MR2 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

MR2 FAQ- 1/24/98

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   (The semi official mr2-interest Toyota MR2 Frequently Asked
                         Questions list)

  Have a correction?  Send it to me!  cking@mr2.org

  This FAQ would not be what it is today without the hard work Mike
  Pittelkow put into it.  Please drop him a line and say thanks for the
  work he did: mike_pittelkow@diane.csg.mot.com.  He did the hard stuff,
  now I have the easy (relatively speaking) job of keeping it up to
  snuff.

  Also, in the past there has apparently been problems with people copying
  the FAQ and distributing it for money.  Please don't take the hard work
  others have done and try and cash in on it! This FAQ is intended to be a
  free tool for all to use.  If you know of people cashing in on this, please
  drop me a line and let me know.

  Thanks,

  Chris K - cking@mr2.org

0.0 Table of contents 1.0 How do I obtain the FAQ? 1.1 Is there a mailing list? 1.2 Is there a Web site? 1.3 Is there an MR2 club? 2.0 History 2.1 The Name "MR2" 2.2 Lineage 2.2.1 MkI 2.2.2 MkII 2.2.3 General Comparison 2.3 Is Toyota going to bring out a new MR2? 3.0 Models and Years 3.1 First Generation Models (MkI) 3.2 Second Generation Models (MkII) 4.0 Mechanical 4.1.0 Engines 4.1.1 MkI, normally aspriated (4AGE) 4.1.2 MkI, Supercharged (4AGZ) 4.1.3 MkII, Normally Aspirated (5SFE) 4.1.4 MkII, Turbocharged (3SGTE) 4.1.5 MkII, Normally Apspriated (3SGE) 4.2.0 Brakes 4.2.1 MkI 4.2.1.1 Warpage 4.2.1.2 Parking Brake 4.2.2 MkII 4.2.2.1 Wear 4.2.2.2 Brake light 4.2.2.3 Parking Brake 4.3.0 Transmission 4.3.1 MkI - 5 Speed Manual 4.3.2 MkI - 4 Speed Automatic 4.3.3 MkII - 5 Speed Manual 4.3.4 MkII - 4 Speed Automatic 4.4.0 Wheels 4.4.1 MkI 4.4.1.1 Sizes 4.4.1.2 Important Notes 4.4.2 MkII 4.4.2.1 Sizes 4.4.2.1.1 1991-1992 4.4.2.1.2 1993-Present 4.4.2.2 Important Notes 4.5.0 Tires 4.5.1 MkI 4.5.2 MkII 4.5.3 Snow 4.5.4 Chains 4.5.5 Wheels - Aftermarket 4.6.0 Accessories 4.6.1 Air Conditioning 4.6.2 Stereo 4.7.0 T-Top Roof 4.8.0 ABS 4.9.0 Fog Lights 4.10.0 Spark Plugs 4.11.0 Windshield Wipers 4.12.0 Suspension Components 4.12.1 Struts 4.12.2 91->93 Conversion 4.13.0 Exhaust 4.14.0 Rear Spoiler 4.15.0 Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS) 4.16.0 Fading Paint 4.17.0 Coolant / Flush and Fill 4.18.0 Suspension 4.19.0 Taillight Conversion from 91-93 to 94+ 4.20.0 Thunks and Rattles (MkI) 5.0 Service 5.1 Engine Oil 5.2 Transmission/Differential Oil 5.3 Typos 5.4 Toyota Technical Service Bulletins 5.5 Average Service Costs 5.5.1 MkI 5.5.2 MkII 5.6 Jack Points 5.6.1 MkI 5.6.2 MkII 5.7 Tools 5.7.1 SST (Special Service Tools) 5.7.2 Other sources 6.0 Upgrades/Accessories 6.1 HKS 6.2 TRD 6.3 Lou Fusz 6.4 Toysports 6.5 Bike Racks 7.0 Common Complaints, and resolutions 7.1 Fog lights won't come on without main headlights 7.2 T-Tops squeak 7.3 Can't disable ABS without also disabling power steering 7.4 Noisy 7.5 Not Noisy enough. 7.6 Need more low end. 7.7 Air filters! 7.8 What is that gurgling noise? 7.9 My -glove box- rattles! 8.0 Other Stuff 8.1 Model Kits 8.2 SCCA - Sports Car Club of America Disclaimers and Legal Stuff

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1.0 How Do I Obtain the FAQ?

The FAQ is archived at the WWW Site. Visit http://www.mr2.com/ there's lots of good MR2 information there, including the most recent FAQ.

2.0 History

2.1 The Name "MR2"

Toyota originally explained the name "MR2" as meaning "Mid engined, Runabout, 2 seater" however, they now claim (and most owners prefer) the explanation of "Mid engine, Rear drive, 2 seater." The car is also informally known as the "Mister Two." The MR2 is actually known by a different name in France. Rather than the MR2, it is known as the "Coupe MR," because "MR2" in French sounds a lot like "merdeux," which means "shitty." Australian MR2's come in two flavours, the "MR2 Bathurst" and "MR2 GT," US MR2's "MR2 Turbo" and "MR2."

2.2 Lineage

2.2.1 MkI

The MkI MR2 was introduced in 1985. From the Lotus Motorsports FAQ: The first-generation MR2 was introduced during a period of close cooperation between Lotus and Toyota. The Lotus Eclat was reworked with some Toyota parts to make the Excel during this period. Toyota was also involved in design and specification of the M90/X100 prototype. (Borrowed directly from the Lotus FAQ) There are two rumors about Lotus' involvement with the MR2. The "official" rumor is that the MR2 was designed "in-house" at Toyota by Lotus suspension engineer Roger Becker. The other rumor is that the MR2 was an abandoned Lotus design (possibly the M90/X100). According to Doc Bundy, Lotusport Esprit driver, the MR2 is the X100. The MkI car has a 91 inch wheelbase, and in final form, offered two powerplants, one capable of 112hp, another capable of 145hp. The MkI automobile is rather angular, but has a look that is all its own. Some say its ugly, some say it's much better looking than the MkII car.

2.2.2 MkII

The second generation MR2 is somewhat larger (94.5 in wheelbase), with a more graceful body shape. The MkII is also heavier, but does offer larger powerplants than the MkI car (135 hp and 200 hp) The MkII MR2 is often said to be reminiscent of the ill fated Pontiac GT. Some prefer to think of its resemblance to the Ferrari 348tb. Production has ceased for the US market, with 1995 being the last year. The MR2 is still carried in other markets such as Japan and Australiawill be available in some other parts of the world, including Japan, but, if you didn't catch the previous sentence, not the US. Japanese MR2 Turbo cars produce 245 HP.

