MR2 TDI

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lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Saturday 30th August 2014
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Hi folks, I'm not sure whether to post here or not. Its a bit of an alien this project and I think it might "fall on stoney ground"

Let me explain this strange idea. This summer I have been building a biodiesel plant and am now making fuel at somewhere between 25-28p per liter. I've also taken a new job which is miles away. Joining the dots you can see that I have no choice but to drive a diesel of some kind. After looking at the option, I've found there are some interesting (fast) diesels about. But I could do with an older distributor pump type (90s) to run on "rough" (not 100%) biodiesel.

So this a diesel engine wrapped in a nice car. That's how I'm thinking of it anyway. eventually, I'll tune to near 180hp and it will have plenty of low grunt for boring (or not so boring) commuter type driving.

So here is it:


The first thing I did was have all the rust and dents sorted (I'm not good with rust repairs). This is it after picking up from the bodyshop. (it still needs a polish)).

I've been looking for an engine for months (cheap and lowish miles) and finally found this last week.

I'm really happy with my purchase and think I've got it a at a reasonable price. It's a 1999 seat toledo with a 110hp AHF engine. soon to run out of MOT and Tax but still legal long enough to get it home. It has 89k on the clock and cost £450.

I've not had long on it due to starting a new job that entails rather a lot of commuting, but here is the progress so far. I've just been stripping the loom, and labelling.




Its one fo the very last distributor pump type TDI engine from VAG and can be tuned plenty smile

I want to get it running on the garage floor, then carefully strip away all the parts I don't new leaving the engine loom and instrument cluster, and hopefully adding a cruise control stalk for good measure.

I plan to:
Bin the dual mass flywheel in favour of the G60 solid flywheel and VR6 clutch (can take 300ft.lb)
port the head and regrind the valves for good measure
fit a new water pump and cambelt kit
fit a "tuning box" for 140 + hp

then later when all the problems are ironed out
Fit a PD130 turbo and manifold and larger injectors and a larger intercooler to get it closer to 180hp

I can't wait, its great to get started on a new project.

More to come if you want it?????

Benbay001

5,794 posts

156 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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Thats impressive.
Certainly a great engineering project, if not exactly what id do.
Maybe put this in readers cars? I suspect alot of people will find this very interesting.

smn159

12,444 posts

216 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
Great project - bookmarked!

My current daily (Corrado) has a retro fitted TDI, so very interested to see how you approach this.

lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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Thanks folks smile The progress will be slow and steady I imagine. Next installment on tuesday smile

lexusboy

1,099 posts

142 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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There's an Irish MR2 somewhere that has the Toyota D4D engine in it.

Don't know if there's a build thread for it anywhere my friend sent me a for sale link a while back for it

Ug_lee

2,223 posts

210 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
Mk2's are quite a slippery shape so coupled to a derv should give good economy. I contemplated something similar when I was driving from Inverness to Bradford every week in my MR2.

Not sure what sort of research you have done but there is plenty of info on Twobrutal regarding these cars for engine swappers. Even a diesel engine swap will be welcomed over there!

Were you not tempted to stick with a Toyota diesel? Toyota seem to have a lot of engineering commonality. Ie my 3.5L V6 engine made in 2008 and mated to an auto box bolted straight onto the Turbo gearbox built/designed in the late eighties early 90's.

Obviously you need a diesel gearbox instead of mating it to the n/a gearbox, but sticking with Toyota may have meant no need for custom bellhousing adaptors or driveshafts.

Look forward to the updates!

lexusboy

1,099 posts

142 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
quotequote all
There's an Irish MR2 somewhere that has the Toyota D4D engine in it.

Don't know if there's a build thread for it anywhere my friend sent me a for sale link a while back for it

mug81

256 posts

143 months

Sunday 31st August 2014
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smn159 said:
Great project - bookmarked!

My current daily (Corrado) has a retro fitted TDI, so very interested to see how you approach this.
Don't suppose there's a thread anywhere on the Corrado is there?

OP Great work, will follow with interest.

smn159

12,444 posts

216 months

Monday 1st September 2014
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mug81 said:
Don't suppose there's a thread anywhere on the Corrado is there?

OP Great work, will follow with interest.
There you go - there's a link to the complete build thread on page 1. My only contribution was to buy it once it was finished, but it's been my daily ever since!

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=8&a...

lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Tuesday 2nd September 2014
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Crikey that engine bay is smart! Really nice looking car that. Did he/she make any modifications to the engine while at it?



Got some more done last night, nothing major to report other than I set the small target that I set myself and removed the last of the loom from the interior (not yet the engine bay though).


It just needs feeding through the bulkhead when the engine side is disconnected.


I didn't really show a very good pic of the engine before so here it is:


Work starts on the engine loom at the weekend.

