My Blue 2002 MR2 - Meeerrk's Track car build (LOCKED)

[andyroo104]

Great to see you getting this sorted Mark and very decent of the seller to reimburse half the original engine purchase price.

[StuC]

Great to see you thinking about it logically and rationally. It is so easy to make a snap decision that you later regret.
Good news on the splitting of loss too. Hats off to that member, as Scotte says. Another +1 for ROC.  s:-D :-D s:-D  

I look forward to reading that you have achieved lift consistently and how much you love it.  s;-) ;-) s;-)

[jaworjawor]

I'm here to help with new engine build too, always very pleased to give some advice. My running is - first 1000km with small to middle load, the closer to 1000km the higher revs reaching, but not 100% full load, then oil change and then full powa!

[TiM3]

Full refresh sounds like a good plan, now you've had a bad experience I don't think you'd ever be able to fully enjoy a used motor without worrying it was about to pop!

On the running in subject fully agree with following a careful regime, but I also wonder what they do with full race cars, they regularly have rebuilds and don't have the option of running in on the road? 1000 miles would be a lot of laps...

[Anonymous]

I'm here to help with new engine build too, always very pleased to give some advice. My running is - first 1000km with small to middle load, the closer to 1000km the higher revs reaching, but not 100% full load, then oil change and then full powa!

Thanks, sounds sensible to me

[Anonymous]

Full refresh sounds like a good plan, now you've had a bad experience I don't think you'd ever be able to fully enjoy a used motor without worrying it was about to pop!

On the running in subject fully agree with following a careful regime, but I also wonder what they do with full race cars, they regularly have rebuilds and don't have the option of running in on the road? 1000 miles would be a lot of laps...

You are exactly right Tim, I appreciate all your input during this process...as always  s:) s:)

[Anonymous]

The dead engine was removed from the car today and stripped down.

It's a complete joke, parts missing, parts not fitted correctly and the face of the head looks like it's been sanded down by hand, by a grizzly bear...or should that be his paw   s:D s:D

So it would seem this engine was literally thrown together to get it traded in/sold/whatever. What is really strange is before the failures, compression test was excellent, and when running it sounded as sweet as any I've heard, we all commented how quiet and smooth it was. Just goes to show, you never really know, until you know!

This engine was never going to last, it's probably a good thing it went straight away rather than luring me into a false sense of security and leaving me stranded somewhere like Anglesey or Cadwel Park!

Oh, and Patrick took that thermostat out. Sure enough it was stuck half open, so that confirms our theory of temperature/lack of lift.

Note to self and all...don't buy none genuine parts. Lesson learned.

[mattbrown82]

Glad to hear that you're getting the car sorted mark. My engine also has good compression despite being a right mess. Look forward to some videos once it's all running well.

[stupink]

Just caught up on this, what an absolute pain. Not sure what route i'd go from where you're at. but looks like you've decided, and its not a bad route to go I don't think.

[MilesH]

Glad to see you've got a plan sorted and that you're moving forward with it!

[tommyzoom99]

I don't know exactly yet but from what I understand it's around 1000 in total;

- 500 miles very carefully driving.
- Oil change
-500 miles bringing revs up and can occasionally use lift
- Oil change

I've never done this before so it's all new to me.

I will of course take professional advise and follow it rigorously, after what's happened I ain't taking chances!

However, considering I only did about 1200miles between MOTs last year, that might take a while!

thats what we did meerrk, think we did around 1500 before taking it to the track, never missed a beat since

just remember to use running in oil for the first 500 at least, we used millers running in oil.

also its not good to run it in down a motorway for example needs to be put under varying loads at low revs then increase the revs slowly as the miles climb, also on first start up don't let it just sit and idle get in and drive straight away especially if running new cams etc

cheers tommy

[Anonymous]

I don't know exactly yet but from what I understand it's around 1000 in total;

- 500 miles very carefully driving.
- Oil change
-500 miles bringing revs up and can occasionally use lift
- Oil change

I've never done this before so it's all new to me.

I will of course take professional advise and follow it rigorously, after what's happened I ain't taking chances!

However, considering I only did about 1200miles between MOTs last year, that might take a while![/quote]

thats what we did meerrk, think we did around 1500 before taking it to the track, never missed a beat since

just remember to use running in oil for the first 500 at least, we used millers running in oil.

also its not good to run it in down a motorway for example needs to be put under varying loads at low revs then increase the revs slowly as the miles climb, also on first start up don't let it just sit and idle get in and drive straight away especially if running new cams etc

cheers tommy[/quote]

Thanks for the info Tommy, that's in line with what I've heard so far, good to have confirmation from recent experience too  s:) s:)

[tommyzoom99]

no worries mate, im mean opinions do differ on running in and people do things slightly different but i have run in a few engines like this now with no issues, and know a bloke who builds race engines as his job and this is what he told us, as long as you don't do anything daft you'll have no issues.

cheers tommy

[phaeton]

Watched a episode of Fast & Loud last night from 2013 I think, Richard built his own car some V8 with a Supercharger all brand new, put skinny tyres (or should that be tires) on the front & stupidly wide slicks on the back. Took it out of the garage & whether it happened exactly as shown proceeded to do several on the limiter burn outs, initial reaction was I wonder how long that engine will last.

[Joesson]

At Le Mans on Friday afternoon the Aston Martins were having their engines changed!!

[Anonymous]

That's an interesting thought. I don't know.

It reminds me of someone I used to work with, he bought an ex-supersports  r6 full race bike, he sometimes rode it to work (!) and to warm it up when leaving, would switch it on and hold at full throttle for 5seconds...that's how the race team told him to warm and start it! So I guess race engines and race teams have different techniques because they have different life expectancy to us road go-ers

[Joesson]

24 hours for the Aston' s!!!

[Anonymous]

I guess they are run in a test cell first though

[Joesson]

I guess your right Meeeerrrk but a Porsche blew its engine very early on in the 24 hours.

[Anonymous]

Mammoth road trip today, left at 7:30am, home at 6pm, 385miles....all for the love of Mr2!

Picked up a nice clean 2zz bottom end from Viett (thanks again mate) and dropped it off with Patrick to refresh ready for the engine rebuild.

So hopefully the work can really begin now!

[Anonymous]

Oh and by the way not on,y was that thermostat a load of crap, the water pump I purchased new, also from GSF was leaking.

Seriously, if you need parts, buy OEM Toyota

[cabbydave]

Oh and by the way not on,y was that thermostat a load of crap, the water pump I purchased new, also from GSF was leaking.

Seriously, if you need parts, buy OEM Toyota

Totally agree buy cheap buy twice

[Anonymous]

Too right Dave. I've learnt the hard way

[cabbydave]

You are not alone I still haven't taken the engine out of my 2zz from when the cheap cam chain tensioner gave up and snapped the chain. I have bought the bits to repair it but hate the car at the moment still. In fact today I hate all cars as the rear shocker mount snapped on the old golf today so that's getting a new one next week and a trip to ebay to rid it. Just need a cheap ripper with long mot to see me through until I get my other car on the road

[Anonymous]

Tough times. Lucky you know what your doing or you'd be broke too!