2.2.3 General comparison

As I waded through the many old messages in the mr2-interest mail archives, I ran across this comparison of the two generations of MR2's, and thought it was very appropriate. I haven't asked permission to use this here, so I hope he doesn't mind... Subject: Re: New or old MR2's To: cjohnson@TACOM-EMH1.Army.Mil (JOHNSON Carl) Date: Wed, 21 Jul 93 9:30:08 EDT > > Having just bought an 89 MR2 and joining this mailing >list. I was wondering if MR2 owners prefered the new or >older body style. I know this is very subjective, but who >cares. I have never driven a newer style MR2 but the >mailing list seems to have a lot of people with the newer >styles and I want to know if I'm missing out on something. I own a '85 MR2 and a '91 MR2 Turbo. The cars are pretty different. My new MR2 has all the power windows, cd player, etc the works. It also has 200 horse power. My older MR2 has no power junk and only 112 horse power. I love them both, but they are very different cars. The '85 is simple. I love the simplicity. It is a smaller lighter car than the newer MR2 and I really feel this in the handling. The older MR2 handles much lighter than the new MR2. The steering on the old MR2 is tight with not alot of power assist and I can really feel the road. I really like that about the car. The light handling and low horse power gives me the feeling that I can throw this car at any curve as fast as I want and it will handle it (and it has). The '91 MR2 is nice, very very nice. I can just sit in the car and smile without even starting it. The interior is well styled and beautiful. The power accesories, 7 speaker stereo, leather seats, ... make the inside of this car a wonderful place to be. This car is also very fast. The older MR2 are "quick" the new turbo is a real kick in the ass. The handling of the new MR2 is heavier than the older model. This is a little unfortunate. I also feel that the power steering helps a little too much. I have not had the new one very long and have not really put the suspention to the test like I have the '85. The best word I can think of to describe the handling of the new MR2 is "solid". When hanging a curve it just feels right and it feels solid as a rock. It is a pretty good feeling. I am not comfortable throwing the new car around the way I can the old one however. Perhaps it is just because I am not used to it yet. I plan on selling the '85 and I drive it very little now. I drive the '91 turbo daily. But everytime I take the older car out for a drive I always come back with a smile. I love the way this car feels, a big go cart. A great toy. I wish I had the space to keep it because I would love to restore it to mint condition. It is a great car. The new MR2 is a modern masterpiece it is also great to drive. I love to pull the t-tops and just go out for a drive with no destination. Anyway, which one a person prefers would depend on what one likes from a sports car. They handle differently and the new one is much faster. I love the way they both feel. David P. - rambling on about MR2s again. ------ As well as the following... Subject: Re: New or old MR2's Date: Wed, 21 Jul 93 18:31:47 -0700 From: Jeff Beadles >Reply to: RE>>New or old MR2's >My opinion: > >The sharp, angular and functional appearance of the MKI >suggests supersonic and stealthy performance--perhaps a >small, high-performance interceptor or reconnaissance >vehicle. The flatulent, over-styled shape of the MKII is >nearly indistinguishable from a host of currently produced >cars and could probably not be identified uniquely by the >average observer. >Needless to say, I prefer the appearance of my MKI. And, of course there's the other side of the fence; The boxey match-box styling of the MKI suggests a lack of tooling, something like commercial air conditioning duct work. The low-air resistance sleek look of the MKII, is that of a car with class. Needless to say, I prefer the appearance of my MKII. Also, in case it's not obvious, :-) :-) :-) MKI -vs- MKII body styles are one of personal preference. Some like one, some like the other, and some have both. :-) Later, -Jeff

2.3 Is Toyota going to release a new version of the MR2?

Not too long ago, Toyota unvelied a prototype car called the MRJ. It featured a mid-engined convertible design that was similiar to our beloved mr2. Toyota appears to have taken this idea and altered it as they have now been showing off the MRS (the S is for sport). It would appear that this car will end up replacing the mr2 in the markets where it still exists, and will also pop up in the other markets too. The current date looks to be late 98 or 99. The car appears to have a much more boxter-esque style to it. Gone are the pop-up headlights and t-tops. The car is convertible and is targeted to be under $20k (US dollars). Thus far, there only appears to be an NA engine available but that could change. It has a striking similiarity with the new Porsche Boxter and features headlights that are very similiar to the new Honda Prelude's. So far, many claim to like it, many claim to hate it. Since this is personal preference though, I will leave my opinion out of this. It should also be noted though that Toyota could very well change some features/appearance of the MRS. Only time will tell. If you would like to see some pics of the possible mr2 replacement, check out http://www.mr2.com/Prototypes.html. More info will be posted as it comes in. Keep your eyes/ears peeled and fingers crossed!

3.0 Models And Years

To date, 285,408 MR2's have been built by Toyota (starting in 1984 - I don't know where the 84 and 85 models went). In 1994, 10,309 were built for worldwide distribution. MkII MR2's are basically hand built. Toyota apparently subcontracts them to Yamaha, at a build rate of about 2000 per month.

3.1 First Generation Models (MkI)

1985 Number Sold In US: ????? Recalls: ???? Price 1985: $?????? Current Price (2/98): $1000-2500 Notes: 1986 Number Sold In US: 29,855 Recalls: None. Price 1986: $11,298 Current Price (2/98): $1000-3000 Notes: Introduced in mid 1985. 4 Cyl, 1.6 Liter powerplant producing 112hp 1987 Number Sold In US: 19,121 Recalls: Exhaust pipe interference on 1102 1985-1987 models Price 1987: $12,578 Current Price (2/98): $2000-3500 Notes: Base model added. T-Top Option added. 1988 Number Sold In US: 9,857 Recalls: None. Price 1988: $12,808 ($16,418 Supercharged) Current Price (2/98): $2000-4000 NA; $2750-5000 Supercharged Notes: Supercharged engine introduced as option. This marks the first model ever introduced by Toyota with a Supercharger. The Supercharger is of Toyota's own design, and features an electromagnetic clutch to disengage the blower assembly when not necessary so as to improve economy. Supercharger increased power output to 145 hp. 1989 Number Sold In US: 5,819 Recalls: None. Price 1989: $13,798 ($17,628 Supercharged) Current Price (2/98): $3000-4000 NA; $3000-6500 Supercharged Notes: Rear stabilizer bar added to supercharged model.This is a very desirable model year. 1990 There was no official 1990 model year of the MR2. 1989 model year cars were sold until March of 1990, when the all new MkII 1991 MR2 became available. Really. You don't have a 90. It's an 89 or a 91. Read the sticker under the hood.

