Any MR2 Turbo Specialists in Scotland?

[IMR2T]

My cars been in with auto-electricians for 2days to find out why the fuel pumps not powering up.

They're not getting back to me.

Starting to think it nds to be in more specialised hands.

[Peter Gidden]

10 minutes work.

[IMR2T]

You in Glasgow any time soon Peter...?

[PW@Woodsport]

As Peter says, that's a 10 minute diagnosis, it really is.

What is the history of the fault? Give as much info as you can and we can probably fix it this way.

[IMR2T]

Hey Paul, thanks for jumping in, I do appreciate your time.


Had the car a couple of months, took it on as a project.

It didnt run due to the iridium spark plugs it had not providing a big enough spark. Changed them for NGK copper(Meant to ask someone my Rev1 was listed with BK5's, where as alot of people on here have BK6's?) standard bad boys and it ran sweet as a nut, drove it a few times on a private road and loved it!

MOT time, it needs nothing to do with engine, so I fix all the parts needed for retest then the fun begins...

So a couple of weeks ago Im running late for the retest so I jump in, start the car and straight away its running like a bag of spanners, its never ran lumpy like this before, it wont build speed outwith 1st & 2nd and even then is really poor, the turbo sounds like its at/near full boost(Im sh*tting my pants at this point) then BANG!

The car backfires louder than any backfire Ive ever heard and it rolls to a stop blocking traffic

I keep starting it. Car idles but dies as soon as I touch the throttle, after plenty of head scratching I find a 20p sized hole on the underside of the silicone connector to the throttle body(I assume from the backfire) and its burst one of the plastic vacuum diaphrams below the stock bov. I swap the silicone connector with a spare and tape up the diaphram - the car drives again

Its still lumpy and not accelerating well at all, 10mins later(still trying to make my retest on time, lol) the car just dies and nothing happens when I try to start it - at this point Im seriously considering chucking a match in it and walking away...AA arrives and we find out its chewed the timing belt

I didnt make the retest

Now I do all my car jobs on my drive so the 3 jobs I REALLy didnt want to tackle on the MR was it's timing belt, clutch and headgasket...

So AA tows me home and start stripping it that night. It takes me a week, doing bits before work and bits after(a few 3am finishes) but I change all three belts and the water pump which was leaking coolant(probably what weakened my original timing belt). I get the timing marks from Peter(Cam pulley leg with the hole lined to the vertical indents on the engine case behind and crank notch lined up to 0deg on cam cover) and put the thing back together, now Im no mechanic but Ive done a few timing belts before and outwith lack of space, I didnt find anything particulary difficult on the MR.

I put the mounts etc back on, turn it over and thats all it does.

At home I was getting fuel and spark.


Since being in the auto electricians the fuel pumps fine and working as it should, the clifford alarms not stopping anything and Im getting fuel and spark but it wont run...

The auto electricians a bit stumped. This week he's moving onto mechanical checks.

Compression
Timing check


The guy is working on my car when he's seen to the higher paying jobs that come into his garage each day, which I can appreciate as it helps keep my costs down but the downside is progress is sllooooww and Im concerned its been a while since he's worked on anything like the MR. I could be wrong, its just a gut feeling.

I had water in my boot at the time the timing belt went and I def heard a different sizzling noise which seemed to be coming from my Fuel Pump/relay area. The AA mechanic said it was prob the relays powering down...just mentioning it as obviously the ECU is in the boot but I tried a spare ECU I have and it also did nothing(although Im not sure it even works as I got it with the car).


Thats the back ground, every detail I can think of that may help you diagnose whats happened.

I am worried that the compressions the issue as an engine rebuild wouldnt be financially feasable but at this stage thats just speculation until its checked out properly.


Any input from a specialist is greatly appreciated

[PW@Woodsport]

It sounds like you may have more than one fault going on there, but obviously we can't really help further until you know the outcome of the compression test as that is the primary concern, everything else is immaterial if the compressions aren't good.

Assuming they are, and as a very quick check, whip the plugs out and check the engine isn't flooded, it obviously had a very big backfire and massively overfuelling at the time the cambelt went, a flooded engine will never start, so see if they are soaking wet, dry them out.

Check your AFM flap is moving freely (i am presuming this is a rev1/2), ignore this if it's a Rev3.

A stuck or partially moving AFM flap will give you big fuelling issues, just something quick and easy to check.

If all else fails bewteen Peter and myself trying to diagnose it online for you, then pop it on a trailer, bring it to me and i'll fix it for you free of charge, it probably won't take more than an hour.

[IMR2T]

I understand, tbh that's them had the car for 4days, so if no word tomorrow I'll pull it out on Wed or Thurs.

Christ I could buy the compression tester from Halfords for £30 and check myself in 20mins!

The mechanic found the plugs were wet las week and the engine was flooded but he dried everything out.

It is a Rev 1, I had the air meter apart to do the belts, it's not something I've checked although I did wonder if the plug was working correctly, so will get into that.

HOLY MOLY Paul that'd be awesome mate, I'll TEAR it out that garage first thing tomorrow and trailer it down if we can't fix it online, lol.

Ok, from what you've listed there I've got a couple of things to check, so will do that and get back to you with the compression results which I feel is ok tbh as turning the crank wasn't the easiest, lol.

Cheers again mate, speak soon

[Peter Gidden]

It is a Rev 1, I had the air meter apart to do the belts

Out of interest, why?

[IMR2T]

I read to jam the flywheel(to crack off crank bolt) take the starter out and it'd be easy enough - load of sh*te!

Made the most of it and revamped my HKS mushroom

[PW@Woodsport]

Oh.... you took the AFM apart? Is that correct?

[IMR2T]

I took the filter off, the hose to turbo off and plug disconnected, I didn't actually dismantle the afm or anything brave, lol.

Is that an issue on the Rev1?

[PW@Woodsport]

Oh right, we both thought there you had dismantled the AFM!

They are notorious for having a sticky flap inside, make sure it moves freely from fully closed to wide open.

[IMR2T]

Sticky flaps - I had an ex like that...ha!

Right update -

Garage hasn't touched it!

They said - 'We've not had a minute' Translation - 'We don't have a clue'


I'm taking it home tonight, will check flap and check compression and let you know

If it is this flap I'll be beyond pleased!

Is there a guide on how to change to a MAF system like the Rev3?

[PW@Woodsport]

If i were you just concentrate on getting it running right on rev1 stuff.

[IMR2T]

Flaps nice and mobile, moves freely.

Disconnected fuel and inlgniti on, on 10secs of cranking each cyclinder gave me about 110psi of pressure.

Plugs were wet when I took each one out and I triple checked each lead delivers a spark. All bang on.

[IMR2T]

Changing the plugs aswell today to the BKR6e's as I don't trust the ones the motor factors gave me...

[IMR2T]

Ok changed plugs as they were DEF wrong(BKUR5ET) although they ran initially before the belt went. The ceramic section from plug 2 was split(prob from all the lumpy running).

Now the BKR6e's are in, still nothing. Cranked it quite a lot so popped all the plugs back out to let the fuel dry out cylinders.

The plot thickens...(I'm still scratching my head)

[PW@Woodsport]

110psi is low, it should be at least 150psi across all four, but the fact you have a consitent 110psi makes me think the cambelt isn't timed properly, which in turn throws your ignition timing way out.....

Take the top cover off the belt and take some pics of the pulleys and also a pic of the crank pulley on TDC at the same time, something's not right there.

[IMR2T]

Ok mate. Will be tomorrow now but will get on it.

Cheers Paul

[androo007]

+kudos to PW@woodsport - what a kind offer!