MRTouge

[ste]

Hello all.This will be a project thread for my '02 PFL Roadster. The goal is a cheap track car. My eldest turns 16 this year so can start to come on track days. Hopefully building this will teach him a few things and he'll get to drive it to learn some driving skills too. All being well I, or the pair of us might race it too. So I'll build it to MSA Bluebook regs and with my eye on a few of the race series it could be eligible for.


I bought the car at the end of last year. I'd considered a few cars to build and settled on the Roadster for the MR layout and relative affordability of donor cars. I wanted a PFL car as I prefer the looks and any benefit a FL brings I'd be throwing away and changing anyway. All of my normal cars are black and I considered a black Roadster, they have the potential to look very good. I'd owned a green Roadster before and quite like track cars to be bright. Most for sale reflect the colour of cars people were buying in the early 2000s, so nearly all of the cars coming up in my searches seemed to be silver. I've had a few silver track cars and they can look fantastic, but I wanted something different.

One day on my search I came across a yellow Roadster that looked a bit down on its luck. It was at a bargain price so I phoned up. The seller was a part time trader (and full time moron). He said it was cheap because the roof wouldn't open. I asked if he knew why and he replied that when you press the button, nothing happens. "I think it's the motor mate..."  I travelled the 200+ miles to see it and it was tatty, but structurally good.



It was also apparent very quickly that the 1ZZ was very, very tired. Starting it produced plumes of blue smoke and you could smell and taste the burning oil in the air. I negotiated the price down, stuck some tax and insurance on it and crossed my fingers it'd make it 200+ miles back home.

First stop was for a tank of V-power and some oil. It took 2.5 litres before it showed on the dipstick which was a great sign.



CEL illuminated I set off back...



It actually drove very well. I can't get my head around it's circumstances and how it's ended up like it has. It's wearing 4 essentially brand new Continental tyres. It rides well and is all very tight. No slop in the steering or noticeably in any bushes. So it was a pleasure to zip along the lanes on my way to the motorway, if you ignored the cloud of billowing smoke following behind. So I started to build up confidence in it cheerily making its way along the motorway and getting me home. Right until the point a noise like a grenade went off behind my head and a plume of black smoke and a shower of sparks were emitted from the exhaust. Ahh, there was going to be an extra dimension to this adventure. It seemed that if I exceeded ~65mph for any period this happened. I assume it was the oil it was burning igniting in the precats and bits of their internals being ignited and fired out of the exhaust. Fun! So I imposed a speed limit and managed to limp it all the way back home.

Mission accomplished.

[Mark A]

You've got to love the yellow ones!

Looks to be really good condition, better than mine which is also yellow and My01, sell me your panels. Has it had a new soft top?

My advice and I'll get flamed by the 1ZZ turbo or Honda brigade is junk the oil burning 1ZZ and fit a 2ZZ and then let the fun begin.

Mark

[Ardent]

Hello and welcome.

You have landed at the right place if any advice is required.

[Ardent]

For a track biased car. Which this seems to be.
I would agree. 2zz seems the way to go.

That said, there was a spate of 3 or 4 going pop last year.

[Joesson]

Hello and welcome, hope you've managed to get the hood (motor) working!

[Ardent]

Pesky things.

[ste]

The plan is to fit a 2ZZ. I love K20s and they're a superior engine in most ways. I had 4 of them in the back in one of my S1 Elises. The final one built by HPE with Clockwise parts, just under 2.1L, high compression, big cams and ITBs. That made 270bhp and the car was 690kg.






If I want to race it, fitting a K20 makes it very difficult. You can't race in most series other than in an invitational class and you probably also make the car uncompetitive. A 2ZZ, being a Toyota engine allows you to race in lots more places.

I spoke to Se7en Motorsports who were racing at Brands Hatch in November and they advised the things they do to their 2ZZs. I don't plan to spend mega money so don't plan to open one up and do a full build. It'll get a Moroso sump, oil pump, valve springs and cams though. If the engine gets scrapped it's then relatively cheap to swap the lump for another one staright out of a Celica without getting into a costly build.

I really could do with some advice on 2ZZ exhaust manifolds and exhaust systems though. There seems to be lots of conflicting info about what flows best. Some recommend cutting and remodelling the Celica manifold whereas others recommend different bespoke ones. Any input welcome especially if you have data showing flow or dyno / rolling road numbers.

Any other 2ZZ or general track car advice welcomed too. I was thinking I'd get the default 'Protection and Performance' cage from Rogue that the championship cars use. I'm not dead keen on how it bolts together ahead of the main hoop though so open to suggestions for something better.

[ste]

Has it had a new soft top?

