MR2 Roadster Owners Club

I've been lurking on here for quite a few months, researching and learning, and through the summer I've been avidly watching eBay listings, AutoTrader and Facebook marketplace looking for an MR2 of my own.

...and today I went to collect her.

Meet Eliana, my blue* 2001 PFL. It's seen a fair bit of life but it's been well looked-after. It had just over 148,000 miles on the odometer, which would definitely have put me off if I hadn't read some of the advice on here, but it also had only two previous owners and a regular and complete service history up to 110,000 miles and a fairly complete history beyond that, including a recent partial exhaust replacement and a new roof.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212527934_e9a03f84ea_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5d7Eb)IMG_4231 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5d7Eb) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

The good stuff:
- bodywork all pretty straight, VIN stickers all matching
- engine sounds OK, starts first time
- everything works - lights, power steering, ABS, rear window heater, A/C, original radio, aerial etc.
- it's pretty much stock, as far as I can tell
- new-ish soft top

The bad stuff:
- it's got three different brands of cheap tyres on it
- there's a few chips in the bonnet paintwork
- it's missing one bolt for the grill tray so it rattles!
- it's got one odd single rust hole in the o/s rear wing
- headlamps are a bit cloudy
- engine light is on
- handbrake does hold but is at the top of its travel

I'm aware of the handbrake issue and it's not an urgent thing but one to have a go at when I've got a spare weekend. The tyre thing is a bit more pressing, given how sensitive these cars seem to be to tyre choice and pressure. It felt a little odd when I took it for the test drive, I thought maybe the power steering wasn't quite right - and then once I'd picked it up I checked the pressures and the fronts were at about 19 and the rear 21! So inflating those to the right pressures (28f, 32r, is that right?) definitely improved the slightly sluggish feel.

I'm slightly concerned by the engine light - mainly because my choice of OBD reader doesn't seem to recognise the car. Does anyone have any experience with the FIXD reader and app (on iOS)? Their database seems to be very US-centric and doesn't recognise the car's VIN.

Obviously she needs new tyres. Currently the front are "Champiro UHP-1", rear ns is a "Mohawk M105" and os is a "Accelera PHI-R". I've never heard of them, I think they're budget options and probably known as "ditchfinders", especially when that mis-matched. I know this is a much-debated topic on here, I'm looking for something all-round (lol) rather than something like the Proxes which seem to be described as "extreme summer performance" tyres. Leaning toward Rainsports as I'll be driving the car in most weathers and some long motorway journeys and want good all-weather performance rather than crazy track grip.

I'm pretty sure the tracking's not right - might be the tyres, but at some speeds it feels like the front wheels are pointing in slightly different directions and the car seems to choose which one to give traction to, pulling slightly to one side then the other. Is this what's known as "tramlining"? I'm planning on getting all four wheels pointed in the right direction when I get the tyres changed... soon!

Overall I'm very happy with the car so far. She looks a lot better after my son and I gave her a thorough clean and polish yesterday and cleaned the soft top with Meguiars. My next step is showing the moving bits some love. There's not a lot of oil in there - I filed some grooves in the dipstick and it's on about 1/4 up the markers when cold, so I hastily bought some Comma XTech 5w30 - so another question will be "what oil"? I'll drain and change the oil and filter later this week, top up the coolant (Toyota pink?), check and clean the plugs and filters... anything else I should do while the car's off the ground?

As ever, I'd appreciate any advice you can offer. :)

* colour code 08M6 - Spectra Blue?

Some more photos at my Flickr album (https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAVXtN)

Any pink coolant will suffice.  A premium quality 5W30 fully synth is the way to go. 

Yep that's Spectra blue.  Nice colour!

I suggest downloading Torque Pro to your phone (about a fiver, I think) and then getting a decent plug in 'dongle' to go with it.  There's a few to choose from.  Then you'll be able to see and play with everything the car is doing electronically.

Ah, I see your an I-phone user. Torque Pro does not work on all versions of IOS.  May be another member can recommend a good app for I-phone.

Apparently 'Engine link' does the job, but I haven't used it.

Quote from: inigopete on September 25, 2023, 11:01Leaning toward Rainsports as I'll be driving the car in most weathers and some long motorway journeys and want good all-weather performance rather than crazy track grip

I have a set of Rainsports with rims if you are interested...almost new.

Quote from: inigopete on September 25, 2023, 11:01I've been lurking on here for quite a few months, researching and learning, and through the summer I've been avidly watching eBay listings, AutoTrader and Facebook marketplace looking for an MR2 of my own.

...and today I went to collect her.

Meet Eliana, my blue* 2001 PFL. It's seen a fair bit of life but it's been well looked-after. It had just over 148,000 miles on the odometer, which would definitely have put me off if I hadn't read some of the advice on here, but it also had only two previous owners and a regular and complete service history up to 110,000 miles and a fairly complete history beyond that, including a recent partial exhaust replacement and a new roof.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212527934_e9a03f84ea_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5d7Eb)IMG_4231 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5d7Eb) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

The good stuff:
- bodywork all pretty straight, VIN stickers all matching
- engine sounds OK, starts first time
- everything works - lights, power steering, ABS, rear window heater, A/C, original radio, aerial etc.
- it's pretty much stock, as far as I can tell
- new-ish soft top

The bad stuff:
- it's got three different brands of cheap tyres on it
- there's a few chips in the bonnet paintwork
- it's missing one bolt for the grill tray so it rattles!
- it's got one odd single rust hole in the o/s rear wing
- headlamps are a bit cloudy
- engine light is on
- handbrake does hold but is at the top of its travel

I'm aware of the handbrake issue and it's not an urgent thing but one to have a go at when I've got a spare weekend. The tyre thing is a bit more pressing, given how sensitive these cars seem to be to tyre choice and pressure. It felt a little odd when I took it for the test drive, I thought maybe the power steering wasn't quite right - and then once I'd picked it up I checked the pressures and the fronts were at about 19 and the rear 21! So inflating those to the right pressures (28f, 32r, is that right?) definitely improved the slightly sluggish feel.

I'm slightly concerned by the engine light - mainly because my choice of OBD reader doesn't seem to recognise the car. Does anyone have any experience with the FIXD reader and app (on iOS)? Their database seems to be very US-centric and doesn't recognise the car's VIN.

Obviously she needs new tyres. Currently the front are "Champiro UHP-1", rear ns is a "Mohawk M105" and os is a "Accelera PHI-R". I've never heard of them, I think they're budget options and probably known as "ditchfinders", especially when that mis-matched. I know this is a much-debated topic on here, I'm looking for something all-round (lol) rather than something like the Proxes which seem to be described as "extreme summer performance" tyres. Leaning toward Rainsports as I'll be driving the car in most weathers and some long motorway journeys and want good all-weather performance rather than crazy track grip.

I'm pretty sure the tracking's not right - might be the tyres, but at some speeds it feels like the front wheels are pointing in slightly different directions and the car seems to choose which one to give traction to, pulling slightly to one side then the other. Is this what's known as "tramlining"? I'm planning on getting all four wheels pointed in the right direction when I get the tyres changed... soon!

Overall I'm very happy with the car so far. She looks a lot better after my son and I gave her a thorough clean and polish yesterday and cleaned the soft top with Meguiars. My next step is showing the moving bits some love. There's not a lot of oil in there - I filed some grooves in the dipstick and it's on about 1/4 up the markers when cold, so I hastily bought some Comma XTech 5w30 - so another question will be "what oil"? I'll drain and change the oil and filter later this week, top up the coolant (Toyota pink?), check and clean the plugs and filters... anything else I should do while the car's off the ground?

As ever, I'd appreciate any advice you can offer. :)

* colour code 08M6 - Spectra Blue?

Welcome! A lot of self-confessed lurkers coming out from hiding these days, it's good to see  :D

Sounds like you're on the case but tyres and a decent alignment is a sound investment. Mismatched/underinflated tyres won't be doing you any favours with tramlining. Despite humble underpinnings these are quite sensitive cars, especially when it comes to tyres and suspension setup.

As for the engine light, could be anything but fingers crossed it's 'only' an oxygen sensor, pretty common.

If you're underneath have a good poke about for rust, they don't suffer too badly but better to get it in check for many more years' peace of mind. I'd be checking the rear subframe/cross member and have a look around at the front. There have been a few reports of things getting a bit crusty and I found this to be the case on mine.

Oil and oil filter on order. Generic pink coolant on order (thanks @Carolyn). Different OBD reader on order - the FIXD one is going back, I've done a bit of research and found a decent iOS app and a reader that will work with it, will report back later in the week.

Any recommendations for an air filter? Searching on here brings up a baffling (no pun intended) range of posts, I'll go for an OEM unless there are any reasons against it... although a recommendation on where to find it would be useful. MrT?

Sorry, I'll probably post quite a lot of newbie questions on here as I try and make this car nicer. Thanks for your understanding!

All very sensible questions. We like to help. 

OEM air filter will be just ducky. That filter goes in a lot of Toyotas, so your local parts shop will probably have one.

B.T.W.  Do you have any oil on the engine to the right and slightly below the exhaust manifold?  It's very common for the chain tensioner O ring to leak.

If you look for 'chain tensioner' in the 'how to' section, all will become clear.  I'm happy to send you an O ring that works better than the OEM one (not much of a challenge!), courtesy of the club.  Just PM me with your address and I'll get one off to you. 

Congratulations on the purchase, I hope you checked that it is ULEZ compliant!

Standard pressures for FL are 26F and 32R, not sure if the PFL is different but you should find a sticker in the door jamb or glovebox with the pressures on.

Definitely take the front plastic cover off under the bonnet to see what state the steering U/J is in. You may well need to give it a wire brush and it will no doubt need some grease.

Worth cleaning the MAF sensor too.

Happy tinkering!

General servicing bits are cheaper on ebay. Single delivered for under £9. For future oil filter buys, the 2zz Celica-fit is slightly bigger & usually similar price.

Very strange that it has a good service history & no-name tyres.  If you get a bargain set of Rainsports, they'll do with Winter coming up.  If not, Hankook K125 & Falken ZE310  are better & still work in cold temps.

Car wandering, - check the top strut nut on the front shocks. Best done with a brief rattle with an impact gun.        If affected by throttle input, check the rear suspension.

And with wet weather on the way, check the rubber gaiters on the rear end of handbrake cables. If cables aren't seized there is a fix.

@inigopete
Hello and welcome.
While your under the Frunk plastics checking the UJ have a look at the rear bottom of the radiator, best checked to be OK before changing the coolant.
I have Apple iPad/ phone  and use Car Scanner, a free app, that also has option to buy an upgrade that I've not needed to date.

