mr2-digest Wednesday, 23 April 1997 Volume 01 : Number 1027 MR2 Synthetic Oil MR2 Re: air/fuel lean MR2 test posting Re: MR2 Mk 1 SC Tires MR2 Ditto on the front-end clunk, MKII Re: MR2 Mk2 weight MR2 Bad Smell from MKI engine. MR2 Cherry '93T for sale in Fl Re: MR2 Mk2 weight Re: MR2 Mk1 - NA into a SC? Re: Swedish MR2 [none] [none] Re: MR2 MKII Temp Guage MR2 MKII GT overheating? Re: MR2 MkII Turbo : ?'s about air/fuel...lean MR2 Never buy a Civic ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Giles Jackson IS-SP" Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 16:20:07 +0100 Subject: MR2 Synthetic Oil I have said this before, but following the oil thread I thought I would chuck in my humble opinion. The people who had the car before me religiously changed the oil at every 3k miles with a decent mineral oil. I decided to have a try with synthetic, I chose Mobil 1 because of the good things I had heard about it both on and off the list and had Red Line been easily available in the UK it would have been a toss up between the two, that would probably land on the side of whichever may be cheaper. I have now done about 7,500 miles with Mobil1 (yes it has been changed) and the biggest difference I have noticed is my temperature guage. It has moved two notches to the left (cooler) and it has remained there as my "normal" operating temperature ever since. My amateur assumption is that friction causes heat, less friction equals less heat. I think that Mobil 1 is good for my baby. FWIW I always use an engine flush when I change the oil and I first installed Mobil 1 at 123,512 miles. Since then I have had no problems with anything engine related (he says reaching for the biggest lump of wood he can find). Ramble end! ******************************** Giles Jackson IS-SP gjackson@madge.com ------------------------------ From: LMDA1@aol.com Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:00:32 -0400 (EDT) Subject: MR2 Re: air/fuel lean I could be wrong but, with your specs you shouldn't be running lean. Maybe you should check for current problems before you add new components. Sergio Rivera LMDA1@AOL.COM ------------------------------ From: dgh (David G. Hough at validgh) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 97 10:41:08 PDT Subject: MR2 test posting I have reconfigured the majordomo software again. ------------------------------ From: Kevin Valentine Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 11:17:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: MR2 Mk 1 SC Tires John: I was told not to run different size tires on the mk1 because it will through off the balance of the car. ------------------------------ From: Phil Cutajar Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 14:25:02 -0400 Subject: MR2 Ditto on the front-end clunk, MKII Greetings, I'm experiencing a distinct clunk or snap intermittently. It's coming from the driver's side in the front. I only notice it at low speeds every now and then, as soon as I apply the brake. I just here this one snap, it's not repetitive. Toyota doesn't know what it is and couldn't reproduce it. How annoying. Anybody else have any ideas? - -- Phil Cutajar 93 MR2-T, Arctic White mailto:cutajar@ibm.net ------------------------------ From: marcus@illusion.magicno.com Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 11:51 MDT Subject: Re: MR2 Mk2 weight > Brad Burns wrote: >I was also surprised to find out that his AS '91T (hardtop) weighs about >200 lbs. less than my '94T. I didn't realize they were that much >lighter. Well, I imagine that you were careful to try to get similar fuel levels in both cars, right? At the extreme end, 12 US gals. of gas is about 100#, so that *could* be a significant variable. The T-tops themselves don't weigh all that much, guessing <10#, but the roof bracing may add quite a bit. Also, does anybody know if there is additional body stiffeners in T-top cars, or is the body shell identical except for the roof? Other things that can add up are the ABS actuator and air conditioning in particular. Power windows/locks probably aren't too heavy, but they do add up. Amplifiers for the sound system may also weigh something non-trivial. marcus hall '94 MR2T (AS) '85 MR2 (ITA) ------------------------------ From: Steven