Toyota MR2 Engine Rebuild or Swap

[Deutscher]

For me it is simply option number 3! the other options dont even come close!
If i had another MR2 and was offered all that for only $1500 i would snap the guys arms off... both of them lol

Stick with the MR2 you have got now, get it all sorted out and it will be a fantastic car, even more so when the turbo goes in ;-)

Would you still say that if the Turbo didn't give extra power? I'm over the power stage.. hence the N/A 2L. The Turbo just came up. I need a Reliable/good Economical kind of car, I'm building a house (6months till finished) and I'm at Uni. That's why my funds are low, so I don't really have the cash to fix up that turbo engine. If the conversion/compliance is going to come close to the full rebuild price... maybe it better to do the rebuild and get back on 0kms instead of 85,000kms.

If I was rich I'd chuck the Turbo in straight away but just trying to make the best choice in the cheapest way.

 

[Deutscher]

$750 for a service!!! geeeeez!! thats robbery
$170 for a air filter?? i hope thats for a pod filter?? the MR2 goes and sounds great with a pod, you can extend to air intake pipe down to the air vent on the side of the car so nice cold air 100% of the time!
$400 for a battery..? they saw you comming! $200 would of got you a good battery, or cheapo ones can be had for under $100

Buy the turbo conversion and find a mate who can help you fit it all or find a nice mechanic who wont rip you off! the engine transplant should be able to be completed in 2-4 days easy

I didn't quite write everything in there. $750 was for Service, Throttle Body Service, Upper Cylinder Head Service - Done by Toyota.
$170 was for a Apexi Pod Filter.
$400 for the battery.. Planning to get good sound system, 2x 12" Rockford subs and SoundStream TRC6N splits. The Optima YT D34 is a good battery.

 

[bandit10]

i seriously think the cheapest option would be the turbo conversion, you should get all the parts you need there so you only have to pay for labour to fit at a guess $1000-$2000 and maybe a few gaskets etc.

plus the re-sale value of your car will go up being a turbo ;-) you will have to change the tell tail things over tho that give it away as a N/A engine cover/clocks

It will use a little more fuel than the N/A if your hard on the gas all the time! but if you drive sensible 90% of the time you will be fine, there both good on fuel compared to commodores lol

 

[Deutscher]

another thing, if the only problem with your engine is that it uses oil, try using thicker oil or you can put an additive in to your current oil to make it thicker like, nulon stop smoke (think thats the name, read the bottle it will say its designed to stop excessive oil use)

That will just be delaying the problem. See If I get the head done for $3300, I may still have that oil problem and then have to pull the engine out again to do the bottom end so it'd cost more. According to my compression results, my piston rings aren't worn, I got 150, 150, 150 145.

 

[Deutscher]

i seriously think the cheapest option would be the turbo conversion, you should get all the parts you need there so you only have to pay for labour to fit at a guess $1000-$2000 and maybe a few gaskets etc.

plus the re-sale value of your car will go up being a turbo ;-) you will have to change the tell tail things over tho that give it away as a N/A engine cover/clocks

It will use a little more fuel than the N/A if your hard on the gas all the time! but if you drive sensible 90% of the time you will be fine, there both good on fuel compared to commodores lol

I could change the cluster etc later right? it's not going to affect the engine? See the problem is, I don't know what part I'll need for the swap immediately and which can wait. I don't actually know wat parts I'll need to purchase before the conversion can begin.... here is the link for the guy - TOYOTA MR2 3SGTE SW20 turbo motor/gearbox/ecu for sale | Car Engine Parts | Gumtree Perth .

 

[bandit10]

yep you can change the cluster when ever you like, the only difference between N/A and Turbo is the N/A has a battery volt gauge in the center of the cluster and the turbo has a boost gauge there instead, turbo engine cover's are raised N/A flat.

You just need the engine, loom, ecu, gearbox, turbo, intercooler, exhaust, cooler piping that should just about do it cant think of anything else you will need at the moment

 

[bandit10]

here is the link for the guy - TOYOTA MR2 3SGTE SW20 turbo motor/gearbox/ecu for sale | Car Engine Parts | Gumtree Perth .

Thats either a 1992 or 1993 rev2 model, which has the rev3 tail lights its kept the original rev 2 rear wing thought, which i prefer over the rev3 wing, the rev5 wing is the best one but hard to find.

Looks like a good buy to me mate, he says negotiable so offer him $1200 for the lot, hes obviously in to MR2's so he might even help you with the conversion or tell you where to go for help!

I suggest you call the seller of the conversion and ask him if he could help with the conversion or give you details of someone that could help, ask him who is doing his rev3 conversion?

 

[Deutscher]

Thats either a 1992 or 1993 rev2 model, which has the rev3 tail lights its kept the original rev 2 rear wing thought, which i prefer over the rev3 wing, the rev5 wing is the best one but hard to find.

Looks like a good buy to me mate, he says negotiable so offer him $1200 for the lot, hes obviously in to MR2's so he might even help you with the conversion or tell you where to go for help!

I suggest you call the seller of the conversion and ask him if he could help with the conversion or give you details of someone that could help, ask him who is doing his rev3 conversion?

Hmm... Just spoken to RAC and Hi Flow Reconditioning..both aren't interested in doing the swap. Then I rang Tony Flood Mechanicals which looked after his car. He said that it overheats and it's probably not a good idea But Tony seemed to be rather nice, said I could send him pics etc of an engine and he'd have a look and give some feedback on what he could see.

 

[bandit10]

whats he hoping to see from a picture??? what sort of feedback are you expecting from him???

Over heating problem would be pretty easy to fix, change head gasket for good measure fit head off other motor, get a new water pump as well if your really worried. You will be using all the cooling system already on your car so if that works on yours you shouldn't have any troubles, replace the thermostat and use fresh coolant.
The radiator pipes run the whole length of the car so theres a fair way for it coolant to loose the heat even before it reaches the radiator up front.

 

[Deutscher]

whats he hoping to see from a picture??? what sort of feedback are you expecting from him???

Over heating problem would be pretty easy to fix, change head gasket for good measure fit head off other motor, get a new water pump as well if your really worried. You will be using all the cooling system already on your car so if that works on yours you shouldn't have any troubles, replace the thermostat and use fresh coolant.
The radiator pipes run the whole length of the car so theres a fair way for it coolant to loose the heat even before it reaches the radiator up front.

Haha, he said bout getting a pic of oil cap etc.. But he said If I was interested he'd have a chat to the guy etc.

I had it worked out aswell to swapping the heads over etc. Just the mechanic that was working on his car said it wasn't worth the trouble, he'd rather find a different second hand engine. I mite have a see on the weekend, see what it drives like... I'm not expecting a brand new engine or something you know. Can't hurt to give it a drive and see.

I've just emailed places over east for half cut 3sgte or replacement 3sge engine. Hope to see what I can find. I hate Perth, nobody has anything here... and we are on the other side of the continent from all the other big cities. So I've gotta pay shipping!