Help!! Catalogue of problems - need advice

[Anonymous]

Sorry this is so long, but have to give you the background first.....

I've had my MR2 since Jan '04 (It's a W '00) and bought it with 26k on clock from a Honda dealer. 5 months later had a service and was worried about gear change not being very smooth - had slave cylinder changed. 3 months later at 33k and despite the recent service and checking oil etc regularly the oil light came on.  Being a girl who knows little about cars I got my brother (who's an engineer for Ford) to look into it.  There followed 3 months of wrangling and an independent RAC inspection before the Honda warranty would pay out, firstly for new synchromesh in 2nd and 3rd gears and for engine repairs due to 'oil leak'.

Sorry I don't know all the technical stuff, but having researched it (mainly on forums like this!) RAC man and my bro said probably due to pre-cats, so then had all the usual Toyota fob offs, saying they knew nothing about these sorts of problems, they're very unusual and pre cats can't get sucked back into the engine - so apparently they changed only half the engine but not the manifold and refused to gut the pre-cats.

So next problem was o2 sensor a year later, got a ridiculous quote from toyota to change it so bought one off ebay and decided to do it myself, changed one side and reset battery, light came back on, did other side, same problem.  So today i'm going to try to change the one behind the left rear light.

But my problems are:

1.  Brother has emigrated to NZ, so lacking in advice.  Is it worth me have pre-cats gutted? Car has done 20k since engine repairs, has always sounded a bit ropey even since engine repairs, oil consumption variable, but good at the moment.  What about che manifold?  (fitted by someone else of course - o2 sensors are probably my limit!!).  Anything I can do to keep car going ok??!!

2.  Gonna sell car in next 2-3 months, want to be honest with seller, should I tell them about work done and maybe use it as selling point that my car has had problem sorted whereas many other MR2s are a disaster waiting to happen?

3.  Also my alloys are bubbling badly, is there any way to find out if previous owner has had them replaced already?  Now the car is over 6 years old is there any way i can get them done for free by toyota?

4.  Anyone know of any good bodyshops in North London/Hertfordshire?  Old bloke reversed into me, scuffed front bumper and heard bumper crunch - ?mountings broken but looks ok.  He's accepted liability, getting quotes for new bumper on his insurance but thinking of asking if garage will tart up the car (scratches, small dent in wheel arch) instead of replacing bumper which looks fine and may just need mountings changing.

Finally, isn't it worrying that it took an independent report (costing £200), my mechanical engineer brother, a solicitors letter (free from a friend) and 3 months to get the work done on my car - I would have had no hope by myself.  So how many more clueless MR2 owning women and men are Toyota screwing over??

Would appreciate the advice - have checked threads so far but not found anything to specifically answer my questions.

[spit]

Sorry no-one has got back to you sooner - there's a lot going on with your opening post! Its difficult to structure a response, but perhaps we can break it down a bit.......

Short answer: its hard to advise remotely  s:cry: :cry: s:cry:  But my diagnosis sort of fits your symptoms, & goes something like this.... (to be read with a "completely barking non-mechanic" disclaimer in mind!)

Your precats damaged the engine, giving an oil leak. They also fouled the Main Cat. Engine was "fixed" - the quality of which may have caught the problem (unlikely), but either way the Main Cat wasn't cleared so it is stuffed, giving you an engine light at the third O2.[/list]

So, try to find out what was done to fix the oil leak, take out the Manifold O2s and check for precat damage, have the Cat dropped off - check for precat damage underneath. Dependent on findings, install a decent 2nd hand Cat and throw the old one.

Some other conditionals to help you build up a picture.....

First - the engine light. Did you have the code read to confirm it was an O2 sensor issue? If so, the code would have indicated which one was at fault. If not, it could be something besides the O2 sensor thats triggering the Engine light, so you may be replacing perfectly serviceable parts.

Second - the oil consumption. You say it has been variable but currently OK. I'd expect any precat-induced damage to yield progressive and worsening oil consumption over time. How does consumption relate to oil changes? Its not uncommon for oil levels to drop faster as the oil gets older and deteriorates. But at your mileage its less likely.

Third - the precats. Consensus in this club is to take them out - they have a purpose but its solely to reduce emissions when the engine is cold. Seems you have an O2 removal tool, so maybe now is a good time to have a look at the condition of the top surface of your precats for peace of mind. Still think its worth you removing them though - if they've deteriorated from the bottom they could be fouling the main cat, which could be a causative factor for what you're experiencing (and if so you'd be wise to get a 2nd-hand Cat put in). Going back to the Engine light - if it is the third O2 at fault, this increases the likelihood that the cat is stuffed (possibly by deteriorated precats etc etc  - see where I'm going with this?)

Fourth - if you're selling soon, its a tough call - down to your conscience really. Part-ex with a dealer, and I'd be inclined to have less sympathy for what you're trading with them  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  

Fifth - I doubt you'll get any joy with the alloys irrespective of whether they're original or refinished, but dealership's responses do vary (which sort of answers your final Q about getting short shrift).

Sixth - bodyshop - no idea![/list]

Does this help? Anyone else care to chip in?

[GSB]

You've piqued my interest, so heres an offer you wont get every day... If you're in North London, and can get to Enfield, then PM me and I'll hook my computer up to your car and find out whats causing your light. We can then have a damn good look over your car and see what needs doing, and weather it really as bad as you think it might be, of if its just in need of a bit of TLC...

PM me if you're interested, I'm available from 16:00 to 18:00 tomorrow.