MKIII Differences by Year

[drjonez]

GA70: 1G-GTE equipped, sold in Japan only, narrow bodied, sold from '86.5 - '93

MA70: 7M-G(T)E equipped, body coded MA70 or MA71 (MA71 was supposed to refer to all turbo cars, but a glut of the MA70 stamped chassis thwarted this plan), wide and narrow bodied, sold in Japan ('86.5 - '90), US ('86.5 - '92) and other exports.

JZA70: 1JZ-GTE equipped, sold in Japan only from '90 - '93.

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-'86.5: debut year, NA only, targa option available, Super Monitor option available, Sport Package option available (TEMS, 4.30 LSD, headlight washers)

-'87: turbo model added->turbo models got 3.91 LSD differential ratio and R154 transmission. AC condensor fan added (late model year). ABS option added.

-'88: seat belt holders added to front seats, cloth seat pattern changed, headliner changed from vinyl to cloth, headlight pushrods threaded, rear sway bar endlinks changed to plastic construction (to prevent breaking the mounting tab on the lower suspension arm), 3rd brake light tapered on the side (on turbo models).

-'89: transitional year from the "old" to the "new". fascia, side mirrors, spoiler, fog lights, tail lights, moulding (plastic vs. <'88 metal backed), back of vanity mirrors (cloth vs. <'88's vinyl), cloth interior pattern, rear shoulder belts added, ECU, TPS angle (90 degrees diff from the <'8 and throttle body changed to accomodate different TPS (idle bypass screw also removed), climate control, gauges (160 MPH speedo, less deliniations), steering wheel and radio all changed. dual cup holders added to inside of console lid. power recline added to driver's seat. 6 speaker stereo added, no more Super Monitor option, no more headlight washers (US only). Emergency brake and shifter boots changed to black. turbo models got a 3.73 differential ratio, addtional strengthening was added to all rear subframe. smaller TEMS actuators (faster?). TEMS no longer standard on turbo models. progressive power steering added. fully counter-balanced crank added (7M crank vs. older 6M crank), redline lowered accordingly, engine mounts changed to softer and larger rubber, fuel feed hardline changed to accomodate different engine mounts.

-'90: steering wheel altered to accomdate airbag, cruise control moved off steering wheel to small stalk on right side, CD player added to stereo. seat heaters replaced TEMS in Canadian models. 1JZ-GTE 2.5L twin turbo engine replaces 7M-GTE in Japan (chassis designation changes to JZA70).

-'91: metal sunroof option added, 5 spoke wheels added. 10 speaker stereo optional (6.5" door speakers). All moulding is body colored. "R" (recaro interior) version of the JZA70 added in Japan. Front upper nose emblem changed to Toyota "bullhorn". ABS standard on turbo cars. 02 sensor plug changes, clutch master cylinder changes, brake master cylinder and reservoir changes.

-'92: shadow grey (near black) interior added, no NA cars sold in Canada.

[Mike Morris]

1988-headliner was the same as 89s and up. Cloth material on seats and inserts changed as well from previous design/years.
Darker gray color used on the radio buttons,climate control buttons and foglight switchs.

89 TEMS no longer standard on US turbo models

92 no n/a cars in Canada


FYI sportpackage was on 86s. I have one. Came with the LSD with 430s,headlight washers and TEMS.

[Whatawookie]

Crank didn't change till 90. My 89 still has the old crank and higher redline, and it's one of the last ones produced.

[drjonez]

eh. i would have to say its a mixed bag for '89....sometimes you get a 6M crank, somtimes a 7M....

[Whatawookie]

I've never seen an 89 with the lower redline, and I've looked at quite a few. I've only seen a few apart, but they always seem to have the 6M crank. I'd be surprised to see otherwise, as I seriously doubt they would put random parts in the cars. Has anyone had an 89 with the new crank that they're sure is original?

[Bishop92t]

Helped a friend rebuild his 89 with round motor mounts, the crank was 6m. Same thing with a friend with a 90. I've only seen the non-6m crank on 91-92's, I say non-6m b/c I couldn't find 7m stamped anywhere.

[Jeff Lange]

I wrote up more of a list of changes for the years, detailing more of the minor changes and such, just as an addition to what you already have here.

