Pistols Red Edition MR2 Mk3
Discussion
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Really miss my old MR2, still the best handling car I ever owned. Mine was a series 1 with series 2 air intakes, TRD exhaust, springs, short shifter and 17” wheels all round.
I’d happily have another if I could find a minter than mint one.
They are addictive little things,, i've had about 30 of them I’d happily have another if I could find a minter than mint one.
A bit more has happened
Got both the 1zz and 2zz out in the sunshine to transfer needed parts and start building up the 2zz
removed the injectors and fuel rail from the 1zz . resinstalled the 2zz injectors and 1zz fuel rail so the fuel feed is on the correct side
blocked up the required (or not as it may be) coolant lines.
Swapped over the coolant lines then reinstalled the 1zz wiring loom.
pulled the 2zz loom into the back room and removed teh 3 wires and 2 plugs required to make lift work.
Popped up to my mates to pick up my new exhaust.
It was very nicely wrappedn, a good job. but i cannot go near the stuff without itching like a mofo. so it had to come off.
nice exhaust under there.
The first silencer was rattling. so cut it open and removed the rattle.. the other two back boxes are able to be repacked, so i just left this one empty and see how it goes..
new plate welded back on
Lastly made a new mini loom for the oil and lift switch
also i thought id weigh in the civic R EP3
Got both the 1zz and 2zz out in the sunshine to transfer needed parts and start building up the 2zz
removed the injectors and fuel rail from the 1zz . resinstalled the 2zz injectors and 1zz fuel rail so the fuel feed is on the correct side
blocked up the required (or not as it may be) coolant lines.
Swapped over the coolant lines then reinstalled the 1zz wiring loom.
pulled the 2zz loom into the back room and removed teh 3 wires and 2 plugs required to make lift work.
Popped up to my mates to pick up my new exhaust.
It was very nicely wrappedn, a good job. but i cannot go near the stuff without itching like a mofo. so it had to come off.
nice exhaust under there.
The first silencer was rattling. so cut it open and removed the rattle.. the other two back boxes are able to be repacked, so i just left this one empty and see how it goes..
new plate welded back on
Lastly made a new mini loom for the oil and lift switch
also i thought id weigh in the civic R EP3
I'm on nights this week which always means i can get a bit done..
hoping to pick up the gearbox this week which may mean engine in at the weekend!!
so managed to get a bit done today..
first up was putting the lift cables into the loom.. i am pretty happy with the finished product,
my little helper kept throwing me her ball so i could chuck it for her.. this slowed me down. but how can you say no!
I got a little trick from a friend a few years back, i want to get some poly engine mounts in future. but i am currently on a tight budget to just get the thing running. So using his trick.. filled the old engine mounts with Stickaflex. this has stiffened them up a load.
Ill see how it is when on the car. if no good ill order new ones. but worth a try
The others decided to help at this point
With the engine just waiting to go into the car. i thought it was about time i actually did some work on the car itself to prep!
so i covered all front suspension in penetrating spray. ill leave that now and take apart tomorrow
next up into the car. again the helper is there
want to get rid of all the fan and heater unit
first bypassed the heater.
got it all out after some fighting
gave it all a tidy up, moved some of the loom, i can get this much tidier, as i am pretty sure there is loads i can just unplg and remove, but i am not doing this untill i know the engine is in and running (i don't want to add more potential faults in one go)
So then take a perfectly good dash
and attach with an angle grinder
test fit.. pretty pleased with how it looks.. was tempted not to run a dash at all but this just keeps it tidy for now
I know the photos are not the best, they were taken on my pad in a dim garage..
Last job before deciding i was tired after working last night.. As i am inside the car i wanted to get the harness and seat sorted..
So fitted eyelets for harness and wrapped on the harness bar
test fit.. very chuffed (this is my happy face)
hoping to pick up the gearbox this week which may mean engine in at the weekend!!
so managed to get a bit done today..
first up was putting the lift cables into the loom.. i am pretty happy with the finished product,
my little helper kept throwing me her ball so i could chuck it for her.. this slowed me down. but how can you say no!
