DB MR2 Rev2 n/a to Turbo complete

[DB Mr2]

Oh yeah - IMOC tax disc holder!



Love my car. Love how much it makes me upset when its wet and running on three cylinders. Love how it makes a new noise/rattle every week. Love how I would avoid traffic/certain roads in the summer in case it overheated. Love how my girlfriend thinks i'm having an affair because every week i will have to go out for a drive at night windows down...nice twisty roads. Hate the fact I lock it, walk away and look round every time!

Few arty shots to sign off

[DB Mr2]

Been trying to get motivated on the car this winter but just been unmotivated. Hopefully the sun will come out and i will get the love back again.
Did purchase new front ball joints from Peter @ Sbits and fitted them.
This only made me realize how old the underside looks





Also having condensation issues so will be purchasing some kind of Pingu device. That's all for the moment, hopefully more interesting and exciting news next month!

[Donato]

Just read through the whole thread. Car looks really nice. I know how you feel about the underside. Best thing to do is either get it sandblasted and powder coated, or black hammerite. Freshens it up nicely.

Nice exhaust too. What's your Instagram username?

[DB Mr2]

Cheers Donato, Hammerite is a good shout!
Sounds like a plan for this year, spend more time underneath the old girl.

Not on instagram - edited the pictures on Camera+ iphone app.

[DB Mr2]

Loud ASBO 5Zigen single exit gone hello mongoose.
Decat 5zigen was just too loud for my girlfriend and our neighbours!



After seeing this pic I now will he selling my kidney/arm/leg/body for a set of bbs lm's. Serious wheel envy!

[mattm117]

Enjoyed reading the full thread just now, looks sweet. Rev 2's are really growing on me.

[DB Mr2]

Thanks Matt, just checked your thread very clean 2 you have

Update: bit the bullet and decided to go turbo so will be rebuilding and dropping in a rev 2 3sgte and LSD box.





Had to keep up the general maintenance new arb bushes and caliper rebuild kit:








Bought some more Toms rims in the earlier in the year. These will be my winter wheels this year and then will get a full recon as I think they look too good to be relegated to only winter wheels!

[DB Mr2]

Took head off - not sure if this is detonation damage or foreign object has got in there. bu88er

[DB Mr2]

I still have lsd box, exhaust system, intercooler and ECU for this build so won't give up.
I will stick block, head, dizzy, cams, cam cover on ebay for someone to take for a forged build but if an IMOC member wants this let me know.

[ads]

Lovely car you have there, great work.

Noticed a recon turbo head and block on preloved for £175 if that helps?

[craig]

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Those wheels are so cool. Hope you come by a set!

All the best with the build mate. I know all about problems:

Cracked block on the Le Mans trip last year, then sourced a new block with no bearing caps, then sourced another block that was cracked when it arrived. Now onto block number 4 which seems to be all good, already built with forged Wossner 86.5mm pistons.

[DB Mr2]

I'm hoping I don't have your luck red!
Ads that would have been great help but I had a moment of madness and bought another one....

[DB Mr2]

It's a rev2 turbo with 1 months mot left and it's rotten. The sills are quite bad and the bottom of the doors too. Good news is the engine is good, no smoke idles well, temperature holds even, starts straight away but has been sitting for a few months. Hasn't been washed for about 20 years...or looks like it.

So I drove it home checked all fluids, tyres etc. again... And then went out for my first proper drive that evening. YES!!!! Finally I was driving a turbo mr2 and it felt AWESOME! Loving it. AWESOME.

The low down torque, how well it picks up, the sound of it behind your head, it is so much more ready to go than the na. AWESOME!!!!!

So it's onto planning the swap in a months time but for now I'm going to enjoy the cold intake temps and empty late night roads. I'm such a kid haha!

[DB Mr2]

Whilst I was sourcing turbo bits I managed to get a deal on an intercooler and some Raybrigs. Had Osram night breakers in before but changed over to Halfords super bright and mega impressed. Dare I say it better than the osrams.



Still gathering bits for my turbo rebuild, have rev3 head gasket, new water pump, crankshaft oil seal. Need hose from hell and he'll on earth, have read oil pump isn't necessity may get distributor seal/o ring.

Still loving getting out and driving it though. What a great looking shape of car

[DB Mr2]

Changing username to 'DB slowly slowly Mr2'....!

Donor turbo lump and box is out had some help from a few mates and was good fun. Na off the road next week and out with the old and in with the slightly newer old but woosh woosh tsh tshh turbo goodness.

Donor shell is off to scrappy next week so interior parts are for sale cheap cheap cheap.
Exterior panels such as wings, bonnet, boot lid, rear bumper £10 a piece. Collection only from maidstone, Kent.
Wheels suspension keeping.

Cheers, DB slowly slowly mr2.

[pistol pete]

looking good.. keep up the good work..

[DB Mr2]

Thanks Pete, should be worth it when it's done.

Hoses from hell done - sod doing those without engine out!!!!
New thermostat, cat decatted. Ac compressor removed.
Oil cooler and alternator degunked (mine had hair in it??
Subframe primered, can cover and IC pipes prepared for paint, exhaist heat shields given lick of paint.
New bushes, up rated fuel pump and good conversion advice received from Mr Gidden - cheers.
Just waiting on new inlet hose - will be getting some jubilee clips them standard ones seem pants.

Radio Le Mans on in the garage will have to go soon.

[DB Mr2]

More gunk removal and general cleaning ready for install.
Not show standard but at least it's clean and I'll be able to diagnose leaks etc easier now.








Test fitted non fog bumper wanted to stick aeroware on bottom of this and have it sprayed but now wondering if I should 'aeroware' my current bumper on as I would like to run brake ducts in future for track use.
Hmmm....getting there anyway.

[DB Mr2]

Starting to tick off the list some of the mr2 nasty jobs..
Old na engine out.
New fuel pump, throttle cable installed and re-routed, new water pump.
Under sealed a lot of the underneath and rust points whilst tank was out.
Getting there, engine ready to go in now.





The small difference between na and turbo cables.

[DB Mr2]

Changing the body looms over - rev2 na to rev2 turbo.


Adding the coolant, rear jacked right up and filled slowly is the way I've found best.



Mongoose exhaust, very impressed with it, like how close to oem it looks but with a bit more burble



After a lot of searching on imoc these plugs kept coming recommended:



Ready for first test drive which was an experience couldn't stop smiling the endless evenings of being under the car on a bit of carboard were worth it!