New member from the Netherlands.

[Mux213]

Hey Andreas old friend,

Nice to see another rotorhead switch sides

Engine types:
4A -> Engine type of our nice engines (the whole range of them including the 8v, 16v, 20v, if it start with 4A, it will fit one way or another)
GE -> Fuel injected twin cam version
GZE -> Fuel injected supercharged twin cam
GTE -> doesn't actually exist The name we enthousiasts give to any turbo charged 4AG, usually a GZE converted to turbo.

Then bluetop, redtop, silvertop and blacktop are names that you will often hear. The refer to the color of the camshaft covers on our 4AG engines and are a less then reliable way to recognize the type of engine. The problem offcourse is that these covers are interchangeable and especially with the bluetop/redtop engines Toyota themselves have mixed and matched....

Bluetop engines usually are the early model big port 16v twincams found in most AE86s. You can also recognise these engines because they have the TVIS valve that closes part of the ports at low RPA (very similar system to the 5+6 port system on N/A FCs).

Redtop engines usually are the later model small port 16v twincams found in later AE86s (I think) and later model FWD Corolla's. These engine's no longer have the TVIS but are tuned slightly better so the give a slightly higher output then the Bluetop. It does have stronger and larger conrods and this makes the engine a tiny bit less quick on the throttle.

There is also the important factor that at some point in time Toyota switched from a bottom end that can be visually recognized by 3 'ribs' running down the lenght, and the later 7 'rib' model. The 7 rib model obviously being stronger and better.

So we get to silvertop, silvertops are the first generation 20v 4AG engines. Basically the same engine with a new head design and a whole new engine management system. Also these engines have ITB's yum yum.

Blacktops are the second generation 20v 4AG engines in which Toyota addressed certain small problems and gave the engine a few HP more.

When you look at tuning obviously silvertop and blacktop engines are the most powerful to start with, but these engines are harder to tune. Over 10k rpm has been reached with these engines but it will cost you.

However, if I where you I'd start with the car itself first, suspension, drive train, bodywork. If you drop in a powerful engine in the chassis you have now its asking for trouble
Besides, let the standard 4AG surprise you, even stock it revs to 7k8 very nicely and enjoyably