a couple of hours) or replacement. Another problem is increased clearance (simple wear). Drying of the rubber tips of high-voltage wires, water that got in during washing the motor, which all provoke the formation of a conductive track on the rubber tips.

Because of them, sparking will not be inside the cylinder, but outside it.
With smooth throttling, the engine works stably, and with sharp throttling, it “crushes”.

In this position, it is necessary to replace both candles and wires at the same time. But sometimes (in the field), if replacement is impossible, you can solve the problem with an ordinary knife and a piece of emery stone (fine fraction). With a knife we \u200b\u200bcut off the conductive path in the wire, and with a stone we remove the strip from the ceramic of the candle. It should be noted that you cannot remove the rubber band from the wire, this will lead to the complete inoperability of the cylinder.

Another problem is related to the incorrect plug replacement procedure. The wires are forcefully pulled out of the wells, tearing off the metal tip of the rein.

With such a wire, misfires and floating revolutions are observed. When diagnosing the ignition system, always check the performance of the ignition coil on the high voltage spark gap. The simplest check is to look at the spark on the spark gap while the engine is running.

If the spark disappears or becomes threadlike, this indicates a turn-to-turn short circuit in the coil or a problem in the high-voltage wires. Wire breakage is checked with a resistance tester. Small wire 2-3kom, then a long 10-12kom.

" Subtle "faults
On modern engines 4A, 7A, the Japanese changed the firmware of the control unit (apparently for faster engine warm-up). The change lies in the fact that the engine reaches H.H. rpm only at a temperature of 85 degrees. The design of the engine cooling system was also changed. Now the small cooling circle passes intensively through the block head (not through the pipe behind the engine, as it was before). Of course, the cooling of the head has become more efficient, and the engine as a whole has become more efficient. But in winter, with such cooling when driving, the engine temperature reaches 75-80 degrees. And as a result, constant warming up speed (1100-1300), increased fuel consumption and nervousness of the owners. You can deal with this problem either by insulating the engine more strongly, or by changing the resistance of the temperature sensor (by deceiving the ECU).
Butter
The owners pour oil into the engine indiscriminately, without thinking about the consequences. Few people understand that different types of oils are not compatible and, when mixed, form an insoluble slurry (coke), which leads to the complete destruction of the engine.

All this plasticine cannot be washed off with chemistry, it is cleaned only mechanically. It should be understood that if you do not know what type of old oil, then you should use flushing before changing. And more advice to the owners. Pay attention to the color of the dipstick handle. It is yellow in color. If the color of the oil in your engine is darker than the color of the handle, then it's time to make a change, and not wait for the virtual mileage recommended by the engine oil manufacturer.

Air filter
The most inexpensive and readily available element is the air filter. Owners very often forget about replacing it, without thinking about the likely increase in fuel consumption. Often, due to a clogged filter, the combustion chamber is very heavily contaminated with oil burned deposits, valves and candles are heavily contaminated. When diagnosing, it can be mistakenly assumed that the wear of the valve stem seals is to blame, but the root cause is a clogged air filter, which increases the vacuum in the intake manifold when dirty. Of course, in this case, the caps will also have to be changed.

Some owners do not even notice about garage rodents living in the air filter housing. Which speaks of their utter disregard for the car.

Today, no one is afraid to make this replacement.

Control block
Until 1998 release, control units did not have serious enough problems during operation.

All successful repairs.

Vladimir Bekrenev
khabarovsk

Andrey Fedorov
Novosibirsk city

Engines for Toyota produced in the A series are the most common and are quite reliable and popular. In this series of motors, the motor takes its rightful place 4A in all its modifications. At the beginning engine had low power. It was manufactured with a carburetor and one camshaft, the engine head had eight valves.

