The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

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digs
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 9:18 am
Location: Cardiff

The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by digs »

Will put some pics up soon and update this, but thought would start a thread on my MR2.

Bought it in April as spare or repairs due to some issues. Never owned a MR2 beofre but own a gen 5 3sge celica, and a fwd gen 6 celica with a 3sgte, so knew the engines a bit.

Picked up a Rev1 NA Blue inside, dark blue outside MR2. No power steering, no abs, with sunroof. Rev2 3sge. Didn't really know much at the time about them, but do not regret it :)

Issues that was advertised on the ad;

Stalls whenever the clutch is pushed down
Handbrake very sketchy
Brake pads need replacing
Stereo unusable due to high pitched sound
Alarm goes off when open drivers door

Everything said walk away but on the plus side the sills had all been done recently.

Turned up at frome station to be picked up by the seller and taken into the countryside....nice hot sunny day :)

Turn up - car has a flat tyre and sketchy tyres all round, brake light on due to low brake fluid, and then doesn't start.

I still don't walk away....

Inside looks perfect, outside not bad.

Gave over the cash, pumped tyre up, and had a very nerve racking drive home! AA on speed dial, sat nav takes me through all the back roads which meant hill start fun with the cutting out constantly !

Finally got it home to cardiff, and opened the wine....

Kept it off the road as I fixed things...


Stalls whenever the clutch is pushed down - cleaned ICV though seemed ok - replaced various vacuum hoses, reset ecu, and noticed rip in throttle body gasket so replaced. Idle high, checked idle screw and it had been turned up (maybe to stop the cutting out) - after a run in with ecu reset everything settles down. All fine now, except very occasionally. Idle drops when heaters on.

Handbrake very sketchy - jesus. Replacing brake pads (below) meant resetting everything, but the drivers rear caliper lever was jammed. Unseized it enough to eventually after swearing to get it going, but has seized again now so need to replace.

Brake pads need replacing - replaced.

Stereo unusable due to high pitched sound - pulled it out and wired it in correctly as read up on active sound

Alarm goes off when open drivers door - took off door card and found a break in the wiring, fixed and works perfectly.

So know its not too bad. Fixed one of the fog lights which was filled with water, discovered the joy of the seized screws.

Replaced the wheels twice, once with a much better set of rev1 stock wheels, then by some very cheap 15" which i put on new toyo tr1 so 225 at the back Feels loads better. Stock wheels felt quite lively! Keeping them :)

Still to do - brake caliper, replace rad, and lower - god its sooooooo high.

But absolutely love driving it, feels brilliant, can use the power more often than my 3sgte, sounds brilliant (came with aftermarket exhaust) and sailed through the MOT with no issues or advisaries.

So far so good and worth the punt!


Maybe I have the least recommended rev, but love the slightly raw driving experience and lack of power steering. Very different drive to both my celica's, in different ways. The gen 5 is more of a cruiser (auto, smooth, quite), the 6 is just frikken quick, loud and harsh, the MR2 is a really nice going on trips and having fun on twistys car :)
digs
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 9:18 am
Location: Cardiff

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by digs »

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androo007
Posts: 2363
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:43 pm

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by androo007 »

Nicely done! That's some good investigation work.

Look forward to future updates
digs
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 9:18 am
Location: Cardiff

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by digs »

thanks - plan is to keep stockish but work on handling upgrades where sensible and a few nicer bits - forgot, replaced the huge stock wheel with a spare momo wheel I had which is much nicer.

Looking forward to lowering it and seeing if it makes a difference :)

Strut braces work really well on the celica's - much benefit on the mr2s ?
craig
Posts: 43936
Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2004 3:44 am

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by craig »

Always nice to see a new project on the block, tuned in. Good luck with it. :thumleft:

digs wrote:

Strut braces work really well on the celica's - much benefit on the mr2s ?


The MR2 came factory with front and rear strut braces, the rear one being an X style brace.
mrhappy62
Posts: 139
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: rustington

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by mrhappy62 »

Strut braces work really well on the celica's - much benefit on the mr2s ?[/quote]
Yes even with a cheap Ebay one ! I am on my second Rev1 first was like yours no p/s etc proper drivers car loved it.
mrhappy62
Posts: 139
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: rustington

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by mrhappy62 »

The MR2 came factory with front and rear strut braces, the rear one being an X style brace.[/quote]
Not on N/A's they are only V shaped and the front really benefits from a straight bar across the top mounts .
digs
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue May 13, 2014 9:18 am
Location: Cardiff

Re: The Hobgoblin....SW20 Rev1 NA

Post by digs »

Thanks guys - looks like thats going to be worthwhile upgrade even for some basic ones, so will keep a look out :)

Like the no power steering so much I dont now like driving my celica as much, feels over assisted...though have a plan for that!
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