 :) welcome :)
great start with some pictures  :)
nice looking and your list of bad points are definitely able to sort without to much hassle.
get tyres changed  1st thing mind before anything.

new roof looks good to any info on were it was   done.

follow the rest of what people have said on the other post :)

then get out and put the roof down and enjoy you 2

then come back and lets un no where you been and what you are up to  8)  8) 

After the "FIXD" OBD reader promised much and delivered nothing (it's on eBay now), I bought a "Veepeak" one from Amazon and downloaded "Car Scanner ELM OBD2" for iOS and... got some results!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220781839_bea53b3875_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5WqfT)IMG_4302 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5WqfT) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

P0175 _and_ P0172. A quick search on here suggested it might just be a grubby MAF sensor, which would be relatively good news, so I added that to the list.

First up, jack up the car, get the axle stands underneath and have a look round... it all looks pretty clean! There's the "new-ish exhaust", looking good. The front brakes and suspension are rustier and grubbier than the rear, I pre-emptively sprayed a squirt of Brunox on every thread and nut that looked like I might need to adjust it soon.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53219524562_96e3d53797_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYvG)IMG_4303 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYvG) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220708283_0eb4b1bf60_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5W3oF)IMG_4305 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5W3oF) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

The sump plug was TIGHT, as was the oil filter. But some Newtons and Metres on the plug, and the old hammer-a-screwdriver-through-it trick on the filter, got everything loose and the oil flowing quickly. And thick, dark and opaquely - probably about time for a change!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53219524537_9d6810634c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYvg)IMG_4304 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYvg) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(side note: should that big cog be visible from underneath the engine? It's normally slightly covered by the nappy, but should it be exposed?)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220781779_eaf0c7f1a3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5WqeR)IMG_4306 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5WqeR) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I removed and cleaned the MAF with some contact cleaner - it looked pretty good before, tbh, which was slightly concerning until I spotted, between the coolant reservoir and the rear light, something didn't look right.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220903870_3e6589e0da_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5X3wS)IMG_4309 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5X3wS) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I don't know if this had contributed to inadequate air / fuel too rich, but it certainly didn't help. I loosened the coolant bottle and moved it up out of the way and re-attached the air feed pipe. I checked the air filter while I had it all apart, it looked clean and fresh and there was no crap in the bottom of the air box. Which, if it hadn't been getting enough air, makes a bit of sense.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53219524452_28617765f9_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYtN)IMG_4308 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5PYtN) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Next to the plugs. They're NGK BKR5EYA, cheap and cheerful but they don't seem to be unhealthy. I gave them a good wipe and screwed them back in.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220396796_d787678bbf_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5UrNd)IMG_4311 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5UrNd) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Last job before the oil goes in, replacing the chain tensioner O ring. Carolyn very kindly sent me a new one so I followed her excellent guide and swiftly removed the old, squared, ring and fitted the new round one. (image above: old ring on left, new one on right). Everything went back together nicely and the little "tick" as I turned the crankshaft told me the tensioner was doing its job again. I wiped some of the oily gunk off too.

Then, new oil filter (it felt tiny! I'll go for the Celica one next time - thanks Gaz), sump plug in, and 3.5 litres of Castrol Edge 5w-30 fully synthetic glopped their way in like magic honey. Fit the oil cap again, wipe everything down, top up the coolant, wipe off again, and it's time to move on to the front. Not before trying to remove these two bolts again - they are totally stuck, and starting to round off. Any tips before I get the mole grips / Neji-saurus on them?

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220396831_86327ec91b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5UrNP)IMG_4313 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5UrNP) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...which is where a combination of fading light, not having read the manual and needing to go and pick up my son from school stopped me taking the cover off, or even working out how to do it. But I did get chance to take a photo of the steering universal joint.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53220903800_944b325aeb_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5X3vE)IMG_4314 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5X3vE) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Ugh. I think "crusty" describes it well. I hastily sprayed some 3-in-1 on it as a very short-term fix and vowed to find a new one, and one of those Snelbaard / LMR dust boots to keep it protected. I imagine that will help the feel of the front end, but I'm still researching tyres too. If anyone has any recommendation for non-track tyres with good grip, good economy and good wet weather performance (and probably relatively stiff sidewalls) that come in stock PFL fitting, please let me know. The Falken ZE310 front / Hankook Ventus Prime3 rear combination is looking OK, but I'm still wary of having different tyres front and rear...

Sorry @puma2 I meant to answer your question - "somewhere near Bristol" was all the seller could remember. It feels like canvas, but I don't know how a mohair roof feels, so I don't know if it's the famous Swansea guy who's replaced it. I washed it with the Meguiars stuff and rinsed it, but it's _still_ feeling soapy every time it gets wet, so I'm going to rinse it some more this weekend and let it dry properly before treating it with the waterproofer I've bought.

Still on the list: look up how to get the front cover off, check everything under there. Replace the dead interior lamp. Look for a good SUJ - there seem to be some cheap ones on eBay, not sure I trust how cheap they are. And adjust that handbrake!

I have fitted numerous steering uj's from TCB Performance.
Great quality and a fraction of the cost of OEM.
Give Paul a shout, he will sort you out.

@inigopete

I'm pretty sure I can't see that much of the starter ring, and that there is at least a partial cover over it. The sort of thing our affiliate used part supplier could fix you up with.
Your UJ is indeed crusty, but you are doing now what I did in 2011 and on with my 2002 car.
I did remove my  heat shields fixings but over 10 years ago. Yours might need even more soaking . Be sure to use a six point socket, not a multipoint as they will round off.
If they do proprietary nut removers may help. Otherwise it will be a drill out job.
Dependent upon whether you intend to keep the OE manifold as to what you do from there.
Good to se you are getting down to it.

Not mentioned on here is that seal on the steering column through the cabin bulkhead. Mine was in tatters and I replaced with a new 'un from TCB.

Yes, the plastic push-on cover for the bottom of the flywheel is absent.  Not that it matters a whole bunch, but it does keep road muck out of the starter ring.

Hmm. Engine light back on again after second drive. Fault codes P0172 and P0175 again. And there's a bit of a lag when I put my foot down, the engine seems to pause before revving. It felt much nicer and sounded quieter with the new oil though!

The MAF looked very clean when I removed it, and I cleaned it anyway and put it back carefully. How could I tell if it's failing?

I've searched on here and found this post - https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?msg=265972 - which lists the things I'll have to check next:

QuoteIt could be the MAF, but .. here's what the BGB lists:

    Injector leak, blockage
    Mass air flow meter
    Engine coolant temp. sensor
    Ignition system
    Fuel pressure
    Gas leakage on exhaust system
    Open or short in heated oxygen sensor (bank 1, 2 sensor 1)
    circuit
    Heated oxygen sensor (bank 1, 2 sensor 1)


What it's actually telling you is that according to the O2 sensors, the built in map is causing the engine to run rich.  When it does so, the ECU starts to remove fuel and eventually stops removing it when the O2 sensors go back to reading 'stoic' (14.7:1 air/fuel ratio) under closed-loop conditions.

The fuel trims are then stored and are applied continually - in closed and open loop.

The ECU doesn't light a CEL until the adjustment is more than +/-38%.


So what your ECU is telling you is that it has removed 38% of the fuel from your fuel maps - if this is a sensor fault, then you are now running very very lean, dangerously lean in fact - fortunately you have a knock sensor that will also retard timing if it's so lean the engine begins to knock (which it almost certainly would be) so you'll just be losing power and heating things up a lot more than you otherwise would.


This particular CEL uses 2-trip detection logic, so if you clear it you'll need to drive at least twice before it will come back on.

Personally I would be tempted to do what Stu says, but not simply reset it and then forget about it - reset it and start checking components.

First: Make sure the O2 sensors are operating correctly (if you only have a code reader rather than an OBD-II scantool, you'll need to use a multimeter) - their output should flipflop between <0.4V and >0.55V.

Secondly: Check for exhaust leaks upstream of the O2 sensors (between the head and O2 sensors) - though I would expect that to light a "Too LEAN" code, rather than too rich.

Thirdly: See if you can borrow a MAF - they're not cheap, unfortunately.

Unfortunately the MAF does not throw codes.  So if it's not working correctly you can only guess at it by looking at other symptoms.

The fact that the engine is rich on both banks kind of rules out ignition components and O2 sensors ( as a double failure is unlikely).  An exhaust leak at the cylinder head probably wouldn't affect both banks (although if it's in the critical spot, it could) and it's unlikely to result in rich running.

If the car has its original MAF, it won't hurt to replace it anyway and it's the quickest way to spot a faulty MAF. 

I have a couple of spare used ones, that have been well stored, and I'm happy to send you one, but I can't guarantee it will be good. 

That's very kind of you @Carolyn, thanks, but I think it's probably best I buy a new one this time.

Next stop, finding out how to test if the O2 sensors are working; the seller said the engine light had been on for a while (and the mechanic at the last service had said he couldn't make it go off!) so it's not inconceivable that both are duff. I've had a quick search on here but couldn't easily find out how to test them - any hints?

Edit: answered my own question again, with a bit more searching - this post - https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?msg=625566 says

QuoteMR2.com says:

Testing O2 sensors on the workbench.

Use a high impedence DC voltmeter as above. Clamp the sensor in a vice, or use a plier or vice-grip to hold it. Clamp your negative voltmeter lead to the case, and the positive to the output wire. Use a propane torch set to high and the inner blue flame tip to heat the fluted or perforated area of the sensor. You should see a DC voltage of at least 0.6 within 20 seconds. If not, most likely cause is open circuit internally or lead fouling. If OK so far, remove from flame. You should see a drop to under 0.1 volt within 4 seconds. If not likely silicone fouled. If still OK, heat for two full minutes and watch for drops in voltage. Sometimes, the internal connections will open up under heat. This is the same a loose wire and is a failure. If the sensor is OK at this point, and will switch from high to low quickly as you move the flame, the sensor is good. Bear in mind that good or bad is relative, with port fuel injection needing faster information than carbureted systems. ANY O2 sensor that will generate 0.9 volts or more when heated, show 0.1 volts or less within one second of flame removal, AND pass the two minute heat test is good regardless of age.

Interestingly in the same article it also says if the car thinks the O2 sensor is faulty it will not switch to closed loop operation and will therefore run rich in open loop on the Base map, but wouldn't you get an error code if an O2 sensor was not working properly?

...time to get the O2 sensors out and play with the blowtorch!

Re your picture of the maf & your comment 'looks ok' suggests you are looking at the visible blob. I believe it's a temperature sensor, - the maf is up inside the plastics. If you have the car running & unplug the connector it'll alter the running of the engine. If it doesn't, suggests it's fubar.

Any 4-wire Toyota sensor with a long-enough cable will work.  Just depends on your luck on ebay.  Usually the cheapest method is a DOX 0209 Universal sensor.

