Project MRX350

[PW@Woodsport]

I think the black is best, it works better with the black roof and black centre cap badges, I did consider a gold or bronze, but the black just works so well with red/carbon/black roof.

[PW@Woodsport]

Drivetrain now complete, the 2gr is bolted to the S54 with its LSD unit and extended 5th gear set installed.

I've gone for a Helix Autosport Mk2 turbo pressure plate which is rated to hold over 320lbs.ft, i'm experimenting a little to see if I can achieve a good level of driveability without being too stiff or on/off. Lightweight Mk2 turbo Fidanza flywheel also fitted, this is 0.4kgs lighter than the usual V6 Fidanza, but obviously needed modifying to fit.





The friction plate is a 6 paddle sprung item...



I have two goals here....

1. The clutch will hold, these 2gr's produce an insane amount of low down torque (as much as a 3s-gte at full boost) but at just 2500rpm.

2. My gearbox doesn't explode.

The S54 bolted on, this is all ready to install now.



I have my Frankenstein Motorworks headers to fit yet, thankyou Marc, it's these with a free flowing intake and a 2.5" exhaust system that will take us up to 325bhp and 290lbs.ft.



Intake wise i'm going for a CDA... it's as good as any, I just like the carbon.



The beauty of this engine setup is that it doesn't compromise the Mk1s handling, the 2gr is a light engine and coupled to the S54 should keep things well balanced while providing huge amounts of torque right throughout the rev range.

[synXero]

S54 gearbox. I've only recently learned about the SW20 gearbox, but isn't the S54 weaker than the E153? Why are you using an S54?

[PW@Woodsport]

S54 is the Mk2 NA gearbox, I've been pumping supercharged V6s through them for over 6 years without issue, also two guys in the US run 2gr motors through S54s without a problem, they are much stronger than people give them credit for.

There is no reason to go E153 unless you absolutely have to, this way I save a ton of weight, get better gear ratios, keep an LSD and get a lower 5th gear RPM/Higher top speed.

Also lets me use lighter driveshafts... win win.

I know some people that have used the S54 on their 3s-gtes as well, and in the much heavier SW20 too.

[synXero]

So a GTE bolts up to an S54 easily enough does it? If so, with turbo clip swaps, people typically say you have to change all the driveshafts and so on. Could you theoretically swap the S54 onto the GTE, thereby saving weight on the car as well as limiting the number of pieces you need from the turbo donor? I don't know if it would actually save you time but it seems like it might...

The only reason I queried it really is that I know the ultimate Lotus thing runs 700bhp odds through an E153 specifically because it's a rock solid box, allegedly. Almost comical to hear the 3S-GE box is capable of standing up to a 2GR.

[PW@Woodsport]

Yes it bolts up, of course people who go turbo like to have everything "just as Toyota intended" but there is no reason why you can't run the S54 on a 3s-gte. You need to still use the turbo flywheel and pressure plate, but change to a S54 clutch plate so it matches the input shaft spline, diameter will drop from 236mm to 225mm, but obviously if you only intend to run stock boost there's no worries.

It's pushing the boundaries a little running an S54 on a 2gr, I could never do that on a customers cars, E153 all the way, for warranty reasons I could never risk it, but on my own car hell why not? There is everything to gain and the worst case is I blow the gearbox and need to change it.

Yep the Lotus runs 700bhp through the E153, obviously the E153 is a lot stronger than the S54 so they have to use that box, I think at 325bhp and 290lbs.ft i'm on the limit, but also remember a V6 loads the gearbox in a different way to a turbo, with the 3s-gte there is a big shock loading as boost kicks in, I wouldn't want to run an S54 on anything above stock boost really, but who knows it could hold fine.

I'm following in the footsteps of the two US guys that are still tracking their 2gr roadsters on S54's without a problem.

[XLarge]

My faith in Toyota gearboxes was broken some weeks ago when the E151F of my ST185 Carlos Sainz exploded:







Will swap to a E154F out of a ST205 now and hope it will be more durable.

[PW@Woodsport]

I find when Toyota nail an extra pair of wheels onto their 2WD gearboxes they do nothing to account for the 100% extra input load.... they did this with the Harrier/Lexus Rx300 as well, and they eat their gearboxes regularly.

The 4WD looks like an afterthought to me.

Anyway, S54 is well proven to take much bigger torque loads than you think, previous to the 2gr I've had supercharged 1mz engines pushing 300bhp going through them for years fault free.

[XLarge]

The power output of HP and torque of my engine may have played a roll. Got a TRD made group N ST205 engine in my car with a full 3" exaust system, a Mines Racing ECU running on 102 oktane fuel and 1,15 bar boost and the gear box was the original one of the car with 195k km on it.

