mr2-digest Monday, 20 November 1995 Volume 01 : Number 037 MKII Turbo WANTED gearbox ? Re: Mk I NA mods Re: Front end rattles '94+ Shock replacement Trip to WV Re: mr2-digest V1 #36 Turbo-to-exhaust-manifold bolts coming loose ANSA EXhaust SUBJECTS and Digest A Day at the Track MRJ pictures on FTP site Washing a Front End Mask SBC Boost Controllers '91 Turbo for Sale For Sale: '91 MR2 NA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: uunet!boulder.earthnet.net!mr2 (MR2 Performance Products) Date: Sun, 19 Nov 1995 22:45:06 -0700 Subject: MKII Turbo WANTED Wanted: '91-'93 MR2 Turbo. Prefer: Black or Red T-tops, ABS, PS Prefer low miles. Call: Eric Nix (303) 340-1261 Or reply to this address: mr2@earthnet.net ------------------------------ From: uunet!cad.shorts.co.uk!322z (Ian Boyd aircraft) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 13:12:51 +0000 Subject: gearbox ? hi is there anyone out there that can tell me if the front wheel drive corolla GTi gearbox is the same as the mk1 mr2. ------------------------------ From: uunet!singnet.com.sg!adrian01 (Adrian Heng) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 22:37:05 +0800 Subject: Re: Mk I NA mods >someone out there asked about mods for NA cars. i have a 85 NA, that has been >heavily modified. list of changes follows; > >'87 block w/2mm overbore 10.5:1 pistons. >steel head gasket. >ported head with formula atlantic intake valves. >HKS cams (264 intake, 256 exhaust) >ported intake system and TVIS >TRD headers, supercharged exhaust system with no catalyst >larger injectors >mallory ignition coil Dave, love the mods you have, but how does it compare to HKS Stage 4 Long Stroke motor. It's certainly a helluva well engineered package and a friend who has it for about 2 years had no complaints. It pulls like crazy and it's reputed to have 180 bhp at the flywheels. i expect the cams would make power up to 8K or higher if you >could disable the rev limiter. Yeah, i heard the same thing about the 264/256s too. However, apparently, there are aftermarket controllers that allow you to up the rev limit. HKS, I think... >having the stock computer was a requirement for me, and i am at the limits >of what you can do with it unless you can get into the PROM and change >the ignition and fuel curves. I'm waiting to see how Superchip's programmable piggy-back computer for the 4A-GE fares, and how adjustable is it. I hear that the present one they have only tunes ignition timing. >when the cams are set to make maximum HP, the idle becomes noticably irregular >due to the extra overlap. you can live with it just fine, but you have to run >the idle around 1K instead of 800. How do you set them for max power? Adrian 85 Mk I Lotus Silver Frost ------------------------------ From: uunet!singnet.com.sg!adrian01 (Adrian Heng) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 22:36:58 +0800 Subject: Re: Front end rattles Dan wrote: > I think you guys need to replace your struts up front. The klunking >rumble you here at moderately slow speeds on bumpy roads and corners >could be caused from your struts I know that those symptoms went away >after I but on some decent struts. Nope, bought my Mk I 2nd hand with stock suspension. Changed to TRUST springs and dampers a couple of years ago. It's still there. So's the knocking loose sounds. The other guys with the problem will testify to that. I don't know if it affects handling or roadholding, but it certainly can irk me sometimes. Adrian Mk I Lotus Silver Frost ------------------------------ From: "Burns, James B." Date: Mon, 20 Nov 95 09:06:00 EST Subject: '94+ Shock replacement Larry was asking about replacing the shocks on his '94T, and whether they were different from the '91-'93 shocks. In '94, Toyota changed to a multi-stage strut to improve ride quality. Koni lists the applicability of their shocks as up to 11/93. Talking to Koni, the real question is whether you can replace the cartridge separately from the strut housing, like on the '91-'93. My shop manual (for '94 model) says that if the shock absorber has a problem, then replace it as an assembly. For those of you with a '91-'93 service manual, does it say the same thing, or does it say to replace just the cartridge? I can't tell by looking at the shocks whether the cartridge is removable, unless I remove them from the car first. Brad Burns another '94T owner James.B.Burns@jhuapl.edu ------------------------------ From: uunet!arthor.cais.com!scott_maclean (Scott Maclean) Date: 20 Nov 1995 5:00 EST