Newbie

[fhat1]

new rav4 (4.1)owner here,3dr gx in red.got the rav for wife as she wanted a car that sat higher up.now we love this little car but feel it needs a bit more get up and go and after seeing a video of a rav4 with 3s/gte fitted have decided this is the way to go.ours is not a daily driver but really want something different,please help

cheers darren

[bothwell_buyer]

new rav4 (4.1)owner here,3dr gx in red.got the rav for wife as she wanted a car that sat higher up.now we love this little car but feel it needs a bit more get up and go and after seeing a video of a rav4 with 3s/gte fitted have decided this is the way to go.ours is not a daily driver but really want something different,please help

cheers darren

hi and welcome.

I run 2 4.1 RAVs, 3 door, both fitted with the 3SSGTE turbo engine and I guess you may have seen a video of one of the cars at the drag strip??

Number 1 RAV runs at just short of 400hp and is not a daily shopping car, altho I still use it daily. Number 2 is a more original car , more comfort, but still running around 270bhp.

The 4.1 came with a 3SFE engine pushing out 127bhp.

Basically, you need to get a MR2 turbo as a donor car (ie a write-off) as you need the whole engine, wiring loom and ecu. Then the fun starts to get the whole lot to fit. It does fit together obviously as I have 2 of them, but its not a job for the faint hearted and there is a good bit of minor mods required. Cost wise depends on how cheap you can pick up a donor car and how good the thing is. I've bought 3 wrecked turbo MR2s - all donors and the 2nd car bought was a heap of junk as the engine etc had been plundered. The MR2 turbo write off should cost around £900. Then the work begins to switch things over and alter the clutch master cylinder; pulleys; alternator position; exhaust system and patching in the MR2 ecu.....and so on.

If you are serious, PM me and I will send you my email and the contacts at what I believe is the only European garage to do this conversion.