Toyota is remanufacturing AE86 engine parts to keep the best Corolla alive. About five years ago, the Japanese automaker launched the GR Heritage Parts program, dedicated to reproducing components for its legendary models. This program initially covered third and fourth-generation Supras, older Land Cruisers, and even the rare 2000GT. It later expanded to more accessible sports cars like the AE86 Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno, although initially it only involved certain chassis parts and for a limited time. Today, Toyota is taking a step further by adding reproduction engine parts to its catalog, specifically for the 4A-GE, the much-coveted 1.6-liter 16-valve inline-four of the AE86 twins.
Modernized Parts Thanks to Enthusiast Feedback
AE86 owners in need of new cylinder head and engine block sub-assemblies are in luck. Toyota is not just reproducing these parts with modern materials and precision; the company has also incorporated community feedback. For example, engineers thickened the walls of the intake and exhaust ports in the new block sub-assembly – a modification directly attributed to fan requests at events.
The Benefits of Current Manufacturing Methods
Current manufacturing methods enhance these components in multiple ways. The combustion chambers in the cylinder head sub-assembly benefit from “additional machining” aimed at standardizing performance between engines with slightly different compression ratios. A coating process for the intake ports reduces surface irregularities that are detrimental to performance. Finally, the addition of cam pins allows for an “improvement in assembly handling.”
A More Precise and Robust Engine Block
The engine block is not left behind. Its bores can now be machined to a degree of precision impossible 40 years ago. The use of more rigid cast iron, coupled with a redesign of the crankshaft cap structure (optimized through simulation), enhances the part’s durability. Bosses and ribs have also been integrated into the design, allowing the engine to be mounted transversely for front-wheel-drive applications, beyond the rear-wheel-drive AE86 twins.
Availability and Legacy
If you are in Japan this weekend, Toyota will be selling these parts for the first time at Fuji Speedway during the 30th-anniversary event of Initial D. For others, acquisition might be more complicated, even without considering current international shipping issues. With these new components for the AE86, Toyota now markets over 200 spare parts covering eight classic models, thus perpetuating their legacy for future generations of enthusiasts.