Getting to know you

[mozzafan07]

Hi all,

This will be my first real post on here. I've read and learnt from posts and replies on here, but never actually made a proper post.

I've had a black rev 1 tintop import n/a, I changed the cam cover gasket, painted said cover, changed the bolts and rewired the doors to make the windows work, soon after I gave it a full service and it was running sweet, a few months later it died the head went and that was that.

Sold it for £350 the next day

The following week I picked up a rev 2 t bar n/a in blue for that needed a rear wheel bearing and a few other bits.........winning?

I've done the same things to this one, cam cover etc and its still running sweet. (I will post pics when I can for you to see)


Anyways, being in love with MR2's so much I've gone an bought myself a project.

its a goodwood green sunroof version rev 3 n/a.

it'd been standing for 2 years at some guys body repair garage, covered in green mould and slime, brakes seized, not running.

I got it home via a flat bed, cleaned her up and she's mint, no real rust on the body, just 2 small bubbling patches on rear sills, just a grind down and repaint job. (you'll love the pics when theyre up)

So I've set about getting her running, I hooked her up to my other mr2 via jump leads (no battery in car, told alternator is screwed but time will tell) turned the key and got a crappy whine from the starter.

easy fix I thought,

I found a used starter for £5 (love the internet) got it back and read some posts on how to change, 2 bolts that are a pain to get to and even move of a pain to undo on a car that has been standing for 2 years.

lots of wd40 and words I shall not repeat later, I got the bolts undone.

I then found it was stuck in there good.

a few cans of wd40, lots of specialy reserved words and a big hammer later, its was out.

putting the other one in took like 5 mins, then moment of truth.....................................



jump wires hooked up, turned the key and...........

she coughed into life.

that was a moment I'll remember forever.


now I have a new problem, the clutch is solid, I've tried bleeding it from the slave, the pedal moves down like it should, but when the valve is tightened again, its back to being solid again...

do you think I need a new slave?? I think thats the issue, but would like some advice and any other advice you could give as to getting a car healthy after a long time standing.

thank you all,

I hope to hear from you soon

[Rob]

Sounds like a good project mate.

I have to warn you that the sill rust will not be a grind down and paint job. The sill will have completely rotted inside, probably around the structural part and will need properly fixing.

Have a read of my experience......

http://www.mr2oc.co.uk/forums/41/148602.html

Also check down inside the recesses where the aerial motor sits - right at the bottom joint between rear quarter panel and boot floor - both sides of the car.

[mozzafan07]

thanks, I'll look into that

the bubbling is really light and still solid, thats why I thought its not that bad, I'll have a check of those other areas too.

[abovetherim]

Hi all,

she coughed into life.

that was a moment I'll remember forever.


now I have a new problem, the clutch is solid, I've tried bleeding it from the slave, the pedal moves down like it should, but when the valve is tightened again, its back to being solid again...

do you think I need a new slave?? I think thats the issue, but would like some advice and any other advice you could give as to getting a car healthy after a long time standing.

thank you all,

I hope to hear from you soon

Just wait til you rebuild an engine and fire that up for the first time and it runs perfectly. That'll put a grin on your face for a week and you will do a silly jig dance

As for the clutch, try pushing the rod back into the cylinder with the bleed nipple open. if it goes in by pushing with your fingerthen chances are it is not the problem. My money would be the release bearing rusted onto the gearbox shaft or the less likely but still possible friction plate rusted to the pressure plate.

Now the sills! If it is at the rear you will probably find a hole there under the paint. Also remove the trim on the side, inside behind the seat and have a look down there. there is some sound deadening sponge that holds moisture and can cause rot there also

Most of all enjoy

[mozzafan07]

Hi all,

she coughed into life.

that was a moment I'll remember forever.


now I have a new problem, the clutch is solid, I've tried bleeding it from the slave, the pedal moves down like it should, but when the valve is tightened again, its back to being solid again...

do you think I need a new slave?? I think thats the issue, but would like some advice and any other advice you could give as to getting a car healthy after a long time standing.

thank you all,

I hope to hear from you soon

Just wait til you rebuild an engine and fire that up for the first time and it runs perfectly. That'll put a grin on your face for a week and you will do a silly jig dance

As for the clutch, try pushing the rod back into the cylinder with the bleed nipple open. if it goes in by pushing with your fingerthen chances are it is not the problem. My money would be the release bearing rusted onto the gearbox shaft or the less likely but still possible friction plate rusted to the pressure plate.