1986.5:

Introduced as 86.5 model year, replacing the 1986 MKII Supra
Only available as a non-turbo model
Targa top available
LSD, headlight washers are a part of the "Sport Package"
TEMS optional
Late models have wiring for the "Super Monitor" -- some early models do not



1987:

First year of the Turbo model
N/A model carries over essentially unchanged, however it gets an updated radio, which has new rear plugs
Turbo model gets rear 1-piece spoiler, turbo badging, "Sport Package" is standard, gets 3.91:1 rear end gearing, opposed to the N/A's 4.30:1, also gets beefier transmission (R154 vs W5
ABS is now an option



1988:

Essential carry-over from 1987
Redesigned rear 3rd brake light on rear spoiler (trapezoid vs rectangle)
Interior cloth material changed
Headlight pushrods threaded
Rear sway bar endlinks changed to plastic construction
Slight changes made to the climate controller, radio, and left-side buttons (made slightly darker)
Seat belt guides added to front seats
Cloth sunvisors replace vinyl ones on hardtops



1989:

MKIII recieves it's first major update, both on the interior and exterior
Redesigned mouldings (different shape, as well as being entirely plastic)
New rear tail-lights (3-piece, goes all the way across the rear) (non-European Countries Only)
New 3-piece rear spoiler
New mirrors on the doors (reshaped)
New steering wheel (cruise on/off switch moved to the wheel, switch replaced with coin holder)
New front bumper cover (including new fog lights)
New front turn signals (not as wide)
New front grilles (2 as opposed to a single one)
Cup holders added underneath center console lid
New climate control
New steering column stalks (turn signals/headlights/wipers)
Switches on left side of steering column changed from silver colour to black
Power window switches updated
Rear seatbelts are changed to shoulder belts
Front seatbelts get updated (the top mount plastic is redesigned)
Rear speakers get updated (2 extra are added in the rear panels beside the seats)
Instrument cluster updated (less lines on gauges, speedo up to 260km/h - from 240km/h, lights are now completely blacked out unless lit up)
Shift boot, shift knob, e-brake handle, steering wheel, and steering column become black
Updated stereo to match other new interior components
Seats get extra power assist (tilt back/forward - changed from the old knob on side)
Turbo rear end gets changed to 3.73:1 gearing, opposed to the old 3.91:1
Headlight washers no longer an option (US Only)
Horsepower up to 232hp (from 230hp), torque up to 254ft-lbs (from 246ft-lbs)
Halfway through 1989, the engine crossmember changes, as does the wiring harness and engine mounts, as well as the ECU
Progressive speed-based power steering added
ABS now standard
Wiring for "Super Monitor" no longer included, and it is no longer an option
"White Package" now available, includes white trim pieces, and white wheels, on a white car
Strut manufacturer changes
Car drops in height by 12mm (about 1/2")
Rear subframe receives 2 extra braces
Late models have completely standardized body harness, with wiring for every option (NA/Turbo/Manual/Auto/TEMS) -- body harness, not engine harness
At some point in the 89 model year the engine crank changed over to fully balanced 7M crank, redline dropped to 6250 from 6500
Aluminum replaces steel on the brake master cylinder
TEMS actuators become smaller



1990:

Steering wheel changes to a 4-spoke design with SRS airbag (cruise moved to stalk) (US Only)
Progressive power steering electronics get revised
Foglights now on all the time (driving lights) (Canada Only)
Larger transparent laminate area in front of rear wheel well to prevent chipping



1991:

Front speakers get updated to 6.5", and get a larger grille
5-spoke 16x7" rims replace the old 16x7" sawblades
Factory sunroof now an option
Subwoofer for stereo now an option (rare)
Square "Supra" emblem on nose replaced with new "T" Toyota logo
Power steering cooler added
All body trim is now the same colour as the body paint
Shadow Grey interior colour introduced (rare, closest to black you can get)
Teal exterior colour introduced
A lot of extra sound deadening material added
Coinholder introduced in 1989 replaced with dimmer switch



1992:

Automatic transmission shift points revised
New stereo system introduced
Remote keyless entry option added
Good Year Eagles become standard on turbos
Dark steel grey debuts as does dark green.
Targa no longer available on N/A cars
N/A model dropped (Canada Only)



There are also a few other changes made, but I'm not entirely sure when they happened:

Heated seats added as an option (Canada Only - 1991 I think)
TEMS no longer an option (Canada Only - 1991 I think)
Seat Cloth pattern changed again in 89 or 90, not sure which


Mike told me that the White Package debuted in late 1988, but I haven't seen any, and I don't know the differences with the 89+ white package, so I haven't updated it to show that yet. Was the trim white on the 88 White Package cars?

[drjonez]

the SF master thread:

http://www.supraforums.com/forum/sho...hreadid=194124

Years of production: 1986.5 - 1992
Chassis Code: MA70
Versions: Turbo (87+) and Non-Turbo

N/A Specs:

Horsepower: 200@6200
Torque: 188
Weight: 3400-3600
Engine: 7M-GE 2954cc
Transmission: W58
Injector Size: 380cc
Spark Plugs: NGK BCPR5EP-11
Compression: 9.2:1
Cylinder Pressure: 156
Fuel Pressure: 33-40psi

Turbo Specs:

Horsepower: 230@5600 (232 89+ models)
Torque: 246 (256 89+ models)
Weight: 3600-3700
Engine: 7M-GTE 2954cc
Transmission: R154
Boost: 6.8psi (Autos run lower boost because the tranny doesn't put as much load on the motor -- more like around 4 - 4.5psi)
Turbo: Toyota CT-26
Spark Plugs: NGK BCPR6EP-N8
Injector Size: 440cc
Compression: 8.4:1
Cylinder Pressure: 142
Fuel Pressure: 33-40psi
Fuel Cutoff: 11.4-13.7psi
Intercooler Efficiency: 3psi drop@6.8psi


