Project Scope Creep

Started by moca2cv, October 8, 2020, 09:49

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moca2cv

It all started because I needed another toy. A cheap toy, to get out on track and have fun with friends. And a friend was selling his 2001 silver PFL with hardtop for a bargain, so I figured it was worth a try. Being somewhat lanky he let me borrow it for a week to see if it was really for me. I bought it after 2 days. I made big plans and bought some goodies!
5 days or so later, I took it for a little drive to see how it felt with a smaller wheel when Rodney came knocking. There was no smoking, no warning, just one minute it was glorious, and the next less so! I checked all the options, narrowed it down to rod knock, parked it up and moped. And so it sat while I decided what to do with it.
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1979scotte

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

Joesson

Quote from: 1979scotte on October  8, 2020, 10:05And?
The good news is that, following recent events, the hard top is probably worth more than the car.

thetyrant

Im refreshing an engine at moment if you need one to replace the knocker ?
Ex-2005 roadster  owner, i will be back :D

shnazzle

That is some seriously short-lived fun!
But, good thing is indeed that for the price of the hard-top you can get two engines haha.
Hell, you can get an engine for the hard-top mounting kit.
...neutiquam erro.

moca2cv

Sorry! I got distracted :) It was indeed short lived, but there's more...

I'd bought so many goodies that I decided breaking it (I've broken too many cars, and it's painful) was out of the question. So I got some mates over and we pulled the engine out.

I found an engine that was supposedly good when it was pulled, and acquired some unused engine rebuild parts including revised pistons for a bargain, figuring I'd use what I need to on the engine and hoard the rest. I got the engine to our Time Attack sponsor for a leak down test and one of the cylinders was, erm, leaky. Sticky valve was the best guess so I left it with him for a little investigation.

Back to the silver car... I started doing a bit of stripping to get it 'track ready', and a couple weeks later I got a call from the garage with some bad news. The valve was indeed sticky, no big deal, but the bores were rusty. Clearly hadn't been stored all that well... Never mind. I'm so deep in to my car pot that I am now committed to the MR2. A plan must be formed. The engine might as well be built properly now!

moca2cv

Since lockdown was in full swing I had no chance to get out and work on the car. It was all a bit depressing frankly, and so I bought another MR2 sight unseen. It had BCs, Hardrace toe arms, exhaust, some skirts, history of an engine swap and looked ok in the pics. Importantly it had an MOT and ran.

Well that subsequently arrived, ran ok, but the handbrake was useless. Not sure how it passed the MOT but ho hum. Whoever did the swap didn't do the greatest job, and the 'recon' engine looked like they'd just slapped a little paint on it.

I tightened up the handbrake best I could, so it now holds, and since it's not the tidiest MR2 ever, I just take it for little blats without a care in the world!

So now I have two cars. Originally I thought I'd build the Silver car up as it's a tidy tub, but that's rather a lot of effort so I think I'll just strip it, hoard the parts, and build the blue car. So now the plan is, if I ever pull my finger out:

Rebuilt engine, bored slightly, cams (tbd), eManage Blue.
Full bracing
Half cage
Bucket seat
Reasonably stripped

Go enjoy!

moca2cv

Couple of pics - still figuring out how to use the forum on my phone. I'm not the smartest cookie!

moca2cv

P.s. I'm also moca2cv on Instagram, if anyone likes pics of random stuff!

shnazzle

Quote from: moca2cv on October  8, 2020, 13:14P.s. I'm also moca2cv on Instagram, if anyone likes pics of random stuff!
Follow the mr2roc account
...neutiquam erro.

1979scotte

Youve been unlucky with your 2s.
I know that feeling really well.

Have a good read up on here before investing in cams.
It may not make that much difference considering the cost.
Also the toyota 1zz ecu isn't the kindest to piggybacks like the emanage.
Just food for thought.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

moca2cv

Quote from: shnazzle on October  8, 2020, 13:15
Quote from: moca2cv on October  8, 2020, 13:14P.s. I'm also moca2cv on Instagram, if anyone likes pics of random stuff!
Follow the mr2roc account
I do :) it's quite useful!

moca2cv

Quote from: 1979scotte on October  8, 2020, 15:10Youve been unlucky with your 2s.
I know that feeling really well.

Have a good read up on here before investing in cams.
It may not make that much difference considering the cost.
Also the toyota 1zz ecu isn't the kindest to piggybacks like the emanage.
Just food for thought.