Subject: Trip to WV Reply-To: scott_maclean@arthor.cais.com (Scott Maclean) I was up to Charlestown, West Virginia this past weekend. On the way home on Sunday afternoon, I had the chance to take my 91T through some very windy, hilly roads - just the kind of road my MR2 was designed for. :) I have never been so at one with a vehicle before, except perhaps when flying an airplane. I even had it airborne a couple times over some small hills. :) Then a 130 mph run on a level straightaway... I have new tires on the back, and just had everything balanced on Friday, so the car was SMOOOTH. There's nothing better than a great twisty road on a bright sunny day in your MR2. :) Scott MacLean CASMEL-I Artificial Horizons BBS arthor@cais.com Aviation! (301) 417-9341 http://www.cais.com/arthor/www/index.html 300-33,600 bps V.FC/V.34+ * Free Access * Aviation Files * Usenet Newsgroups * CD-ROMs Online * ** Via PMail 2.3h Reg#658976 ------------------------------ From: uunet!singnet.com.sg!adrian01 (Adrian Heng) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 22:37:12 +0800 Subject: Re: mr2-digest V1 #36 Steven wrote: >>See, I have a 87NA and I realized that each time when I encounter >unsmooth road surface (no matter if I were going straight or cornering) >at low or high speed, I would "see and feel" that the steering wheel is >turned a little due to the outside force (the front wheels), thus right >at that moment the driver would feel unstable control of the steering. >Then later one I observed that the bottom part of the front spring has a >obvious mark that suggests phyiscal contacts with the front tires. >Therefore, the very bottom part of the front suspension must somehow >"touched" the front tires when the car is traveling on bumpy roads. I >have also checked other MR2s on street and discovered that most of them >also have this mark. So my conclusion is that the distance of the bottom >part of the front suspension is too close to the front tires in which >will cause internal turning to the steering wheel whenever the suspension >touches the tire. > >In my own case, I really don't know if the previous owner had changed the >setting of the front suspension or not. But I had an alignment check and >a 4 wheel tire balance recently which make me believe that this unstable >steering problem should be only related to the front end suspension. > >Any suggestions? Steven, Has your springs been cut? Are you using very wide tires? I have read from a copy of the now defunct MR2 owners club <:-( newsletter that we should not be using tyres beyond the 185/60 R14 that is stock issue. I don't know, but I have no problems using 195/50 R15 with modified suspension from GREX;no cut springs. To the contributor who said that it was the steering rack bushing causing front end rattle. Are you absolutely sure? Will it be a costly replacement/repair? Does it affect handling? Adrian 85 Mk I Lotus Silver Frost ------------------------------ From: "Mark Shehan" Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 10:35:43 EST Subject: Turbo-to-exhaust-manifold bolts coming loose I'm having problems with the turbo-to-exhaust-manifold studs/nuts coming loose on my '91 MKII. Locktite doesn't seem to work. Temps are probably too high. Any suggestions? It's impossible to get a torque wrench in the available space, so I'm limited to a 14 mm box wrench to apply torque. Since I have another exhaust manifold (from my old engine) I'm tempted to swap manifolds, put in bolts rather than studs/nuts, locktite them, and then tack weld the turbo to the exhaust manifold at each of the four corners of the mounting flange with a MIG welder. Any comments? Thanks. Mark '91 MKII turbo t-top red 144 K miles Mark Shehan - Ford EV P/T Engrg.,Village Plaza,23400 Mich. Ave. Suite 225, Dearborn, MI 48124, ph 313 323-2758, fx 810 845-5349 doogie-racing@e-mail.com, Type "bb fme" at main Profs command line for info on Ford Motorsports Enthusiasts and race results ------------------------------ From: Mark Sink - Imonics Corporation Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 10:51:04 -0500 Subject: ANSA EXhaust From: uunet!mozart.inet.co.th!paulchan (paulchan) Date: Sat, 18 Nov 1995 22:27:05 +0700 Subject: Ansa Exhaust & K&N Filter I own a 85 Mk1 and am considering changing my exhaust. I saw the Ansa Exhaust for MR2 (the one with 4pipes) the other day. Has anyone fit one before? Does it reduces low end torgue compare to stock. How much increase in exhaust noise? I have this exhaust for my '87. I