I got a little trick from a friend a few years back, i want to get some poly engine mounts in future. but i am currently on a tight budget to just get the thing running. So using his trick.. filled the old engine mounts with Stickaflex. this has stiffened them up a load.
Ill see how it is when on the car. if no good ill order new ones. but worth a try
The others decided to help at this point
With the engine just waiting to go into the car. i thought it was about time i actually did some work on the car itself to prep!
so i covered all front suspension in penetrating spray. ill leave that now and take apart tomorrow
next up into the car. again the helper is there
want to get rid of all the fan and heater unit
first bypassed the heater.
got it all out after some fighting
gave it all a tidy up, moved some of the loom, i can get this much tidier, as i am pretty sure there is loads i can just unplg and remove, but i am not doing this untill i know the engine is in and running (i don't want to add more potential faults in one go)
So then take a perfectly good dash
and attach with an angle grinder
test fit.. pretty pleased with how it looks.. was tempted not to run a dash at all but this just keeps it tidy for now
I know the photos are not the best, they were taken on my pad in a dim garage..
Last job before deciding i was tired after working last night.. As i am inside the car i wanted to get the harness and seat sorted..
So fitted eyelets for harness and wrapped on the harness bar
test fit.. very chuffed (this is my happy face)
kaveney said:
Great progress and they are a great track car when finished .
Are you going to change the oil pump gears when the engine is out ?
Just watch out for the snap oversteer as this is what happened to me at Camp corner at Castle combe .
cheers dude.. Are you going to change the oil pump gears when the engine is out ?
Just watch out for the snap oversteer as this is what happened to me at Camp corner at Castle combe .
no to be honest i am not doing much with this engine, other that getting the car running and see how it runs, competitive. as most likely next year ill pick up another engine rebuild and turbo.
As for snap oversteer... its not something i've every really had much issue with. I have run mr2's since 2000 and raced a mk2 for a couple of years. I'm sure it'll happen at somepoint. but its going on track so i'm sure it will get some barrier rash at somepoint, thats just part of it. luckily as you know all panels are bolt on
Updates coming thick and fast now!
First off i realised i have only gone and left the throttle cable bracket attached in the celica, which long ago went to the scrappy (who have already crushed it)
So Roger G is sorting me one at the weekend. so i shall carry on until then without it.
So first off
Went and collected my gearbox from Patrick Chambers.. ( i seem to be missing some pics is took. no idea where they've gone)
whilst there he added the bung for the first lambda to go in, rather than in the down pipe
As i am not running a cat, I got an Ebay spacer
I was then waiting for my clutch to arrive so got on with some little jobs
My Fan arrived for the dash, ths is just to see if it works, as a cheap try no harm!
the opening left in to vent air to the windscreen
cheap 12v fan
all dash and interior is back in.. but no pictures... Doh
next up i pulled this box that has been sat in the corner of my garage for ages
got them fitted up
Also this fun little package of ultra racing ARBs arrives
Also fitted a new pulley as the bearings had gone in the old one
My clutch arrived. so i went about fitting the clutch, and gearbox etc all back together, these are the pics i am missing. but it all went together nicely.
This is just before installation
I haven't gone to town making this engine a show shiney engine. t isn't worth the effort.. its going in a track/sprint car.. i am sure it will be in and out / replaced many times!
A while later.. magic happens and a 2zz is in the car!!!
Again missing a load of pics.. but got everything reconnected, Oil and gearbox oil filled, subframe back on, engine mounts on.etc etc etc
Then coolant filling. MR2s can be terrible for coolant bleeding.
this time I thought i would try a way I have not done before. I used a friends vacuum filler.
so it pulls all the air out of the system, collapses all hoses etc. you shut it off and leave it a couple seconds to see if you loose the vacuum. If you do you know there is a leak somewhere... i didn;t luckily.. well at the moment anyway..
Then put the filling line in a big bucket of new coolant and open the system up. it the draws and fills the system with coolant and no air...
Happy days
It is now almost ready to start.