Thanks. I'm leaning towards spending the extra on Crower/other at the moment. Re ecu, I'd love a Link but at £1500 just for the ECU it's a struggle to justify at the moment. If I can get it running safely with the Blue, that'll do for now.

Unlucky maybe, but they're old cars, it happens!

shnazzle

Quote from: moca2cv on October 11, 2020, 01:24
Quote from: 1979scotte on October  8, 2020, 15:10Youve been unlucky with your 2s.
I know that feeling really well.

Have a good read up on here before investing in cams.
It may not make that much difference considering the cost.
Also the toyota 1zz ecu isn't the kindest to piggybacks like the emanage.
Just food for thought.


Thanks. I'm leaning towards spending the extra on Crower/other at the moment. Re ecu, I'd love a Link but at £1500 just for the ECU it's a struggle to justify at the moment. If I can get it running safely with the Blue, that'll do for now.

Unlucky maybe, but they're old cars, it happens!
https://rrrshop.co.uk/digital-ecu-tuner-3-det3-16-p.asp


Much better than emanage blue. And cheap.
In the end, piggybacks aren't great, but they do the job in most cases. 

LinkG4+, Ecumaster Black, Syvecs, etc are standalone replacement ECUs. Different ballgame
...neutiquam erro.

moca2cv

Quote from: shnazzle on October 11, 2020, 08:08
Quote from: moca2cv on October 11, 2020, 01:24
Quote from: 1979scotte on October  8, 2020, 15:10Youve been unlucky with your 2s.
I know that feeling really well.

Have a good read up on here before investing in cams.
It may not make that much difference considering the cost.
Also the toyota 1zz ecu isn't the kindest to piggybacks like the emanage.
Just food for thought.


Thanks. I'm leaning towards spending the extra on Crower/other at the moment. Re ecu, I'd love a Link but at £1500 just for the ECU it's a struggle to justify at the moment. If I can get it running safely with the Blue, that'll do for now.

Unlucky maybe, but they're old cars, it happens!
https://rrrshop.co.uk/digital-ecu-tuner-3-det3-16-p.asp


Much better than emanage blue. And cheap.
In the end, piggybacks aren't great, but they do the job in most cases.

LinkG4+, Ecumaster Black, Syvecs, etc are standalone replacement ECUs. Different ballgame
They will be better... but will they be free? 😁 I'm sure there'll be an upgrade in the future!
For now... Cat Cams or Crower? 🤔

thetyrant

As others said dont expect too much or waste too much time with the EMB, at least on a normally asspirated motor as you can do very little that ecu wont trim back out!  Ive currently got one on my car in prep for budget turbo install and ive tinkered a fair bit with it and got nothing worthwhile from it really, you can trim a bit of fuel out on full throttle but thats about it, anything else you do stock ecu trims :(   however i didnt expect to on mine as its more for just getting the turbo up an running then will switch to a standalon,e as i did on last turbo install on this car.

I liked the Link G4 Storm on last setup but they are pricey new, this time im tempted by the ECU Masters classic (rather than the Black) as its £200 less than Black and should do all we need on these cars, RRP is £529+vat which is good deal i think, you then need wring etc but still good compared to others.
Ex-2005 roadster  owner, i will be back :D

1979scotte

Quote from: thetyrant on October 11, 2020, 15:49As others said dont expect too much or waste too much time with the EMB, at least on a normally asspirated motor as you can do very little that ecu wont trim back out!  Ive currently got one on my car in prep for budget turbo install and ive tinkered a fair bit with it and got nothing worthwhile from it really, you can trim a bit of fuel out on full throttle but thats about it, anything else you do stock ecu trims :(   however i didnt expect to on mine as its more for just getting the turbo up an running then will switch to a standalon,e as i did on last turbo install on this car.

I liked the Link G4 Storm on last setup but they are pricey new, this time im tempted by the ECU Masters classic (rather than the Black) as its £200 less than Black and should do all we need on these cars, RRP is £529+vat which is good deal i think, you then need wring etc but still good compared to others.

If Greg is still doing the forum deal then the black is unbeatable.
£1000 ECU+loom fitted and mapped only extra is wideband sensor.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

moca2cv

Quote from: 1979scotte on October 11, 2020, 16:11
Quote from: thetyrant on October 11, 2020, 15:49As others said dont expect too much or waste too much time with the EMB, at least on a normally asspirated motor as you can do very little that ecu wont trim back out!  Ive currently got one on my car in prep for budget turbo install and ive tinkered a fair bit with it and got nothing worthwhile from it really, you can trim a bit of fuel out on full throttle but thats about it, anything else you do stock ecu trims :(   however i didnt expect to on mine as its more for just getting the turbo up an running then will switch to a standalon,e as i did on last turbo install on this car.