Unless Falken or Hankook have dropped a size in their list, BOTH were available in both sizes.

Heatshield nuts. I haven't removed them myself, but have dealt with various iffy bolts on the car. 
These have not failed on me yet. 
https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-bolt-nut-remover-set-6-pcs/6083D?kpid=6083D&ds_kid=92700055262507123&ds_rl=1244066&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NaJBhDsARIsAAja6dP3p_iYPIEwlmnskCvJoVO4txdGJSlQO3p3FwCP_5YQ0znPlVsdbF8aAvpOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

An alternative is the same type made by Irwins. It's a bigger set, but costs more.

Sometimes the heatshield needs cut off.

@Gaz mr-s you're a star - thank you! - that did the trick...

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53236394495_55d9f81c28_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p7jrmB)IMG_4368 (https://flic.kr/p/2p7jrmB) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

All four bolts came out, after a bit of a soak with Brunox too. And then, of course, I realised I'd need an oxygen sensor socket. Oops. One of these arriving tomorrow - 22mm 3/8" socket with cutout:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09Q3LX2SY

Eliana's getting new shoes tomorrow too - Yokohama Advan Fleva V701s, in the right sizes (185/55/15 F, 205/50/15 R), after I realised not only do the tyres not match but the fronts are currently 205/50/15 as well, which won't have helped the handling. Getting the tracking adjusted too, at least on the front. Can most garages do the rears as well (and, if so, how?) - I'm going to ask when I drop the car off.

Thanks for the tip on the MAF - disconnecting it while the engine was running caused the engine to stall, so it looks like it's doing something. But disconnecting the oxygen sensors made no difference to the engine running at all - is that normal, or an indicator that both have failed? (this is entirely possible).

Quote from: inigopete on October  5, 2023, 13:22@Gaz mr-s you're a star - thank you! - that did the trick...

As I said, haven't failed me yet, & a few folk on f/b groups have bought them too.

So why didn't you heed Hankook or Falken advice?  According to tests, the Fleva aren't near as good.

Unplugging the sensors should've brought on the EML.   In terms of them working, use an OBD that can look at the Sensor voltages. The manifold sensors spike fast. They should be comparable.  Torque pro to an Android phone does, for instance.

Did you take note of MAF cleaning above? 

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on October  5, 2023, 13:57So why didn't you heed Hankook or Falken advice?  According to tests, the Fleva aren't near as good.

I read quite a bit about them on here - the V701s seem to have a similar "feel" to the original Bridgestones, and I'm after all-weather grip and long-distance efficiency. The Flevas seem well-reviewed here too.

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on October  5, 2023, 13:57Unplugging the sensors should've brought on the EML.   In terms of them working, use an OBD that can look at the Sensor voltages. The manifold sensors spike fast. They should be comparable.  Torque pro to an Android phone does, for instance.

Ah, thanks - the EML light was already on, so I'll reset it on the OBD app and see what gets triggered. I'll find out this afternoon if I can monitor the sensor voltages too.

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on October  5, 2023, 13:57Did you take note of MAF cleaning above? 

I did, thanks - it's had a thorough clean, if the O2 sensor voltages are doing sensible things then I'll order a new MAF.

The new tyres were fitted on Friday, and they're a revelation. The car feels fun to drive!

Previously it had 205s all round (stock PFL wheels) and the front felt a bit sluggish and tramline-y. And the garage said the tracking was out by about 4 degrees. :O

The steering feels light and easy, it feels like it goes reliably where I want it to, I can take my hands off the wheel and it rolls straight - I hadn't realised how bad it was before, but the difference is huge.

And the Flevas are noticeably more efficient - they're significantly quieter, for a start. Not only can I turn the radio down a couple of notches, but I find myself cruising along in one gear higher on known roads and hills; I haven't put any numbers on it yet, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

After a bit of a drive, with the engine warmed up, I pulled over and plugged the OBD reader in and looked at the sensor voltages. Perhaps the sampling rate was a bit high but the O2 sensor voltages seemed to be pretty jumpy:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53245055516_a1bafa7338_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p85PYy)IMG_4369 (https://flic.kr/p/2p85PYy) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(that's the time in minutes and seconds on the X axis) - I don't know if this is a sign they're both knackered, what would the output look like if they were dying? I'm trying to find out before coughing up for two new sensors. I reset the EML but it came on again within two drives, with the same P0172 and P0175 error codes, so it's not happy about something there.

Ordered a new MAF sensor and fitted it, reset the EML on the OBD reader and... it's stayed off!

Immediately after I fitted the new MAF, the tickover seemed to drop down to about 500-800rpm and the engine was "pulsing" between the two. But the throttle response seemed entirely different, much more immediate. The tickover thing didn't correct itself on the second drive, so I did the ECU reset thing of disconnecting the battery for about 15 minutes.

That seemed to fix it. Starting up from cold later on, the engine immediately revved to about 1500rpm then dropped gradually down to about 1100 tickover. Later in the drive, stopping at lights for example, it was sitting comfortably about 900rpm, which sounded about right. It's feeling much nicer to drive, less lumpy and more immediate when I press the accelerator - which is fun!

Of course, if it's not one thing it's another - I didn't put the cover on when it rained heavily overnight, so the inch-long section of slightly deformed seal on the driver's side window has let in a small trickle of water and made the carpet soggy. And out of nowhere I've started having The Aerial Problem - it extends normally, then at full extension the motor makes grinding noises for about 5 seconds before stopping. And when I turn the radio off, the grinding noise starts again and the antenna doesn't retract unless I press lightly on the top of it.

A bit of research on here (this forum is brilliant) and I now know it's the teeth on the bottom of the extender mechanism that have worn out. I don't know how this could have been related to the heavy rain, or if it's just coincidence - or my car deciding to drip-feed me one problem after another! - but given that I also need to remove the o/s rear panel to clear out the crap in the wheel arch and patch the rust hole, this is a task for Another Day.

I was given a stretchy cloth cover with the car, one designed for an MG-F, which sort-of fits but I also don't know if it's actually waterproof. Does anyone have any recommendations for a waterproof cover? There seem to be a handful on eBay around the £30-40 range but I don't know whether I'd trust them any more than my current one.

I did suggest that it was probably the MAF.  Well done for getting it sorted. ;D

If in doubt, trust @Carolyn - thanks again!

Of course, something else has started now... I'm getting an odd intermittent fault while driving along. The handbrake and battery light will come on and the temperature gauge needle will drop to the bottom, usually when the engine's at least partly warmed up. Sometimes the P/S warning light will also flicker on too.

I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this - an earth fault somewhere? - but can anyone give me some pointers where I should be looking? I haven't yet delved into the electrics of this car. And, of course, I'll have time to do it this Thursday when there's some truly horrible wet windy weather forecast!

I'd be tempted to remove the instrument cluster and give the pugs and sockets a good dose of contact cleaner.  I've not come across this one before but it does seem like a connectivity issue.

Come on peeps - help with this one!

@inigopete
I can't easily get to my handbook / fuse box layout diagram but, are those items served by one fuse? If so therein may be the problem.

I had a similar issue but different gauges (Petrol level would drop to zero plus a few other things on the dash I can't recall exactly). Car drove fine. The connection problem was one of the connectors into the original ECU. Fairly straight-forward to access and connect properly. However, this is on a 2ZZ swap with 2 ECUs so had been messed about with a few years previously. Might be worth a look though. The symptoms are very similar.

Quote from: Joesson on October 31, 2023, 13:12@inigopete
I can't easily get to my handbook / fuse box layout diagram but, are those items served by one fuse? If so therein may be the problem.

Good shout - the paperwork and books that I got with the car don't have that information, but I'll have a hunt online and spend some paid time on Toyota's tech site if necessary.

@inigopete
The access restriction was only temporary, I now have my handbook.
I can see no specific reference to handbrake and battery light temperature and power steering fuses.

Fuses in Instrument panel the  passenger side near to hinges referring to gauges and meters, amongst other items, are as follows, as page 244/245 in my 2002 Handbook.

Fuses ( typeA)
10: ECU-1G: 7.5A Power steering system , anti lock brake system
13: Gauge 7.5 A: ....gauges and meters...
17: AM1 7.5A: "GAUGE" .....
26: ECU-B 10A:....gauges and meters
27: TAIL2 10A: ...gauges and meters
29: RADIO2 7.5A: Gauges and meters...

Reading @rusty0273 's comments, I've had thought:

Did you have any issues with blocked roof drains, by any chance?  Damp could have got into the ECU connectors.  It's a bit of a faff (you've got to take the driver's side rear bin out).  But disconnecting cleaning and reconnecting its connections might also do the trick.

My immediate thought is a failing alternator.

These are classic symptoms.

Alternator!!!!!!  Yes. All I can say is Doh!

A bit late to the party but I would say alternator too. I had the exact symptoms last year and a new alternator sorted it.
Good luck

Thanks all - bit of a family emergency meant I didn't have a look at the car today... but I did drive her 180 miles in the torrential rain and high winds last night over to Somerset!

Alternator sounds like it might tie in - the previous owner gave me a solar-powered battery trickle charger with the car, but said the battery was relatively new. So perhaps the battery hadn't been consistently charging anyway because of an undiagnosed tired alternator, and something to do with the damp conditions has triggered an intermittent fault. Is there any other way to test the alternator is it just a case of fitting a replacement and seeing if that solves it?

As I set off yesterday, the car was running well but the dashboard fault was intermittent. But by the time the car had warmed up and I was on the motorway, she ran flawlessly and very comfortably for the long run. It was quite a lovely experience feeling warm and dry cocooned inside the car as the wind and rain lashed down outside!

So, a quick search on here tells me I'll be needing this great guide - https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=67660 - thanks @shnazzle! Oh, and a new alternator...

On the water thing, there's one annoying clip in the door / window seal on the driver's side that seems to allow a tiny drip of water in only when the car's stationary - is this normal / can it be removed? There isn't one on the passenger side and I know the roof has been replaced so I'm wondering if it's a weird facet of that. For now, a silica gel bag from Amazon is living in the driver's side footwell when I'm not using the car, to dry and absorb the slight damp. :/

(https://i.ibb.co/F4VdnF5/IMG-4646.jpg) (https://ibb.co/F4VdnF5)

Quote from: inigopete on November  2, 2023, 19:13one annoying clip in the door / window seal

That clip is in the wrong position. Carefully unfold it and it should point outwards.

Quote from: inigopete on November  2, 2023, 19:13Is there any other way to test the alternator is it just a case of fitting a replacement and seeing if that solves it?

Quote from: Alex Knight on November  3, 2023, 10:10

Thanks @Alex Knight, that's superb! Very informative. I'll be able to diagnose later this week - I'm a bike mechanic so dismantling and replacing things with freewheels (decouplers) and bearings is right up my street, if necessary. :)

And thank you @J88TEO - that's exactly the answer I was hoping for!

