Shopping: Real Estate |  Costumes  |  Guitars
This Issue Archived Articles Blog About Us Contact Us
SEARCH


1G Gee-Gees

Toyota's "ugly ducking" 1G motor gets given a big set of wings that lets it fly with the eagles!

Words by Michael Knowling, Pix by Julian Edgar

Click on pics to view larger images


This article was first published in October 2000.

One hundred and ninety five dolleros - that's chicken feed when you're talking modified cars innit? Nevertheless, that's exactly the amount Alex Decarli paid for this imported Toyota 1G six - the engine for his 10-second strip/street Celica! But, to give you some background, Alex has been heavily into boosting and tuning various Toyota motors in his fully equipped workshop - RaceCraft - for nearly ten years. Therefore, it's no surprise that he's got a good handle on all the good stuff that lurks inside Toy engines.

And, yes, even the ol' 1G...

Click for larger image

Alex confidently tells us that getting power was never going to be an issue with the G-ster - but there was one problem that stuffed up his initial plans to circuit sprint with it. And that's its weight. You see, the pretty little TA22 Celica - Alex's car of choice - never came released with a six, and those two extra pots really do place a lot more weight over the front end. In fact, heaps more by the time you include the appropriate gearbox and a full turbo system. So, inevitably, it was decided that the 1G's negative effect on handling would've been too much to contend with.

However, one alternative that popped up was to drop the engine into this slightly rough'n'ready 1973 TA22, which had been bought "just as basic transport". In this car, handling wasn't an issue. All it had to do was to showcase the abilities of RaceCraft and the worth of Toyota engines - oh, and to go bloody fast as well!

First up, the 1G conversion was a relatively simple one and only really required a different gearbox crossmember and engine mounts. A KE55 radiator was also slotted in, the G's water pump was modified (for more flow) and a custom coolant aeration tank was hosed into the top of the head. These, reportedly, eliminate any potential top-end steam pockets.

Click for larger image

Amazingly, Alex didn't even need to pull the wrecker motor down before clobbering it over the head with a big dose of boost pressure. But that's no big thing to him. Alex says the only 1G engine failures he's ever seen have been through people running the wrong fuel and/or oil - there's never been a simple mechanical let-go. "Yeah, they're bullet proof inside," he nods with total confidence. This particular motor - being an ex-factory twin turbo two litre (1G-GTE) - arrived already suited to forced induction, with a static compression ratio of around 8.6:1 - which is lower than the 1G atmo, but about 0.5 higher than the supercharged variant.

Click for larger image
Being a bit of an all-rounder, Alex fabricated a 1-inch runner diameter custom exhaust manifold to locate a single high capacity turbo. And, curious to why the runners are so thin, he told us that it was the best way to get the exhaust velocity high enough to get the big turbo spinning. The unit he selected here was an ATS-supplied Garrett T04E (with a 132 exhaust housing), teamed with a modified and enlarged 42mm wastegate hidden under the car. Certainly, it looks like there's plenty of flow capability on both the compressor and turbine sides!

Click for larger image

Gulps of induction air are drawn through a foam type air filter and, once compressed, get iced by a 7M-GTE Supra front-mount intercooler (and notice the MOR.BST number plates nearby!). What's cooled then stays cooled thanks to an aircraft-grade heat wrap that's slipped over the intercooler-to-engine pipe.

Click for larger image
Turbo boost pressure varies hugely depending on the car's role at any one time. At the drags the Celica runs 22-25 psi, while on the dyno it's gone to 30 and even 45 psi! And, yes, it still holds together no probs!

Go 1G!!!

The only thing is, you can't use that much boost on the road or track - it wheelspins so much it just goes slower! Note that a GReddy system has recently replaced this regulator type boost control.

Click for larger image
Of course, pushing air into an engine this hard meant that the fuelling system has had to be stepped up considerably. Alex runs six 4A-GZE squirters in the factory injector locations, plus another brace of six 800cc Boschies higher up on the intake manifold (which is also Extrude Honed). These are mounted off a custom fuel rail and are brought into action by the programmable ECU (at a time when the 4A injectors are starting to lose their grip). A rising rate regulator maintains fuel pressure.