Lau Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:20:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: MR2 Bad Smell from MKI engine. Hi all, Recently I have detected that there is some sort of burning smell such as from oil or perhaps from other materials. The smell is from the engine. My car already has 117K miles and the funny thing is that I had found the same smell from another MkI and a old Maxima with 100K and 190K miles on the clock respectively. Any ideas? Sincerely yours, Steven Lau >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > < > _/_/_/ _/ e-mail: < > _/ _/ salau@ucdavis.edu < > _/_/ _/ < > _/ _/ homepage: < > _/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ http://wwwcsif.cs.ucdavis.edu/~laus < > < >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< ------------------------------ From: Allan Stewart Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:31:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: MR2 Cherry '93T for sale in Fl Hi all, Just wanted to share with the group. Last weekend Dave Caraker (91T with nice engine mods) and I (91T with suspension mods) drove up to Jupiter to see Mark (forget last name)'s 93T that he is selling. He is getting married soon and his fiancee has 1 child already, so he needs a larger car. Dave and I both drove the car. It is in beautiful shape. It was repainted by the dealer due to the well known red fade. They did a very nice job and it is clear coated. They car is spotlessly clean, except for the engine. The engine is not bad at all, it's just that Mark is hesitant to wash the engine down. I've done it a few times to mine with no real problems (once got water in a plug hole). It is low mileage (29K) and drives like new. I love the clutch and shifting on the 93!! The clutch feels much stronger than mine. Actually, mine sucks. 148K miles on a clutch I can't expect it to feel like new. Anyway, if anyone is in the market for a cherry condition red 93T, both Dave and I would recommend this one. We both want it ourselves, but it's cheaper to upgrade a 91 than to trade for a 93. Allan - 91T - 148K miles - -- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allan M. Stewart - astewart@flinet.com (home account) Encore Computer Corp. - astewart@encore.com ****** SPAM MAIL WILL GET REPLY WITH /VMUNIX ATTACHED ******* Someday I hope to meet Bill Gates....... so I can knee him in the groin. - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ From: Randy Chase Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 12:36:16 -0700 Subject: Re: MR2 Mk2 weight The best car for autocrossing (assuming your helmet will fit) is the hard top. The sunroof and T-tops do weigh more. According to my sales guide for a 1994, the t-top is 47 pounds more. I also understand that the t-top flexes quite a bit more...and perhaps so does the sun-roof model. I would guess the weight is from structural parts added to increase rigidity. I would also think the posted weight includes the roof/t-tops, so you could subtract their weight once removed...but they surely do not weigh 47 pounds. Randy Chase '91 MR2 NA (with sunroof..wishing it was a hardtop) ------------------------------ From: Jorn Innset Date: 23 Apr 97 21:42:14 +0000 Subject: Re: MR2 Mk1 - NA into a SC? On 21-Apr-97 23:33:56, Steve Bagdon wrote about Re: MR2 Mk1 - NA into a SC?: >Make that engine, tranny, half shafts, shift linkages, ECU, wiring loom, >gauge cluster, fuel quality switch, battery tray, engine-hood latch, >engine-hood, and a couple of other misc. items. So what you're saying is...? He was thinking about buying an engine from an NA here in Norway, and putting that into his car. Will *that* work then? Jorn - -- __ Amiga /// | Jorn Innset | Check out my /// | jorni@sn.no | homepage at __ /// | | \\\/// | Thor 2.3 | http://home.sn.no/~jorni \XX/ ------------------------------ From: Jorn Innset Date: 23 Apr 97 21:40:30 +0000 Subject: Re: Swedish MR2 On 21-Apr-97 22:35:52, William L Brandt wrote about Swedish MR2: >Jorn - i thought our bureaucrats were bad! To me, as a practical matter, it >would be very difficult - you'd swap engine, transaxle, computer....why >won't the Sweded accept an SC while they would accept an NA? That makes no Well, it makes sense since the 4A-GE is in the Toyota Corolla GT, which *is* approved in Sweden. No MR2's were ever ever sold in Sweden. >sense Better alternative - try & bribe the bureaucrat? Your friend first has >to buy all this stuff - then swap it - An easier solution would be to take it >back to Germany, sell it, & buy an NA...but then I'm not Steve Bagdon, who >I've heard is trying to stuff a Lexus LS 400 motor in his Mk 1 ;-) BTW I was He was thinking about buying what's needed, and the sell the stuff after the car is approved. Jorn - -- __ Amiga /// | Jorn Innset | Check out my /// | jorni@sn.no | homepage at __ /// | | \\\/// | Thor 2.3 | http://home.sn.no/~jorni \XX/ ------------------------------ From: bagdon@rust.net (Steve Bagdon) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 23:04:50 GMT Subject: [none] >>Batch #4 of clear lenses is closed. That's it. I've got about 10 orders, >>and I'm way over booked. Thanks to all who've participated in this. > >Thank YOU for getting us these lenses! > >I don't know if you know this, but Cabe Toyota (Long Beach, CA) is >advertising the clear lenses on the mr2 classifieds; $150 a set. So if >anyone else bugs you about getting some, you can just tell them to call >Cabe.. I had heard some dealerships are carrying them, but they want that much just for the lenses - that doesn't include the light bulbs or wiring harness. Can you confirm this? Steve B. ------------------------------ From: bagdon@rust.net (Steve Bagdon) Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 23:17:33 GMT Subject: [none] >>I was also surprised to find out that his AS '91T (hardtop) weighs about >>200 lbs. less than my '94T. I didn't realize they were that much >>lighter. > >Well, I imagine that you were careful to try to get similar fuel levels in >both cars, right? At the extreme end, 12 US gals. of gas is about 100#, >so that *could* be a significant variable. > >The T-tops themselves don't weigh all that much, guessing <10#, but the >roof bracing may add quite a bit. Also, does anybody know if there is >additional body stiffeners in T-top cars, or is the body shell identical >except for the roof? I cut up a '91T parts car, and didn't recognize anything in there that resembles extra bracing. >Other things that can add up are the ABS actuator and air conditioning >in particular. Power windows/locks probably aren't too heavy, but they >do add up. Amplifiers for the sound system may also weigh something >non-trivial. I'm a little late in this converstaion, but my '91T with all options except factory alarm (t-tops, ABS, power everything, etc) with me and 5/8ths tank and a full sized spare weighed in at 3060lbs. Gotta put a boost controller in there just to get past the weight! Steve B. ------------------------------ From: grennina@plu.edu Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 13:35:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: MR2 MKII Temp Guage I believe the wire is pluged into the thermostat housing off the left side of the block just above the transmission. But that may have changed for the MKII. +------------------------------------+ | Neil Grenning | | 91' Turbo MR2 | | Computer Programmer/Graphics Major | | Tacoma, Washington | +------------------------------------+ On Wed, 23 Apr 1997 lmsjr@mail.pb.net wrote: > Hello all, > I have a broken temp guage. I think it could have something to do with the overheating problem that I have been having. Does anyone know where the guage gets it's signal from? Has anyone else experiened this before? As always any help would be appreciated. > Larry > '91 MR2 Turbo > 135,000 miles > > ------------------------------ From: "Richard Parry" Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 08:57:24 +1200 Subject: MR2 MKII GT overheating? Hey there all; I was driving along last night, and as I was going up a hill with a pssenger and all my weekly groceries shoe-horned into the boot, I hit my fuel cut. Thinking I was nearly home (my house is at the top of the hill), I took it easy and got to the top. I didn't bother to turn the engine off, as it was only about another thirty seconds of driving, at the outside. When I got the top, and was playing musical cars with parking (my flatmate needed to leave first this morning, so we juggled cars) I noticed that my temp gauge had suddenly started to rise drastically to the red mark at the top. I killed the engine, thus turning off the fuel cut that was still in operation, paused a few seconds, and sparked it up again. I rolled my car forward about five meters to get the air flow going through the engine, and the temperature gauge dropped back down to half-way in about five seconds. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!?!?!? :) When the engine decides to cut your fuel, I suspect that it starts running lean - cool. Does it also shut down the cooling system, or is there something dark and evil wrong with my car? I had a nose ding the other day as well, that caused some cracks to my nose cone, and some minor paint damge - it would appear that the front radiator and hoses and stuff are all still connected fine. But... Could this have something to do with it? Any ideas, comments, whatever are most welcome. Later on Richard - -- Richard Parry Network Controller/Analyst National Library of New Zealand Richard.Parry@natlib.govt.nz Phone 64 4 474 3010 Mobile 021 664 655 Fax 64 4 474 3140 ------------------------------ From: charlesg@cco.caltech.edu (Charles Grosjean) Date: 23 Apr 1997 21:03:49 GMT Subject: Re: MR2 MkII Turbo : ?'s about air/fuel...lean AzNmR@aol.com writes: >What would be the most effective (but not too expensive) way to fix my lean >fuel condition? I'm running a HKS exhaust, filter, EVC II, and FCD at about >14 pounds.... Out of curiousity, how do you know you're running lean? Given the levels of boost some people are running without adjusting their AFM or anything else... >2.) Additional Injector controller (AIC or Rebic) or... This will work. Then again, with a stock AFM, you may not be able to get enough air through it to require an AIC. >3.) VPC or.. This will let you adjust the fuel curve, but it won't raise the max amount of fuel you can put in the car. It will get rid of that air restriction though so you can put a lot more air in thus requiring more fuel... see 2 or 4 >4.) upgrade stock ECU + larger injectors (Toysport recommended this, but > reprogramming the computer was about $700 + injectors) This is a nice solution. With a discount, 2JZ injectors would be about $280. However, even though your fuel and timing curves would be right, you still have a problem stuffing more air in without a VPC. If you have a VPC, you can go with 2 or 4. If you're at Toysport, if there is still a yellow turbo in the lot, that car had a Techtom upgrade and a VPC, and HKS stage whatever. It also had a fully built engine and it still blew up. Later, someone mentions the fuel rail. The fuel rail mod does one thing, and that is equalize fuel flow to all the injectors so that one side isn't running leaner than another. It doesn't magically add power or anything, it just makes sure that the what used to be the far cylinder sees the same amount of fuel as the near one. It would be interesting to find out which cylinder blew in the engine mentioned above to see if the fuel rail mod might have prevented it. Charles ------------------------------ From: "Richard Parry" Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 09:10:22 +1200 Subject: MR2 Never buy a Civic This may interest all of you. It's not specifically a fault on an MR2 - rather how robust they are. A couple of nights ago, I was following a friend home after work. I seldom drive in my work gears, and my shoes were a little strange. Anyway, at an intersection, he sped off in front of me. I immediately sped off behind him - but he was forced to make an emergency stop due to the charming woman driving towards him in that lane. The long and the short of it is that my foot was caught under the brake pedal as I tried to lift my foot off the accelerator, and I gently drove into the back of his Civic. I saw the damage to the Civic, and immediately though, "My poor MR2! I've killed it!" Not so. Hardly a scratch on my car. His car, however, has seen better days - the bumper is folded, the lip under the hatch is ruined, the spare wheel well is crumpled, and so on. This all from a speed of about 5-10km/h. So, while I feel like a chump for driving into the back of him, I thought I'd pass on how remarkably robust our little cars really are :) And also: NEVER BUY A CIVIC :) Cheers Richard - -- Richard Parry Network Controller/Analyst National Library of New Zealand Richard.Parry@natlib.govt.nz Phone 64 4 474 3010 Mobile 021 664 655 Fax 64 4 474 3140 ------------------------------ End of mr2-digest V1 #1027