site home | MR2 news/home | contact | projects/modlist | :. News/Home .: 2006.04.14 ·Exit Stage Left After precisely two months of ownership, the MR2 is now gone the way of my '92 Civic. A fellow from Aurora is going to be enjoying it now. I kept the Profec EBC and sold the Fukui exhaust separately, so I ended up with everything I need to buy the 300ZX TT that I have been lusting after since early December. Where there is a will, there's a way! True to Toyota form, the MR2 was solid, quiet, reliable, and had no vices to speak of. It just wasn't my style of car, I don't think - not the GT I've been looking for in my notes, and goals for trips around the US of A. Onward to the next project! 2006.04.01 ·Juuuuuust bout done Well, it appears I've been remiss in much of an update for what is really the most interesting part of the project - getting the car running! The new engine is in the car, and feels fantastic. I dropped the engine out over the course of three afternoons after work, and got it back in in part of a Friday, and Saturday. I had to wait a bit for the injectors, a new intake, and the repair of the passenger side halfshaft, but it VROOMED to life on Tuesday the 21st. Only having the #3 and #4 plug wires swapped seemed to cause any initial problems with startup. Initial issues were a broken wastegate actuator signal line from the Profec, a missing clip on that repaired axle, and a generally AWFUL alignment. Car is aligned, axle is fixed, and the car seems to have zero issues. It has burned off all the oil in the intake tract from the blown engine, and is running clean, strong, and fast. Having gotten the alignment, I took it for its run up in Rist Canyon to confirm that everything is 100%, and the car was awesome. T-Top off fun! Only a few things left to do. I would like to fix the broken key. If I sell to a 3rd party, I'll have to paint the new engine panel, or if I keep it, I'll have to fix the headlights, which just are not attractive. Lastly, before March 22, I'll have to get the thing emissioned, but that is about all that is left on the list as far as big things to worry about. The rest is just minor changes/fixes I will do only if I keep the car. Not much else to say for the time being - I'll just be taking care of little issues as they crop up on the car, and having fun going back and forth to work! 2006.03.12 ·Rebirth Update #4 More time gone by, and much more has been done. Nearly a month into this project! The new engine will be here on Wednesday the 15th (month and a day!). The replacement is a used Gen III JDM engine. The blown engine is out of the car, and I've disassembled it, for the most part. Just need to get the proper socket to be able to remove the head studs, and pull the head. I am very eager to see what the postmortem is on the #4 cylinder! The wiring harness is off the old engine in preparation for the new one. There is some confusing wiring on the distrubtor - two wires were swapped for some reason. When we dropped the engine, it looks like I failed to disconnect one of the connectors - coil pack low-pass filter circuit. DAMMIT! I will have to figure out what to do about fixing this. The transmission is off also, obviously. Clutch looks good, so I'll reuse it. Flywheel is nearly stock weight, so I am going to install a Fidanza (oooo!) while I am in there. I will install a new T/O bearing too. On the downside the passenger side axle needs some repair - the stock carrier bearing is hosed. Also, I think I've isolated the cause of the "sticky" shifter linkage - it appears to be something internal to the transmission selection linkage. The BGB shows two springs, but they are apparently not strong enough, broken, or somehow inop. I will probably cry uncle and take this to the dealer to examine and disassemble, to see if we can ferret out why there is no centering feel to the shifter. So, there are some issues that need to be resolved before things start going back together, for sure. Such is always the case, I guess....*sigh*. However, it will be a solid platform. I'll also be sending the injectors off to get cleaned, both 440's and 550's. New Fuel filter and plugs will be arriving soon. Am going to decide what to do about the timing belt after having a look at the one on the new engine, and see how it appears. It will never be easier than now, but it's just more time, parts, and things for me to f*** up on an already complex install. To simplify the wiring harness somewhat, I have removed all the superfluous connected elements (EGR, Cold-Start plug, TVIS plug, BCS plug), and taped them neatly back to the main harness with electrical tape. That should clean things up just a bit in the car. Speaking of cleaning things up, I've also figured out which lines of many can be removed, most notably for clutter, LOTS of the air and water hardlines leading to the throttle body. I will remove teh coolant circuit entirely, and run one large line for the TB idle-air, along with the A/C idle-up valve, which is now installed in the car. That's all for now...hopefully the car will be going together by next week? 2006.03.01 ·Rebirth Update #3 Most of the little stuff on the car is fixed now, but unfortunately, the engine is terminal. So, I will shortly have a Gen III replacement on the way to drop in. In the meantime, here are all the details that have been sorted out: Clutch Adjustment Fixed - engaging properly now. FR Clunk fixed (loose strut bolt) K&N Replaced *nasty* HKS Filter Panasonic MP3 head unit installed, rear speaker wires run (if I ever want 'em), proper fusing etc. Fuel Pressure verified @ 41psi base, tee for gauge (eventually)installed. 93 Shifter installed, spring extra-tensioned. (shift cables are toast - need new ones) A/C Up-Idle valve installed Gen III catch-can and drainback installed. engine compartment coolant leak (onto cables) fixed On the way is a trashed '93 shift knob, so I can see if I like the feel of that. Still to be installed is the Twos-R-Us shifter boot. 2006.02.19 ·Rebirth Update #2 More Fixes! The stock BPV is installed, complete with dump tube. P/S fluid has been checked + topped off I found the missing idle-up A/C valve, and one is on the way. I've cleaned out the frunk pretty completely, and organized the stereo wires I've identified that all the car's electronics are USDM, not Gen III. All missing connectors/connections have been found/identified. I've ordered a K&N to replace the filthy HKS filter on the car. Next attention is on getting the stereo fixed, since I'll be waiting a bit for the Gen III Catch can, the shifter parts/pieces. It is also getting time to get under the car and examine the leak from the front of the engine near the slave cylinder. Some clutch adjustment and brake bleeding is next up. 2006.02.17 ·Rebirth Update #1 I'm getting things sorted out with the car pretty quickly for the moment: A Stock BPV is on the way to replace the Apex'i BOV. That should cure the part-throttle surging and between shift "bog" A stock Gen III Catch-Can is on the way to replace the hoopty Mr. Gasket thing that was on the car. I've ordered a set of BGB Manuals. A new 93 shifter, boot, knob, and bushings are on the way from Twos-R-Us A gas prop-rod is also in that order to help keep the engine lid up properly. 2 new Sumitomo HRTZ 225/45-16 are here to replace the bald rear A520's. I have 2 new keys from Pederson to replace the semi-busted one I got with the car Loose Viper antenna has been put back behind the A-Pillar. More is on the list - clutch adjustments/checks, brake bleeding, intake leak tests, an alignment, some engine tuning, and some sleuthing to get the stereo working again. 2006.02.11 ·New Car! It's always exciting to get a new toy, and now I have something to have a bit of fun with on the drive to work every day. The new daily driver is a 1991 MR2 Turbo, in Aquamarine Pearl Green paint. I am the car's 5th owner. The car's 3rd owner owned a shop called Technospeed in Denver, and built the car up as a shop car to show it off. He is responsible for 90% of the modification to the car, which you can see in the Modlist page. As always with a car that has been unloved for a while, there is going to be a lot of general cleanup and fixes: Alignment and new tires Fix shifter and clutch pedal issues General cleanup, especially of frunk and stereo wiring Repair of Engine #4, which has high leakdown & blowby Those are the major issues. The tune is a bit off, and I need to get some things fixed up like a few body parts, the catch can, and some other misc bits, but otehr than needing some attention, the car isn't doing too badly! With the excellent aftermarket parts, it should be tremendously fun to drive around once it is back to 100% fighting shape!