didn't feel it reduced anything. Exhaust noise is close to stock. Mine stock had holes in it, so I can't really compare noise. It's not too loud, or too quiet. Mark ------------------------------ From: Lance Heinrich Date: Sun, 19 Nov 1995 12:01:14 -0700 (MST) Subject: SUBJECTS and Digest Just a suggestion: it would be appreciated and useful, if when responding to the MR2 list, you would be sure to change the subject line to reflect the topic to which you are responding. Way too many people are simply replying to the digest and leaving the digest name in the subject line. This in no way reflects the contents of your reply, nor does it give any indication of what you are replying to. This forces everyone to have to read your message rather than being able to filter out those items that are not of any interest. Some people are simply too busy to go reading every single piece of mail that is out there on the 'net, which is one of the reasons that digests were created and include a table of contents. I know we all sometimes slip and simply forget to change it, but this condition has been getting worse rather than improving as of late. Thanks, Lance. --------------------------------------------------------------- | Lance Heinrich @ Valmet Automation (Canada) Ltd. | lanceh@sa-cgy.valmet.com | | 1991 MR2 Turbo | Previous MR2's : '86 Normally Aspirated, '89 Supercharged ------------------------------ From: "Burns, James B." Date: Mon, 20 Nov 95 09:55:00 EST Subject: A Day at the Track I took a vacation day Friday and went to Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia for a day at the track. This was my second time there. This was not a race, but just track time with an instructor riding in the car. I called the day before and was told that the track was dry, but when I arrived there was some snow and lots of snow melt on the track. I almost turned around and went home, but I met some guys I knew from autocrossing who convinced me to stay. I had a blast in spite of the conditions. You learn a lot driving fast on a slick track, but it's still more fun on a dry track because you can go a lot faster. My '94 Turbo was impressive. I passed everyone in my run group. There was an RX7TT there which had 17" wheels, 255&275 wide tires, huge Brembo cross-drilled brakes, and 6" exhaust pipe coming out the back, so I assume the engine was modified, too. It should have blown my doors off, but the guy spun in front of me once, and I passed him two other times after that. I also passed a Porsche 911 and a Buick Grand National, among many other cars. I expected to be faster in the corners than the Buick GN, but what surprised me is that I could stay right with him on the long straight. There were a couple of Panteras in another run group. It would have been interesting to see if I could keep up with them. Many cars were spinning in the slick conditions; my rear tires got loose a couple of times, but I was nowhere near sideways. I was running on the original Yoko A022 tires on stock wheels. Everything on my car is stock except for the straight pipe exhaust and mild alignment change. I could smell the brakes, and the wheels were too hot to touch after the track session, but the brakes never faded a bit. On the straight I hit about 115 mph, but on a dry track I could get over 120 since I could come out of the final turn a lot faster. Besides the track time, you get to go on a watered skidpad in some old cop cars with bald tires and practice sliding. I was pretty bad at first, but eventually got the hang of it and had a blast. It really helped for driving on the slick track. My poor car is now mud brown, and the wheels look like they've been spray-painted flat black. Next year I plan to go back on a dry, warm day with "R" tires on the car. That should really be a blast. Brad '94T ------------------------------ From: uunet!softy.softwords.bc.ca!geoff Date: Mon, 20 Nov 95 10:31:10 PST Subject: MRJ pictures on FTP site As per Greta's request, I endured the incredibly bloated Toyota Booth pages on the Tokyo Motor Show site and grabed the best (IMHO) pictures of the MRJ. Also included are the short specifications of the MRJ (attached below) The files can be found on the FTP site at ftp.mr2.com in /pub/geoff/mr2 Geoff '91t, 157,100km - --- Toyota MRJ Main Specifications: Overall length 3,995mm Overall width 1,695mm Overall height 1,240mm Seating capacity 4 Wheelbase 2550mm Tread / front 1,470mm rear 1,460mm Engine DOHC 20-valve VVT Displacement 1,762cc Power 170 PS maximum