I purchased a 1985 MR2 with a blown motor back in June of '96. The owner stated major coolant leaked only a week after the dealer fixed a major oil leak. At the dealer they wanted over $2000 to rework the motor, so the owner unwilling the pay took the car still apart. That's where I come into this story. I took possession of the car with the cylinder head sitting in the passenger compartment.
I also purchased a 1987 MR2 for parts.
My plans are to remove the existing engine block and put in an engine from a '86 Corolla GTS.
96.09.00- So far I've removed all the electrical and plumbing attached to the engine block. The only thing left before I can pull the motor is to detach the drive axles.
96.10.00- Removed the motor and transaxle.
96.11.06- Before I transplant the GTS motor I wanted to check and replace a few things. I had the cylinder heads checked for vacuum and valve clearance yesterday. And today, I replaced the oil pump and the water pump with brand new units. Aside from the new pumps and cleaning out the oil pan, I intend to leave the bottom half alone as it seems to be in good condition. Something I noticed while changing the water pump is that the coolant pipes from the pump are routed differently, so I will need to swap plumbing from the MR2. I'm sure that's one of many differences between the MR2 and the GTS engine configuration.
96.12.02- For the past month there was very little progress. What I did though was degrease most of the engine components, maybe I'm dreaming that it'll make the engine last longer. And I doubt that much else will be done now that the holidays are here. How's this for a New Year's resolution: Get this MR2 running by the end of 1997!
97.02.10- Nothing much except I picked up a head gasket and an exhaust gasket since.
97.03.15- Removed the transaxle from the block. I plan to at least change the syncros and clean the greasy transaxle.
97.04.05- Degreased the transaxle and the starter. Disassembly of the transaxle seems more than I willing the take on, but I'd like to know the trans will hold up for a good long while. Maybe I'll have a shop do it.
97.07.28- Asking around, nobody seems to know a good transmission shop, and a few I called wouldn't do the MR2 transaxle. (why not?) I've been neglecting this project and I kind of want it running already, so I'm probably going to reinstall the transaxle hoping it is in good working condition. I moved the engine block from the engine stand onto the dolly waiting to reattach the transaxle.
97.08.09- I was replacing the rear oil seal when I realized a small detail that I over looked, a loose oil pan. And the baffle isn't even installed, I had taken the pan off a while back to clean it. During installation of the oil pan with the gasket sealant hardening in a few minutes, I almost left off the oil pickup pipe. I put in a HKS flywheel and a TRD clutch, then attached the transaxle. Last thing for today was changing the clutch slave cylinder.
97.09.06- I removed the A/C compressor, alternator, and its brackets from the donor engine. I then cleaned and installed them on to the engine.
97.09.07- New coolant and heater hoses were installed in the engine bay, then in went the engine and transaxle. (Less the cylinder head, the car can be jacked up only so much with scissors type jacks. )
97.09.08- Too late, I forgot to change the alternator brushes! The cylinder head went on along with the intake manifold, then in went the stock cam shafts.
97.09.09- @#%$!!! Somebody stole my Corolla this morning!
97.09.13- Installed fuel rail from the NA AW11, but the fuel lines had to be repositioned the accommodate the S/C intake manifold. Next in was the S/C compressor, which by the way is very difficult in a 1985 chassis. The rear walls of later year models must have been reshaped for the S/C unit. The outlet pipe of the S/C will no doubt hit the rear wall if the engine is torque backwards.
97.09.14- The '88 S/C engine wire harness was installed. The problem encountered was that the opening to the trunk for the wires were located about a foot towards the passenger side on the '85. I pulled the rubber grommet to position it near where it would be for the '85 harness. From the slight reposition of the harness, the Air Flow Meter connector may not reach. And also using the C52 transaxle, the starter is on the opposite (exhaust) side and those wires would definitely need to be extended. I connected most of the connectors but there's one which can't be hooked up, there is no knock sensor on a NA block. I need to determine if having it off will cause the computer to think there is or isn't knocking.