3.2 Second Generation Models (MkII)

The first MR2 MKII (s/n 00001) was built in Sagamihara plant in January 1990 (as a 1991 model year automobile). The 10th digit of the VIN identifies the model year of the car, M=91 N=92 P=93 R=94 S=95 T=96. It appears that the "Number" of the car doesn't mean much. There are reports of 93 model years cars from 1/92, #171 in 3/92, #52 in 8/92, #223 in 11/92 and #965 in 11/92. Please note: this was in here from before but I do not believe it to be accurate. If anyone has any facts about this, let me know. The mix of Turbo and NA cars is about 80% Turbo, 20% NA through 1993, after which production of NA cars basically stops (drops to around 10 cars per month, for worldwide distribution!) 1991 Number Sold In US: 11,211 Recalls: 1) Steering wheel crash test failure, VIN # SW22M, SW22N-0000001 to 0059265 and SW21M, SW21N-0000001 to 0017719 2) Air conditioning expansion valve could malfunction, reducing efficiency VIN # SW22M, SW22N-0000001 to 0076191 and SW21M, SW21N-0000001 to 0019446 Price 1991: $14,898 ($18,228 Turbo) Current Price (2/98): $8000 NA; $9000-10000 Turbo Notes: Introduction of MkII MR2. Introduced with 130hp, 4 cyl, 16 valve, normally aspirated engine and optional 200 hp, 4 cyl, 16 valve turbocharged powerplant. All new mechanicals. Driver side airbag. New body style.Turbo car has strut tower bars front an rear (lower as well, at the rear). Turbo cars available with sunroofs, T-roof and "plain" roofs. 1992 Number Sold In US: 6,188 Recalls: 1) Steering wheel fails to meet federal standards for crash protection. Affects 26,396 1991-1992 cars VIN # SW22M, SW22N-0000001 to 0059265 and SW21M, SW21N-0000001 to 0017719 2) Air conditioning expansion valve could malfunction, reducing efficiency VIN # SW22M, SW22N-0000001 to 0076191 and SW21M, SW21N-0000001 to 0019446 Price 1992: $16,048 ($19,378 Turbo) Current Price (2/98): $8000 NA; $9000-10000 Turbo Notes: No notable changes. 1993 Number Sold In US: 2,917 Recalls: 1) Air conditioning expansion valve could malfunction, reducing efficiency VIN # SW22M, SW22N-0000001 to 0076191 and SW21M, SW21N-0000001 to 0019446 Price 1993: $18,368 ($23,998 Turbo) Current Price (2/98): $10,000-13,000 NA; $12,000-15,000 Notes: Suspension upgraded and retuned (stiffer springs, lengthened trailing arms) Normally aspirated engine receives upgrade to 135hp. Synchros in 5 speed gearbox improved. Wider tires, new 15" ("square" spoke) wheels. Larger brake rotors. Larger throttle body, retuned throttle cam. Rumored as last year of production. <20 Turbo cars available without T-Top roof. Last year of sales in Canada 1994 Number Sold In US: 908 Recalls: None. Price 1994: $22,538 ($31,561 Turbo) Current Price (2/98): $14,000-17,000 NA; $15,000-18,000 Turbo Notes: Features a color keyed front air dam, redesigned rear fascia (no more honeycomb), and a new rear spoiler. Suspension equipped with multistage struts for better ride. Passenger side airbag introduced. Steering wheel 10 mm smaller (370 mm versus 380 mm). Doesn't say "MR2" in the middle of steering wheel any more. Rumored as last year of production (again). No turbo cars avialable without T-roof. Japanese model available with traction control and in dash 4" TV. 1995 Number Sold In US: est. 356 Recalls: N/A Price 1995: N/A Current Price (2/98): $14,000-19,000 NA; $15,000-22,000 Turbo Notes: No notable changes known. Redesigned CD player. Introduced in early 1995. Not available in CA, MA, CT? Last year of production for U.S. Continued production through 1996 for other markets. Power package standard on non-turbo car. Reinforced strut towers. 1996 Number Sold In US: 0. Number sold Worldwide: est. 1000 Recalls: N/A Price 1996: N/A Current Price: N/A Notes: No notable changes known. Not available in U.S. Available in Europe, Asia, Australia? Likely to be the end, worldwide.

3.2.1 Canadian Prices, MKII

Have no clue on this... Please inform me if you have info

4.0 Mechanical

4.1.0 Engines

Both the mki and mkii are non-interference engines. This means that if the timing belt breaks, NO DAMAGE will directly occur to the engine. Note though that you will not be able to drive the car.

4.1.1 MkI, Naturally Aspirated (4AGE)

1.6 Liter, 16 Valve, DOHC, producing 112 hp.

4.1.2 MkI, Supercharged (4AGZ)

1.6 Liter, 16 valve, DOHC, Supercharged. Features an electromagnetic clutch on blower assembly. Produces 145 hp.

4.1.3 MkII, Naturally Aspirated (5SFE)

2.2 Liter, 16 valve, DOHC. This engine produces 130 hp in 1990-1992 cars. In later models, not in CA, (1993+?) 135 hp.

4.1.4 MkII, Turbocharged (3SGTE)

2.0 Liter, 16 valve, DOHC, Turbocharged. Stock turbocharger is capable of producing up to 11.8 psi of boost. This engine produces 200 hp at 6000rpm, and 200lb-ft of torque at 3000rpm in stock form. Upgrades are available claiming up to 375HP. Not available in Switzerland,France, Australia (any others?) There are people who have produced 500+hp from the engine with some mods. This engine is identical to the version found in the Celica All-Trac Turbo. (yes, even the new one) TRD claims no difference in power (and got pretty snippy when I asked, BTW). I've seen articles examining the new 1996 Celica GT4 (Japan only) that claim 250 HP. Has modified head (larger valves), higher boost. Boost gauge on the dash may show limited boost during cold temperatures. Supposedly this is to prevent an overboost condition. If you allow the air mass sensor to heat soak, the thermometer that tells the car that it's cold will be fooled into thinking it's warmer than it is. This will allow you a brief period of full boost. Japanese 1995 car claims 245 HP using 13psi boost, stock. TRD gets pretty snippy if you ask them about this, too. Actually, in general, TRD seems to be always a bit snippy.

4.1.5 MkII, Normally Aspirated (3SGE)

Same as 3SGTE (is actually core around which 3SGTE is built), without turbocharger. UK(?) Version capable of 153hp (1990-1993), and 175hp (1994)Available in europe only? Used in late 80's Celica GT-S for U.S. market.

4.2.0 Brakes

4.2.1 MkI

4.2.1.1 Warpage

1985 and 1986 MkI cars had a great deal of trouble with warpage of the front brake discs. A possible solution is to replace these discs with the disks for a 1987 car (has anybody actually tried this? ed.) Also, BE ABSOLUTELY SURE to apply 76ft-lb of torque to the lug nuts, no more, no less, use a TORQUE WRENCH or the rotors will warp.

4.2.1.2 Parking Brake

It's fairly common for the parking brake cable to freeze in the "parked" state. This applies to both mki and mkii's. Do not drive with the brake frozen if possible. This is obviously not good for the brakes. Several people have suggested buying a new parking brake cable from Toyota (approx $40 or so). Apparently, moisture gets in the cable and freezes when it gets cold. The new cable will eliminate this altogether. I have also heard that it is possible to get the moisture out of cable but this could be very difficult in some areas where it is constantly below freezing for the whole winter season. Therefore, it appears there is 2 viable solutions: 1) Don't use the parking brake when it's cold out or 2) Buy a new cable from Toyota

4.2.2 MkII

4.2.2.1 Wear

Brake rotors wear quickly. Some '91 owners have reported minimum tolerances on rotors before reaching 60k miles. Rear brakes may wear faster than front. A number of owners have reported VERY uneven wear on the inside pads. In some cases, 1/2 wear on outside pad, with the interior pad completely worn out at < 35k miles. Be sure the slide bolts are well lubricated with a high temperature grease.

4.2.2.2 Brake light

A symptom of low brake fluid is an intermittent brake light on the dash. Check the brake fluid before anything else. The reservoir is located at the top left of the front luggage compartment.

4.2.2.3 Parking Brake

Frozen parking brake cables are a problem here as well. Check the mki section "Parking Brake" for possible solutions.

4.3.0 Transmission

4.3.1 MkI - 5 speed manual

Red Line 75-90NS (that's the consensus this week, anyway...) is recommended by many to reduce notchy feel.

4.3.2 MkI - 4 speed automatic

4.3.3 MkII - 5 speed manual

Red Line 75W90 (for LSD) or 75W90NS (for no LSD) is recommended by many to reduce notchy feel.(may take a couple weeks to really work). Appears to help significantly in colder weather. Note: 1991 and most 1992's don't have the LSD. A few 92's and everything there on have the LSD.

4.3.4 MkII - 4 speed automatic

4.4.0 Wheels

4.4.1 MkI

4.4.1.1 Sizes

14x5.5 All four corners, N/A 14x6 Supercharged

4.4.1.2 Important notes:

Be sure to use a torque wrench when tightening lug bolts on these cars. Failure to do so will result in "shimmy" in the front end. Your local tire shop will most likely not use a torque wrench, your dealership may or may not. Rebalancing the tires +will not+ correct this shimmy. Dealers have previously recommended purchasing new wheels, blaming aftermarket wheels, bad discs, etc.Retorque the nuts, it should help.

