Looking For Modifications

[JappyBeast]

Get some nice crystal front indicators, well nice at night.

Bring the front end up to date and look even better with LED sidelights.

[Distro]

they do look nice actually, what do you mean by led side lights?

[JappyBeast]

You can replace the standard bulbs for an LED cluster, look on eBay!

[Distro]

Ok i've been reading around some more about my car and i've come to a slightly disappointing end. As mentioned earlier i have the 3S-FE engine which is nowhere near the performance on the GT-Tbar 3S-GE i originally wanted, however, i also said i will be fixing the outside and inside first before i think about the engine so that's not such a problem at the minute. This process could take quite a long time since im a student and things will take me months to save for, such as seats, dials etc.

So by the time i'm finished i should be working a full-time job (as a rough idea i'm talking about taking over a year to get the inside the way i want it) then i'll think performance.

Just briefly, what kind of options would i have? i've read that the turbo engine can be put into an FE's Shell because the mounting is the same but it'd require getting hold of the engine, loom, gearbox and various other things im sure i don't even know the names of. By the time it comes around to me doing this i'm sure i'll know the mr2 inside and out but it'd be nice to know i didn't make a total shet stain by rushing into this and leaving myself without an option when it comes to wanting silly power later on down the line.

I paid £800 and got a running car far in excess of my Punto's performance, it has the alloys similar to the ones i mentioned in my original post (OZ supertourismos), the bodywork is almost mint, the interior although at the minute looks dire is just in need of some TLC.

So all in all i can still do things the way i wanted, i just won't have the initial stock power i would of had.

This post is completely pointless, since i've answered my own question, but i needed to get it off my chest

[JappyBeast]

What BHP was you punto?.. the 3sfe is about 110bhp!

I would have thought a turbo conversion project would be too much work to do yourself. Last I hear there was a bloke on www.imoc.co.uk who does the whole thing for £1500 including an exhaust.

All the shells are the same, its just the engines that are different spec so any conversion (V6 or Turbo) can be done on your Shell.

If you had known it was a 3sfe would have you still bought it?

[Distro]

I don't really want to ask myself that question really, I'm attached to the car now and don't really care, if it's running at 110 that's double what my punto puts out.

I'm getting the car looked over for free by a local mechanic so i know in advance what i'll have to fork out at the MOT and i've ordered a TOAD alarm system because the current immobilizer is screwed (alarm goes off sometimes when i open it and the engine is immobilized randomly even though im in the car with the fob) But regardless i wanted a solid thatcham cat 1 putting in so it not a bad thing in the slightest.

I got a replacement thermostat today and need it fitting before tuesday (that's when she needs driving to the garage to be looked at) now i could just get him to fit it but if its something i can do myself i'd much rather do that, i don't have the mr2 book that i'd need to do this kind of thing but my mate reckons he has a good idea of what to do but any tips or anything would be preciated.

Regards the "the book" any idea where i could get one? checked eBay but im not sure exactly what im looking for, couldn't find a Haynes one atleast.

[T600]

In theory insurance should be cheaper for the 3S-FE so if he wants low insurance now then that's a good thing providing he can find an insurer that appreciates the fact that the power is lower.

I hope the overheating problem is something simple though. Sounds suspiciously like it could be HG failure.

Did your mate check the usual stuff, like looking for mayo in the oil filler cap, air bubbles in the rad etc Distro?

[JappyBeast]

Haynes never made one.

There is an online one somewhere but its book marked on my old computer but you might be able to find it on Google.

I never had the book and if I did it would be in Japanese!!.. its more fun trying to figure out what all the buttons are for.

Oh, next time you are sitting in the car, notice the 'secret' sun glasses holder located around your right knee, I didnt notice this untill about 3 months into owning the car!.. seem to remember someone on here finding £10 in theirs!

[T600]

The TOADs are good alarms. I have the Ai606 in mine with the microwave perimeter sensor because mine'

Cost £250 including installation IIRC. Never had a problem with it, but if it rains heavily I have to click the button twice to disarm the perimeter sensor because the rain makes it think someone has approached it - it doesn't go off but it just beeps twice as a warning. Had the same alarm without the perimeter sensor on the Celica and that was fine too. Connects up to the central locking fine too, so the car becomes remote central locking, and I think you could easily add window closure too, but I've not bothered with that.

No Haynes manual available for the MR2. But you can get disks on eBay for a few pounds which include most of the stuff you need to know. For the 3S-GE or 3S-GTE much of the sources of info for the Celicas etc that used that engine is relevant. I think the Carina and possibly the Camry had the 3S-FE so you might find useful info in their manuals.

[JappyBeast]

I also have a TOAD alarm and immob.

If you get bored of the 3sfe I'm sure Rogue Systems would chuck you in a 3sge at a fair price!

[Distro]

I'm downloading a manual now actually so that shouldn't be a problem. I got the ai606 too for £115 and i'm getting it fitted locally for £25/hour which seemed quite reasonable (he knows he's getting repeat custom from me) we did all the usual checks and like i said earlier the car ran fine for 100 miles so if anything major was wrong it would of gone wrong whilst it was driven a little harder (first 20 miles or so)

Doubt i'll find a tenner jappy :P

I'll have a look at this manual and see what i find, can't do the stat replacement until its not tipping it down anyways.

I can't wait to start in October :D

Edit: I'm sure by the time i want an engine swap i'll be looking at the 3S-GTE, if im spending money on an upgrade like that i might aswell do it properly :P

[T600]

Is this guy a certified installer Distro? An alarm only gets its CAT rating if it's fitted by someone with the appropriate paperwork.

It'll probably be just as good providing its done properly, but without the paperwork your insurer may not recognise it.

Sounds like a good price though - I don't think the installation takes that long so should work out somewhat cheaper than mine, and there are plenty of installers charging way more than I paid.

[Distro]

well another garage i went to said £150 to fit, duno if this guy is certified or not (sounded like he'd have no problems doing it though) and my insurance isn't much over £800 at the minute so i can't see it getting much cheaper than that.

Edit:

Just checked on elephant:

£869.90 - 12 month comprehensive cover with £150 excess

only asked me to enter whether or not it had an engine immobilizer

[JappyBeast]

well another garage i went to said £150 to fit, duno if this guy is certified or not (sounded like he'd have no problems doing it though) and my insurance isn't much over £800 at the minute so i can't see it getting much cheaper than that.

Edit:

Just checked on elephant:

£869.90 - 12 month comprehensive cover with £150 excess

only asked me to enter whether or not it had an engine immobilizer

Thats not a bad price!!