[PW@Woodsport]

USPSPRO used a S51 on his 2gr roadster, (same internals as S54 just different gear linkage layout), he AutoX's this car on 888's and 1.8 Spyder driveshafts...



More folks using S54 with 3s-gte going strong for years....

http://www.mr2australia.com/mr2play/tm.aspx?m=56265

There really is a lot of overhyped nonsense on the internet about what does and doesn't work with Mr2s and engine swaps, there's perhaps a handful of us worldwide that go out and do it and prove what really works, the rest is just the same old regurgitated posts from years ago, it's like Chinese whispers and Google makes it worse by throwing up the same old copied posts, so when someone searches they just repeat the same nonsense

[greeny]

There really is a lot of overhyped nonsense on the internet about what does and doesn't work with Mr2s and engine swaps, there's perhaps a handful of us worldwide that go out and do it and prove what really works, the rest is just the same old regurgitated posts from years ago, it's like Chinese whispers and Google makes it worse by throwing up the same old copied posts, so when someone searches they just repeat the same nonsense

You mean everything on the tinternet isn't true!??

Awesome MKI

[elbon50]

the tinternet

No it's t'internet

You really must learn to speak Yorkshire properly

[PW@Woodsport]

Thanks Greeny, it's the last project Mk1 i'm ever going to build for myself, so i'm putting everything into it. Total project spend up to now around £8k and counting.

[PW@Woodsport]

Today I got properly stuck in and got the old 4a-ge removed, I don't have any free lifts at the moment so it's an oldskool "on the floor" job....



I still find it amusing that the whole engine/gearbox can be removed from a Mk1 without even taking the rear wheels off.

Engine bay immediately after the drop, grotty and needing TLC...





The old drivetrain, don't be fooled by her looks, this is one very sweet 4a, zero oil burner and very dry, a real peach.



The bay further stripped and front firewall recessed, the upper firewall to rear screen panel supports have also needed to be removed...



I also had time to drop the fuel tank and install a Walbro....



Bank holiday Monday will see the old engine mounts cut off, the rear boot panel cut and fabricated for the access panel and hopefully new mounts welded in, i'll see how far i get.

[elbon50]

Wouldn't it have been better to do the mechanical conversion first

Is all that lovely fresh paint at risk while you scrabble around in the engine bay ?

[PW@Woodsport]

The bay is getting repainted after the hotwork gets done, I don't "scrabble around" either, i'm well used to customers £15k plus freshly kitted/painted cars having engine conversions done, I take the utmost care with everything.

It isn't a problem when you do this for a living.

[elbon50]

The bay is getting repainted after the hotwork gets done, I don't "scrabble around" either, i'm well used to customers £15k plus freshly kitted/painted cars having engine conversions done, I take the utmost care with everything.

It isn't a problem when you do this for a living.

I'm sure you do take the utmost care Paul

Just wondered why you don't get all the dirty, scratchy stuff done first

Same with Becky, she spent lots on getting hers done up like a Cadbuy cream egg, then said she was planning to fit a 3SGTE

I shan't paint mine till I've got everything else done

[PW@Woodsport]

I did the bodywork first because I didn't have the engine ready, it made more sense to use my time sorting the bodywork, plus i'm a professional painter and it's nothing for me to repaint any areas that need further attention. The one headache with doing the engine first and bodywork afterwards is keeping all of the dust and overspray off the new engine install, it gets everywhere.

For me it makes more sense to do it this way, I do the same on my customers builds.

[elbon50]

I did the bodywork first because I didn't have the engine ready, it made more sense to use my time sorting the bodywork, plus i'm a professional painter and it's nothing for me to repaint any areas that need further attention. The one headache with doing the engine first and bodywork afterwards is keeping all of the dust and overspray off the new engine install, it gets everywhere.

For me it makes more sense to do it this way, I do the same on my customers builds.

Yes, I get it now Paul

[PW@Woodsport]

An enormous amount of work achieved this bank holiday Monday, i get so little time to do my own thing that i really get stuck in when i have the chance, so the bay went from having 4a-ge chassis mounts to completely 2gr ready in one day, i'm shattered but it was worth it!

Drivers mount in and seam sealed....





Rear panel removed and plated for new engine harness...





Rear chassis rail notched, strengthened and seam sealed, this is for the rear exhaust manifold to recess into, the rear bank cam cover also leans into the boot wall, so this area does need to come out, the nice side effect is i turn this area into an access hatch, so that servicing the rear bank of plugs is easy...



Passenger gearbox mount...



So the bay just needs a repaint and i can start refitting stuff and hanging the engine.