MR2 Engine Rebuild Chronicles: Marathon week day 2

"MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig" (MR2_FTW)
06/04/2014 at 21:14 • Filed to: MR2, supercharged, toyota, rebuild, project

My progress after evening 2 of putting the thing back together. Not bad.

Timing gear, timing belt, timing belt tensioner, cam gears, cam seals, rear and front timing covers, distributor, spark plugs, plug wires, alternator bracket, SC bracket, motor mount bracket, water pump pulley, intake manifold, water pipes, and valve covers are all on. Tomorrow I'll be installing the rear crank cover/rear main seal, prepping the oil pan (cleaning the surface, and fixing any bends I may have put in it from prying it off) and hopefully installing it as well. Then the SC, exhaust manifold, wiring harness, and alternator can be installed.

DISCUSSION (15)

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 21:22

I with I had half your mechanical aptitude, I'm too scared to rebuild my 3SGTE for fear I'll break something.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/04/2014 at 21:30

Armed with tools, a copy of the Big Green Book (factory Toyota repair manual which can be had for free in pdf form at opc.mr2oc.com), and a spare car to get to work in, it's really not all that technically difficult. Oh yeah, an internet connection and being on a bazillion car forums helps too haha.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 21:39

haha yeah. I think I'll start with either a spare car or a spare engine. A mate has a 3rd gen 3sgte and trans he's umming and ahhing about selling. He says he wants to keep it for a project but I think he wants the cash to fix his other car.

Hopefully I can get a good deal on that and throw in a case of beer to have him help me rip it out of his wrecked SW20.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/04/2014 at 21:59

I'd love to get my hands on an E153 trans from a 91-92 MR2 turbo, so I can swap the innards + an LSD over into my E51 case. E153 parts are way WAY easier to get than E51, given that the E51 was only on the MR2 SC and are therefore rare as hen's teeth.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 22:37

if I was on the same continent I'd offer up my 1990 E153 for free when I'm done with it. As far as I'm aware the internals are all the same up until 93 when they get different synchros?

I actually miss the S54 from the old 3SGE car, it was much sweeter to use.. but not as strong.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/04/2014 at 22:46

Granted, my SW20 knowledge is not as extensive as my AW11, but I believe in the US we had E153 until '93 when we got the S54 on the Turbos. We also never got the 3SGE, just 3SGTE and 5S-FE.

Orange Exige > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 23:11

Having this Big Green Book (in digital form obviously) when I had my 2 was the greatest thing ever.

It's so great to have all that material on hand just like that. I spent a half hour searching online the other day trying to find wiring diagrams for my dad's Pilot and found nothing. The benefits of old cars with great communities...

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 23:14

nah the S54's were only on the 3S-GE and 5S-FE MR2's. E153's were on all the turbo revisions.. but I think the bellhousing bolt holes changed enough so that you can't put 93+ E153 on an earlier 3S-GTE without a bit of machining and welding.

I've always wondered why the US went with the 5S-FE, I assumed for Californian emissions or to keep the costs low? I haven't been able to find a definitive answer. the 3S-GE in my old car was fantastic though, sounded amazing. I miss it some times.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/04/2014 at 23:15

It was probably the cheapest way to meet US emissions, just throw the same 2.2 from the Camry in there. Torquy bastard, but kinda runs out of breath up top. Great fuel economy too, my ex gets like 35mpg in her 5S MR2.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
06/04/2014 at 23:18

I think all of them have great fuel economy. I got 35mpg in my Turbo on a 7 hour drive down to Melbourne the other weekend :P

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/05/2014 at 00:17

I'm kind of glad my 5sfe is half dead because I keep just trying stuff and my wife has already written the car off as scrap =D

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > itranthelasttimeiparkedit
06/05/2014 at 00:42

what do you mean trying stuff? like accidentally an entire 2GR-FE?

KAT8503 > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/05/2014 at 08:53

Not that hard, the online book helps. If you can have the car down, I'd say go for it.

http://bgbonline.celicatech.com/

Kinja'd!!!

itranthelasttimeiparkedit > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard
06/05/2014 at 10:20

right now its spewing oil all over but its somewhere under the exhaust manifold so i cant figure out where (when I say spray, I mean it gets everywhere - dumps the whole thing in <20secs after starting.) I am a pretty shitty mechanic so its nice knowing that I can't really break it worse since it doesn't even run.

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > KAT8503
06/05/2014 at 20:01

thanks man, I have the MR2 specific engine manual lying around at home. It's my only car at the moment so I can't afford to go without it for the time it'll take (for me) to rebuild it.

I'm looking at sourcing a 3rd gen 3SGTE anyway, so I'll be able to take my time rebuilding that.