Wheels/Tires: 16x7" Rims with 225/50-16 Tires




1986.5:

Introduced halfway through year, replacing the 1986 MKII Supra
Only available as a non-turbo model
Targa top available
LSD, headlight washers are a part of the "Sport Package"
TEMS optional
"Super Monitor" Optional, most cars not equipped with it have the wiring for it, however not all


1987:

First year of the Turbo model
N/A model carries over essentially unchanged, however it gets an updated radio, which has new rear plugs
Turbo model gets rear 1-piece spoiler, turbo badging, "Sport Package" is standard, gets 3.91:1 rear end gearing, opposed to the N/A's 4.30:1
ABS is now an option



1988:

Essential carry-over from 1987
Redesigned rear 3rd brake light on rear spoiler
Interior cloth material changed
Slight changes made to the climate controller, radio, and left-side buttons (made slightly darker)
Seat belt guides added to front seats
Cloth sunvisors replace vinyl ones on hardtops



1989:

MKIII recieves it's first major update, both on the interior and exterior
Redesigned mouldings (different shape, as well as being entirely plastic)
New rear tail-lights (3-piece, goes all the way across the rear) (non-European Countries Only)
New 3-piece rear spoiler
New mirrors on the doors (reshaped)
New steering wheel (cruise on/off switch moved to the wheel, switch replaced with coin holder)
Door handle shape changed (became slightly more rounded)
New front bumper cover (including new fog lights)
New front turn signals (not as wide)
New front grilles (2 as opposed to a single one)
Cup holders added underneath the center console lid
New climate control
New steering column stalks (turn signals/headlights/wipers)
Switches on left side of steering column changed from silver colour to black
Power window switches updated
Rear seatbelts are changed to shoulder belts
Front seatbelts get updated (the top mount plastic is redesigned)
Rear speakers get updated (2 extra are added in the rear panels beside the seats)
Instrument cluster updated (orange part on needle removed, less lines on gauges, speedo up to 260km/h - from 240km/h, lights are now completely blacked out unless lit up)
Shift boot, shift knob, e-brake handle, steering wheel, and steering column become black
Updated stereo to match other new interior components
Seats get extra power assist (tilt back/forward - changed from the old knob on side)
Turbo rear end gets changed to 3.73:1 gearing, opposed to the old 3.91:1
Headlight washers no longer an option (US Only)
Horsepower up to 232hp (from 230hp), torque up to 254ft-lbs (from 246ft-lbs)
Halfway through 1989, the engine crossmember changes, as does the wiring harness and engine mounts
Progressive speed-based power steering added
ABS now standard
Wiring for "Super Monitor" no longer included, and it is no longer an option
"White Package" now available, includes white trim pieces, and white wheels, on a white car
Strut manufacturer changes
Car drops in height by 12mm (about 1/2")
Rear subframe receives 2 extra braces
Late models have completely standardized body harness, with wiring for every option (NA/Turbo/Manual/Auto/TEMS) -- body harness, not engine harness
At some point in the 89 model year the engine crank changed over to fully balanced 7M crank, redline dropped to 6250 from 6500
Aluminum replaces steel on the brake master cylinder
Stretchy mesh pockets on rear of front seats removed
Suit hooks added above front seatbelts



1990:

Steering wheel changes to a 4-spoke design with SRS airbag (cruise moved to stalk) (US Only)
Progressive power steering electronics get revised
Foglights now on all the time (driving lights) (Canada Only)
Larger transparent laminate area in front of rear wheel well to prevent chipping
Cloth pattern on seat fabric again updated with different spacing on the lines



1991:

Front speakers get updated to 6.5", and get a larger grille
5-spoke 16x7" rims replace the old 16x7" sawblades
Factory sunroof now an option
Subwoofer for stereo now an option (rare)
Square "Supra" emblem on nose replaced with new "T" Toyota logo
Power steering cooler added
All body trim is now the same colour as the body paint
Shadow Grey interior colour introduced (rare, closest to black you can get)
Teal exterior colour introduced
A lot of extra sound deadening material added
Extra coinholder introduced in 1989 replaced with dimmer switch
Heated seats added as an option (Canada Only)
TEMS no longer an option (Canada Only)



1992:

Automatic transmission shift points revised
New stereo system introduced
Remote keyless entry option added
Good Year Eagles become standard on turbos
Dark steel grey debuts as does dark green.
Targa no longer available on N/A cars
Seatbelt buckles changed to top-release type

[Gaslight]

I don't know how big of changes you a trying to keep track of but I have found throttle body design changes as well as the fuel pressure hard line that came up from the motor mount to the back of the fuel rail.

[drjonez]

hmmmm, can't believe i missed the TB changes....

when did the fuel line change?