I have modified the celica air box to fit, and i have "borrowed" some gasket material from work to make my own exhaust gaskets... so fingers crossed.. tomorrow i can turn the key!!!!!!
First off i realised i have only gone and left the throttle cable bracket attached in the celica, which long ago went to the scrappy (who have already crushed it)
So Roger G is sorting me one at the weekend. so i shall carry on until then without it.
So first off
Went and collected my gearbox from Patrick Chambers.. ( i seem to be missing some pics is took. no idea where they've gone)
whilst there he added the bung for the first lambda to go in, rather than in the down pipe
As i am not running a cat, I got an Ebay spacer
I was then waiting for my clutch to arrive so got on with some little jobs
My Fan arrived for the dash, ths is just to see if it works, as a cheap try no harm!
the opening left in to vent air to the windscreen
cheap 12v fan
all dash and interior is back in.. but no pictures... Doh
next up i pulled this box that has been sat in the corner of my garage for ages
got them fitted up
Also this fun little package of ultra racing ARBs arrives
Also fitted a new pulley as the bearings had gone in the old one
My clutch arrived. so i went about fitting the clutch, and gearbox etc all back together, these are the pics i am missing. but it all went together nicely.
This is just before installation
I haven't gone to town making this engine a show shiney engine. t isn't worth the effort.. its going in a track/sprint car.. i am sure it will be in and out / replaced many times!
A while later.. magic happens and a 2zz is in the car!!!
Again missing a load of pics.. but got everything reconnected, Oil and gearbox oil filled, subframe back on, engine mounts on.etc etc etc
Then coolant filling. MR2s can be terrible for coolant bleeding.
this time I thought i would try a way I have not done before. I used a friends vacuum filler.
so it pulls all the air out of the system, collapses all hoses etc. you shut it off and leave it a couple seconds to see if you loose the vacuum. If you do you know there is a leak somewhere... i didn;t luckily.. well at the moment anyway..
Then put the filling line in a big bucket of new coolant and open the system up. it the draws and fills the system with coolant and no air...
Happy days
It is now almost ready to start.
I have modified the celica air box to fit, and i have "borrowed" some gasket material from work to make my own exhaust gaskets... so fingers crossed.. tomorrow i can turn the key!!!!!!
pistolpete12 said:
There are plenty out there for sale cheap.
I had a great run out on sunday with a load of mk3 mr2's just in a stock one. so much fun to be had!!
few 2zz's up for sale too!!
I know, there's a rough around the edges 2ZZ on PH that is half the price of some of my watches! If it wasn't missing the soft top I'd be seriously tempted.I had a great run out on sunday with a load of mk3 mr2's just in a stock one. so much fun to be had!!
few 2zz's up for sale too!!
Good god man, when do you find time to sleep?
I'm currently breaking my Celica T-Sport (kindly written off by a lorry a few weeks ago) with half an eye on buying a Mk3 MR2 and doing a 2ZZ swap. Is there a comprehensive guide to the swap online? I can twirl a spanner fairly well, but I've never done an engine translplant before (already bought an engine crane, mainly just because I've always wanted one).
Oh and I cant believe you got that exhaust for £150, you jammy sod! If you see one going for anything under 500 send me a pm quick!
I'm currently breaking my Celica T-Sport (kindly written off by a lorry a few weeks ago) with half an eye on buying a Mk3 MR2 and doing a 2ZZ swap. Is there a comprehensive guide to the swap online? I can twirl a spanner fairly well, but I've never done an engine translplant before (already bought an engine crane, mainly just because I've always wanted one).
Oh and I cant believe you got that exhaust for £150, you jammy sod! If you see one going for anything under 500 send me a pm quick!
mrtwisty said:
Good god man, when do you find time to sleep?
I'm currently breaking my Celica T-Sport (kindly written off by a lorry a few weeks ago) with half an eye on buying a Mk3 MR2 and doing a 2ZZ swap. Is there a comprehensive guide to the swap online? I can twirl a spanner fairly well, but I've never done an engine translplant before (already bought an engine crane, mainly just because I've always wanted one).