4.4.2 MkII

4.4.2.1 Sizes

4.4.2.1.1 1991-1992

diameter (f/r) width (f/r) offset (f/r) 91-92 14"/14" 6"/7" 45mm/45mm

4.4.2.1.2 1993-present

diameter (f/r) width (f/r) offset (f/r) 93-+ 15"/15" 6"/7" 45mm/45mm

4.4.2.2 Important notes:

Front and rear wheel sizes are different, be sure not to mix them up! MkII front and rear lug nut sizes are different (longer ones on the rear) Stud sizes are the same all the way around. Pre 93 MkII cars tend to wear rear tires much more significantly at the INSIDE edge. When checking tire wear on ANY MkII car, be sure to check the tires FROM THE REAR, so you'll be sure to see wear at the INSIDE and outside edge of the tire. It is NORMAL for there to be very significant wear at the inside edge of the tire with little wear at the outside edge.

4.5.0 Tires

4.5.1 MkI

Courtesy of Mark Kiesow '84-89 original equipment tire size 185/60SR14 ('87-89 are listed as having 'H' rated tires), pressure 30 psi front and rear. Wheel size 14x6, bolt circle 4 on 100mm. Michelin recommended alternate tire sizes: 185/65R14 or 195/50R15 (195/60R14 are shown for '87-89)

4.5.2 MkII

4.5.3 Snow

Several owners (myself included) have had good success driving the MR2 during the winter in moderate amounts of snow (less than 4" or so). However, driving through winter with stock summer performance tires (MkII w/ Yokohama A022) should be avoided. Regardless of what tire you have on, MAKE SURE IT HAS SOME TREAD LEFT!!! Having snow tires with no tread will yield worse results than driving on performance tires with tread. Recommended tires: Pirrelli P210W Bridgestone Blizzak Goodyear Eagle GW (do any sizes fit MkII?) Camry steel pull-off's work well for a "snow rim" for four snow tires in the winter. See the wheel section below for more info Some recommendations for better snow performance include a couple bags of sand in the trunk, or a sheaf of asphalt shingles in the trunk. When you get stuck, the shingles make a VERY good traction device, and don't have the disadvantage of leaking sand all over the inside of the trunk (although you do get little pebbles, but they vacuum up easy) Summary: The MR2 is a very driveable car in the winter. It has the advantage of rear weight, something most other RWD cars do not have. This is not to say I would encourage picking up a mister for winter driving, but rather, that if you are forced to drive it in snowy/icy conditions regularly like myself, you are not in as bad of shape as some will lead you to believe.

4.5.4 Chains

The manual recommends that chains -NOT- be used on the front tires. Speeds should be kept well below 30mph with chains installed to prevent damage to rear body panels.

4.5.5 Wheels

Steel wheels are available for $174 (US) each set (7/94 price) from: Fast Wheels 1924 East 6th Tulsa, OK 74104 (918) 599-9022 Sizes Available: 13x5.5 13x7.0 14x6.0 85-89 MR2 (all four, S/C), 91-92 MR2 (front only) 14x7.0 91-92 MR2 (rear) 15x5.0 15x6.0 93-94 MR2 (front) 15x7.0 93-94 MR2 (rear)[WRONG OFFSET] 15x8.0 14x6.0 for MR2 is a chrome center with a bare shell Reinforcements (Strongly recommended) cost $10 each wheel. Steel wheels from a 92 Camry have the proper offset, diameter, and hole layout. $37 each from Tire Rack (12/94). Yes, you can put four on the car. The stock alloy lug nuts CANNOT be used with steel wheels, you must use lug nuts designed for steel wheels. Stock Toyota steel wheel nuts cost $3.54 EACH! (At 5 nuts per wheel, that's half the cost of each wheel!)You should be able to find nuts cheaper at any auto parts store. Stock alloy wheels run about $450 each. Good aftermarket wheels cost somewhat less. Used OEM alloy wheels should be fairly inexpensive, although difficult to locate.

4.6.0 Accessories

4.6.1 Air Conditioning

1988-1989 MkI models are reported to have somewhat weak air conditioning. The unit is working correctly, but is not as cold as earlier models. This is reportedly because Toyota responded to complaints about power robbing by the A/C unit, and reduced it's power consumption. Hence, it's not as cold as earlier cars. Many 1991-1993 Toyota automobiles with Air conditioning were recalled due to a possible expansion valve failure that could leave the air conditioning working at less than peak efficiency. See the listing above to determine if your car may have been affected.This doesn't affect just the MR2.

4.6.2 Stereo

In MkII models, 1990-1992 models sometimes have difficulty with front left speaker. Problem is due to inadequately sealed connector in door that shorts out when wet. Causes damage to in dash stereo. There also appear to be problems with power antenna. Should you forget the code on your theft-deterrant radio, the good news is that I believe it can be reset. The bad news is that I don't know how to do it. Refer to mr2.com as I believe there is an article on just this. CD Players There was a "field replacement" of these units. If you're having skipping problems, it won't take disc's, etc., take it to your dealer and tell the service manager the problems you're having. They -should- offer to replace it under warranty if your car is still under warranty. The CD player in the MkII car appears to be very well behaved. Some owners have reported that some discs that play fine in home stereos won't play at all in the car player. One possiblility is that some discs are -too thin- for this player. To fix this, you can beef up the disc a bit. Go to your local hobby store, and pick up a sheet of "trim cover" it's a thin, self adhesive r/c model covering material. This should cost < $5, and you'll be able to fit a lot of discs if necessary. Cut out two square pieces big enough to cover the entire center ring of the disc (about 2" square) Stick the first one on, directly over the hole in the middle of the disc. Using an exacto knife, trim the covering around the outside edge of the center hub, and around the hole in the middle of the disk. Repeat with the second piece. It's interesting to note that MkII NA cars that were built with the manual antenna have their antenna on the drivers side A-pillar (not actually on the pillar, just above it on the roof) All cars with T-Top's appear to have a power antenna, and therefore the premium sound system.

4.7.0 T-Top roof

MkII with T-Top - T-Top seals can be kept from squeaking with regular applications of Armor-All or like products. Applying WD-40 (or the like) to retaining pin holes with a Q-Tip will reduce rattle/squeak in this area.Yeah, they leak. Removing the weatherstrip (yup, the whole thing) cleaning the adhesive, rubbing it down with a lubricant, and reattaching it with silicone adhesive may help.

4.8.0 ABS

Removing the four connectors on the ABS control valve unit will disable the ABS without disabling the power steering. The ABS light on the dash will come on. Probably won't affect braking beyond having no ABS. Don't look at me for any responsibility on this one. See section 7.3

4.9.0 Fog Lights

See section 7.1

4.10.0 Spark Plugs

The MkII Turbocharged engine leaves the factory with platinum spark plugs. These are said to be good for at least 60,000 miles. Several people have tried SplitFire brand spark plugs, but have not met with good success. The stock spark plug wiring harness does not grip these aftermarket plugs well, which may result in less than advertised performance.

4.11.0 Windshield wipers

MkII owners! There was a wiper refill change in the middle of the 1993 model year. The "wrong" ones may fit the car.

