We all know that losing weight is one of the cheapest modifications to improve both handling and speed, so if that’s what you’re after, start there. However, as with any vehicle there is further weight to be lost, and some Starlet owners are getting theirs down to just over 800kg. We recommend you head to a local forum such as .nz for the full list of the parts required for the conversion (we’d need several more paragraphs), but they tell us it’s fairly straightforward.Īs we mentioned earlier, the Starlet is a lightweight little guy. The 5E-FE, or 5E-FHE block will bring capacity up to 1500cc, which will give a good increase in both boost response and off-boost torque.
Starlet gt upgrade#
Several turbo combinations are known to work well on the little 4E-FTE, but before you make that decision, decide whether or not you want to stick with the 1300cc engine.Ī very common and easy upgrade to increase engine capacity is the slightly larger 5E-series engine commonly found in Tercels, Corsas, Cynos, Paseos, and Corollas. Unfortunately, due to an inferior exhaust manifold design and a miniature CT9 turbo, the 4E-FTE engine runs out of puff higher up in the rev range - a good sign the turbo won’t flow much more than factory.īecause the Starlet doesn’t run an airflow meter, it does make things a bit easier to get more power, so first think of your power goals, as simply adding an upgraded air filter and exhaust won’t net you anything worth writing home about. From factory, the 4E-FTE engine found in the Starlet GT is a revvy little number, with full boost coming in strong around 2500–3000rpm.
Small-capacity turbo engines are always a blast.