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Toyota MR2 Engine Rebuild or Swap

bandit10

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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!

Thats the price you pay for living in WA im afraid, if you can pick up a half cut 3S-GTE your laughing!! that would be the best option by far as everything you will need to convert is in the back half.
I would still go have a drive of this one in perth just see what it goes like, check under the oil filler cap, it wants to look nice and clean, no gunk or slime and if it looks like cheese under there then it most likely got a blown head gasket, but again this should not be a problem if you change the gasket when motor is out!!
The 3S-GT and 3S-GTE are both well built motors.
You know the JDM 3S-GTE MR-2 GT came with 261bhp and could do 0-100km in 5.4 seconds!! Top speed they will push 260kmh, 1/4 mile in the 14's factory spec! They are fast cars and VERY tunable
The none JDM turbos were 220bhp rev1+2 and 240bhp rev3+ change the turbo set up and after market engine management and 350+bhp is easily achievable and all from a 2ltr engine!

Want a turbo in your car yet...?!?! lol i need another MR-2! lol
 

Deutscher

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I can see you'd jump for the Turbo. I've found a 3SGE Beams for $3k in Perth 93,xxx Kms.
 
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bandit10

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not bad! the beams engine was only available in the rev4 and rev5 cars 1997 onwards, what year is it?? the colour of the rocker cover will give you a clue, the 97-98 were red top and 99-00 black top. The Beams engine came with around 200bhp and is the most powerful N/A engine fitted to any of the Mk2 MR-2's it is also a VVT-i engine!
Beams stands for - Breakthrough Engine with Advanced Mechanism System

Good choice of engine, but your going to have to find out if the gearbox on your car is compatible with the beams engine, or does it come with gearbox? your going to need everything else as well just like you would for the turbo conversion, ECU, engine wiring harness, exhaust, gear linkage?? (minus turbo I/C)
You may run in to problems converting to beams as it is a completely different engine, and at least 7 years newer than yours, but thats just a guess as ive never done a beams conversion.
 

Deutscher

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It's a Redtop. But I think it might be expensive in the long run. It's just the engine (from memory).
 

bandit10

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It's a Redtop. But I think it might be expensive in the long run. It's just the engine (from memory).

yeah no good if its just the engine, dont sell mate! its a nice looking car..

Why dont you go get the head gasket changed on it and see what happens..?? could be your cheapest option, i would highly doubt you need a full engine rebuild.
 

bandit10

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if you get the head gasket changed, ask for them to have the head skimmed to make sure it is not warped.

Should only cost around $70-$100 extra to have skimmed.
 

Deutscher

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yeah no good if its just the engine, dont sell mate! its a nice looking car..

Why dont you go get the head gasket changed on it and see what happens..?? could be your cheapest option, i would highly doubt you need a full engine rebuild.

Because we don't know if that would fix the major oil leakage or not. Before reconditioning the head and putting it back on and then finding out the bottom needs doing. It'd cost more than doing it all at once.
 

Deutscher

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if you get the head gasket changed, ask for them to have the head skimmed to make sure it is not warped.

Should only cost around $70-$100 extra to have skimmed.

They told me to get to the engine they need to take the engine out to work on it. Can't get the head off when it's in the car. Told me just to get the head recon'd while I'm at it.
 

bandit10

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They told me to get to the engine they need to take the engine out to work on it. Can't get the head off when it's in the car. Told me just to get the head recon'd while I'm at it.

they are not the easiest of engines to work on due to the location of the engine and small engine bay, ive ended up sitting on the boot working on mine before when i had them! or kneeling on top of the motor lol i dont see why they couldnt take the head off with the block still in the car.. im 99% sure it would be possible..

Might be worth while signing up on the MR-2 owners club forum and ask if anyone on there has changed the head gasket with motor still in the car, im sure someone will of done.

Try taking your car to a few different mechanics and get some different quotes and opinions. I would offer to help you out if you was local, but perth is a little far :)
 
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