Nope, it had a very old, tired one that was torn in a few places. It was so stiff it tore more when I was removing it so I ended up cutting it out to remove it quicker.

[ste]

Firstly I wanted to really clean all the grime off the car. I gave it a really good clean and steam cleaned the engine bay to get as much of the oily residue out of there. It actually came up very well and the shell does seem to be in good condition.






With it in the garage, I set about stripping it back, removing anything uneeded to reduce the weight and also to prep the shell to have a cage fitted.






This means I have a huge pile of trim. In fact I have mst bits for an MR2 and won't need many of them. If anyone needs anything specific, please shout before it gets taken to the recycling centre. Roof is scrap unfortunately unless anyone needs the heated glass rear window.

[Ardent]

Look up zero exhausts.
Good quality. Think he does bits to suit a 2zz conversion

[Mark A]

Jesus you've been busy!

[Mark A]

I think the exhaust depends on which ECU you plan to run. If its OEM (2ZZ) then stick with Celica modified manifold, if you are using aftermarket e.g. Syvecs, Link or ECUMaster to name a couple then something with longer manifold runs will produce more power. I'd look at the Zero exhaust manifold useless you are handy with fabricating and have time on your hands or have a contact in the USA. 

[1979scotte]

Whatever you do it has to be done right I've been in one or two 2zz swaps which didn't and they felt slow.

[ste]

Thanks all for the heads up on Zero. 

Where does Megillian fit into the mix? As of yesterday I've been discussing buying a pre-built car off someone and that has a full Megillian system.

[SuperArt]

Very interesting to see an ex-lotus (Honda powered no less) owner start on a 2zz project. I know of many who have traded up to more sophisticated midships but not many who have gone the other way.
Will be following with interest to see the final result from someone who knows how a properly sorted fast lightweight machine should be setup.

[1979scotte]

Thanks all for the heads up on Zero. 

Where does Megillian fit into the mix? As of yesterday I've been discussing buying a pre-built car off someone and that has a full Megillian system.

I thought they had a chequered reputation but I've never bought anything from them.

[puma2]

  that is some work you put into this
love the story and you made it home, bet you glad of that
keep up with the work and lets us no how you get on  
got to love a yellow  

[moca2cv]

Thanks all for the heads up on Zero. 

Where does Megillian fit into the mix? As of yesterday I've been discussing buying a pre-built car off someone and that has a full Megillian system.

Zero has a bit of a lead time as they are made to order, but pretty well made exhausts. Good value for money too.

Megillian stuff is well made too IMO and Steve made me a bespoke half cage which is nice. You'll be waiting even longer for it though - it's not his day job so it comes second.

P.s. Stay 1ZZ 😁

[ste]

I've continued to strip this out and the 1ZZ and box are almost ready to drop out. I also managed to get a hardtop for a not completely ridiculous price. It's silver, so if anyone has a yellow one and wants to swap for silver then shout up before I get this one re-painted.



Other than that I'm working my way through it removing anything that's not needed to try to make it as light as possible. 

Amongst the bits headed to the bin is the AC.



Next I'd like to remove the PAS. Anyone on here succesfully pulled it off and if so have you left fluid in the rack and looped the lines or just greased the rack and pinion and sealed the rack up? Any experience on here of welding the pinion too?

[Joesson]

@ste said:
Next I'd like to remove the PAS. Anyone on here succesfully pulled it off and if so have you left fluid in the rack and looped the lines or just greased the rack and pinion and sealed the rack up? Any experience on here of welding the pinion too?

@Petrus removed his PAS in his quest for lightness, reported on here, somewhere, but if he reads this he might call in and offer some insight.

[Gaz mr-s]

I think you'll get a ready buyer for useable air-con parts.   Zero was making 2zz manifolds before he did 1zz's. A fair number went to America. Rogue modifies the Celica manifold.

[Petrus]

Next I'd like to remove the PAS. Anyone on here succesfully pulled it off and if so have you left fluid in the rack and looped the lines or just greased the rack and pinion and sealed the rack up? Any experience on here of welding the pinion too?

 
Be aware that to use grease and close the rack you need to take the piston out. Easier to loop the two sides and leave the fluid.

Yes, it theoretically woúld be better to weld the pinion but not doing so has not given any reported problems.

Have fun!

[ste]

Thanks @Petrus, that's helpful.

[Petrus]

Other than that I'm working my way through it removing anything that's not needed to try to make it as light as possible. 

Dedicate some thoughts to the crash bar and the wiper fluid reservoir. There is a noticeable gain in MR2 there. Photos in the Southern Belle thread.
The rear one too; ditto.

[ste]

Will take a look, thanks. I already have thoughts for them that mainly involve the bin.