97.09.16- The police recovered my Corolla abandoned near a low income neighborhood. Losses: broken passenger window, ignition cylinder, roll bar (1/2 cage), camera mount, strut tower brace, TRD pan hard rod. Lucky, I guess, the car wasn't trashed, still runs.
97.09.21- The front of the engine has been completed. Timing belt, timing belt covers, idler and tension pulleys, cam gears, and belts are on. I learned that changing the timing belt on a MR2 is a bit more involved. (Forgot to put the motor mount on before the covers, and the cover was also difficult with the water pump pulley in the way.)
Personal issues kept me from this project...
990211-990308- Restart research on engine harness modification.
990328- run and soldered wire to ECU harness.
990411- soldered wire to engine harness.
990415- covered wire with split loom and electrical tape. initial power test w/ all connectors plugged in except ECU (passed), also tested starter (passed). -tests compatibility of mating '85 vehicle harness w/ '88 GZ engine harness.
990417- soldered and heat wrapped starter wires, split loomed.
990423- modified '85 EFI resistor connector to solder (short) pins 1 and 2.
990425- installed modified EFI resistor connector. changed transmission fluid (Redline MTL).
990501- replaced heater hose front end of center pipes.
990502- removed radiator from '87 AW11b. installed radiator with new hoses.
990503- installed final radiator hose at filler neck. filled water partially to check for leaks. realized cam was not sealed properly at cam seal bearing.
990504- applied sealant at cam seal bearing. installed cam cover with new washers and old nuts. adjusted for TDC then installed distributor. dip stick was not locatable. forgot to install it. very tight fit, almost impossible to install with water pump pulley in place, but managed. filled motor oil (Mobil 1 5w30).
990505- attached engine ground strap.
990506- filled water and installed spark plug wire.
990508- attached secondary pipe of TRD exhaust manifold. filled 6 gallons of gasoline. plugged in ECU. installed battery, but very weak. (old battery which came w/ the car).
990509- starter works but no fuel delivery, broken fuel pump. while being recharged the battery explodes, acid leaks all over engine compartment. water flushed engine compartment.
99051x- purchased new battery, verified fuel pump does not work nor does the fuel level sender.
990515- purchased new fuel pump (23220-16084) fuel strainer (23217-16043) fuel pump rubber spacer (23249-43080)
990518- unable to siphon gasoline from the filler using clear tube.
990522- installed rear wheels, removed jacks from rear and put jacks on front. lowered front end of fuel tank and removed fuel level sender. pumped out most of gasoline from where the fuel level sender was mounted.
990529- purchased new fuel level sender (83320-19895)
990612- disconnected all hoses to fuel tank and lower entire tank.
990613- removed center panels to disconnect fuel pump connector. removed fuel pump assembly. installed new fuel sender.
990624- back ordered parts from Kaimuki Toyota. fuel pump bracket gasket (77169-17010) fuel overflow hose (90445-22024) fuel pump to bracket hose (23239-16010). was told one to two weeks, and overflow hose available at local warehouse.
990707- checked on back order status. parts person unable to locate order form even w/order number. only gasket available now. purchased fuel pump gasket (77169-17010).
990715- checked on back order status. parts person unable to locate order form even w/order number. Kaimuki Toyota did not return call on status.
990717- checked on back order status. pump to bracket hose available. purchased pump to bracket hose (23239-16010). overflow hose not back ordered nor available at local warehouse. at this point, dealing with Kaimuki Toyota is no longer an option. back ordered overflow hose from the main Toyota distribution warehouse.
990722- received call from main Toyota warehouse, fuel overflow hose ready for pickup.
990723- purchased fuel overflow hose (90445-22024).
990829- raised fuel tank into chassis. four times! 1. mismatched fuel hose to pipe, screw down a pipe to fuel tank. 2. overfill hose not clamped. 3. paper towel still in fuel filler pipe. attached all fuel hoses. reattached crossmember parking brake assembly. filled five gallons of gasoline. attached battery. primed fuel system by running the fuel pump. test start engine, no sign of starting. no gasoline smell from exhaust, seized injectors suspected.
