vin and engine codes:
VIN numbers are the thumbprint of the car. A lot can be learned a lot from this set of numbers!
VIN; Vehicle Identification Number
What the numbers in the VIN represent:
1st digit: Country
2nd digit: Make
3rd digit: Vehicle type
4th digit: Engine Family
5th digit: Chassis Family
6th digit: Generation
7th digit: Right or Left Hand Drive
8th digit: Unknown
9th digit: Check digits, this is a single number or letter x used to verify the accuracy of transcription of VIN
10th digit: model year (C = 1982 - so every letter beyond C increases a year accordingly)
11th digit: Assembly Plant
12th-17th digit: Production Sequence
What can be learned from this?
- The SR5 has the sequence "AE86" in the number while, the GTS model has "AE88". This is very useful in telling if the car was originally a GTS or SR5.
- If the numbers T283 are located in by the VIN on the bottom right hand corner of the plate on the firewall, right after it says T50, the car was originally equipped with LSD, if the VIN instead has T282, the car was not originally equipped with an LSD
- Another place to find useful information on the AE86 is in the glove box! While it doesn't have the VIN it has other information, generally pertaining to maintenance of the car.
-VIN/Information locations on the AE86
Dashboard
Door Jamb
Cowl
Engine Codes
Engine codes tell you what motor you are talking about in any given car, these are different for all manufactures. Here, we will stick with Toyota!
-The generation/revision number is the first thing you see, so the 4 in "4A-GE" is how many revisions have been made to the motor
-The second is the letter given to the block, so the "4A" is the fourth revision on the A block.
-The numbers following the dash are engine variables that will be among the following:
F - economical twin cam (cams closer to each other)
G - Twin cam
C - Emissions package or carbureted(depending on year)
T - Turbocharged
Z - Supercharged
E - Electronic fuel injection
L - Lean combustion
U - Passes the Japanese emission
B - Twin carburetors
L - Lean combustion
The breakdown of the 4A-GE is;, 4th revision of the A block, with Twin Cams and EFI.
Many times you will see 4A-GELU or other slight variations, this is mostly just emissions packages and other such small differences.
SR5 vs GTS -__________________________________________________ ____________________________
SR5
Engine/Drive Train
All AE86 SR5's came with a the 4AC
This motor can also be found in:
Chevrolet Nova 88-89
The 4A-C:
SOHC
1.6L
Carbureted
Displacement: 97Cu. In. / 1587cc
Compression Ratio - 9.0:1
8 Valves
3 rib block
Stock Horse Power(est.) - 70 @ 4800
Stock ft. lbs. Torque(est.) - 85 @ 2800
0-60(est.) in 10 seconds
Transmission:
Manual - T-50 (Note: While gearsets and transmission case are the
same between GTS and SR5, the bellhousing is different)
Automatic - T40
Chassis/Body
Stock SR5 Colors:
Red
Red Metallic
Gold
Black
Silver
Blue
White
Dark Blue
SR5 features:
(Note: Features are generally true. Almost all items where upgradable and trim levels and options varied but these features are found to be true approximately 90% of the time.)
Black Bumpers
Smaller front lip
Manual Side Mirrors (Power mirrors optional)
SR5 stickers
SR5 Seats (no lumbar support, GTS Style optional)
GTS
Engine/Drive Train
All AE86 GTS's came with a the 4ag
This motor can also be found in:
Toyota MK1 MR2
Chevrolet NovaSS 88-89
Geo PrizimGSI 89-92 (High Compression)
AE82 FX16 GT-S
The 4A-G:
DOHC
1.6L
EFI (Electronically Fuel Injected)
Displacement: 97Cu. In. / 1587cc
Compression Ratio - 9.4:1
16 Valve
3 rib block
Stock Horse Power(est.) - 112 @6600
Stock ft. lbs. Torque(est.) - 97 @ 4800
0-60(est.) in 8 seconds
Transmission:
Manual - T50
Chassis/Body
Stock GTS Colors:
Red
Black
Silver
Blue
Two Tone:
Red/Black
Silver/Black
Blue/Light Blue
GTS features:
Uni color bumpers
Larger front air dam
Power Mirrors (manual optional)
GTS stickers
Seats with lumbar support
LSD (Optional)