On the plus side, I seem to be at a lovely stage where everything I do to the car makes me like it even more.

I changed the gearbox oil yesterday, thanks to shnazzle's guide - one thing I'd want to add to his guide is that on 5-speed gearboxes you have to remove not just the bolt with the 12mm head on the top right of the gearbox, but the plug thing that that bolt holds on. It looks like this (when it's clean!):

(https://i.ibb.co/NmK09zG/Screenshot-2023-11-10-095326.png) (https://imgbb.com/)

(still taken from this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YInl0cOECSE - which I found pretty useful. Good grief his car is clean...!)

Mine was grubby and stuck, and took a fair bit of wiggling around to get loose. And I didn't have a replacement O-ring, but it seemed to be in pretty decent shape.

Some slightly cloudy grey / brown oil came out. 2 quart bottles of clear red Redline MT-90 went in, and seemed to fill up to the right level without overflowing.

...and now she feels quieter and smoother to drive! Gear shifting is easier, and the slight whine I'd noticed in second gear seems to have disappeared.

Coupled with the quieter gearbox, I carefully bent that little clip out on the driver's window seal, leaving a small black plastic piece pointing to the outside but clearing the window, and the seal gradually expanded to its original shape, so there's no wind noise and no leak from that point any more. Success!

Of course, there's always yin to balance the yang. I got the multimeter out to test the battery and when the engine's running it measures 14.8V; with the engine stopped and ignition off, I measured 13.4V, gradually dropping as I kept the multimeter on.

I think this suggests my alternator's voltage regulation is on the blink and it's putting out too high a voltage, which will knacker my battery if I don't do something about it soon. :/

And I have two more "does this look OK to you?" photo questions, if anyone has time.

1) the front suspension looks like this. It looks like there should be neat rubber boots there somewhere to protect the shiny stanchions, but instead there are shreds of rubber that look like Nora Batty's tights. Should I be concerned?

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53322057901_55d509c713_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2peTu6T)IMG_4689 (https://flic.kr/p/2peTu6T) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

2) Almost certainly more concerning is that I spotted a section of relatively fresh black paint on the rear subframe, just by the flexis. Oh good, someone's thought to protect the subframe in this vulnerable area, I thought. Then I looked closer. Oh, someone's welded a patch on. And there's a section above it that's actually got a hole right through it.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53322057866_872161252d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2peTu6h)IMG_4691 (https://flic.kr/p/2peTu6h) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53322287988_e2b8f0fae0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2peUEuU)IMG_4695 (https://flic.kr/p/2peUEuU) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Bugger. Do we think this will get through an MOT next month? How urgently do I need to be looking for a new subframe?

3) in better news, a box from Andy at J-Spec, so I now have the small plastic cover and no longer have an exposed chunk of engine. Which is nice. And I've got a new(ish) steering universal joint to grease up and fit the boot to, which I'll do when replacing the power steering fluid at some point soon...

[/quote]
1) the front suspension looks like this. It looks like there should be neat rubber boots there somewhere to protect the shiny stanchions, but instead there are shreds of rubber that look like Nora Batty's tights. Should I be concerned?

 2) Almost certainly more concerning is that I spotted a section of relatively fresh black paint on the rear subframe, just by the flexis. Oh good, someone's thought to protect the subframe in this vulnerable area, I thought. Then I looked closer. Oh, someone's welded a patch on. And there's a section above it that's actually got a hole right through it.


Bugger. Do we think this will get through an MOT next month? How urgently do I need to be looking for a new subframe?

[/quote]

There's  nothing wrong with a sturdy patch weld, which is what you have.  The other hole could be repaired in a similar manner. 

Most older suspension struts will be missing the gaiter.  When you get around to refreshing the shocks, which you will doubtless do at some point (new KYBs are a revelation) you can do the gaiters too.

I believe @J88TEO has a couple of good subframes he's happy to part with.

Thanks @Carolyn, that's reassuring. :)

Quote from: Carolyn on November 10, 2023, 11:20I believe @J88TEO (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?action=profile;u=25951) has a couple of good subframes he's happy to part with.

Yes I have a few.

A really rainy day meant inside work, so I did a couple of tweaks to the radio that I'd been planning. Details in this post (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?msg=897698). :)

Happy day on Wednesday, she passed her MOT.

Advisories...  :o

Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):

    Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))
    Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

    Offside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not
      considered excessive sill holed but no effect on suspension or seat belt mountings. (5.3.6 (a) (i))
    Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
    Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

(although I was expecting them and am planning to get the front end in the air on a sunny weekend in Spring.)

That's not horrible.

New subframe and a couple of ball joints. I'd take that.

Weather is too horrible and time is currently too unavailable to get the car up off the ground and do anything interesting, but I had a couple of hours and wanted to attack one of those little things that makes the car sound "old".

The heater fan had an annoying whine. Nothing terrible, but on any setting there was just an irritating continuous sound. It could have been a bearing, or something rubbing against a motor, or a stuck leaf acting like a reed; I decided to take it out and have a look and clean up whatever I could.

I had a search on here but couldn't find any useful guides on how to access it, so I'll write the rest of this post as a guide in case anyone else is interested...

First, take the glove compartment out and you should be presented with something that looks like this (on a right hand drive car):

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53394053662_488d3f63ae_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftW7)IMG_4850 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftW7) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

The thing up at the top of this compartment is the passenger side airbag, which isn't something I wanted to play about with or have going off if I accidentally shorted something, so I disconnected the battery at this point.

The pale-coloured cylinder on the right side of the photo is the blower / heater fan chamber. The fan and motor are removed from below - I'd recommend disconnecting the electrical connection first. It just pulls off, straight down toward the car floor; the connector should look like this:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53394977756_8515c490cd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmkdCL)IMG_4858 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmkdCL) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53395289199_9dcff0c09d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmmPdt)IMG_4859 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmmPdt) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

^^ This is the view from below. There are three bolts you'll need to remove, either (iirc) with a 10mm socket / spanner, T20 Torx driver, or by the looks of it a flat-head screwdriver. Leave the two cross-head screws in the middle for now, they hold the motor into the black plastic base. I found it easier to access them by removing some of the trim bolts holding the footwell plastics in place.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53394053632_2e59ce00bf_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftVA)IMG_4851 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftVA) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

It was also more convenient when I removed the bolt from the bottom of the vertical strut as well. In the above shot, I'm starting to manipulate the fan out of the chamber, you can see the fins.

...and it pulls out, straight down. Mine wasn't as filthy as I thought it might be, but was definitely a bit grey and grimy. I tried not to disturb too much of this dust.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53395418920_ab8976f76d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmntM3)IMG_4853 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmntM3) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I didn't take many photos of the next steps, but basically I took the fan and motor unit inside the house where it was warm, and took it apart. The motor shaft has a flat on it, which slots into the fan and has a clip on the end of it. The clip is easy to remove with a pair of pliers; the fan was _not_ easy to remove from the motor, possibly because of some rust on the end of the shaft. A spray with Brunox (WD40, PlusGas or whatever) and a little soak helped it get moving.

I used two large flat-bladed screwdrivers, one on each side of the fan, to prise it up away from the black plastic bottom plate. Be careful here, you don't want to mangle or snap anything. As far as I know, mine is the stock 2001 part and the plastic was still flexy and it came apart after a few minutes of careful but firm force.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53395418925_6d162383dc_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmntM8)IMG_4854 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmntM8) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

To remove the motor, undo those two cross-head screws and pull it out of the black plastic case. Be careful here as the motor electrical connections are just metal blades that are soldered into the motor and push through the plastic case. This is more of a consideration when you're putting it back together - if they're not straight, they'll kink easily and might not straighten out without damage. I nearly learned this the hard way.

Having separated it all, as above, I cleaned out the fan by running a bowl of washing up water and getting to work with a washing-up brush and a cloth. There was a lot of horrible grey dust and I tried to inhale as little of this as possible!

I also took the motor outside and used a compressed air blower to blow out the dust in it. The bits in it didn't look too bad and after I dripped some bicycle wet lube onto the bearings / bushings at either end it was spinning much more freely and silently.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53394977791_234c6be75d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmkdDn)IMG_4856 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmkdDn) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Clean(er), motor pressed carefully back into housing, contacts aligned, two screws re-placed and ready to fit the fan back on. Obviously I tried to dry the fan as much as possible - it seems designed to prevent water getting into the motor but I didn't want to take any chances.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53394053537_fd78b129f7_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftTX)IMG_4857 (https://flic.kr/p/2pmftTX) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Press it back together carefully, wiggle it about to make sure it's aligned OK and the motor's still spinning cleanly, and re-place that spring clip. For some reason the alignment took me a couple of goes, I think pushing the fan down onto the motor shaft pressed the shaft through the motor a little and made the motor parts bind a little. Which is why I had to pull and push it a little and check it was spinning well.

...and then just put it all back together. Re-insert back up into the chamber, re-place those three bolts, be careful not to drop the most awkward one down into the footwell trim while you're putting it back (!), re-connect the electrical connector, put that vertical strut bolt back where it came from, re-connect the battery and test.

And it made a difference! Mine was much quieter, at every speed. I'm still not completely sure there isn't a leaf somewhere in the tubing, but there's no annoying whine from the fan any more. Which leaves my ears free to notice all the other little creaks, rattles, buzzes etc...!

And while I'm posting photos, this is the plate above the battery in the engine bay. Does that big "B" in the lower right corner mean I do have a LSD in there? I haven't pushed the car hard enough to find out.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53375172985_d57d9b2a1d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pjzHnc)IMG_4758 (https://flic.kr/p/2pjzHnc) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Yes.  But it is a Euro car and they've all got LSD.

Quote from: Carolyn on December 15, 2023, 11:59Yes.  But it is a Euro car and they've all got LSD.

Thank you. :)

What a difference two small strips of rubbery foam make!

I noticed the bin doors had been rattling slightly. The catches were maybe a bit loose, the latch had developed a bit of play over the years. So I added some weight to the car ;) (one for @Petrus - approx 8g!) and hastily stuck two small strips of draft excluder black foam just above where the catches close. And it's SO much quieter! (and yes, I'll straighten that strip up, this was a quick test-fitting.)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53488405596_ed0b0ed244_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2puA4tA)IMG_5246 (https://flic.kr/p/2puA4tA) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I had no idea that the background little rattles, from just behind me, made such a difference to the feel of the car. This has made me happy. And a nice way to treat her for ticking over her 150,000th mile. :)

(of course this means the slight whine in 3rd gear, the creak from the clutch fork and the slightly noisy power steering pump are all a little more noticeable... but those are jobs for another day!)