4.12.0 Suspension Components

4.12.1 Struts

The multistage struts for the 1994 MR2 will fit a 1993 car. Has anyone tried this with a 1991 or 1992? (This information came from Toysports)

4.12.2 91-> 93 Upgrade

The following is a recap of a post by Clayton Haynes (blatantly copied, and a smidgen modified) A typical 'fatal' cornering scenario with the '91 is as follows: You head up to a corner, brake, and turn the car in while applying some power. So far so good. The suspension compresses, and the back wheels toe in. No big deal. The car still feels excellent. In a 'good' corner, you will increase the power, and blast through with no problems (leaving the RX7's in the dust). In a 'fatal' corner, however, you may miss the apex, or get a bit bounced around, or whatever, resulting in you lifting off the throttle. The moment you do this, while still mid corner, the rear suspension decompresses as the weight of the car shifts forward. This causes the rear wheels to toe out, with the alarming possibility of breaking the tail loose. The rapid unweighting of the rear wheels, which reduces available traction, is the main culprit. Aggravating this sudden loss of traction is the change in the rear toe from toed "in" to toed "out" as the suspension decompressed. As a result, the rear end is now being steered away from the inside of the corner, and towards the ditch on the outside of the road. The answer to the problem is to replace the rear subframe assembly and install the 1993 spec trailing arms. This combination was changed for post 1992 models (1993+ MkII's), moving the mounting points for the trailing arms out approximately 4 inches. This obviously requires new trailing arms to match. The results are indistinguishable from the later models. There are a few other differences, like alterations to the squat, dive and different shock and spring rates, and altered steering geometry. None of these have any real effect on the tail happy nature of the car. Obviously this will significantly tame the tail happy nature of the car, but only proper driving can avoid a costly accident. Anyone know how much this might cost?? (Cost of parts, anyway?) The list of parts is listed at: http://mr2.com/TEXT/SuspensionUpgrade.html This procedure has been done by a few people, and is apparently not that difficult. Although the suspension was upgraded in 93+ units, some like myself, prefer the 91-92 suspension's to the 93. Personal preference I guess.

4.13.0 Exhaust

MkI normally aspirated cars may benefit by fitting the exhaust from a 1989 Supercharged car. The lower restritction should help overall power (according to TRD). MkII cars -may- benefit from the straight pipe approach outlined below (see "not noisy enough") According to both Toysports, TRD, and Lou F. Toyota, the change in back pressure may actually decrease power. They both agree that spool up time will be reduced, but low end power may be significantly degraded. As far as I know, there have been no major complaints of this type with this modification. Some people have reported a little less low end torque, a few people claim no difference. Try it, it's cheap. This should be legal (you're on your own, don't look to me for any legal repsonsibility, you do it, you did it, not me) for emissions requirements (you didn't change any emmisions gear, just a pipe)But some people are now claiming it isn't, because back pressure and noise levels are changed from stock. As I said, you're on your own.

4.14.0 Rear Spoiler

MkII spoilers appear to have a habit of fading. No other info here. They just seem to do it. Red is especially prone to this. Example - My 91 had to have the spoiler repainted at 30k miles. It had become a light pink. Fortunately, it was covered under warranty. Some have suggested this may be caused by the heat from the engine, the parabolic shape of the spoiler, and everything in between, however, there is no evidence to support any of this. I suggest keeping the car clean and waxed regularly and avoid leaving it in direct sunlight for long periods of time.

4.15.0 Eltro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS)

This section applies to MkII cars only. The EHPS is driven by an electric pump, rather than a belt driven pump. This has the advantage of not running a lot of plumbing from one end of the car to the other (weight) as well as giving easy control to steering boost provided at different speeds. In the case of the MkII MR2, maximum assist is given at rest, with no assist over 85 mph. 1993 and later cars have improved steering feel (well, supposedly, that's what the book says, but I don't have one to compare to) Remember, this isn't a Buick. Steering weight will still be fairly heavy! Neither the MR2 or the NSX were the first production cars with this option. So far, the earliest claim to this throne is the Subaru XT6, at least as early as 1988. EHPS was never available in Canada.

4.16.0 Fading Paint

A number of owners have reported fading spoilers. A common solution is waxing the spoiler often, although you must be careful (do it by hand!), as the spoiler seems very susceptible to swirl marks. According to Toyota, -NO- Toyota automobiles with SOLID COLOR paint are clear coated. This means that most MkII MR2's do not have clearcoat. Black, Red, White have no clearcoat. Metalic and Pearl colors do. If you have red paint, you don't have clearcoat. If you have Emerald Pearl, you do. A number of owners have also reported excessive spotting of paint on 91 and 92 RED MR2's. They don't buff out, and Toyota isn't taking responsibility for it. If you've got a problem, let your dealer/FACTORY REP. know about it.

4.17.0 Coolant / Flush and fill

Because of the mid engine design, the radiator has rather extensive plumbing. The radiator -is- mounted in the front of the car, and both supply and return pipes for it run underneath the car. There are special procedures for flushing the radiator/cooling system. The introduction of air bubbles into the system (very easy to do) can cause severe overheating. Service procedures won't be outlined here, read the service manual! The proper service is -NOT- to open the front and rear cocks and dump in coolant with the engine running until you think you're there. The car will take MANY quarts of coolant.

4.18.0 Suspension

Part numbers for the crash bolts: Big size - #90105-15004 - 13.9mm Middle - #90105-15005 - 13.3mm Small - #90105-15006 - 12.8mm? They cost about $2.50 US from your local Toyota Dealer. They won't know what they are if you ask for "Crash Bolts" so don't bother. Just ask them to order the appropriate part number. 004 or 005 are recommended for street driving. 004 will provide at least -1.5 degrees camber. Remember to be careful that these are particularly tight.

4.19.0 Taillight Conversion from 91-93 ro 94+

This requires three major parts, and costs (wholesale) about $280. The left and right tailight units need to be replaced, as does the center section. Left and right units are $94 each, the center section is $81. The center section is ordered by color (it includes the reverse lights - in pre 94 cars the reverse lights were in the tailight units) The trunk lock mechanism may need to be changed... information forthcoming... The three majors parts should be a simple bolt in operation.

4.20.0 Thunks and Rattles (MkI)

Check the steering rack end bushings. Parts cost < $30. Most of the work is in getting it out of the car and back in.

