A More Efficient Engine (Need help from some Toyota Experts)

[serialk11r]

Well I'd say your automatic is killing most of your efficiency as I've driven an auto 1ZZ Corolla before. The 2ZR is somewhat more efficient than the 1ZZ but you're right it's not a massive increase, you'd want a smaller displacement to get the maximum friction reduction.

Unfortunately if you really want to keep the automatic you're pretty screwed because the E140 Corollas and the automatic Yaris were still on 4 speed autos. The auto has a nice cruising gear but the gear spacing is horrendously wide (will hold lower gears longer because it can't shift down) and the torque converter doesn't like to lock.

The larger Toyota engines come with 5 speed autos and recently 6 speed autos, but you'll get a bigger engine so it'll probably burn more fuel anyways.

[jeff88]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

What does make a manual unsuitable for you?

This is actually my mom's car and when it becomes financially feasible to buy my own car (I know, I'm talking about engine swaps ), she will get this car back. Unfortunately, being apart of the Navy, she has developed an issue with the whole left side of her body and has almost no control of her left leg (and arm), so she cannot operate a clutch or anything similar.

Will the MMT have a clutch, or at least have a mode that the clutch is not necessary to shift (she would use that almost always, obviously)?

serialk11r, you keep mentioning the 2ZR, is the 1ZR not possible? It is available on the Avensis, which originally had the 1ZZ. That doesn't prove anything, but it's closer than anything else I have found in terms of swapability. According to Wiki, "All engines are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission while the 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol engines are available with a Multidrive S CVT transmission." That means that in order to get a CVT (no clutch, minimal losses), I need the 2ZR, but I don't see why I couldn't mate a 1ZR with the CVT. Hmmm...

I'm beginning to think it would be easier to import an Avensis with the steering wheel on the correct side (say a French model) instead of doing a swap, even given crazy U.S. and Californian laws.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jeff88

This is actually my mom's car and when it becomes financially feasible to buy my own car (I know, I'm talking about engine swaps ), she will get this car back. Unfortunately, being apart of the Navy, she has developed an issue with the whole left side of her body and has almost no control of her left leg (and arm), so she cannot operate a clutch or anything similar.

Will the MMT have a clutch, or at least have a mode that the clutch is not necessary to shift (she would use that almost always, obviously)?

Even in the manual-shifting mode, the clutch works automatically with the MMT. No clutch pedal.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by jeff88

serialk11r, you keep mentioning the 2ZR, is the 1ZR not possible? It is available on the Avensis, which originally had the 1ZZ. That doesn't prove anything, but it's closer than anything else I have found in terms of swapability. According to Wiki, "All engines are mated to a 6-speed manual transmission while the 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol engines are available with a Multidrive S CVT transmission." That means that in order to get a CVT (no clutch, minimal losses), I need the 2ZR, but I don't see why I couldn't mate a 1ZR with the CVT. Hmmm...

I'm beginning to think it would be easier to import an Avensis with the steering wheel on the correct side (say a French model) instead of doing a swap, even given crazy U.S. and Californian laws.

Because it's not offered in the US and not tested therefore illegal. I would just but a brand new 2014 model that has a 5 speed because it will cost much more to import something and have it certified or swap an engine that need to be imported (we're not looking at a popular swap such as a SR20DET or something either)

[mr220v]

Have you considered the NZ engines? Cheap, 1.5L, atkins, and you can pick them up and carry them around.

[jeff88]

I did look at them, but there are some drawbacks (as with all the other options). I saw you have done the change though!

The problem I'm running into is first the majority of information I can find is only on Wikipedia, which is barely any info. NZ Engine

The second problem is that I would want to use the FXE engine, because of the higher compression. The problems though is
1) I think that means I need higher octane gas,
2) It's designed for a hybrid, so I don't think I could use it unless I took all the associated parts and
3) I don't believe it has VVT-i, so it's a trade-off and one I don't think I would want (again, very little info available and Wiki doesn't explicitly state that it is there).

The third issue is that the 1NZ-FE engine has an increase in compression, but only marginally (although in all fairness, I don't know what a .5CR increase would do to FE).

So... as with all the options, there is no single engine family that would be the holy grail that I'm searching for. If the FXE had VVT-i or even better Valvematic, then it would be for sure my number one option, but at that point, why don't I just buy a Prius C?! (Of all the Prius options, that is the one I *recently decided* I would buy )... never thought I would say that!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Have you never lurked to disassemble a wrecked Prius to fill the Corolla's body with its guts?

[jeff88]

I think after thinking about that, I just over-rided my own thought process as being too complicated. Swapping an engine for $200 with minimal customization is one thing, but I just assumed a full hybrid parts list would be too much. At that point I might as well by a Prius... and recently I decided I actually like the Prius C (never thought I would say that!). It's probably because it looks like a 'normal' hatchback, not the standard prius cheese wedge.

There is also the issue of where to put the battery bank. Obviously the trunk is the most obvious, but I don't have a flat bottom (there is the spare tire and wheel wells and various nooks and crannies.) I also would want to keep the trunk relatively open for carrying purposes.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jeff88

I think after thinking about that, I just over-rided my own thought process as being too complicated.

Apart from the battery placement, dealing with the high-voltage harness is another critical aspect.

At that point I might as well by a Prius... and recently I decided I actually like the Prius C (never thought I would say that!). It's probably because it looks like a 'normal' hatchback, not the standard prius cheese wedge.

The P-word would still prevent me from even consider to buy one. I'd rather get a hybrid Yaris if I would ever buy a hybrid...

[XYZ]

On my 2001 Corolla, I have the 1ZZ-FE 1.8L engine, which most owners know is an oil drinker. My friend is a mechanic and is willing to help me fix the problem (clean it out, drill larger oil return holes and replace anything else, like rings and gaskets). My question doesn't relate to that, however.

Why is your engine an "oil drinker"? How much oil is it losing?

If you are losing oil it's either burning oil or leaking oil.