Quote from: inigopete on January 26, 2024, 12:25the slightly noisy power steering pump are all a little more noticeable..

That's at the front!

Quote from: inigopete on January 26, 2024, 12:25of course this means the slight whine in 3rd gear,

It amazing how much less whining there is with the passenger seat out.

Quote from: J88TEO on January 26, 2024, 12:30That's at the front!

Oh I know, it's just a bit more noticeable now the general noise level in the car has decreased!

You can either adjust the catch or bend them inwards a bit so the doors don't rattle.

Had a sunny-ish afternoon on Thursday so I took the luggage bins out and checked for moisture. And yuck, there it was. I pulled this soggy, slightly mouldy lump out of the n/s bay:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53594940126_c7caf13b1e_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pE15tQ)IMG_5861 (https://flic.kr/p/2pE15tQ) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...and although the o/s bay's sound insulation didn't look as bad, there was standing water due to a blocked drain pipe. :(

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53594940116_f32f913446_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pE15tE)IMG_5859 (https://flic.kr/p/2pE15tE) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Mercifully both drain pipes cleared easily (Carolyn's tip of using a zip tie worked very well). I cleaned out both bays and fortunately couldn't see any rust.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53595261254_72bc552f33_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pE2HWw)IMG_5860 (https://flic.kr/p/2pE2HWw) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

While I had everything fairly accessible, I reached into the drain bags and cleared out any crap there - the o/s had a mouldy grubby cloth in it! Thanks, previous owner. I've got concerns about the seal between the roof and the door on that side, so I'll be keeping more of an eye on it.

Next job, I guess, is to find some non-water-absorbent sound insulation to put back into those clean metal bays.

I also found this thread on SpyderChat about the "ears" that stick out when the soft top is down: https://www.spyderchat.com/threads/fs-%E2%80%9Cear%E2%80%9D-straps-for-the-convertible-top.157259/.

I'm pretty sure my soft top is an after-market one but it does seem to have the same tube inside it across the top, and the popper attachment points. Does anyone know if those straps are easily available in the UK? Searching for "ears" brings up lots of posts about gEARS and yEARS...!

edit: "ears strap" or "soft top strap" is bringing me more useful answers. I'll keep searching...

further edit: maybe having "ears" is OK, if the alternative is fitting the strap and putting more strain on the soft top when it's up: https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=56236.0

I think you found my post on the "issue". Best option is to find a vehicle upholsterer to have the strap repaired.

I'm not a fan of pulling the 'ears' in on a vinyl roof.  I think the stress on the fabric is too much.

Last Thursday I had a couple of hours in the afternoon so gave her a good thorough wash, a dry with a towel and got the Turtle Wax out. I'd forgotten how much work it was to polish it off - time to invest in a polisher - but the car looked SO MUCH better afterwards, and when it rained that night the water just beaded and ran smoothly off. :)

And the weekend saw a very fortunate eBay purchase: I found a hardtop from a guy who unfortunately had written off his car. It was very lucky for me - same colour, same year, came with a storage bag, great condition... I won the auction and was on his doorstep around ten minutes later! We fitted it there and then and I drove home.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53638850137_f3e9269def_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pHT8oZ)IMG_5965 (https://flic.kr/p/2pHT8oZ) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

The car's definitely quieter with the hardtop on, there's a lot less wind noise (perhaps I need to adjust the catches on my soft top!) and the seller mentioned that he thought it made the car feel stiffer. I was mainly motorway driving home so haven't taken it on fun twisty roads at any speed, but the car certainly felt more serene to drive. And I like the way it looks!

In opening a can of Airco Cleaner, I may have opened a can of worms...

It's in more detail in this thread (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=74805.0), but the car has had a slight mouldy smell from when I bought it last summer. I wondered if it was in the ventilation / heating pipes somewhere, and Ardent kindly suggested Toyota's airco cleaner.

Now the ventilation system isn't heating up consistently when I drive, but the radiator fan is coming on when the engine's up to temperature. So I'm looking for a schematic or some information on what I've shorted out or clogged up when using the airway cleaning foam!

(I have a feeling this is going to end up with removing the dash, which at least could be a good chance to clean everything out under there and replace those two dashboard bulbs that have gone. :/ )

Have you lifted the carpet & felt underneath the seat for dampness?

Sorry I missed your message Gaz! No dampness that I can detect near the area I thought there would be (around the boot lid / petrol cap levers, where any drips from the door seal would end up), I haven't fully removed the seats and carpets yet - that's a job for a full sunny day some time soon.

I did manage to get the top down and attempt to lubricate some pivots, as it's getting a bit stiff. I'm not quite sure where to lubricate so will be looking for advice / guides on here.

I also finally solved the squeaky clutch! As I suspected after reading various posts here, it was the slave cylinder pivots and the fork / ball thing inside the rubber boot. I didn't remove the rubber boot, but squirted some moly grease onto the end of a flat-bladed screwdriver (it was quite runny, on a fairly warm day!) and rubbed / dribbled it onto the point where the slave cylinder seemed to touch the fork, and then also felt around in the port of the rubber boot to get an idea of the shape of the inside parts, and rubbed some grease in there too.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53780785517_d489d76540_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pWqzQH)IMG_6222 (https://flic.kr/p/2pWqzQH) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...and it seemed to work, for now at least.

I'm a little more cautious about the size of the lumps that I pulled off my rear ARB while I was under there, I think it might be time to look for a new one of those. :/

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Edit: and now the "lock" button on my one working key has stopped working, so that's going to the top of the list of Things To Look At Next.

I have a set of OEM ARBs in excellent condition - no rust - if you are interested.

@J88TEO will be messaging you shortly - I looked at the front end this morning and that's not great either!

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But the first thing I did today was have a look at the key, as the lock button had stopped working.

They don't make them easy to take apart! The sender unit comes out of the key body easily enough - undo one screw, slide the body apart - but then apart from the battery and battery cover, the rest is a sealed unit.

I had to carefully* cut around the edge of the dark grey rubbery stuff to separate it from the light grey plastic body.

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*not carefully enough, it turned out... managed to stab myself in the thumb with a Stanley blade. :/

And then I was able to open up the unit. And find that the lock button was hanging on by one of its four solder joints... well, that explains it. I lifted it slightly and it came away in my hand!

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I didn't try and remove the PCB, just carefully placed the switch back on top of its original solder dots. A little bit of cautious soldering later, it seemed to be holding to the board. I re-connected the battery and pressing the button made the red light flash briefly... I tested it near the car, and it's working again!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53789822830_0872899fa8_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pXdUjs)IMG_6246 (https://flic.kr/p/2pXdUjs) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(perhaps best not to look _too_ closely at the soldering...)

So that was good. Carefully reassembled the rubber top, super-glued the lock button back in place on it, re-placed everything inside the key body and fastened the screw, and my one working key is fully working again. :)

After giving the car a good wash, I decided to investigate the windscreen wipers. They've always had a loose flip-flump sort of sound to them (in my nearly a year of ownership of the car, at least) and I wondered if there was something I could tighten up, to solve this.

Removed the spare wheel holder (even though I then realised I didn't need to) because I thought I'd need to completely remove the frunk plastics. Then realised I just needed to remove the plastic between the screen and the front bulkhead (is that what it's called?). The wipers themselves were _not_ easy to remove, fairly corroded in place... and then I think I discovered what the problem is.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53788465667_a105d4aef4_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pX6WT6)IMG_6248 (https://flic.kr/p/2pX6WT6) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

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...yeah, that's pretty worn out. There's nothing that can be tightened there, it's time to find a replacement. I know they're no longer available new, so I'll be in touch with J-Spec in the morning. I've got a long drive (and back) this weekend, so I put everything back together the way I found it, and I'll just have to put up with the noise and looseness while it's raining!

That looks pretty worn out!
I just replace the assembly, minus the motor, on my 06 blue.

Drove to my folks' in Somerset and back over the weekend. The car was lovely, as ever, but the clutch squeak is back. That's annoying.

The moly grease was really quite runny, I wasn't super impressed. I think I'm going to brush some of the sticky Motorex stuff I use on bicycle bearings on the fork / ball interface, it's much more tenacious and less likely to be washed off.

I hadn't driven the car for a while, it's a sunny weekend with a couple of consecutive days, so time to show it some love and finally take the seats and carpet out.

@Petrus guide at https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=67522.msg799351#msg799351 was super useful - thanks! Although my car had 14mm head bolts holding the seats and belts, don't know if that's a UK thing. And only two of the four centre console screws.

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All went OK, the carpet came up... and the smell appeared. :(

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@Gaz mr-s et al, you were right - the soundproofing under the carpet was soggy and smelt pretty foul.

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So. What to do next? Obviously the carpet's out and I'm cleaning and drying the floorpan. I've had a search on here, and Googled, but can't find a lot of useful information...
a) is there stuff that's better than the stock woolly soundproofing?
b) if I fit something waterproof, (like some thick neoprene) is that going to allow more water to pool if any more gets in, and be more likely to cause rust?
c) any other suggestions while I've got the carpet out? The carpet seems to be in good shape otherwise, I just want to clean the smell out of it!

Have you already sorted out the leak? I'd try handwashing + disinfecting the old insulation (and dry in sunlight = UV).

If they are still bad, my understanding is that "closed cell" foam will not absorb the water like the current stuff does.

@inigopete said:

And only two of the four centre console screws.

I suggest for a reason. Only two screws allows easier removal of the centre console for adjusting the hand brake. The rear two are difficult to get at with the seats in position and the console stays  in place with just the two, front screws fitted.


A PU foam carpet underlay may suit:
https://www.carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk/collections/pu-foam-underlay
Your local friendly carpet shop may have some off cut suitable  for your 2 but too small to be of use to them.
Hopefully you've cleaned the drains for the hood which is most likely the source of your water problem!

PS
Seldom mentioned on here, although I did report replacing the steering column seal in the footwell, that could also be a point of access for water.

Sorry my prediction was correct. So you need to identify where the water was getting in. Wet under the bins?

I don't use screws in my centre console.  I do have a long-term intention of retaining it at the top/back edge.

@Joesson that's a superb idea, thank you! I've got a carpet shop just over the road from my shop, so I'll have a chat with them. :)

Good shout about the steering column seal, I'll check that. I'm pretty sure the leak is from the dent in the seal around the driver's door window, more or less straight above the interior door handle. When I picked up the car, for some reason there was a small metal tab pressed around the seal - top right in this photo:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212655800_865a5f51d5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p5dLEL)IMG_4246 (https://flic.kr/p/2p5dLEL) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I remember asking on here about it when I first got the car, because it seemed to be a source of water ingress, and also wind noise at higher speeds (that's an old photo). I've since folded the tab out - what's the point of that tab anyway? - and the seal has expanded slightly, so the wind noise has gone down, and the seal against the glass is improved but still allows a few drops through when the car's getting rained on. I think this is the historic source of the moisture and slight mouldy smell that's been there for the last year or so.