5.0 Service

5.1 Engine Oil

It's undecided whether a synthetic or natural oil should be used in your engine. Slick 50 has produced results that, at the very least, can be called inconclusive according to those that have responded to such questions. Some people report great improvement. Others report no improvement at all. It is particularly important for Supercharged and Turbocharged engine owners to replace your oil frequently. The visor sticker on a 1993 Turbo (MkII) recommends every 2500 miles under harsh conditions. A few extra oil changes is definitely cheaper than a new turbocharger and the labor to install it. The Toyota brand filters do have anti-drainback valves, this keeps oil in the filter, even when the engine is stopped. The idea behind this is that when the engine starts, it will run without oil pressure for a shorter period of time (the pump no longer needs to fill the filter first). A recent test of various oil filters ranked the Toyota filter as "inferior" and the Champion filter as "superior" The summary of this test can be found at the WWW page, please browse for it there. I don't know if Champion makes a filter that fits the MR2, but it's pretty likely. The following was lifted from a recent MR2 Mailing list posting I got the following article from the vw archives. It has some useful information on the different oils. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article is going to look at six of the most important properties of a motor oil readily availiable to the public: viscosity, viscosity index (VI), flash point, pour point, % sulfated ash, and % zinc. Multi viscosity oils are one of the great improvements in oils, but they should be chosen wisely. Always use a multi grade with the narrowest span of viscosity that is appropriate for the temperatures you are going to encounter. The polymers can shear and burn forming deposits that can cause ring sticking and other problems. 10W-40 and 5W-30 require a lot of polymers(synthetics excluded) to achieve that range. This has caused problems in diesel engines, but fewer polymers are better for all engines. The wide viscosity range oils, in general, are more prone to viscosity and thermal breakdown due to the high polymer content. Very few manufactures recommend 10W-40 any more, and some threaten to void warranties if it is used. It was not included in this article for that reason. 20W-50 is the same 30 point spread, but because it starts with a heavier base it requires less viscosity index improvers (polymers) to do the job. AMSOIL can formulate their 10W-30 and 15W-40 with no viscosity index improvers but uses some in the 10W-40 and 5W-30. Mobil 1 uses no viscosity improvers in their 5W-30, and I assume the new 10W-30. Follow your manufacturer's recommendations as to which weights are appropriate for your vehicle. Viscosity Index is an empirical number indicating the rate of change in viscosity of an oil within a given temperature range. Higher numbers indicate a low change, lower numbers indicate a relatively large change. The higher the number the better. This is one major property of an oil that keeps your bearings happy. These numbers can only be compared within a viscosity range. It is not an indication of how well the oil resists thermal breakdown. Flash point is the temperature at which an oil gives off vapors that can be ignited with a flame held over the oil. The lower the flash point the greater tendancy for the oil to suffer vaporization loss at high temperatures and to burn off on hot cylinder walls and pistons. The flash point can be an indicator of the quality of the base stock used. The higher the flash point the better. 400 F is the minimum to prevent possible high consumption. Flash point is in degrees F. Pour point is 5 degrees F above the point at which a chilled oil shows no movement at the surface for 5 seconds when inclined. This measurement is especially important for oils used in the winter. A borderline pumping temperature is given by some manufacturers. This is the temperature at which the oil will pump and maintain adequate oil pressure. This was not given by a lot of the manufacturers, but seems to be about 20 degrees F above the pour point. The lower the pour point the better. Pour point is in degrees F. % sulfated ash is how much solid material is left when the oil burns. A high ash content will tend to form more sludge and deposits in the engine. Low ash content also seems to promote long valve life. Look for oils with a low ash content. % zinc is the amount of zinc used as an extreme pressure, anti- wear additive. The zinc is only used when there is actual metal to metal contact in the engine. Hopefully the oil will do its job and this will rarely occur, but if it does, the zinc compounds react with the metal to prevent scuffing and wear. A level of .11% is enough to protect an automobile engine for the extended oil drain interval, under normal use. Those of you with high reving, air cooled motorcycles or turbo charged cars or bikes might want to look at the oils with the higher zinc content. More doesn't give you better protection, it gives you longer protection if the rate of metal to metal contact is abnormally high. High zinc content can lead to deposit formation and plug fouling. The Data: Listed alphabetically --- indicates the data was not avaliable Brand VI Flash Pour %ash %zinc 20W-50 AMSOIL 136 482 -38 <.5 --- Castrol GTX 122 440 -15 .85 .12 Exxon High Performance 119 419 -13 .70 .11 Havoline Formula 3 125 465 -30 1.0 --- Kendall GT-1 129 390 -25 1.0 .16 Pennzoil GT Perf. 120 460 -10 .9 --- Quaker State Dlx. 155 430 -25 .9 --- Shell Truck Guard 130 450 -15 1.0 .15 Spectro Golden 4 174 440 -35 --- .15 Spectro Golden M.G. 174 440 -35 --- .13 Unocal 121 432 -11 .74 .12 Valvoline All Climate 125 430 -10 1.0 .11 Valvoline Turbo 140 440 -10 .99 .13 Valvoline Race 140 425 -10 1.2 .20 20W-40 Castrol Multi-Grade 110 440 -15 .85 .12 Quaker State 121 415 -15 .9 --- 15W-50 Chevron 204 415 -18 .96 .11 Mobil 1 180 430 -55 --- --- Mystic JT8 144 420 -20 1.7 .15 15W-40 AMSOIL 135 460 -38 <.5 --- Castrol 134 415 -15 1.3 .14 Chevron Delo 400 136 421 -27 1.0 --- Exxon XD3 --- 417 -11 .9 .14 Exxon XD3 Extra 135 399 -11 .95 .13 Kendall GT-1 135 410 -25 1.0 .16 Mystic JT8 142 440 -20 1.7 .15 Shell Rotella w/XLA 146 410 -25 1.0 .13 Valvoline All Fleet 140 --- -10 1.0 .15 Valvoline Turbo 140 420 -10 .99 .13 10W-30 AMSOIL 142 480 -70 <.5 --- Castrol GTX 140 415 -33 .85 .12 Chevron Supreme 150 401 -26 .96 .11 Exxon Superflo Hi Perf 135 392 -22 .70 .11 Exxon Superflo Supreme 133 400 -31 .85 .13 Havoline Formula 3 139 430 -30 1.0 --- Kendall GT-1 139 390 -25 1.0 .16 Mobil 1 --- 430 -60 --- --- Pennzoil PLZ Turbo 140 410 -27 1.0 --- Quaker State 156 410 -30 .9 --- Shell Fire and Ice 155 410 -35 .9 .12 Shell Super 2000 155 410 -35 1.0 .13 Shell Truck Guard 155 405 -35 1.0 .15 Spectro Golden M.G. 175 405 -40 --- --- Unocal Super 153 428 -33 .92 .12 Valvoline All Climate 130 410 -26 1.0 .11 Valvoline Turbo 135 410 -26 .99 .13 Valvoline Race 130 410 -26 1.2 .20 5W-30 AMSOIL 168 480 -76 <.5 --- Castrol GTX 156 400 -35 .80 .12 Chevron Supreme 202? 354 -46 .96 .11 Exxon Superflow HP 148 392 -22 .70 .11 Havoline Formula 3 158 420 -40 1.0 --- Mobil 1 150 430 -65 --- --- Mystic JT8 161 390 -25 .95 .1 Quaker State 165 405 -35 .9 --- Shell Fire and Ice 167 405 -35 .9 .12 Unocal 151 414 -33 .81 .12 Valvoline All Climate 135 405 -40 1.0 .11 Valvoline Turbo 158 405 -40 .99 .13 5W-50 Castrol Syntec 180 437 -49 1.2 .10 .095 % Phosphor [JHV] All of the oils above meet current SG/CD ratings and all vehicle manufacture's warranty requirements in the proper viscosity. All are "good enough", but those with the better numbers are icing on the cake. The more expensive synthetics; AMSOIL, Mobil 1, Castrol Syntec and Spectro offer the only truly significant differences, due to their superior high temperature oxidation resistance, high film strength, very low tendancy to form deposits, stable viscosity base, and low temperature flow characteristics. Synthetics are superior lubricants compared to traditional petroleum oils. You will have to decide if their high cost is justifed in your application. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want the full article it, you can get it by ftp as follows: ftp ftp.lap.umd.edu /Public/vw_archives/Synthetic_Oils

5.2 Transmission/Differential Oil

Red Line MTL or 75W-90NS appear to be universally recommended.

5.3 Typos

There is a typo in the MkII service manual in regards to the electrical diagrams for the fog lights. Two wires are indicated as going off page on Canadian cars, with a direct wire between two points on American cars. This is incorrect, it is actually the other way around.

