Oh yeah, I totally agree. The turbo was fantastic when it worked and as you say, you expect these things with an older, higher powered car. It’s just funny that the most reliable car and least reliable car I’ve ever owned were both MR2s.
1999 Toyota MR2
- Thread starter SonicSW20
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Oh yeah, I totally agree. The turbo was fantastic when it worked and as you say, you expect these things with an older, higher powered car. It’s just funny that the most reliable car and least reliable car I’ve ever owned were both MR2s.
Yeah, I wasn't expecting to have so many issues. The turbo issue could have been avoided by getting it rebuilt in the first place (I chose to take a chance and save £350), and you'd hope that if I had the thing fully rebuilt before install I wouldn't be where I am today. The clutch was a **** clutch, and the timing belt issue was bad luck, that could have happened to an NA seeing as the timing side is exactly the same!
I do know a few people who have had them and they've been pretty flawless. There's a lot to be said for leaving it completely standard too... Everyone tells you "turn the boost up to 17psi, it'll be fine, well within safe limits" or "any CT based hybrid will be fine on stock fuelling / ECU" which is mostly true, but you are reducing that safety margin with all of these extra bits. But then with the Gen3 at least, when there's potentially another 50bhp or so available with a boost controller, intercooler (not needed on an ST205 as the chargecooler is pretty good), intake, and exhaust upgrade, most people are going to do it!
My rebuild will have forged pistons, probably won't go with forged rods as my plans for the car will never see it over 400bhp.
I do know a few people who have had them and they've been pretty flawless. There's a lot to be said for leaving it completely standard too... Everyone tells you "turn the boost up to 17psi, it'll be fine, well within safe limits" or "any CT based hybrid will be fine on stock fuelling / ECU" which is mostly true, but you are reducing that safety margin with all of these extra bits. But then with the Gen3 at least, when there's potentially another 50bhp or so available with a boost controller, intercooler (not needed on an ST205 as the chargecooler is pretty good), intake, and exhaust upgrade, most people are going to do it!
My rebuild will have forged pistons, probably won't go with forged rods as my plans for the car will never see it over 400bhp.
Stock rods are good for up to about 500bhp, whereas stock pistons give up not far past 300bhp. If you have no plans to approach 500bhp, upgraded rods are a waste of money on the 3SGTE. The stock 3S block is a liability much past 500bhp anyway, at the risk of cracking between cyl2 and cyl3 is high. You're best off going to a 98+ 5S block and building a 5SGTE at that point, which requires a rod upgrade anyway.
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Sometimes you need to know where to stop. After rods why not get a 5SFE bottom end and make a 2.2 stroker, then why not while the engine is out add a set of HKS high lift cams, then might as well spend a couple of grand on a decent turbo. Before long you have a 600BHP engine. It is a bit like a rabbit hole.
My 3SGTE is currently around 350BHP and when the ringlands eventually do go I will more than likely go the same. I would never go for crazy BHP as it just ruins the driveability.
If Toyota had put decent forged pistons from the get go we wouldn't even have this situation!
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Yeah, 350bhp on stock internals is risky, at that point you've got no safety margin left really. No idea why they made the stock pistons so flawed yet the rest of the bottom end is so strong!
And yeah, its an escalation. 3SGTE's are just not cheap to make big power with. Honda K20/K24 swap is appealing, but its expensive to do here as the only company that makes the parts are in the USA. Still, I think for anything other than a bolt on build, the initial higher cost of the K20 conversion would be offset by lower costs when it comes to a big build.
At most, this engine might see 800cc injectors and a G25 turbo or similar, aiming for maybe 400bhp at most (though anything between 350 and 400 would be great), but with very little lag and excellent response. With a G25 it will spool faster and earlier than a CT2x will too.
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Engine rebuild well under way. Actual failure was a rod bearing, but it was caught early enough that the damage is to the bearing only. Bores are long past their best, needs a small overbore to 86.5mm. Head getting the full treatment to get it back to its best. Keeping stock rods, went for a set of DP Pistons in the end.
Hopefully have it back this month.
Hopefully have it back this month.
Caporegime
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The amount it will cost to rebuild surely you could source a red top beams engine and put that in there? They are 200BHP standard?
Engine is a 3SGTE, not a GE, I swapped the engine a couple years ago.
If I was going 4cyl NA, it would be a Honda K20 or K24.
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My bad I got you mixed up with someone else. Thought it was N/A.
I love a good MR2, so this thread is greatly appreciated. I miss mine, I had a 89 MK1 with 77k old the clock at the time of sale in 2008 and have always regretted selling it. Had a mk2 NA for a short period, but life got in the way and had to wave good buy to that. I have always liked the idea of finding a clean mk2 and dropping a V6 in it for a weekend toy.
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I'm still looking for a nice mr2 to buy lol. But good luck somic don't push it too hard!