Now the sills! If it is at the rear you will probably find a hole there under the paint. Also remove the trim on the side, inside behind the seat and have a look down there. there is some sound deadening sponge that holds moisture and can cause rot there also

Most of all enjoy

thanks, this is good advice,

if it is the bearing, how bad would that be for me lol, we talking new box or just a lot of cost to get it sorted, cause if so I'll skip that step and go straight in with a tubby install.

I was hoping to get her running, replace and uprate suspension and other bits the way I want them and save my pennies for the big switch so that when its time for that, the rest will be ready.

gonna look for that foam tomorrow and hope its not too bad.

keep the replies coming

[Peter Gidden]

if it is the bearing, how bad would that be for me lol, we talking new box

Gearbox out, fit new bearing, gearbox back in again.

[mozzafan07]

Gearbox out, fit new bearing, gearbox back in again.[/quote]

that simple then, I've never had a rusted gearbox before lol.

a link to a good how to would be nice if anyone knows of one.

[abovetherim]

The release bearing is part of the cltch assembly essentially.
It just slides on the output shaft of the gearbox. When the clutch pedal is pressed it pushes a lever that pushes this bearing against the pressure plate. Whilst the car has been stood it has not been moved and so has possibly rusted in place. If you remove the gearbox (no small job but if you are handy with the spanners, doable on a driveway) you will see the bearing. if it is rusted on solid a load of decent penetrant (better than wd40) and a 3 legged puller will have it off. then clean up the splines, grease the splines then refit new bearing. If it were me i would be putting a whole new clutch (3 piece clutch kit)in there or at the very least inspecting the condition of the pressure plate and friction disc whilst the box is off.

[mozzafan07]

fantastic, it sounds good to me, I might just run it as an n/a for a few months till I have a tubby installed. unless a super deal comes along lol.

its such a beautiful car too, I just want to be out driving it.

I cant wait to get the wheels off and paint them black, or just get them powder coated...........hmmmm

I do like the standard wheels, although I was tempted by some 16" fto wheels anyone know if they'd fit?

[mozzafan07]

well, good news.

I have solved my problems,

I have found a rev 3 n/a engine, box and other bits for a nice little figure.

And I have arranged for the lovely people down at Pacific Works to hook it all up for me.

So it should all be up and running in the near future and then I can start hooking it up with other mods and upgrades over the following months.

such as,

uprated fuel pump (ready for the tubby install at a later date)

new suspension, springs and shocks (anyone recommend good ones for a daily drive set up pls)

strut mounts and top bars, sway bars, ball joints and bushes (looking for polybushes that dont cost the world, any knowledge would be very welcomed here)

brake hoses, pads and discs (prob paint the calipers too)

refurb the wheels (black) new wheel nuts (im thinking red)

new tires

silly things like new bulbs all round, clear or black front indicators/side lights.

But before those things, I need to get my sills done, I took out the foam and its rust city in there, not as bad as some i've seen, but it'll need doing as soon as I have the ££££

any thoughts on other mods?

(not doing anything to the engine as it will be coming out eventually, unless I stick to the n/a path)

The idea behind this was to have a solid car that I know is ready to handle the tubby lump and I can still get to work and back to fund this stuff lol. Whilst saving for that and modding it each month I can use it, rather thank looking at it sitting like it has been for that past 2 years.

I feel sorry for her, gathering dust not being appreciated all this time.

[mozzafan07]

I can't wait to put pics up,

the engine made its way safely to Pacific Works today, the guys down there are ace, can't wait to meet them all

[JayUK91]

Sounds good mate! Whereabouts in Northampton are you based?

[mozzafan07]

I've pm'd you (I think lol)

uploading pics to that photobooth thing

but for now I have this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77911681@N ... 228124094/

take a look at it before

and after a bit of a clean



(didn't do wheels as I I'm gonna paint them)

[mozzafan07]

before and after

[mozzafan07]

the engine on its way to Pacific Works

the guy met me at the services for his £££ and then dropped it off there