5.4 Toyota Technical Service Bulletins

Toyota won't release these. If there is one that interests you, you may be able to convince your local dealer to make a copy. The web site does have a list of Titles and dates, but not content. Alldata Inc. will sell you the content, but the last time I checked, they were fairly expensive. If there is one of particular interest, ask your service center, they might be willing to fill you in. Toyota seems to hold these pretty near and dear. I have been able to sweet talk a set of parts fiches out of my dealer in the past. Get the "detailed electrical diagrams" for $20 and the appropriate service manual for you car. Service manuals (2 volumes, sold as a set) for a MK2 cost about $90. Worth every penny. I think L. Fusz Toyota has a better price, and fantastic service.

5.5 Average Service Costs (Someone help out here?)

5.5.1 MkI

15k $?? Service includes: 30k $?? Service includes: 60k $?? Service includes:

5.5.2 MkII

15k $180 Service includes: Check all fluids, oil change, oil filter, air filter element, ?? 30k $248 Service includes: Oil change, filters, brake check, trans fluid change, radiator flush, ?? 60k $225 NA $600 Turbo Service includes: Valve adjustment (shim type) Timing belt change, etc. Some turbo owners have managed to talk their dealers into giving them timing belt changes for cheap due to flyers the dealers sent out that did not specify that the mr2 cost extra. However, don't count on it. This doesn't always work!

5.6 Jack Points

5.6.1 MkI

Someone willing to contribute a diagram?

5.6.2 MkII

There are 6 possible jack points for the MkII car. +----------------A-------------B--D---------------+ | | | Note! | | | | +--------+ +---------+ | | | | | | front Y |C| | | Y |C| | | | | | | +--------+ +---------+ | | | | Note! | | | +----------------A-------------B--D---------------+ A = Jack point, place jack between the "v" notches in the seam C = Jack point, Center of suspension member. Be careful of the bolts at this point (a wood block would be useful here) Y = Jack point - don't know exact location, book shows one here You will deform the plastic underbody cover using this point. B = Jack point - Be very careful with this one. Place the jack between the "v" notches, not any further back. If you try and jack at point D, the rail will collapse and fold in. FYI, this costs about $450 to fix. Point B looks something like this: vents door / [__________ / -------------------/ / wheel well ---------------------------------------/ / --------------------------------DD---/ -------------------^-B-^----/ Seam/Rail Jack Here Not Here ^-Note that the seam stops here

5.7 Tools

5.7.1 SST (Special Service Tools)

There are a number of special service tools called out in the service manuals. They're -extremely- expensive. In many cases, a "generic" tool will work quite well. The Toyota SST's are very high quality. You can sometimes order these through your service department at your local dealer. I've found that the parts department usually can't get them, but the service department usually can.

5.7.2 Other sources

Given how frightfully expensive genuine Toyota Special Service Tools are, it's worth knowing that there are other sources. Try OTC, 800-933-8335 (to order), 507-455-7050 otherwise. That's Owatonna Tool Co., 655 Eisenhower Dr., Owatonna, MN., 55060. They sell all of the Toyota SST's and LOTS of other stuff. Valve adjusting tools run around $30.

6.0 Upgrades/Accessories

6.1 HKS

This company offers a full line of upgrades for your MR2 of any year. Upgrades include suspension, transmission, turbocharger, supercharger, induction and exhaust systems. Contact them at: HKS USA Inc. 20312 Gramercy Place Dept. T2 Torrance, CA 90501 (310) 328-8100

6.2 TRD - Toyota Racing Development

This division of Toyota produces performance parts for all Toyota products. Contact them at: Toyota Racing Development 335 East Baker Street Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Phone: (714) 444-1188 Phone: (714) 444-3161 (Parts Orders)

6.3 Lou Fusz

Lou Fusz Toyota no longer carries HKS and TRD components. No performance parts at all. Good prices on service manuals and other parts (very close to wholesale). Lou Fusz Toyota, Inc. 10725 Manchester St. Louis, Missouri 63122 Phone: 800-325-9581 (US and Can.) Fax: 314-966-2353 (24hrs) Overseas Phone: 314-966-5404 Catalogs cost $3 (9/94)

6.4 Toysports

Toysports specializes in modifications for Toyota vehicles. When I spoke with them on the phone, they told me they currently have a Twin-Turbocharged MR2. Offer Trust and HKS parts as well. (That TT MR2 isn't available for sale, they just have one! heck, maybe it's for sale by now, call them...) Toysports 1547 West El Segundo Blvd. Gardena, CA 90249 (213) 755-1177 Joel and Georgie are the resident MR2 experts. Catalogs cost $2 (9/94), you must order them by mail, include in your letter which vehicle you want a catalog for.

6.5 Bike racks

Thule (Sweden) Rear Mount Bicycle Rack Systems The Thule RMS 970 is designed to carry two bicycles and the RMS 972 will carry three. Thule also has a new model, the Cruiser 974, which is quite small and would probably not fit on the MR2 (at least not one with a rear spoiler). The RMS ski accessory 971 allows the 970 and 972 to carry two pairs of snow skis. The Thule 970 generally sells for $85-$95 US. Thule recommends a 'Fit Adjustment No.' of 4 for the '85 MR2 in their 970/972 Rear Mount Bicycle Rack Fit Guide. I found that a 'Fit Adjustment No.' of 4 would not allow the rack to properly clear the rear spoiler on my '88 Supercharged. I found that a 'Fit Adjustment No.' of 5 worked much better. For the MKII MR2s, Thule says that their rack does not fit, although I suspect that it would. I have not had a chance to try my Thule 970 rack on a new '94 Turbo. The 970/972 Fit Guide lists two Fit Tips for the '85 MR2. 1). Place top clips in the gap at the front edge of the top of the trunk. 2). Set lower clips into frame holes in back of bumper (emergency tow hooks on the underside of the bumper). For more information about Thule products, contact: In US: Thule East Thule West 42 Silvermine Rd. 2770 La Mirada Dr. Seymour, CT 06483 Suite E. 203-881-9600 Vista, CA 92083 619-598-1400 In Canada: Sport Dinaco, 514-636-8081 Other Brands Of Bike Racks A company called Rhode-Gear also makes rear mount bicycle racks. I looked into buying one of the these, but Rhode-Gear's Fit Guide does not recommend their racks be used on any MR2s. Several people on the mailing list have indicated that they have successfully used Rhode-Gear rear mount racks on their MKI MR2s. The Rhode-Gear rack I looked at sold for about the same as the Thule 970 ($85-$95 US). (Research courtesy of Tim Toenjes, timt@microsoft.com 12/94)