Oh and I cant believe you got that exhaust for £150, you jammy sod! If you see one going for anything under 500 send me a pm quick!
Sleep? whats that?? i work shifts.. so i am lucky.. lates i get all morning to play while Daisys at school and Kels works.. I'm currently breaking my Celica T-Sport (kindly written off by a lorry a few weeks ago) with half an eye on buying a Mk3 MR2 and doing a 2ZZ swap. Is there a comprehensive guide to the swap online? I can twirl a spanner fairly well, but I've never done an engine translplant before (already bought an engine crane, mainly just because I've always wanted one).
Oh and I cant believe you got that exhaust for £150, you jammy sod! If you see one going for anything under 500 send me a pm quick!
Nights pretty much the same i get from late morning to play. just earlies i struggle with time
As for engine swap.. to be honest i have gone over the odds of what i needed to do really.. i reakon if you have all the parts infront of you and the mr2 comes apart without much fuss you could do it over a long weekend.
There is loads of info on the "UK MR2 2zz Projects" on the facebook
Also on MR2ROC page there is alot of info
Basics are..
1)Engine out of celica, remove power steering and air con if not required, make sure you remove the ECU, keys and lock/imobiliser system (or get a JDM ecu without immobiliser)
2)Engine out of MR2
3) (if you don't want LSD from the MR2) then swap the gear selectors over so the celcia box now workins in a mid engine car..
I wanted to keep the LSD so i had the celica internals swapped to my mr2 box, the MR2 box internals are not geared to match the 2zz revs)
4) keep 2zz yellow injectors but fit the fuel rail from the mr2 (1zz engine) as it swaps the fuel feed to the correct side
attached the 1zz/mr2 engine harness to the new 2zz, swap the blue and red(i think) wires in the throttle plug
5) remove the lift wires and oil sensor wires from the 2zz loom, length the cables add incorperate to the new loom on the 2zz engine
6)Get a custom mr2 2zz engine mount for drivers side (these can be had from ebay i think)
7) swap all hoses over, block ones in 2zz that are not used on the 1zz
8)mount new engine in mr2.
9)Fit or modify etc the exhaust how ever you see fit, so many ways to do this. the best is to modify the original 2zz mainfold, i am going to loose a bit of power with mine. but for the cost ill live with it for now)
10)modify the celica air box top to fit the mr2 air box bottom (you need this as there is an air straightener in the box other wise the MAF doesn't run right and causes all sorts of issues)
11) fill all fluids
12) test run car with 1zz ecu (don't do any wiring mods yet) this way you know if theres anything wrong with the swap etc
13) do all ECU wiring mods, only a few wires to move about in ECU plugs, 6 i think
14) Swap the immobiliser, key chips, its different for every car exactly what you need to do,, i am just taping my celica key to the celica immobilsier and plugging it, using my mr key in ignition.
15) Enjoy!!!
Please don't take this as gospel.. i have literally written this as it comes to my head
plenty info here, you prob have to sign up
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?board=89.0
Many thanks Pete, that's a great list to work from!
Re. the exhaust, as I have the 2ZZ manifold I think I'll approach a few local fabricators and get some quotes. I've had a quick look at the 2ZZ swap facebook group and see that a couple of guys managed to fab their own with a Celica manifold and some 180° 2.5" pipes and other bits, so it shouldn't be too expensive (certainly less than the circa £1500 for a full custom system I've seen mentioned!)
Looking forward to a video link on this thread of your first sprint run in your 2ZZ MisterTwo!
Re. the exhaust, as I have the 2ZZ manifold I think I'll approach a few local fabricators and get some quotes. I've had a quick look at the 2ZZ swap facebook group and see that a couple of guys managed to fab their own with a Celica manifold and some 180° 2.5" pipes and other bits, so it shouldn't be too expensive (certainly less than the circa £1500 for a full custom system I've seen mentioned!)
Looking forward to a video link on this thread of your first sprint run in your 2ZZ MisterTwo!
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