I recently bought a Carina E 2.0 Exec with a 3F SE motor.I am aware that best advice seems to be the 4AGE motor,but has anyone considered other Toyota motors as an alternative?

I'm planning to SVA with a pinto, and then I hope to use a 3SGE. Mating it to a type 9 might be interesting. There's a guy in Kent who can make up an adapter plate, and I've been told that it's a popular combination in S.Africa, but haven't been able to get any real info which is a shame as I'm off to Joburg on Monday.

The 4AG-E engine that is so popular is 1600cc and was fitted in the Mk1 MR2 amongst other things. An excellent engine very much along the lines of the old Ford 1600 BDA which it is said to have been copied from.

The 3S-FE and near identical 3S-GE are 2 litre engines and are fitted in the the Mk2 MR2, 2 litre (again along with a host of other family saloons). They are excellent engines but physically quite a bit larger than the 1600. That said if you can accomodate a pinto! .......

The 3SFE was the "economy" engine in Toyota's range at the time (121bhp in the MR2). A 2.0L Zetec would be a cheaper and just as good option to be honest.

The 3SGE on the other hand is a cracking engine, 155bhp or 170bhp depending on exact version, and the 3SGTE from the Celica GT4 or MR2 Turbo pushes out either 225 or 240bhp, with plenty more to come if you want it.

Uprated/tuning parts are readily available, and are sometime cheaper than Toyota stock parts, (although that wouldn't be difficult given Toyota spares prices).

Fensport stock loads of new and s/h stuff for Toyotas including engines etc.

[Edited on 27/11/04 by MikeRJ]