7.0 Common Complaints, and resolutions

7.1 Fog lights won't come on without main headlights

(thanks to Kostas Chryssos for this information) 1991 ver. (1993 ver.) NOT FOR CANADIAN VERSION!! 1) Locate relay of front fog lights. 2) Relay has 4 pins as follows: Pin 1 (2) connects relay coil via R-Y cable to main lights for 12VDC. Pin 2 (3) connects to the fog switch for ground input. Pins 3 (1) and 4 (4) are the fog light actual switching contacts of the relay. MARK THE No. of the contacts on the relay body. 3) Remove the relay from the socket. Remove the plastic cover. Use a piece of bare wire and short inside the housing pins no. 1 (2) and 4 (4) Use solder. Replace plastic cover and cut flush pin no.1 (2) so that it will NOT make contact in the socket of the relay. 4) Replace the relay to its socket. 5) The front fog lights are now totally independent from the main lights. Installing a replacement stock relay will revert to original operation. 6) It is also recommended to connect pin No.2 (2) G-Y of the fog light switch to the cathode of a 1N4004 diode the other end of the diode routed to pin No.7 of the seat belt warning relay located at driver's right kick panel. This will buzz the alarm if engine is switched off and key removed with fog lights left ON. It should be noted that the stock relay is quite expensive. From Ricky Benitez: This should be a simple mod. The fog lights already have their own relay and fuse in the front trunk fuse box. The red wire w/ the yellow strip going to this relay comes from the headlight circuit on US cars to provide positive power to the coil. The switch on the console provides ground when closed to turn on the fog lights. If you cut the red/yellow wire and tap it to the black/orange wire going to the main fan relay in the same fuse box you will then provide positive to the relay coil only when the ignition key is turned to "ON" (but not in "ACC", so you can play the stereo in the parking lot without having the lights come on). This means your fog lights will then come on when the ignition key is turned to "ON" and the fog light switch is on.

7.2 T-Tops squeak.

Lubricate seals with Armor-All. Lubricate pin holes with WD-40 on a Q-Tip.

7.3 Can't disable ABS without also disabling power steering.

Remove the connectors from the ABS control module (the large valve looking thing at the right side (looking towards the back of the car) underneath the plastic cover. Your ABS light will come on on the dash, but your ABS will be effectively disabled. Your power steering will still work.

7.4 Noisy.

Using a product like DynaMat or RoadKill (sound dampening material) on the firewall (behind the seats) and in the footwells can provide quite a bit of quieting action. Application below the seats can help a great deal as well. Weight penalty: 20lb or so.

7.5 Not noisy enough.

The cheapest way to fix this is to replace the muffler with a straight piece of tail pipe after the second catalytic converter. This does not affect your emissions requirements. This is reported to be a legal modification, don't touch your catalytic converters, but you are on your own here. Check with your local authorities. This modification should provide quicker spool up times (less back pressure), a more aggressive note from the exhaust, and is reported to be not much louder than the stock exhaust. Lou F. Toyota, TRD and Toysports recommend -against- this modification, because the low end torque of the engine will be adversly affected. The Turbo -will- spool quicker. Some people are claiming this isn't a legal modification because backpressure and noise levels are changed. As I said, you're on your own. Another option is to replace the stock muffler with one offered by Borla, HKS or Trust. See the mail order section for information on this. As of 4/94, these mufflers cost in the range of $400-$600 each.

7.6 Need more low end.

Install header available from TRD (due by 12/94). So I'm told, anyway. GReddy now has a header available as well, for 90-95 cars.

7.7 This thing eats air filters for lunch!

With the air intake so low to the ground, it appears to suck in a lot of road grime and dirt. This clogs the filter rather quickly. Replace your air filter with a K&N Filtercharger or other high flow, cleanable air filter. Remember, you must clean the filter occasionally, or you may as well have never bothered. In my car, stock filters don't appear to last more than 6-8k miles. By changing to cleanable air filter, I think it has at least paid for itself. I have not experienced any large power gains, but I'm also not spending $18 every few months for a filter. The HKS Super Powerflow filter will provide you with somewhat better power. It -is- noisier than the stock setup under boost, but does provide some pretty substantial gains. These cost $160 (or more, depending on where you buy it) Several K&N "off road use only" elements do fit on the HKS adapter flange. (RU-1500, for instance.... which also flows more air)

7.8 Gurgling

Various theories exist about the strange gurgling noise that can be heard on a MkII MR2 after even a moderately hard run. Final word is.... Coolant bubbling back into the resivoir. Normal.

7.9 My -glove box- rattles!

The first thing to check is the obvious loose screws, etc on the glove box itself. If this does not fix the rattle, checks the screws and fasteners inside the wheel well mud liner. These often fall out, get loose, etc. A quick and easy repair if the fasteners have been lost or stripped is to use a silicone adhesive or other thick sticky glue to stick the mud liner to the mounting behind it. It's rare to have to remove these liners. You may need to remove the wheel to get to all the screws.

8.0 Other Stuff

8.1 Model Kits

The kit is made by Hasegawa, it's a 1/24 scale 1991 MR2 Turbo with T-tops with Dunlop Tires. The kit can be built as either a left-hand drive or a right hand drive. Detail is excellent, right down to the dash and engine. Cost: about $20. Oh, in Japan, the car has the nickname Midship Express.... I've seen these in a couple of -very good- local hobby shops (Venture Hobby in Buffalo Grove, IL, for example) Another kit is listed below The kit is for the "New MR2 GT" by Fujimi, a Japanese model manufacturer; it's an MR2 Turbo '91 (but says '90). Model number is "ID-40" and is 1/24th scale. I think it is part of a series of model cars--there was a list of them inside the box. I bought it at a local hobby shop, D&J Hobby, in Campbell, CA for under $15 in late 1991. (I purchased one in mid 1995 for about $15 at a local hobby shop in Chicago) This is an excellent model. It can be set up for a left- or right-handed driver. It requires assembly using good old Testors, paint, and time. All wheels (Bridgestone RE71 235 45 VR 17 tires!) rotate and the front wheels even steer. The instructions say it comes with either Bridgestones or Dunlops. It has a three-in-one radio, fog lights, T-tops, the rear spoiler, and of course, manual transmission. Curiously, I couldn't find the ABS-4 sticker anywhere. (Mine did...) This is a very high quality model! the only major inaccuracies to be foudn are the wheels, and the cigarette lighter in the left hand drive version is on the wrong side of the steering wheel. For all you people who would like to have a MKI MR2 model no need to feel left out. Testors makes a '88 Supercharged model, pretty good detail and you can assemble it with left or right drive. The engine hatch is removable as are the t-tops. It is 1/24 scale.

8.2 SCCA - Sports Car Club of America

This club offers a monthly magazine, supports local events, offers travel discounts, cheaper entry fees, extra insurance at events, etc. Costs $55/year (US, 8/94) Call (714) 259-8240 to inquire about joining. Lots of good opportunities to drive fast and learn a lot in a safe environment.

Disclaimers and other legal stuff: I don't work for any of the companies listed above, and don't recommend any of them over any other company. I do not represent Toyota or any other company, whether they make automobiles or not. You perform any modifications to your automobile at your own risk, and take all responsibility for them. This FAQ has been produced to inform you of the experiences of other MR2 owners, and as such, is only a record of those experiences. You take all responsibility and must use your own good judgment when making any modifications to your vehicle, performing your own maintenance, and driving your automobile. The above information is not guaranteed to be accurate, or complete. To be blunt, it could all be just a load of, well, you know. Copyright (C) 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998 Chris King Permission is granted to distribute this document without charge. This document may not be modified in any way, and this notice must remain part of this document. If you wish to publish this document, in whole or in part, in any format, for profit, contact me directly. Even if it's a not for profit organization, I'd like to know. I'm very likely to give you permission, but I'd like to keep track of where it goes. Recently a few magazines have been publishing FAQ's from the internet without acknowledging sources (this hasn't happened to me... at least I've been acknowledged :) ) I'm real big into the free information thing, and therefore, would like to keep at least this little collection free. Motorola doesn't want anything to do with this document, so you can't blame them either. Nyah. I've receivedquite a bit of information from quite a few people, thanks all!!

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