991113- re-checked all wiring related to fuel injector. engine still does not turn over, no smell of gasoline from exhaust pipes.
991122- replaced cold start injector with used part. test start engine. boom -- temporarily mounted air flow meter (direct to intake) blows off from backfire. finally the engine turns over. assessment: ALL fuel injectors seized.
991123- removed fuel injectors.
991126- sent fuel injectors to RC Engineering for cleaning and balancing.
991203- received fuel injectors back from RC Engineering. only time the injectors were cleaner was before they were installed at the factory.
991204- installed fuel injectors.
991205- attached/plugged all vacuum lines. test start engine. boom -- temporarily mounted air flow meter (direct to intake) blows off from backfire, again. test start engine w/o AFM while fuel pump forced on. engine runs! the ignition needed to be turned off as the RPM rises w/o control of throttle plate.
991206- purchased PVC/ABS pipe fittings to be used in place of the intercooler. measured intercooler pipe lengths.
991207- assembled substitute piping and temporarily installed. test start engine. starts but does not idle. idle is achieved with adjustment of distributor. smooth idle is beyond range of adjustment. removed piping to be glued together.
991211- installed intake piping. reseated distributor one gear tooth off. idle is now smooth but high (1.5k rpm). high idle is due to ISC valve being bypassed.
991230- cleaned clutch master cylinder. thermo wrapped one shifter cable. installed under body cover.
000109- filled brake fluid in clutch reservoir and bled clutch line.
000110- purchased aluminum flat bar.
000115- fabricated an aluminum bracket for AFM. installed AFM and air filter.
000123- first road test successful. the engine check light comes on and low RPM driveability is poor.
000127- adapter is needed to mate the SC manifold to NA muffler. exhaust adapter made and replaces the catalytic converter. muffler shop fabricates the adapter too long.
000128- muffler shop corrects their mistake and shortens the adapter.
000129- installed the exhaust adapter. fabricated a bracket for state motor vehicle stickers.
000202- had vehicle inspection done.
000203- registered the vehicle to the DMV. received new license plates. had small crack in windshield repaired, not good as expected but should keep from spreading. entered final stages of testing: normal driving. idle is still poor and cannot be sustained in traffic. timing is readjusted to provide low RPM drivability. engine check light is diagnosed to be caused by missing knock sensor.
000205- the vehicle was backed into a low rise wall causing small damage below bumper on passenger side. engine is running satisfactory. noticing occasionally an unusual suspension feel as if a wheel is loose. found four nuts missing off of passenger side drive axle. replaced missing nuts. loose wheel feel is still present, driver side wheel has some play. possible bad wheel bearing. noticed water temp guage spiking intermittantly.
000213- found one missing bolt and the other bolt loose for lower axle carrier on driver's side. replaced and torqued bolts. check coolant level, still topped off.
000220- tightened main drive belt.
000226- water temp guage still spiking. rechecked coolant. intercooler replacement pipe at the s/c unit pops off while driving. noticed gas puddles on the intake manifold, found pulsation damper leaking. replaced pulsation damper with used part.
000323- engine starts to over heat due to some coolant loss. heater core leaking, coolant in passenger compartment.
000401- installed driver side power lock assembly.
000826- replaced thermostat, swapped AC core.
the radiator regularly looses coolant. when inspecting the spark plugs, one breaks in the head. at this point i've had it with the coolant loss and decide to pull the motor and sell the chassis. well, it was found that the coolant was leaking into the cylinders and probably due to (1) not re-tightening the head bolts and (2) the over heating on 000323.
while in use, the acceleration was good, although the S/C belt slipped when punched. up against a basically stock AE86, this '85 AW11SC was about a second faster. it could have been faster with a correctly tensioned S/C belt.
010826- sold.