I've ordered some Liqui Moly rubber care stuff which I'm going to use on all the seals, which I hope will expand them a bit and increase their flexibility, and hopefully keep further moisture out. I'll obviously test that before I fit new underlay and re-fit the carpet! Any advice on what I should do with that silly metal tab?

P.S. good point about the screws in the centre console - weirdly, they were the rearward one on the driver's side and the forward one on the passenger side! Which makes me think at some point someone's lost a couple of them. Touch wood, I haven't had a problem with the handbrake so far - I've always tried to do the caliper-resetting pedal pumping when I park at home, before applying the handbrake. So at the moment it's biting well at 5-6 clicks, which I'm happy with.

P.P.S. I'm going to attempt to swap the seat backs while they're out, to move the worn sections from the driver's seat belt, to the passenger side.

Small metal tab should be folded outwards not bent like that.

@J88TEO thanks! Fortunately that's what everyone else on here said when I asked about it, so I folded it outwards back in autumn, but there's still a bit of a dent in the rubber seal and I think that lets in rain when it's coming down hard at the right angle.

However, @Joesson - look at that... :O

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Usual culprit.

@inigopete
That has seen better days!
I got my new seal from TCB. I used a smear of silicone grease where the seal meets the column.

I had a busy few days last week!

A package arrived from J-Spec (less than 24 hours after ordering - thanks Andy!) so the first job was to take the front plastics out, and to replace the windscreen wiper linkage. The rattly linkage was replaced with one with nice crisp pivots and a chance to clean the area just forward of the windscreen out.

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Next, to lift the front end off the ground (remembering to chock the rear wheels) and investigate that coolant leak. Looks like I found the source. :/

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It looked like it was only from the hose, around where it was clamped. I removed the rusting clamp (that wasn't as easy as I'd expected - they're very springy!), pushed the hose a little further along the metal pipe and fitted a new jubilee clamp to hold it in place. I hope this has fixed it.

I hadn't spent a lot of time under the front end and had planned some work on the steering, so had a bit of a clean up while I was in there. I'd had occasional odd combinations of warning lights coming on during the winter, so I've been disconnecting all the connectors, cleaning with contact cleaner and re-connecting as I've spotted them.

I thought I'd double-check the earth connectors, behind the fuse box. The bolts were pretty stiff but started loosening... until they sheared. :/

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(in the background of the image)

...there's not a lot of spare wire and I didn't have a lot of spare time, so the simplest solution seemed to be to use the rear-most bolt from the fuse box. I put a wire wool disc on the drill and removed the paint from the surrounding support, made sure all the surfaces I wanted to be electrical contacts were shiny metal, used some contact cleaner and bolted it all together.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918545578_179654729a_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9AD7b)IMG_7309 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9AD7b) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

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I re-connected the battery, turned the ignition on and all seemed well. No warning lights, no issues... fingers crossed!

I'd bought some Liqui Moly Gummipflege seal restorer and worked it into all the seals, especially that problem area under the Stupid Clip on the driver's side. I hope it's restored enough flexibility that it seals better now - we haven't had any hard rain to test it out yet, but it's looking slightly better, I think.

I'd bought some W5W LED bulbs (after checking them out very thoroughly to make sure they were canbus-safe) and replaced the boot lid brake lights with them. I nearly had someone in a Land Rover drive into the back of me the other day, and wanted to make sure I was maximally visible as drivers of colossal vehicles don't seem to notice MR2s. They're red LEDs so the colour is pretty much the same from the outside (I knew white LEDs would make the brake lights look a bit orange when bright), and have had no electrical problems since fitting them.

The next job was a big one, but it made sense to do it while I had the seats, carpets and centre console out: replace the speakers. I chose Focal 165 speakers for this, because I've got a pair in the Sensible Car and they sound lovely.

There are various guides around, including this one (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=144) on here but the main information I needed was how to remove the door cards, which I found via this great video:
https://youtu.be/qHEjCLGzRm8?si=k648vU2wiajO5k44

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...and then the various forum posts on here and Spyderchat which prepared me for re-using the stock speaker parts. This made fitting the woofers much easier, because the stock speaker surrounds have the right internal diameter, so as long as you're happy cannibalising the stock speakers, you have a ready-made mount that's relatively easy to fit the new woofer into.

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While the door card was off, I used some Soudal butyl flashing tape on the inside of the door panel. I didn't go nuts, but I think a little bit of sound deadening / booming reduction is better than nothing.

They went in well, eventually, and I removed the stock tweeter plastics from the top of the door card, modified the Focal angling ring and hot-glued it to the door card. I fitted the crossover on the inside of the inner door skin, making sure throughout that nothing got in the way of the window as it went down.

It was a time-consuming job but the second door / speaker set was much quicker than the first because I knew what to do by then. It's all gone together well and sounds very nice even with the stock radio. It's louder when it needs to be (not that that's what I was after), and much much clearer.

P.S. looking at the inner door skin photo, it seems like there's provision there for a three-way speaker setup - has anyone done this? Was it a factory option at some point?

Next job was an important one: replacing my slightly-concerning rusty steering universal joint. I'd ordered a decent used one from J-Spec in the past, and a gaiter kit from @Snelbaard and, following the revelation above, a new "lower dust boot seal" from MR2-Ben which took a couple of days longer than expected to turn up.

The bolt around the steering column was a little awkward to remove but lots of wire brushing, lots of soaking with Brunox followed by a hefty amount of leverage and the bolt remover socket recommended by @Gaz mr-s and it finally came free.

Removing the UJ from the steering rack was another matter though! I didn't want to damage the rubber shield around the shaft as it enters the rack, so I had to find a way to hit the UJ up away from the rack, along the direction of its splines. I double-checked I'd completely removed the bolt on the other end of the UJ, inside the car, so that it had somewhere to move, away from the steering rack, then basically lined up a drift as well as I could and tried to swing a hammer as hard as possible in the tiny space forward of the UJ, without clouting the fans on the back of the radiator, any power steering piping, the cross-member, or my knuckles... I failed at that last one, a bit.

But eventually it started coming loose, and finally it was free of the steering rack. As other people have noted, it's really important to make sure your wheels are pointing dead ahead, and the steering wheel is centred, and everything that can turn is marked to make sure it stays in place when you fit the new UJ. Otherwise your steering wheel will be perpetually off-centre when you're driving straight ahead, which would definitely irritate me on my car.

I wire-brushed the steering rack splines before reassembling and it all went together neatly with plenty of grease, anti-seize and shuffling and knocking it back into place.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918297501_d286d616ec_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znmZ)IMG_7344 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znmZ) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

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The next step was to flush through the power steering fluid...

As well as replacing the murky-looking power steering fluid I wanted to clean out the motor in the pump. I found this guide over on Spyderchat to be super useful for this:

https://www.spyderchat.com/threads/how-to-clean-out-your-power-steering-motor.154934/

I sucked out the reservoir's fluid with a syringe - it didn't look nice:

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I was glad I was outside when cleaning out the motor - there was a LOT of reddish-brown dust in there that I didn't particularly want to breathe in. The brushes / commutators before:

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...and after:

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And I also cleaned out the metal cap very thoroughly, and had to really take care and use some sticky grease (Motorex 2000, the stuff I use on bicycle bearings) to hold that wavy washer in the bottom of the cap when re-assembling, but it all went back together smoothly.

Then it was time to refill the reservoir and flush the system through. I re-connected the outlet pipe, the lower metal one, to the pump, as I re-fitted the pump, but left the return pipe (the rubbery one held on with a metal clamp), the upper one, disconnected and set it up with the end draining into an old 2l milk container.

I used Ravenol E-PSF fluid, it was CLEAR and colourless, which told me a fluid refresh was definitely rather overdue! After starting the engine, running it for a few seconds to power up the pump, then switching it off, I went through a few cycles of topping up the reservoir, turning the steering wheel fully to one side, watching the fluid level to make sure it wasn't below the bottom of the reservoir, then turning the steering wheel fully to the other side. Then top up the reservoir and repeat.

I got through about 1.5l (one and a half bottles) of fluid before I decided the returning fluid draining into the milk carton was looking pretty clear, although it was still a bit yellow. I re-connected the return pipe and re-fastened the clip, fully topped up the reservoir (to the COLD MAX line), put the cap back on and then lowered the car back down to the ground and took it for a test drive.

It felt superb! The steering no longer had any slack between turning the wheel and feeling the wheels respond (it didn't have a lot before, but the new UJ was definitely crisp-er than the old one), the pump was noticeably quieter, and the steering felt lighter. Definitely a success.

I'd also fitted new underlay under the carpet before re-fitting that, then the centre console, then the seats:

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I'd dried and cleaned the underlay under the carpet forward of the seats while it was out of the car, leaving it in the sun on three or four successive hot sunny days after spraying liberally with Dettol, and it seems to have removed the smell, so I re-used that. Not least because its thickness is shaped to match the contours of the footwell. I added a layer of underlay over the top as well, to perhaps help with some sound-proofing.

One more thing I wanted to do was smarten up the headlights a bit. They'd been cloudy since I bought the car last year, and while I was giving it a bit of love it seemed a good time to have a go at them.

The front plastics were still out, so I removed the top bolts holding the bumper on, the two bolts holding the bumper to the wheel arch and front nappy, and cautiously tried to loosen the lower bolts securing the headlights... which BOTH sheared as I tried to remove them! I didn't have time to properly drill them out but there looked to be enough material there to slot the lights onto and secure them, so for now the stubs of the bolts are just left in place. I hope they hold!

Before:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918649929_d393a4b075_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9Bb8k)IMG_7349 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9Bb8k) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I used the one-step polish in the photo and a dual-action polisher with a coarse disc on relatively low speed, and was slightly amazed that they cleaned up very quickly. Only about four minutes' polishing, then wiping it off with a soft cloth, left this result:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918743010_79335d8270_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9BDNb)IMG_7350 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9BDNb) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...which I'm pretty happy with! I masked off the surrounding area with some newspaper and sprayed them with some UV-protecting gloss lacquer, left that to dry while I had a cup of tea, then carefully replaced the main bulbs with some Osram Night Breaker Silver H4 bulbs, which I'd been meaning to do for a while, and fitted the headlights back in.

