More 3S-GE grunt?

[Denz]

I have the 3S-GE from my 1990 MR2 and I was just wondering what things people sugest to give it a lil more grunt/ throttle response.
I have a very limited budget and am a student but have a look out on the New Zealand version of Trademe.

I was thinking of maybe adding a pod filter?
I sometimes see that there are Gen2 Heads second hand is this an advantage?
Any other sugestions? Hopfully nothing that will require a new ECU
I just want a lil more response, just a bit bored really.

I know loosing weight is the best way to make it go faster, but its my daily driver, i'll be taking out the AC compressor
Ive Already done
Spark plugs
Dizzy Cap
Oil Change
Valve Cover Seals
Cambelt

[328FTW]

The MR2 is a gen 2 3sge anyway so there is no benefit from using a gen 2 head, gen 3 is the next version (not sure if it is any better) and I have a friend going to a gen 2 from a BEAMS head to gain horsepower for various reasons.

Best I can suggest is that you ditch the stock exhaust lose some weight and run some fuel system cleaner through it or/and replace fuel filters. The air filter will help just make sure you keep it oiled because a lot of people just put them on and leave it at that and land up dusting the engine.

I'm going through the same thing right now and I'm almost done just need some paint to finish the body and put it on my uncles diagnosis machine to time the engine perfectly. Oh yeah timing correctly can pick up a few hp and make the car much more responsive when your timing has been off.

[MR2enV]

On my Gen2 3SGE i have 7MGE injectors, An adjustable fuel pressure regulator, a 255 walbro fuel pump, custom exhaust, stock headers, custom intake pipe with an HKS filter on it,ACT clutch and flywheel, and a APEXI SAFC and i put down 155whp and 140wtq... Ialso took out alot of crap that added up to 300 pounds .. It moves well on the streets..

[Denz]

Originally Posted by 328FTW

The MR2 is a gen 2 3sge anyway so there is no benefit from using a gen 2 head, gen 3 is the next version (not sure if it is any better) and I have a friend going to a gen 2 from a BEAMS head to gain horsepower for various reasons.

Best I can suggest is that you ditch the stock exhaust lose some weight and run some fuel system cleaner through it or/and replace fuel filters. The air filter will help just make sure you keep it oiled because a lot of people just put them on and leave it at that and land up dusting the engine.

I'm going through the same thing right now and I'm almost done just need some paint to finish the body and put it on my uncles diagnosis machine to time the engine perfectly. Oh yeah timing correctly can pick up a few hp and make the car much more responsive when your timing has been off.

I thought it was a GEN2 but I was just making sure, id love to go BEAMS but just dont have the money.
So any custom exhaust done from a shop will be of benifit? Because of weight or are the stock ones restrictive?
Any fuel system cleaner you recomend? I keep seeing them at Supercheap etc but never knew if they worked.
Would making a heat sheild be of my benifit to me if I went after market with the intake?

How can I tell if timing is out? When we did the cambelt we just lined everything up to how it was, it feels the same as it did before.

MR2enV
What main things did you remove to add up to 300 pounds.
I weight 230 pounds so if I was gunna get anal about weight saving id remove myself haha, but sounds like there are a few heavy things.
Also what config is your exhaust and intake?

Really appreciate the feed back and happy New Years.
Keep the cheap and chearful sugestions comming

[328FTW]

The timing will have to be done with a timing light. There are threads on here on how to do it right. I do it by feel most of the time but I have worked on the 4age and 3sge since I was 14 so have a good sense of where it's at.

The exhaust is mostly the weight but making it flow more freely and sound better is a bonus. The stock exhaust system weighs a lot. I do my own and don't like using exhaust shops because they usually know less than I do and just try to make me buy their promoted products rather than what I ask. Weight on a road car is a balance of comfort vs how much you want to lose.

Fuel cleaner I just use supercheap stuff but I used system cleaner not injector cleaner and put it in ran a couple tanks out then did it again because I don't intend to do it again soon, didn't feel a difference but I wouldn't expect to it just helps partially clogged injectors/filters or helps prevent them anyway.

And your air filter rather than put a heat shield on it put it close to or run a pipe from the side intake so it is getting cool air.

[MR2enV]

I took both crash braces out, when you remove stock exhaust and stock intake out and all these little things that dont do anything, weight adds up(example charcole canister and brakets).... Oh and when i re did the whole interior iremoved all the tar insulation on the floor.... I have the stock headers with a custom flange to fit a ebay mid pipe, then another flange to a megan racing turbo exhaust... My intake is basically 2'' pipe to a 3'' pipe and an HKS filter,, you can use an aem or injen or K&N....... You get the most power when you do an exhaust... Mine is very loud so if I were you I would with a stock MR2 turbo exhaust or go my same setup and use a resonator

[Denz]

Id love to be able to do my own Exhaust but dont have the welding ability and dont really know anyone who does, how much do raw materials cost for an exhaust roughly?
I'll run some system cleaner through then, its an old car and im sure would appreciate it in the long run.
The Heat sheild would be in addition to sticking it right in the passanger side intake.

So the Turbo exhausts are an upgrade? I'll keep a look out for them then.
I was just going to attatch some piping to the flexible rubber attatched to the TB and run it to the side intake, thatd be the easiest way to retain all of the hoses etc.

I might remove the charcole canister etc, im always looking to make more room in the engine bay.

Really appreciate this guys.

328FTW, do you know of any good shops to get products off around the waikato? or do you just use supercheap etc?

[328FTW]

I don't really know of any waikato stores because my dad has trade accounts in Pukekohe so I order then go to pick it up. I do use supercheap a lot though. Exhaust raw materials can be expensive depending on where you go. I have had contacts all my life so don't actually know the off the street price for exhaust, lucky I guess.

I hopefully will have my mkII up and running soon and might organize a meet with you. But that could be a while if things don't go right in which case I may be stuck with my mkI for a while longer.

[Denz]

I know what you mean about having connections, ah well I think I pod filter set up will apease me for the moment.
That would be good, if you need a hand with anything im happy to help.
My friends/ I have done my cambelt, Clutch Master, Cam Cover Seals etc etc and I like working on cars.
Whats wrong with your MK2 atm?
I love the MK1's anyway.

[328FTW]

My mkII had everything wrong with it. A ricer crashed it and stoved in the sump then drove it home and starved the engine of oil. Just fully rebuilt it now I'm fixing the paint and bodywork he damaged but it will be nice when it is done. Even my mkI is getting fixed at the moment and my other other mkI needs some changes to the rollcage before I go back on the road with it so my cars are in a sad state at the moment.

[Denz]

My car needs a lot of body work, over all its not to bad, just lots of things that by themselves look ok but put into the bigger picture just looks crappy over all.
It needs a respray/ semi respray.

Im hoping to get some fuel system cleaner and run it through the engine on my 550km trip from wellington to hamilton tomorrow, joy.

[Jason.MZW20]

The 2nd gen should have ACIS, as T-VIS was phased out after the 1st gen. Ensure the VSV (if it has one) is working for the ACIS system. It should close the valve after 4000rpm to shorten the intake runners.

If it has constant vacuum, then the valve is always closed, and you will lose some low-end grunt.

I'm not exactly sure how the older systems operate.

[Denz]

*cough* is there a simple way to check this?

[Jason.MZW20]

Originally Posted by Denz

*cough* is there a simple way to check this?

Yep. Just find the VSV that has a vacuum line to the ACIS valve on the intake manifold. You test it like any other VSV by doing the air flow check.

[Denz]

Thanks, I shall do some reading about that.