1995 Mk2 NA - Does it need tuning?

[Don Cool]

Bit of newbie advice needed here, if that's okay.

Have had my 1995 Mk2 NA for 6 weeks now and am wondering whether it is performing as it should. Thought I would throw my question out to current (and previous) owners of the non-turbo version to get a feel for how a 10 year old normally asperated mk2 should progress through the gears.

Away from the traffic lights, every thing is good but as soon as I move up to 2nd and give it some revs, all I seem to get is revs and not a lot of torque. The same goes for 3rd gear. I'm giving it some revs, the ECU compensates and the speed picks up gradually but I am getting no g-force at all. In 4th it is a bit smarter (but it is nothing to write home about), and, as you might expect, by the time I have hit 5th I'm flying.

I bought an NA just so I could ease myself gently into the subtleties of driving a quality RWD car so I'm not expecting tubby-performance but in the past I have driven a Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i car at work and that was waaay pokier through the lower gears than my "pride and joy"..

I have a garage-owning mate has driven mine and thinks it feels flat between 2nd and 3rd although he has never driven a 10yr old mk2 before which is why I have posted this message. Can anyone give me a few pointers? I've read up on the knowledge base about resetting the ECU which is something we will look at. Does the engine need tuning? Is it worth me taking the car to the local Toyota dealership and asking them to take it out to see what they think? Or are we talking about getting the car chipped, as one of my friends has suggested? (To be honest, I don't want to do that unless I have no choice.)

Any advice gratefully received.

DC

[MegatronUK]

It doesn't by any chance have the weedier 3SFE engine does it? They're only 119bhp or something similar.

[Don Cool]

Bloody hell, I hope not! How do I know?

[DannyW]

3SFE were revision 1 only so yours should be the 3SGE.

[JohnnyC]

as soon as I move up to 2nd and give it some revs, all I seem to get is revs and not a lot of torque. The same goes for 3rd gear. I'm giving it some revs, the ECU compensates and the speed picks up gradually but I am getting no g-force at all.

Clutch on the way out?

[stevel]

as soon as I move up to 2nd and give it some revs, all I seem to get is revs and not a lot of torque. The same goes for 3rd gear. I'm giving it some revs, the ECU compensates and the speed picks up gradually but I am getting no g-force at all.

Clutch on the way out?

Thats what sprung to my mind as well

[dawolf]

Hard to say really. Could be the clutch. Admittedly the N/A isn't exactly super quick but it should still shift when you rag it. I suppose it's possible you've got used to the power though, I find some days mine feels quite slow, most people get this feeling after a while with the N/A.

[Andy MR2 Bennett]

Hello I also own a rev 3 na although mine is an auto I have had similler probs in the past..

First time i lost a bolt within the timing belt cover and I think i skipped a tooth on one of the two cams!

Car ran like a dog. a skoda rs5 (Diesle thing About 100-115 BHP or something like that) would keep up with me and to be fair actually got the better of me! No kidding

So I replaced cam belt.... things at this point were better but far from perfect...

and so i gave the Dizzy a turn and a twist and all was well again back to how I bought it! (Now where that skoda go?)

I've just recently stuck An apexi air filter on, and the car now sounds loud and fast but has again turned into a complete dog.

I have been tor off by A audi TDI A golf TDI and a vectra with 4 chavs in Think it was the big one though in my defense!

So its time to go back to the dizzy i reckon and componsate for the new amount of air I guess.

My advice to you then is to play with the Dizzy Check your timming marks as well.

Get a compression test done just incase someone neglected the timing belt and bent a couple of valves or something.

They are supposed to be non-interference but a cracked valve or two would cause some slug.......

Hope this helps.

The na or atleast mine (4 speed auto) is slow till about 3000 rpm then it takes off I hit 45 at the end of 1st

Beggining of 2nd is ok but no amazing amount of pull untill the revs pick up and the car hits about 55 / 60 mph

From there 2nd takes me to 85 and a rapid and fun pace feels preety quick at this point.

I hit 3rd at 85mph and the car then slows depending on weather to a fair degree hot dry days = dog

Cold damp mornings it flys to 115 no probs and pulls well

Hope this sa is of some use to you All The Best mate and good luck.

[jonb-]

if i recall 50-70 in 4th should be around 7 seconds (it's about that in my N/A though i've seen around 10 posted). Go and give it ago.

[Don Cool]

Thanks everyone =D> that's really useful info. Sounds like mine is performing at the low end of normal so there should be some room for improvement deffo. I'll pass your comments onto my buddy when he services my motor at the end of the month and we shall see what occurs!

DC

[cammywhite]

Hey DC,
Let us know how you get on.

My 96 NA has developed a similar problem recently. Last year Mr-T told me (during a service) that my clutch was gubbed when my car was runnning smoothly. I just thought they were trying to drum up some business (you know what they're like) so I ignored their advice. I am however beginning to beleive them.

Anyone got any ideas how much a new clutch will skin me?

[Don Cool]

Just a quick postscript to this one.

Had a mate in it last weekend and he declared the clutch to be going. Got a new one fitted and BINGO! It's flying!

Can't believe what a difference the new clutch has made. It now accelerates like a 2ltr should. It got a service at the same time and it is a lot less lumpy at the lower revs too. I thought that was due to the fact that it is 10 years old but it obviously isn't.

In short, it's like having a new car!

My bro-in-law, who owns the garage, didn't half complain about fitting it though. I don't know whether it was his first mr2 clutch re-fit he's done but he said it was "a right tw*t". It didn't help that it has been really hot recently. I can well imagine that he was getting really sweaty in the workshop and swearing like a trooper at it. He has said that if I ever need another one then he will 'politely' refuse to do the job. Tsk, family eh?

In short, I'm well happy (not had the bill yet, mind!). Thanks to all who helped me diagnose the problem. =D>

[JohnnyC]

Had a mate in it last weekend and he declared the clutch to be going. Got a new one fitted and BINGO! It's flying!

Clutch on the way out?

Thats what sprung to my mind as well

Mine and stevel's ace skillz

Glad you got it sorted though

[robbie_742003]

From there 2nd takes me to 85 and a rapid and fun pace feels preety quick at this point.

.

2nd takes you to 85?????!!!!! Wow, mine and a lot of others here get up to about 60ish at redline..... how do you do that?!

[jonb-]

My second takes me to 70... but my speedo is around 6 mph fast

[L0rdMike]

From there 2nd takes me to 85 and a rapid and fun pace feels preety quick at this point.

.

2nd takes you to 85?????!!!!! Wow, mine and a lot of others here get up to about 60ish at redline..... how do you do that?!

His is a 3 gear auto?

[robbie_742003]

From there 2nd takes me to 85 and a rapid and fun pace feels preety quick at this point.

.

2nd takes you to 85?????!!!!! Wow, mine and a lot of others here get up to about 60ish at redline..... how do you do that?!

His is a 3 gear auto?

A three gear auto?? New one to me...