power and 19 kg-m maximum torque - --- ------------------------------ From: "Burns, James B." Date: Mon, 20 Nov 95 13:57:00 EST Subject: Washing a Front End Mask How do you wash a front end mask? It says that if it gets wet, then remove it from the car and let it dry. But what if mud seeps into the flannel lining? Can I throw it in the washing machine on gentle cycle? A side note on masks: I personally think they are ugly, but a black mask on a black car doesn't look too bad. The MR2 mask is a big-time pain to install -- I shredded my fingers trying to attach the clips under the fog lights. I'll only use it for long trips or for the occasional racetrack session. On the track I found that I sometimes follow other cars very close at high speed (to let them know I want to pass), so a front mask is probably a good idea there. Brad Burns '94T black James.B.Burns@jhuapl.edu ------------------------------ From: uunet!aol.com!Casey7970 Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 17:04:24 -0500 Subject: SBC Boost Controllers I am very close to upgrading my boost control and I would like to know what experience peolpe have with SBC controllers. Do they really eliminate spiking problems? What did you pay? Any problems? Exceptional features? Also, what other modifications or upgrades were/are you running with it? Kip Anderson 91 Turbo, 45k Miles Casey7970@aol.com ------------------------------ From: "Burns, James B." Date: Mon, 20 Nov 95 14:20:00 EST Subject: '91 Turbo for Sale I am posting this for a friend who is trying to sell his MR2. 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo 5 speed Aquamarine Pearl with silver pinstriping T-tops 7-speaker stereo w/ CD Anti-lock brakes Cruise control The car has several aftermarket upgrades, including: HKS Power-flow air filter HKS exhaust HKS boost gage AKL Milano 5 spoke wheels (plus the factory wheels) Tokiko 5-way adjustable shocks I can't remember if it has leather interior, but it has nice charcoal gray sheepskin seat covers. The car has been garage kept and never smoked in. The car is in the Northern Virginia area. Price $11,999 Call Barry Brown (703) 339-0579 ------------------------------ From: uunet!mail.btg.com!noorder (Alex Noordergraaf) Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 13:34:44 -0500 Subject: For Sale: '91 MR2 NA Unfortunately, it is time to sell my '91 NA MR2. Let me describe it a bit more: 1991 MR2 NA black exterior / black interior 23K miles (I _am_ serious) a/c Tokico 5 way adjustables shocks stock exhaust stock steel rims and Toyota wheel covers (stock) (14x6 / 14x7) two tires are brand new with less then 1K miles everything is in excellent condition - mechanically excellent standard radio (no cass) no other options (abs, power steering, power windows/locks, roof, etc) it has never been in an accident The car is in excellent mechanical condition (only driven on weekends for the last year :-) ). Always used Mobil 1, Toyota oil filters, etc. Wires, etc are all new OEM Toyota pieces. New splitfire fire plugs come with the car - not yet installed. I am asking $12.2K for the car as described above. If you add the autox stuff listed below it will be more. I would prefer to sell the car as an autocrosser, btw. This is all negotiable. The autox stuff includes the following: Suspension Dynamics front bar with custom end-links custom 2 chamber flowmaster exhaust (weighs only 7 lbs) stock alloys (14x6 front 14x7 fronts) 3" lap belt 'camber' bolts for front (two sizes) class I hitch with removable receiver factory shop manuals car weighs 2500 in race trim As some of you may know this was our autox car for the last year. We did well with the car locally - many first and seconds. Nationally the car trophied in both C Stock and C Stock Ladies in Topeka. It's best Pro Solo finish was 2nd at Jacksonville by < .020 seconds. Finished top 5 in Stock 3 at most of the other Pro's we went to. If you want to buy the car as an autox car we can throw in some tires to make it a package. I will also be glad to have it aligned it for you - the current alignment is very 'aggresive'. The following rims are separate: lightweight race rims (less then 10 lbs for 14x7 rear, Solo II legal) These are separate and are $600 for the set. All of the above prices are negotiable. If you are interested drop me a line via e-mail (noorder@btg.com) or call me at (703) 761-3208 during the day. - - Alex Noordergraaf '91 MR2 NA, black with lots of stickers ------------------------------ End of mr2-digest V1 #37