I thought I'd check out the radiator while I had the bumper gently leant away from the front cross-member. It's not a nice sight. Having ticked a few jobs off the list, I've got at least one new (big) one on it!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918297481_71263571a1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znmD)IMG_7348 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znmD) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

P.S. and I then gave the car a very thorough wash and clean and took it on a 400-mile round trip up to Essex, over to the Cotswolds and back, to pick up my oldest friend and then hang out with several other old friends to celebrate a 50th birthday. It was a gorgeous sunny weekend, we had the top down the whole way, and back, and the car behaved flawlessly. As ever, it was a joy to drive.

I'm calling that a win!

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Superb work! The photo above is the AC condenser. Does your AC still work?

Quote from: tadekk on August 12, 2024, 23:13Superb work! The photo above is the AC condenser. Does your AC still work?

Ah! That's both a relief (it's not the car's main cooling system that's so knackered) and an explanation - the AC does not work. I hadn't investigated it at all since buying the car last year; I very rarely have reason to use it (top down unless it's raining, mostly!) but driving with an old friend on motorways at the weekend in temperatures over 30 degrees, it would have been useful to be able to put the top up and turn the AC on.

This leaves me with a quandary: buy a new condenser and fix the AC, or delete the whole system? Pros and cons...

New condenser:
+ working AC
+ keeps car's original spec
+ helps re-sale value of car
- costs £££
- takes time
- might be a can of worms, needing drier, o-rings, +++?

Delete AC:
+ saves weight
+ simplifies car
+ probably relatively easy to do, needing only time and tools I already have
- reduces re-sale value of car
- leaves button on the dashboard that looks like it should do something, but doesn't
- means reduced de-misting, or cooling the car on really hot days / motorways

Do nothing:
+ very easy - no time or tools required
- continuing background irritation that a part of my lovely car doesn't work the way I'd like it to!

Quote from: inigopete on August 13, 2024, 08:24This leaves me with a quandary: buy a new condenser and fix the AC, or delete the whole system? Pros and cons...

20+ year old AC system that has been not been sealed for unknown time will almost certainly be an expensive can of worms (especially relative to overall value of the car).

If your considering fixing it, get an independent mobile technician to gas it temporarily to confirm

• how bad the leak is (my 156 was proper gushing),
• if it is only the condenser leaking (most seals would have dried up), and
• if the compressor kicks in when gassed (might have seized).

On my 1999 Alfa 156, I caught it in time and "only" had to replace the condenser which with labour came to over £300. I'm glad I paid for someone to do it, as I would not have been able to separate the condenser joints fused to the fragile pipework. It worked OK for next 2 years - it was definitely leaking in other places, but I sold the car before it all escaped.

I'm not sure if working AC affects the value of a convertible, and J-Spec will sell you a heater panel with no AC button if you wish. That said, I am happy my MR2 is working and intend to keep it that way :)

Also, if you delete AC perhaps keep the old condenser in place, as it does protect the radiator (sacrifically) :)

Quote from: inigopete on August 13, 2024, 08:24This leaves me with a quandary: buy a new condenser and fix the AC, or delete the whole system? Pros and cons...

Have you decided where to fix the AC? I am faced with the same dilemma.

Also, did you find new condensers for sale ?

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/condenser-10455/toyota/mr-2/mr-2-iii-zzw3/14535-1-8-16v-vt-i-zzw30
Sorry ...OOS!

 :) all i can say is keep up the very good work your doing nice to see your handy work and well documented 8)  8)

@puma2 thank you - helps me remember what I did when! (although I do have a geeky spreadsheet too ;) )

@J88TEO that's a great thing to keep an eye out for, thanks.

@bobo83 I'm sitting at the "do nothing" stage at the moment, mainly because I haven't looked for someone who can competently work on it... and because it's the cheapest option!

Quote from: inigopete on August 12, 2024, 17:21As well as replacing the murky-looking power steering fluid I wanted to clean out the motor in the pump. I found this guide over on Spyderchat to be super useful for this:

https://www.spyderchat.com/threads/how-to-clean-out-your-power-steering-motor.154934/

I sucked out the reservoir's fluid with a syringe - it didn't look nice:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918650039_2b874b5e0d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9Bbae)IMG_7345 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9Bbae) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

I was glad I was outside when cleaning out the motor - there was a LOT of reddish-brown dust in there that I didn't particularly want to breathe in. The brushes / commutators before:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918545143_0eac82200c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9ACYF)IMG_7346 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9ACYF) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...and after:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53918297396_6c0d4e27ee_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znkb)IMG_7347 (https://flic.kr/p/2q9znkb) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

And I also cleaned out the metal cap very thoroughly, and had to really take care and use some sticky grease (Motorex 2000, the stuff I use on bicycle bearings) to hold that wavy washer in the bottom of the cap when re-assembling, but it all went back together smoothly.

Then it was time to refill the reservoir and flush the system through. I re-connected the outlet pipe, the lower metal one, to the pump, as I re-fitted the pump, but left the return pipe (the rubbery one held on with a metal clamp), the upper one, disconnected and set it up with the end draining into an old 2l milk container.

I used Ravenol E-PSF fluid, it was CLEAR and colourless, which told me a fluid refresh was definitely rather overdue! After starting the engine, running it for a few seconds to power up the pump, then switching it off, I went through a few cycles of topping up the reservoir, turning the steering wheel fully to one side, watching the fluid level to make sure it wasn't below the bottom of the reservoir, then turning the steering wheel fully to the other side. Then top up the reservoir and repeat.

I got through about 1.5l (one and a half bottles) of fluid before I decided the returning fluid draining into the milk carton was looking pretty clear, although it was still a bit yellow. I re-connected the return pipe and re-fastened the clip, fully topped up the reservoir (to the COLD MAX line), put the cap back on and then lowered the car back down to the ground and took it for a test drive.

It felt superb! The steering no longer had any slack between turning the wheel and feeling the wheels respond (it didn't have a lot before, but the new UJ was definitely crisp-er than the old one), the pump was noticeably quieter, and the steering felt lighter. Definitely a success.

Great post- I will be doing this in the best future.

Well, it's been a long time without an update...

In October I bought some "Car Gods" dark blue polish and had a go at the whole car, including the hard top, with it and the DAS, one panel at a time. It made a big difference, although that blue stuff goes everywhere - I still need to clean up the black plastics where they've got blue smears on them. :/

Last week I changed the oil, oil filter and air filter, cleaned the MAF sensor and pre-emptively Brunox-ed the post-cat O2 sensor in case I need to remove it. I got a one-off P0136 error code, which is Bank 1 Sensor 2, which I _think_ is the low-down hard-to-access pig-to-remove one. But 50 miles later it hasn't reappeared.

Which is good, because I had an MOT today... which it failed.
"Parking brake inoperative on one side Nearside Rear
Parking brake efficiency below requirements."

The handbrake's not working on one side - I'd been meaning to service the rear calipers over the summer. Looks like I might also need @Carolyn's recent guide on replacing the handbrake cables. Is it best practice to do those at the same time?

Quote from: inigopete on December  5, 2024, 14:31The handbrake's not working on one side - I'd been meaning to service the rear calipers over the summer. Looks like I might also need @Carolyn's recent guide on replacing the handbrake cables. Is it best practice to do those at the same time?

There's all kinds of things that might be causing the poor handbrake performance. It's probalby worth going through making sure all is as it should be with the caliper before getting stuck in to cables.

If you do have a stretched or stiff cable, you might as well do both so you noly have to lower the tank once.

Quote from: inigopete on December  5, 2024, 14:31The handbrake's not working on one side - I'd been meaning to service the rear calipers over the summer. Looks like I might also need Carolyn (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?action=profile;u=22891)'s recent guide on replacing the handbrake cables. Is it best practice to do those at the same time?

As Carolyn says, I'd start as well by checking the calipers and handbrake cables independently of each other. On my car both were bad but your luck might be different.

I've done both these jobs in the past few months and I also live in a neighbouring borough, would be happy to help.

Quote from: inigopete on December  5, 2024, 14:31Which is good, because I had an MOT today... which it failed.
"Parking brake inoperative on one side Nearside Rear
Parking brake efficiency below requirements."

The handbrake's not working on one side - I'd been meaning to service the rear calipers over the summer. Looks like I might also need @Carolyn's recent guide on replacing the handbrake cables.

If the cables moves it can probably be restored to use.  I did so in 2019 & they are still working on the car.
The likelihood is the rubber gaiters on the rear end are in a poor state.

It's fixable, very cheap & a lot less arduous than changing cables.

Well, I just about scraped an MOT pass - the mechanic wasn't happy, but the numbers on the brake test machine meant it got through. That's fine by me, I'm not going to use the car much during the winter and I'll do some proper work on it when the weather's nicer...

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54195361718_b3a6a27cd3_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qz4oUf)IMG_8185 (https://flic.kr/p/2qz4oUf) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

It turns out the calipers are relatively new, pretty clean and the handbrake actuation on the back of them is moving smoothly. The pins were easy to remove, which I wasn't expecting! However, the n/s rubber boot is in tatters, which will have allowed a lot of crap into the cable.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54195361733_735245f523_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qz4oUv)IMG_8187 (https://flic.kr/p/2qz4oUv) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

It also turns out that the previous owner, for some reason, has had the o/s handbrake cable replaced, but not the n/s one. I have no idea why you'd do this, surely while you've got the fuel tank dropped it's an easy extra step to do both? The n/s one was gritty, stiff and horrible, but I was able to free it up using Carolyn's guide (https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=68798.0), disconnecting both ends, soaking Brunox then thicker oil down the inner, and a lot of rattling back and forth.

I got everything moving and decided to make a temporary boot for the cable end out of a bicycle inner tube - it's a bodge, it ain't pretty, but it will work well enough through the few miles I'll do over winter!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54194218242_41735f870b_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qyXwZ9)IMG_8186 (https://flic.kr/p/2qyXwZ9) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Adjusted the handbrake (it's still not pulling well on that side, because the connector behind the handbrake lever tries to balance them out), but it's good enough for now. I've got used to always doing the brake pumping thing before I park, and turning the steering wheel and leaving the car in gear if I park on a hill, as most of us probably have!

Quote from: inigopete on December 10, 2024, 10:02Adjusted the handbrake (it's still not pulling well on that side, because the connector behind the handbrake lever tries to balance them out), but it's good enough for now. I've got used to always doing the brake pumping thing before I park, and turning the steering wheel and leaving the car in gear if I park on a hill, as most of us probably have!

I suspect the cable has been stretched as a result of being so tight - hence the imbalance.

I also have no idea as to why one would replace just one brake cable, considering the work involved. I suggest that is indicative of "if it isn't broken don't fix it" mentality. That certainly applies to the flexible hose ends that are more corroded than I would be happy with.

Inner tube does not work well, it restricts the movement.  I assume you've put a 2nd cable tie on it.

I don't know whether anyone's used these yet, but they look near identical to the MGF gear cable rubbers that do work.
https://www.venhill.co.uk/rubber-boot-domino-ven207.html

You need very narrow cable ties.