Click for larger image
The opposite end of the elaborate fuel system sees a custom alloy tank in the boot, a Pierburg pre-pump, Bosch hi-volume main pump and a RaceCraft surge tank. The engine management unit is an EMS product, which is working with a MAP load sensor and a direct fire ignition system.

This fast Celica's underbonnet view is further crazed thanks to Alex's mad craving for engine data. He's installed individual cylinder exhaust gas temp pyros, a post-turbo pyro, intercooler inlet and outlet temp sensors, a custom boost gauge and an Autronic air/fuel ratio meter - in addition to the EMS one! And they not just accessories either - they're worth their weight in gold when your pulling heaps of power and you want to see how the engine's lookin'.

Click for larger image

So the big question is, how many hp is this guy getting from his $195 scrapper motor? Well, people, what if we told you this thing is currently making 1200 horses? Of course, we'd be telling pork pies... But there's total truth in the fact that when the car was strapped down to ATS's chassis dyno, it saw 575hp - and with a lot of wheelspin! So much spin, in fact, Alex tells us it isn't a really good indication of its power.

Bearing the brunt of this mega gee-gee motor is a combination of Toyota parts that have so far proven up to the task. After passing through a steel flywheel and an expensive twin-plate clutch, torque is put through a Supra 5-speed 'box, a custom 3-inch tailshaft and a Hi-Ace diff. This isn't your average Hi-Ace diff though, it's got a maxi-spool centre spinning 4.44:1 gears. Nevertheless, with so much grunt on tap, there's still rubber fryin' galore - even with slicks!

Click for larger image

We bet you'll be surprised how much this little flier now weighs. Alex has parked it over the scales and seen a full 1250kg measured - and that's about 25% more than standard! The addition of the heavier 1G, the Supra 'box and the Hi-Ace diff are all to blame - despite the removal of some interior bits and sound deadening. Luckily though, the lightweight advantage of the average Celica can be traded-off slightly when you've got the king-hit of this awesome wrecker motor. She's fast. Brutally fast. With Daniel Mizzi (also from RaceCraft) behind the wheel, the car has pulled a best time of 10.06 seconds at 139.94 mph.

Yes, it's just tiptoeing on the border of cracking 9s!

Click for larger image
But - being so fast - Alex is now under pressure from ANDRA to fit a roll cage, a scatter shield - and a parachute! And that's on top of the fact that the existing RA60 front brakes are about to be teamed up with AU Falcon rear discs and Skyline calipers. After that, Alex simply plans to keep campaigning in the car and hard-pushing the RaceCraft name - oh, and not mention that $195 wrecker motor!

Click for larger image
It sure makes you look at the Toyota G-series of engines differently doesn't it?!

Contact:

RaceCraft
+61 3 9338 0550

ATS
+61 3 9335 1254

Did you enjoy this article?

Please consider supporting AutoSpeed with a small contribution. More Info...


Share this Article: 

More of our most popular articles.
The electronics of diesel engine fuel systems

Technical Features - 29 January, 2007

Common Rail Diesel Engine Management, Part 2

Do-it-yourself aero testing of a Porsche and new Beetle

Technical Features - 27 June, 2007

Aero Testing, Part 3

Got an old cordless drill around the place? Here are the parts you can salvage from it!

DIY Tech Features - 8 May, 2008

A Heap of Parts for Nothing!

The technology of Nissan's famous twin turbo V6

Technical Features - 28 February, 2008

The Nissan VG30DETT

Changing the weight of electronically-controlled power steering

DIY Tech Features - 26 February, 2002

Modifying Speed-Sensitive Power Steering

Volt, amps and ohms

DIY Tech Features - 16 December, 2008

How to Electronically Modify Your Car, Part 3

A different electric fan

DIY Tech Features - 9 June, 2009

Chasing Overheating - Again!

Will we one day all be driving solar powered cars? Nope!

Technical Features - 19 September, 2007

Alternative Cars, Part 2 - Solar

Beautiful and sophisticated, but was it a technological dead-end?

Special Features - 30 June, 2009

The NS Savannah

Developing a cutting-edge human-powered vehicle

DIY Tech Features - 12 May, 2009

Chalky, Part 1

Copyright © 1996-2020 Web Publications Pty Limited. All Rights ReservedRSS|Privacy policy|Advertise
Consulting Services: Magento Experts|Technologies : Magento Extensions|ReadytoShip