mr2-digest Monday, January 5 1998 Volume 02 : Number 063 Re: MR2 Clutch problem! MR2 Re: Toy Store MR2 Re: Dwell Meter MR2 Re: How Do you remove the factory stereo? MR2 re: what's a dwell meter MR2 re: 1/4 din Re: MR2 Re: How Do you remove the factory stereo? RE: MR2 ECU Fuel Mod Idea MR2 dwell meters & montana driving MR2 cracked leather Re: MR2 Re: mkii convertable MR2 Re: silver state classic & odds Need a Lug Nut for 91 MR2 New MR2 back to the states? Re: MR2 Montana Driving Re: MR2 silver state classic MR2 MkII oil changes MR2 MKII - Tuneless in Santa Barbara MR2 MK2 Convertabile,MK1 timing belt questions? MR2 MK2 Convertabile,MK1 timing belt questions? RE: MR2 ECU Fuel Mod Idea Re: MR2 MkII oil changes Re: MR2:MKI Top Speed ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 08:57:22 -0800 From: Keith Jarett Subject: Re: MR2 Clutch problem! >I put the clutch all the way down, start the car normally. But I >noticed that as soon as I let off the clutch (that was still against the >floor) the slightest bit the car started to go. Low clutch fluid or air in the system or both. Probably caused by a leaky master cylinder (check under the carpet above the clutch pedal) or a leaky slave cylinder. Keith Jarett keith@nsx.org ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 12:11:11 -0500 From: Mark_Finnegan@albint.com Subject: MR2 Re: Toy Store >Curious, anyone know if this is the same "Toy Store" that was around in the >late sixties/early seventies? I have some old magazines that have ads for >them. I think the one I remember seeing it in was dated '72. They did >performance work and customizing on Toyotas. The ad did have a CA phone number >(I tried it a few years ago when I first found the ad, but it was >disconnected). I've also, more recently, heard of a Toy Store in Jersey doing >performance Toyotas, but don't know if there is a connection. >Ron 87/\/\R2 >Ltraviolnc@aol.com >ICQ '98: 3087083 I got my turbo-timer installed at Sarizer Motor Company in NJ, which they claimed was formerly called Toy Store East. The head guy there, Gary, has in the past raced a bunch of mki mr2's. He has newspaper articles and pictures up in the waiting room. He said he also used to modify and tune both mki's and mkii's for racers but hasn't had many clients requesting that of late. It seems like a pretty "safe" shop to get work done. Besides his experience with mr2's and toyotas in general, he does work for the porsche dealers (he had a real nice 911 that he was tuning while I was there). The shop was charging like $60/hr though for performance work when I went (and the turbo timer didnt go in quickly either - labor cost me as much as the harness and timer together). - -Mark 91T Black ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:13:12 -0500 From: "Burns, James B." Subject: MR2 Re: Dwell Meter If I remember correctly from my younger days of owning a '74 Firebird, a dwell meter is used to tune the old points-type distributors. It measured the time that the points remained closed or something like that. You don't need it for the more modern electronic ignitions like we have on our MR2s. Brad Burns ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:19:31 -0500 From: "Burns, James B." Subject: MR2 Re: How Do you remove the factory stereo? Remove the shift knob and boot and plastic trim piece around the boot. Remove the ash tray and unscrew the 2 screws under it. Then remove the upper right screw for the trim piece under the steering column (the screw is below the ignition switch). Then pull that upper right corner down about an inch for clearance. Then the plastic trim around the stereo and ignition switch just pulls off. There are 3 electrical connectors to be undone - for the the hazard lights and cigarette lighter. Then you'll see 4 bolts holding the stereo in. Remove these bolts and the stereo pulls right out. As the Haynes manuals say, "Installation is the opposite of removal." Brad Burns ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:21:30 -0500 From: "Miller, Bill [PRI]" Subject: MR2 re: what's a dwell meter Whats a dwell meter and how do I use one to tune my car? A dwell meter is something that you use to measure the open time (dwell angle) on points. Being as your '2 has electronic ignition, there's nothing you can use it for. Regards, Bill ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:31:36 -0500 From: "Miller, Bill [PRI]" Subject: MR2 re: 1/4 din A while ago someone was talking about getting ¼ din size do-dads to stick in the dash in a stack. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't ¼ din ½ the width and ½ the height of standard din? Please excuse drawing below, I hope it comes through they way I drew it. |-----------------------------------------------------| | 1/4 | | | DIN | | |-----------------------------------------------------| | | | | |-----------------------------------------------------| DIN Recards, Bill ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 13:34:03 -0500 From: Jamie Dennis Subject: Re: MR2 Re: How Do you remove the factory stereo? Just make sure that you go slowly, as to not break anything! This is also how you get at the center vents, in case you want to put some electronics in there (I did my Profec and TT in the right one, others have done a/f meters, etc) for a pretty clean installation. This is quite easy to do, btw! - -Jamie Dennis '93 Turbo Burns, James B. wrote: > > Remove the shift knob and boot and plastic trim piece around the boot. > Remove the ash tray and unscrew the 2 screws under it. Then remove the > upper right screw for the trim piece under the steering column (the > screw is below the ignition switch). Then pull that upper right corner > down about an inch for clearance. Then the plastic trim around the > stereo and ignition switch just pulls off. There are 3 electrical > connectors to be undone - for the the hazard lights and cigarette > lighter. Then you'll see 4 bolts holding the stereo in. Remove these > bolts and the stereo pulls right out. > > As the Haynes manuals say, "Installation is the opposite of removal." > > Brad Burns - -- Misspellers of the world untie! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 11:34:08 -0800 (PST) From: "Harry C. Wang" Subject: RE: MR2 ECU Fuel Mod Idea Hmmm...this is like a VPC. Would it be possible to fabricate this project with an APEXi AFC? On Mon, 5 Jan 1998, Chris Conlon wrote: > Dave A. wrote: > > > An offline conversation sparked an idea. One of the ways of getting the ECU > > to enrichen the fuel is to fool it with the temp sensor. Now, I dynoed this > > and it proved to be good for the low end but bad for high end due to either > > too much fuel up high or a computer program compensating for the "cold" > > engine. This got me to thinking, if we had a small programmable computer we > > could put in the optimum resistance values for say every 400 rpm all the way > > to redline. Allow the stock temp sensor to to work from cold to operating > > temperature (for the MR2 around 95C) and then have the add on computer take > > over. > > This is pretty close to my current pet project, except that my first line of > attack is in through the AFM. Remapping the air/fuel curve through there would > be easy, but I wasn't planning to build that step, and it wouldn't allow the > map to take RPM into account. The first step I *do* plan to build is what amounts > to a MAP conversion system, replacing the AFM entirely, and allowing air/fuel > remapping to take RPM into account. I *am* still looking for guinea pigs... > > OTOH the temperature sensor mod you describe is also very easy. Is this a call > for volunteers to build it? ;) > > > This seems too easy... could it be nobody has thought of it? Superchips, are > > you listening? You already have an ICON for the Toyota cars that controls the > > ignition curves. > > I would have thought that nobody had done it because it wouldn't be worth much, > HP-wise... but I also find it strange that the Superchips device controls > ignition but not fuel, and I was also (pleasantly!) surprised at Jorn's > Simco-chip results. (Thus showing what kind of guesser I am.) Probably there's > a lot more to be gained than I had thought, which makes me glad. > > If anyone would like to collaborate on this type of project, let me know. > > Chris C. > > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 11:48:40 -0800 From: william brandt Subject: MR2 dwell meters & montana driving Robin - a dwell meter is going the way of the dodo bird. They were used to measure the dwell (open time for gap) of contact points of ignition systems. The MR2 does not use contact points. I believe you can still hook up a dewll meter and get a reading but (as far as I know) unlike points this is not adjustable. The points would open from the cam lobe on the distributer - while open they'd spark and send the charge to each spark plug wire. The bigger the dwell reading the longer the gap was open - the longer the spark Montana - I drove there last summer - and like someone said about 80-85 is about what you're allowed. Besides the Interstate (90) wasn't in that goo a shap with their winters Plus you could see deer grazing on the side. Ever wonder what would happen if you hit a deer at 70 or above and have it come into your windshield? Bill William L. Brandt wbco@wbco.com Sacramento, CA ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 11:48:47 -0800 From: william brandt Subject: MR2 cracked leather is the leather a smooth section or pleated? If it were me I'd go to a good upolstry shop - there are a few in Sacto that specialize in leather. A good shop can die to get an exact match. They rip out the bad section and sew in a good one. A lot chreaper than getting a new cover from Toyota. And use a good preservative such as Lexol or Connolly Hide Food. Bill William L. Brandt wbco@wbco.com Sacramento, CA ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 11:44:40 -0800 From: "BryanW" Subject: Re: MR2 Re: mkii convertable There is a company somewhere in LA or SD that does this on nsx's, sc3-400's,mk-1's and many other cars also. The cost is somewhere around 7,000(I forget) and you can usually see an ad for them in a Dupont Registry. I saw a sc mk-1 convertible done by this place at the Battle of the Imports at Sears Point and it looked sweet. Bryan Randy Chase wrote on Saturday January 3, 1998 at 11:53pm: >I think the car looks very good as a convertible. Is this only one of >these? I wonder if these could be made by some conversion company. Has >anyone checked into it, or is it horribly expensive. I know they usually >use new cars and do a quantity of them. > >Randy Chase *full of lobster, duck, venison, and truffles* urp >'91 MR2 N/A - ------------------------------------------------------ | Keeping your email PRIVATE is our business. | http://www.goplay.com/email/1000002 - it's FREE! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 14:19:44 -0800 From: Duane Brown Subject: MR2 Re: silver state classic & odds > << i think that this would be VERY awesome if multipule mr2s were > entered. very cool. > > planning away- > terry >> > > Terry, you know I am going to be there... > > Hey, I plan on winning my entrance fees back at the roulette table > > Austin T I hope to be there in the touring catagory, per Terry's thought on the price varrience between the 95-110, and the 115-125 catagory... PS.. You'll never win anything back at the roulette table, stick with craps, its the best odds at any casino, at any game....Other then the occassional sure thing at the sports book...;) Duane 87 NA - longing to legally drive 110mph for 13 miles in Nevada. And what happens if ya go over, you don't win, your not invited back, they impound your ride...?? Also, is there a motorcycle class, and are they rated by speed also..?? - -- Duane Brown (OnOne@mindspring.com) Media Consultant/Photographer A Variety of Visual Marketing Solutions Portfolio, Clients, Animated Gifs & Java http://www.mindspring.com/~onone - --------------------------------------- Sacramento's Premier Auto Search http://www.sacbee.com/autofinder - --------------------------------------- Adventure Sports Online http://www.adventuresports.com - --------------------------------------- "What the judge says to do, we'll do. That's the way things work in this country." Bill Gates ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 14:39:05 -0600 From: "Scott McBurney" Subject: Need a Lug Nut for 91 MR2 Does anyone have a spare lug nut for a 91 MR2? I lost one of mine. Thanks, Scott McBurney email: mr2_man@compuserve.com or: scott@dewar.com web: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mr2_man 1991 MR2 Automatic, 181,500 miles License: QUIK MR 2 1989 MR2 Supercharged, 66,000 miles License: QUIK SC 2 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 15:47:01 -0500 From: bockman@calgoncarbon.com Subject: New MR2 back to the states? I heard rumors that Toyata may bring an MR2 back in late 98-99... Any chance of this actually happening? I have a 91 NA with 154,000 miles, and could now afford to buy a loaded turbo :>) Thanks Ed ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 15:09:23 -0600 (CST) From: Michael Moerk Subject: Re: MR2 Montana Driving > Even when there was a federal 55mph limit, a daytime speeding ticket in > Montana was only about $5. They just did this because they were > required to enforce it in order to get highway funds. > > Brad Burns When they changed the speed limit in Montana to "Reasonable & Prudent" they also changed the fines -- it's no longer $5, now it's a real (painful) fine. Plus it does get reported to insurance now, where I believe it didn't used to. I was there a couple of summers ago and there are a lot of roads that are just wide open. I was doing 110mph in my wife's Probe (governor) and I'm sure I would have been busted for that but I got carried away... If I had my 2, then I REALLY would have gotten carried away. ...Wishing I could afford the Silver State Classic this year... - -Mike Moerk - -Red '93 Turbo - -Rochester, MN ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 15:22:39 -0600 (CST) From: Michael Moerk Subject: Re: MR2 silver state classic > I'm seriously thinking of doing this....but I'd have to run Grand > Touring. The rules aren't that much more restrictive and you can > run up to 140. Man I would LOVE to do this - I have been looking for an event like this since I got my MR2. This is why they are called sports cars! I can't understand people who buy Porsches and 300ZX's and then just drive them on the roads for commuting. Just like I can't understand people who buy $30,000 SUV's and then they never leave the pavement. Count me in for 1999! I'll start saving my pennies now! - -Mike Moerk - -Red '93 Turbo - -Rochester, MN ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:45:33 -0800 From: "James S. King" Subject: MR2 MkII oil changes All - A while back there were several posts complaining about smoking after oil/filter changes and general messyness of the whole affair. When you have an "upright" mounted oil filter (such as on the 3S-GTE or RX-7s), you just need to be patient and all of the oil will run out of the filter. The first thing I do when changing the oil is to knock a hole in the top of the oil filter with a hammer and screwdriver to aid the draining process. Within about a half hour I can remove the old filter w/o spilling a drop. Obviously the quicky oil change places can't do this for you. Just another reason to stay away from them if at all possible. Hope this helps someone. Jim '93 Turquoise Turbo. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:31:28 -0800 From: "James S. King" Subject: MR2 MKII - Tuneless in Santa Barbara D'oh - while installing an alarm I disconnected several connectors in order to tap into the various wires needed for the alarm. The radio lost power and is now brain dead. I'm the third owner, and the 2nd owner never bothered to get the security code from the original owner, so I knew I'd have to deal with this eventually... QUESTION: There must be a magic code or secret reset button or other procedure to "reset" the radio, right? Do you need a factory SST? TIA. Jim '93 Turquoise Turbo. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 14:19:58 PST From: "Todd klosnick" Subject: MR2 MK2 Convertabile,MK1 timing belt questions? hello, The MR2 MK11 convertabile is known as the Spider in Japan I believe. It was built in conjunction with TRD and there only availiable in Japan. Also, I'm getting the timing belt changed in my 87 MR2. What other than changing all the other belts should I have done and is $150.00 a good deal to have the timing belt changed? thanks Todd 87 MR2 ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 14:20:16 PST From: "Todd klosnick" Subject: MR2 MK2 Convertabile,MK1 timing belt questions? hello, The MR2 MK11 convertabile is known as the Spider in Japan I believe. It was built in conjunction with TRD and there only availiable in Japan. Also, I'm getting the timing belt changed in my 87 MR2. What other than changing all the other belts should I have done and is $150.00 a good deal to have the timing belt changed? thanks Todd 87 MR2 ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 17:50:40 -0500 From: Chris Conlon Subject: RE: MR2 ECU Fuel Mod Idea Harry wrote: > Hmmm...this is like a VPC. Would it be possible to fabricate this project > with an APEXi AFC? Err maybe... what does this AFC do?? Chris C. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 14:55:29 -0800 From: Randy Chase Subject: Re: MR2 MkII oil changes James S. King wrote: > > All - > > A while back there were several posts complaining about smoking after > oil/filter changes and general messyness of the whole affair. I used to smoke after a number of things (such as sex and surfing) but I quit cigarettes about 18 years ago, plus the general messyness never bothered me anyways. Sure, there was all that sand and seaweed, but you get used to it. Oh...whats that? Your talking about the oil smoking.. nevermind. 8-P Seriously..a good idea about the oil filter changes. Since my last experience with the heavy wrenches at the local Quicky type oil/lube places, I might start doing my own oil (autochangification to be technical). I need to get out more. Randy Chase '91 MR2 N/A ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 18:23:14 EST From: Sport Ridr Subject: Re: MR2:MKI Top Speed I have 15" wheels and 205/50/15's for tires, After i put the wheels on, i was worried that the speedo was gonna be a little slow, so i had my friend ride along side me on his 97 ZX-7R Kawazaki, and i tested 35, 45, 55, 60, 65, 70, 85, 100, and 135 mph speeds, and the mph indicated on my car compared to the 2 month old bike showed that my speedo was indicating the correct speeds, but for 35 and 45 mph, my speedo indicated 1 or 2 mph faster than i was really going. All other speeds were on the money correct. Plus, my MR2 mkI is NOT stock. I have changed the intake a bit for better air flow to the throttle body and the MAF and the exhaust has a high flow muffler, and NO cat. converter. This will increase top end. I dont know how fast a totally stock MKI is but i know that mine alot faster than my buddies, and his is also an 86 except his has no intake/exhaust mods. Maybe one afternoon we will both go out in our MR2's along with my other friend on his ZX-7R and top out the cars. I have definately had mine up to 135-140mph about three times now. Sometime this week i guess im gonna have to take it out to a rual area, bring the rpm's up to 7000, and take a picture, and scan it, to prove to the doubters what MY top speed is, that way there are NO arguments! Mike freakin Craig 140+MPH 86 MR-2 MKI ------------------------------ End of mr2-digest V2 #63