In the process of modernization, it was manufactured first with a 16 valve head, then with a 20 valve head and two camshafts and with electronic fuel injection. In addition, the engine got hold of another piston. Some modifications were assembled with a mechanical supercharger. Let's take a closer look at the 4A motor with its modifications, identify it weak spots and disadvantages.
Modifications engine 4 A:

4A-C;
4A-L;
4A-LC;
4A-E;
4A-ELU;
4A-F;
4A-FE;
4A-FE Gen 1;
4A-FE Gen 2;
4A-FE Gen 3;
4A-FHE;
4A-GE;
4A-GE Gen 1 "Big Port";
4A-GE Gen 2;
4A-GE Gen 3 "Red Top" / Small port ";
4A-GE Gen 4 20V "Silver Top";
4A-GE Gen 5 20V "Black Top";
4A-GZE;
4A-GZE Gen 1;
4A-GZE Gen 2.

With the 4A engine and its modifications, cars were produced Toyota:

Corolla;
Corona;
Karina;
Karina E;
Celica;
Avensis;
Kaldina;
AE86;
Ceres;
Levin;
Spasio;
Sprinter;
Sprinter Caribbean;
Sprinter Marino;
Sprinter Trueno;

In addition to Toyota, engines were installed on cars:

Chevrolet Nova;
Geo Prism.

Weaknesses of the 4A engine

The Lambda probe;
Absolute pressure sensor;
Engine temperature sensor;
Crankshaft oil seals.

Weak spots more engine detail ...

Failure of the lambda probe or, in other words, the oxygen sensor does not occur often, but in practice this occurs. Ideally, for a new engine, the resource of the oxygen sensor is small 40 - 80 thousand km, if the engine has a problem with piston and with fuel and oil consumption, then the resource is significantly reduced.

Absolute pressure sensor

As a rule, the sensor fails due to a poor connection of the inlet fitting to the intake manifold.

Engine temperature sensor

Refuses not often, as they say rarely but aptly.

Crankshaft oil seals

The problem with the crankshaft oil seals is related to the elapsed engine resource and the elapsed time from the moment of manufacture. It manifests itself simply - oil leakage or squeezing out. Even if the car has low mileage, the rubber from which the oil seals are made loses its physical qualities after 10 years.

Disadvantages of the 4A engine

Increased fuel consumption;
The engine idle speed is floating or increased.
The engine does not start, stalls with floating speed;
Motor stalls;
Increased oil consumption;
The engine knocks.

disadvantages motor 4A in detail ...

Increased fuel consumption

Increased fuel consumption can be caused by:

malfunction of the lambda probe. The disadvantage is eliminated by replacing it. In addition, if there is soot on the candles, and black smoke from the exhaust and the engine vibrates at idle, check the absolute pressure sensor.
Dirty nozzles, if so, they must be rinsed and blown out.

The engine idle speed is floating or increased

The cause may be a malfunction of the idle valve and carbon build-up on the throttle valve, or a misaligned throttle position sensor. Just in case, clean the throttle valve, flush the idle valve, check the spark plugs - the presence of carbon deposits also contributes to the problem with engine idle speed. It will not be superfluous to check the nozzles and the operation of the crankcase ventilation valve.

The engine does not start, stalls with floating speed

This problem indicates a malfunction of the engine temperature sensor.

Motor stalls

In this case, this may be due to a clogged fuel filter. In addition to finding the cause of the malfunction, check the operation of the fuel pump and the condition of the distributor.

Increased oil consumption

The manufacturer allows a normal oil consumption of up to 1 liter per 1000 km, if it is more, then there is a problem with the piston. Alternatively, replacing piston rings and valve stem seals can help.

Engine knocks

Engine knocking is a signal of piston pins wear and a violation of the valve timing in the engine head. According to the operating manual, the valves are adjusted after 100,000 km.

As a rule, all flaws and weaknesses are not manufacturing or structural defects, but are the result of non-compliance with correct operation. After all, if you do not service the equipment in a timely manner, it will eventually ask you to do it. You must understand that basically all breakdowns and problems begin after a certain resource has been developed (300,000 km), this is the first reason for all malfunctions and shortcomings in work motor 4A.

Cars with engines of the Lean Burn version will be very expensive, they work on a lean mixture and from which their power is much lower, they are more capricious, and consumables are expensive.

All described weaknesses and disadvantages are also relevant for engines 5A and 7A.

P.S. Dear owners of Toyota with 4A engine and its modifications! You can add your comments to this article, for which I will be grateful to you.