More to come

lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
I got some more done this weekend, between jobs on the 106 frown

I've finally got all the loom out and labelled everything up. I've got a nasty feeling there is no speed sensor on the gearbox at all, I imagine it must use one of more of the ABS sensors frown thats a bummer as I've cut them all off.

Anyway, progress so far.

The loom is now completely free from the car and all the bits I need (minus the ABS sensors) are in tact.


The engine is nearly free and ready to come out:



More to come

Ug_lee

2,223 posts

210 months

Monday 8th September 2014
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Are you planning to use the entire Seat loom and pull out the MR2 main loom?

The MR2 lends itself well to engine swaps because nearly all of the car is independent from the engine. It's difficult to describe but as long as the engine provides power nearly all the services within the car and functions will continue to operate fine.

You can take the engine loom from the Seat and using the old loom from the MR2 engine splice these together just after the main fuse box located in the MR2 engine bay. This will save you considerable work trying to splice things in inside the cabin. On my own engine swap there was nothing to touch inside the cabin of the car bar a small board modification for the tacho. This is on an engine running CANbus as well. Below was the situation with mine, main engine loom coming through into the boot on the drivers side, MR2 engine loom tails coming through on the left:


Good luck with the swap!

furrywoolyhatuk

682 posts

153 months

Monday 8th September 2014
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Very interesting, will be following, looking forward to the end result.

furrywoolyhatuk

682 posts

153 months

Monday 8th September 2014
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Very interesting, will be following, looking forward to the end result.

Dakkon

7,826 posts

252 months

Tuesday 9th September 2014
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Great project, will watch with interest, get on the IMOC site for any MR2 questions, they are normally pretty helpful

lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Tuesday 9th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks folks smile

That's good news Ug Lee, I'm not too sure what I'm doing with the wiring yet. I think I'll take a look at the MR2 shortly (as soon as the engine is out of the Toledo). I'm hoping to graft the Toledo dials in some how, so I've got working Tacho, speed engine temp and associated engine lights. I'll have to find which wired supply the MR2 dials with things like the handbrake light, indicators and main beam, and connect them up to the toledo dials.

Forgive my ignorance, is that the Camry V6?

Ug_lee

2,223 posts

210 months

Tuesday 9th September 2014
quotequote all
It's a 3.5L V6 out of a 2008 Toyota Highlander (big 4x4 in the US) was also available in the Camry, Avalon and even Rav4's Stateside!

It's basically the same as the V6 in the Evora and unshackled from 4 catalytic converters churns out 320hp (more than enough to scare you silly in a Mk2)

You may be able to run the SEAT instruments through the original MR2 body harness so your mods are confined to just behind the clocks. Your ABS/power steering etc then they all work independently no matter what engine you wish to run.
Another possibility is to adapt the MR2 engine sensors to fit the SEAT, ie a small adaptor for the coolant sensor I guess it all depends on the ranges/voltages the SEAT sensors work at and if they are compatible with the MR2 clocks. Speedo could be a completely independent setup running off a driveshaft or something like that?

There aren't many non Toyota engine swaps into Mk2's about as it makes it a much more challenging project because of the compatibility issues, I had it easy I guess!

Nothing is impossible so stick at it!


Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Thursday 11th September 2014
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Did you do that yourself or is it one of Woodsport's 2GR-FE conversions?

Pixelpeep7r

8,600 posts

141 months

Thursday 11th September 2014
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hey OP - mucho respect for this project, genuinely interested in the progress you make.

Please keep us updated.


lozzzzzz

Original Poster:

339 posts

156 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
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Thanks all smile smile

That's a fantastic conversion Ug Lee, that'll be a right beasty smile

I'll look into using the wires in there, but there are an aweful lot going into the Toledo dials, for more than you'd imagine to be necessary for some dials and warning lights. The other scary thing is that it'll start without the dials but stop again straight away, so there are some important things going on in those connections. Its not just a display unit, there must be two way communication.




I'm really wrestling with time at the moment, the new job requires 7 more hours a week than my last job and its an hour away where the last job was 11mins. That and making bio has meant a huge reduction in car time frown

I'm working on it though (getting more time and the car)

The engine is finally out smile smile smile



There are a few more bits to harvest from the toledo then its off to the scrap yard in the sky:


There is a nice DOC to sell under there somewhere. There diesel in the tank to extract and some sections of exhaust might come in useful too.

I'm still undecided on which direction to go now. Strip the loom, learn more about the MR2 loom, or just get stuck in stripping and tuning the TDI motor first???

Well I've got to stop the scimitar exhaust tapping on the floor of the car first and fit new track rod ends to the pug. But hopefully in the not too distant future I can get a solid 8 hours on this.

More to come