I liked the Link G4 Storm on last setup but they are pricey new, this time im tempted by the ECU Masters classic (rather than the Black) as its £200 less than Black and should do all we need on these cars, RRP is £529+vat which is good deal i think, you then need wring etc but still good compared to others.

If Greg is still doing the forum deal then the black is unbeatable.
£1000 ECU+loom fitted and mapped only extra is wideband sensor.
That's a cracking deal... that might just tempt me if it's still on! To the search bar...!

Carolyn

Jonbill got very good results on our supercharged car with a 'Speeduino'. It was very inexpensive.

He did the mapping by running the car and logging as he went.

Clever lad, Jon!

Perry Byrnes Memorial Award 2016, 2018.  Love this club. 
https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63866.0

shnazzle

Quote from: Carolyn on October 12, 2020, 08:59Jonbill got very good results on our supercharged car with a 'Speeduino'. It was very inexpensive.

He did the mapping by running the car and logging as he went.

Clever lad, Jon!


Definitely a way forward, especially if Jon is willing to share the wealth. The challenge really is in the wiring and initial sensor setup with a base map. Once that is sorted it becomes very easily distributable.
...neutiquam erro.

moca2cv

I've often wondered why there isn't a PNP megasquirt option yet.
Anyway, I'm trying not to spend too much on this!

Got an EML the other day, so plugged in the WiFi ELM327 I had leftover from my Stagea (was literally the only OBD jobby that worked on it!) and fired up dashcommand. All post cat o2 errors, as suspected, so no biggy. Reset and go. Friend borrowed the car for the weekend and apparently it hasn't come back yet!

Now I suspected this for a couple of reasons:
- there is an exhaust leak, so need to diy some gaskets, but have a whole exhaust to pop on so doesn't seem worth doing until I'm ready to go on that; and
- the car struggles to get up to temperature, which would make it run rich and trash the cat.

On the second point, I am now slightly concerned there is no stat in there, and I'm not sure why that would be the case, but to start with I should probably check the sender... is it easier to swap them out rather than test it?

moca2cv

As an aside, every so often I drag my daughter (4, just) out to do little jobs on the cars. This was the littlest job yet, and one she is much better than me at: a sticker!You cannot view this attachment.

moca2cv

Couple of 5 minute jobs today. First up: the rain tray...

Well whoever that put it on before had done the worst job ever if it. Screws were too long and the push rivets not replaced at all. As a result, it was rattling and bouncing about nice and loose. As I have a spare car, I have all the right bits to fix this in 5 minutes! Hurrah.

Or not. Rear two screws came out fine, but the forward ones... the rivnuts were spinning. Dammit. Out with the dremel and off with their heads. Rain tray off, I then realised I might be able to get to the rivnuts by removing the third brake light. Why didn't I think of that before... Light off, dremel slots in to the remainder of the screws, and use mole grips to hold the rivnut as I wound out the thread. Putting the tray back on was now easy! Yay. Bit of copper slip and it is now secure and safe and rattle free.

Found a missing heatshield screw too, so replaced that for another rattle eliminated.

Then tackled the door cards to remove the now redundant speakers. Well, speaker. Turns out one was already missing! So tweeters and one speaker are now removed. Whoop.

moca2cv

Oh boy did fixing the rain tray make a big difference to the enjoyment of the car! Took little one to nursery, a rare treat for her to go in the 'race car', and it was great. Much less crashing over bumps. It's still a bit crashy, but that's most likely the BCs being a bit stiff. Need to get those turned down a bit...
Might do a couple more 5 minute jobs today :)

1979scotte

Quote from: moca2cv on October 20, 2020, 10:58Oh boy did fixing the rain tray make a big difference to the enjoyment of the car! Took little one to nursery, a rare treat for her to go in the 'race car', and it was great. Much less crashing over bumps. It's still a bit crashy, but that's most likely the BCs being a bit stiff. Need to get those turned down a bit...
Might do a couple more 5 minute jobs today :)

BC are always too stiff IMHO for British roads.
Track is different.
I'm actually starting to think that without adding some serious extra power or weight stock is better.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

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