Quote from: Joesson on December 10, 2024, 15:41I also have no idea as to why one would replace just one brake cable, considering the work involved. I suggest that is indicative of "if it isn't broken don't fix it" mentality. That certainly applies to the flexible hose ends that are more corroded than I would be happy with.

Do you mean the hydraulic hose connection, going into the back of the caliper, on the right of my first and third photos? I wonder if it's time to replace those too, when I'm doing the handbrake cables, pads and discs in Spring.

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on December 10, 2024, 20:27Inner tube does not work well, it restricts the movement.  I assume you've put a 2nd cable tie on it.

I don't know whether anyone's used these yet, but they look near identical to the MGF gear cable rubbers that do work.
https://www.venhill.co.uk/rubber-boot-domino-ven207.html

You need very narrow cable ties.

It's a fairly big inner tube, I did check it didn't restrict the movement but I'm also not confident it will last long or offer a lot of protection either! I'll replace it when I do the handbrake cables - thanks for the tip with the MGF / Venhill boot. :)

Quote from: inigopete on December 11, 2024, 12:59Do you mean the hydraulic hose connection, going into the back of the caliper, on the right of my first and third photos? I wonder if it's time to replace those too, when I'm doing the handbrake cables, pads and discs in Spring.

I do indeed, I would say they have seen their best before date and need replacing.
In 2023 I replaced the two rear calipers, refurbished the two front calipers, and replaced all four hoses and, of course new brake fluid on my 2002 at <60k.

"Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days." - yes, sorry, it's been a while!

Life Happened in the meantime, quite a lot of life, not all of it fun... but I finally had a long weekend and a box full of bits to get to work on some of the things that had been on my list for a long time. Notably, the handbrake cables and a bit of a brake refresh.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893240038_532758624f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcP5)IMG_1263 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcP5) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Friday morning: hoik the car up in the air, which took significantly longer than expected; prop up on axle stands and long planks so I have enough space under it to drop out the fuel tank. Move the planks and axle stands so I could access the  bits I needed to, realise the car is actually a little rear-heavy, but I'm on a sloping drive.

This video was pretty useful: https://youtu.be/guFHV9Aphto - if a little long-winded (and I suspect it's a FL / LHD car, I didn't do anything with the "evap" (?) unit, which I'm not sure I could have easily accessed anyway). Remove luggage doors, bins, centre console, handbrake cables; all the screws on the fuel pump, fuel filler pipe, faff about with that weird push-fit clip on the fuel line... and then remember the pipe that goes into the middle top of the fuel tank. Handy to know I needed to loosen the braces down the middle of the car and remove the bolts holding the metal pipes that run either side of the fuel tank. (I think they're coolant?)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893014451_1158324c83_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3KD)IMG_1264 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3KD) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Quite a lot of wiggling around, grunting, a bit of swearing, dropping rusty crap on my face and in my eyes... and eventually the fuel tank was lowered to the ground. I'd run the car until about 15 miles after the fuel light came on, but I was still surprised how much fuel was left in the tank sloshing around.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893014466_fde9c4d0ce_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3KU)IMG_1265 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3KU) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...the wine bottle and jug might look like a coping strategy, but actually it was pretty handy having a few screw-top wine bottles in the recycling bin to drain the petrol from the tank into and store for a couple of days. Six of them, in the end. Covered over the big hole in the top of the tank, brushed as much dirt and dust off everything underneath the car, sprayed Brunox on all the things I thought I might need to move tomorrow, and stored everything away for the night.

Saturday morning. Three out of four hose connectors had loosened, relatively easily. The fourth did not. The nut on the metal pipe (the one that, at least at the moment, I don't have a spare for) was rounding out, and the 17mm flat on the stock hose was twisting in the holder. Time, Brunox and two mole grips eventually got it moving.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893307160_cd9292cab1_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxLm)IMG_1267 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxLm) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...and we're making progress! I'd ordered new Goodridge braided brake lines, new Pagid discs and pads (I drive this car on the road and I wash it relatively regularly, I don't need ultimate performance, just decent value) and cracked on with removing and wire-brushing the calipers, cleaning the seals and spraying them with silicone lubricant, resetting the pistons* and generally trying to make everything work smoothly again.

* I tried the fine-nosed pliers twisting trick but it really didn't work well. This tool, £14 from Screwfix, did exactly the job needed: https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-brake-caliper-rewind-tool/4119r - a reminder that the notches in the piston need to end up aligned "north-south", in line with the slot in the opposite fingers on the caliper, so they match the pin on the brake pad.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893307090_6491440a70_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxK9)IMG_1268 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxK9) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...bit of a delay because I had to go and buy the right tool, but 3/4 corners of the car are looking good with new discs, pads and brake hoses to replace the stock ones. Remembering anti-seize on all the bolts and copper grease on the backs of the pads to keep things easier in the future. Just the awkward last front nearside corner that's not playing ball and threatening to round out... The weather got a LOT worse, I had a date that night, and I called it a day.

Sunday. Yuck, this weather's pretty horrible, but I'll hide underneath the car, right?

Wrong. Connecting the 3/4 of the car that are playing ball is good, but that front n/s corner is not looking good, and I don't have high hopes for the bleed nipple either, despite copious applications of Brunox.

Oh well, crack on with the handbrake cables...

For those reading this and looking for a reference, I used Pagid handbrake cables from MR2-Ben (because that was all that was in stock when I looked). I spent at least 15 minutes per cable with some bicycle winter wet lube (because that's what I know, and it's good weather-resistant inert oil), drip-feeding it between the inner and outer and pulling and twisting the cable to ensure it had worked its way down and the cable felt smooth. This whole job (replacing the handbrake cables) was enough of a ball-ache that I didn't want to repeat it any time soon!

For future reference: mine is a 2001 PFL car. The handbrake cables are different lengths (I don't think the previous owner's mechanic realised this!) The right-hand handbrake cable is 1585mm, Pagid part no. 84455 or 108700338. The left-hand handbrake cable is 1575mm, Pagid part no. 84590 or 10882088. In this shot, the RH cable has the tape on it:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54892132127_7a40e4832c_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCCwta)IMG_1281 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCCwta) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

By FAR the biggest frustration in fitting the new handbrake cables was getting those rubber grommets inserted into the body of the car properly. If they're not fitted, moisture may get into the car. And even when they are fitted, if you jiggle the cable around (like when you're moving the clamp points oon it to bolt to the car), they come un-stuck from the car!

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893307010_f92c028d11_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHL)IMG_1282 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHL) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(those rubber things at the top of the photo)

Also, while the fuel tank was out, time to replace the fuel filter, because I'd ordered a spare one. Pretty much everything clips in place, so all you need is a flat-bladed screwdriver and a little bit of patience. The fuel gauge, pump and everything else, just slides and carefully un-clips from place...

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893306990_5d7832ee35_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHq)IMG_1283 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHq) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893306985_b2feeda8c5_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHk)IMG_1284 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxHk) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893239798_ca6e7e41fb_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcJW)IMG_1285 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcJW) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

...then it's time to put the fuel tank back in place. And pretty much the biggest PITA is reconnecting this thing: the hose that goes into the top of the tank. A 10mm socket Jubilee Clip clamp, done pretty much blind with the tank resting on a jack, but very satisfying to feel it re-connect:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893239753_9d189d8da2_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcJa)IMG_1286 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJcJa) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

More cold weather, it was starting to get dark, so I sprayed Brunox on all the bleed nipples, packed up and went inside.

Monday, the day I'd allowed for contingency, just in case. A lovely sunny morning, bright and fresh. Three of the bleed nipples moved relatively easily... and the fourth sheared off, just as easily.

Balls.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893014146_bb4c85c170_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3Eo)IMG_1288 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCH3Eo) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Made a cup of coffee, looked on here, had a bit of a think. I spent some time trying to drill out the bleed nipple, carefully using a 6mm drill bit with tape round it to ensure I was drilling only to the right depth, and tapping it with a 7x1mm tap (which I also spent some time modifying with an angle grinder so the taper was shorter). But the caliper metal felt almost crumbly and the threads didn't tap well - in short, despite my best efforts I made a mess of it and ruined the caliper.

The rear calipers had already been replaced or refurbished at some point in the car's relatively recent history, before I bought her, but the fronts were rusty and stiff, so replacing them both was looking like a sensible option. A bit more research on here (thanks @Petrus, @JB21, @Ardent et al for this thread: https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=74205.0 ) and I decided to bite the bullet and go for Prius calipers. I'm on a budget so called round some breakers yards, and then spent a couple of hours travelling and nervously watching a yard mechanic climb up a pile of teetering cars and sift through parts... but I got a pair, in decent condition.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893261059_75817e298d_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJj4v)IMG_1292 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJj4v) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

That's the Prius caliper on the left, the stock MR2 caliper on the right. The 2004-2009 Prius Mk2 calipers are a direct fit (mine came from a 2005/6) and they use the same pads. The caliper is slightly bigger (it's aluminium instead of the original steel) but it fits with plenty of space inside the stock PFL 15" front alloy wheel. It's actually a nice easy swap. It was a bit of a leap of faith but others have done the research and experimentation before me so I chose to entrust my money and my safety to a bunch of people on the Internet who I've never met... ;)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54893306940_181e28a9c4_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxGy)IMG_1293 (https://flic.kr/p/2rCJxGy) by Pete Owen (https://www.flickr.com/photos/199226181@N06/), on Flickr

Then it was time to bleed the brakes, which I'd never actually done before in this car. Nice and straightforward job with a Goodridge speed bleed nipple and a fresh bottle of Comma DOT4. Brown cloudy fluid came out, clear green fluid went in, one corner at a time.

Might as well change the oil and filter while the car's so high off the ground and easy to get to. I'd added about 200ml of Seafoam High Mileage to the oil about 500 miles earlier, so I don't think it was just my imagination that the old oil seemed a bit darker and sludgier as it came out. Always satisfying to put new clean fluids in where grubby stuff has come out!

Double-check everything I should have tightened. Clean discs with IPA. Wheels on, nappies back on, lower car to ground, torque wheel nuts and cautiously test drive. And it feels great! All working well, brake pedal response feels sharp, the brakes improved as the pads and discs bedded in over the first few hard-brakes (on a quiet back road). The handbrake feels smooth and effective, for the first time in my ownership of this car, and engages fully at six clicks.

I then drove the car 130 miles to Southwold! And it felt great. It was mostly motorway / A-road driving so I can't say I noticed any difference in the front end feel, but the brakes are overall more responsive, less spongy and seem _slightly_ more effective at the start of the pedal movement. But I'll wait for drier, sunnier days and twistier quiet roads to have more of a play and report back. :)