JLee's 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo build thread

[jlee]

just now noticed your build thread...from one fellow Toyota owner to another, keep up the good work :thumbsup:. btw, perhaps i missed it earlier in the thread, but what kind of numbers are you looking to make?

On this turbo, I'll be happy with 300rwhp. When/if I kill this turbo (or get bored), I might shoot for 350-400whp, but I'm not too keen on rebuilding the bottom end (yet) as I still want it as a daily...maybe eventually.

 

[jlee]

I was in PA for two days working on a car for the Charlotte Chump race next month - hit up Harbor Freight on the way back:

Aluminum jack ftw...plus I think it'll actually fit under my car, which is helpful.

I also picked up wheels on the way back. They need refinishing, but that's what black2na will do.

I got some stuff done today, finally!
ATS Racing 790CFM 9" fan installed with ATS fan shroud, next to the shitty OEM fan:

I checked the exhaust manifold and found that it's slightly warped, so I'll have to have that smoothed out...options are paying a machine shop/etc, bringing it to JCH13, or buying a belt sander.

I need to loop the coolant lines for the turbo, since my new one is just oil cooled. This was one of the existing lines...I pulled it off with my fingers. Fking previous owners...

 

[jlee]

Removing throttle body to add a stopper screw (mine was missing, which caused very aggravating throttle sticking problems):

Throttle body with new stopper screw:

Inside of TB:

The screw was too tall, so I had to grind a little off to get the TB to close completely. Since that's done, I started to put it back together and then remembered that I'm going to replace the valve cover gasket, so I started working on that.

Cover removed, ready to leave it for a bit:

Oh, and my list:

Since I really should do the timing belt, water pump, and oil pump when it's apart, I am really tempted to pick up some cams too. Someone talk me out of it..this is getting expensive!

 

[punjabiplaya]

get cams

 

[Black2na]

BWHAHAHA the bottom of your list is awsome dont suck and be awsome and honestly i say cams but for the sake of getting it on the road and enjoying it for the summer leave the motor alone and finish what you started and what we talked about yesterday

 

[Howard]

Since I really should do the timing belt, water pump, and oil pump when it's apart, I am really tempted to pick up some cams too. Someone talk me out of it..this is getting expensive!

Word 2010 user giveaway

 

[AMCRambler]

Skip the cams. I'd make sure that thing all goes back together and runs right before attempting any upgrades. Cams look easy enough to get to later.

 

[exdeath]

Red valve cover means it's fast :awe:

 

[jlee]

Word 2010 user giveaway

..?

 

[bommy261]

Since I really should do the timing belt, water pump, and oil pump when it's apart, I am really tempted to pick up some cams too. Someone talk me out of it..this is getting expensive!

The bottom of your list is awesome. And get some cams.... i mean common they are right there for the changing!

 

[exdeath]

HKS 272 cams sound really nice No idea how well they work with your turbo choice though. And you'll need springs too, more $.

 

[goobernoodles]

I came into this thread to make sure you're not the guy with the MR2 and NSX in the neighborhood.

You're not.

/get a better jack.
//still impressed.

 

[EightySix Four]

JLee, after breakin and such, still digging those speakers?

 

[jlee]

JLee, after breakin and such, still digging those speakers?

I haven't fixed the horrific interference yet...need to find the absolute best quality shielded RCA's ever and try those.

I came into this thread to make sure you're not the guy with the MR2 and NSX in the neighborhood.

You're not.

/get a better jack.
//still impressed.

I have a steel 3 ton jack too. It just sucks to move around.

 

[sjwaste]

Let me know if that jack fits under your car. I still can't find one that slides under the front crossmember on my Supra.

HKS 272 cams will probably be streetable but barely. Idle is rough, at least on the 7M. Also, can you actually find those for the 3S-GTE? They've been gone forever for the 7M-GTE. At your HP targets, cams aren't going to do a whole lot. You can move the powerband around, but you're probably not hitting the limits of the stock setup. The head and stock valvetrain on that engine can flow a lot more than you're asking it to do right now.

Explain the audio problem to me, I was unaware of it. I can probably help you fix it. For someone that didn't ever do it for pay, I have done a LOT of audio systems.

 

[ballmode]

jealous, and props to doing this work, toyota dealers rarely can work on these things as nobody knows how to do stuff in there!

 

[jlee]

Let me know if that jack fits under your car. I still can't find one that slides under the front crossmember on my Supra.

HKS 272 cams will probably be streetable but barely. Idle is rough, at least on the 7M. Also, can you actually find those for the 3S-GTE? They've been gone forever for the 7M-GTE. At your HP targets, cams aren't going to do a whole lot. You can move the powerband around, but you're probably not hitting the limits of the stock setup. The head and stock valvetrain on that engine can flow a lot more than you're asking it to do right now.

Explain the audio problem to me, I was unaware of it. I can probably help you fix it. For someone that didn't ever do it for pay, I have done a LOT of audio systems.

If I go with cams, it'll probably be 264's with a slightly larger turbo and much more fuel.

I have really bad feedback from my power steering pump, and some alternator whine. I need to replace the RCA's (I have really long generic cheap ones now) with short shielded cables and check the main ground in the front of the car and see if it needs cleaning up.

 

[speedy2]

Nice to see a build like this on one of these cars. I've seen so many mutilated by ricers. It's sad.

 

[jlee]

I just ordered more stuff...couldn't resist the deal I happened to find. Headed back out to get more done.

 

[exdeath]

Haha owned!

 

[FDF12389]

Love seeing clean MR2s, get to work, more pictures!

 

[jlee]

I wanted to ship my sister's new desktop down to her today, then I go to boot it up and have no video...for some reason the video card quit, but onboard works. Weird. Anyway, that sidetracked me for a bit, but I have a few pics and I did get something done earlier. I'm going out for food and I'll be back out there again tonight.

I need a bigger trash can:

I also got the turbo coolant line looped back to itself - was very easy, as I was able to use the stock lower coolant line:

The next few is me working on removing either the hose from hell or the hose from hell on earth (HFH, HFHOE). I can't remember which is which, but they both suck and I'm replacing them both. They're the hoses that go to the oil cooler.

This is one of them - visible right in the middle, with the heat insulation on it. It's not nearly as bad to do now, since I have the entire exhaust, intercooler, and turbo system out of the car. Doing it with everything installed is a bitch, as I'm sure you could imagine from looking at earlier pics of the intact engine bay:

Started disassembly, car is covered in towels now (should've done that yesterday):

Draining:

Had to remove the dipstick assembly - the bracket was held on with one bolt that was loose. Good thing I found it before it was gone. And hey, I still have oil!

Success on the first one:

 

[jlee]

I also decided to start working on my turbo oil drain line. The ends were pretty ratty so I cut the edge off - no pics of the process, but I wrapped it in electrical tape, loosely held the hose in a vice, and used my Dremel with a cutoff wheel. It came out pretty well:

This is one end on:

 

[DivideBYZero]

Nice work. :thumbsup:

 

[jlee]

I'm tired of spraying nuts and bolts with carb cleaner...I just ordered a 3.5 gallon parts washer from Amazon. 2 day Prime shipping FTW.