Big end problems in MR2 Turbo = terminal death by and large?

[masterbateson]

As above, your Turbo or even N/A starts up with Big end problems is this normally the kiss of death

Or is it not as bad as it sounds?

was wondering if a lot of the time its just the bearings?

read a thread about doing the bearings in situ and followed it to a point.

Unfortunately it didnt seem as simple as crack bottom end off,whip out bearings (lets say one at a time) and whack in new ones and bobs your uncle.

Or is it often worn crank as well? if so do you need a new crank or am i right in thinking you can get it re ground and balanced and then get bearings to suit?
or is that a load of all Cod $h1te!!
Anyone had this done and how much coin did it cost?
Questions questions.

[Ryan S]

option B mate although i guess if the crank is within tolerances replacing the bearings would be ok, however, there's no way to predict what the crank would be like. so it's deffo one of the options you have listed

[Hez]

Just buy one and worry about stuff like that when it happens

[Ryan S]

Just buy one and worry about stuff like that when it happens

yeah as above, they are solid man, i had my old one for 5 years and drove it daily at 1bar of boost, i kicked it's head in the whole time, i sold it on and it was still going strong up until last year when the owner sold it to breaker after the clutch went

7 years running 1 bar of boost with not a single issue from the engine!

[masterbateson]

Thats good advice Hez

anyone guess that i am a bit of a worrier.

I tend to err on the forewarned is fore armed side of things.

I've researched and read up on all the things that could go wrong with my MG and how to fix them

So far nowt's gone wrong.

Now I've gone and done it

[Peter Gidden]

As above, your Turbo or even N/A starts up with Big end problems is this normally the kiss of death

Or is it not as bad as it sounds?

was wondering if a lot of the time its just the bearings?

read a thread about doing the bearings in situ and followed it to a point.

Unfortunately it didnt seem as simple as crack bottom end off,whip out bearings (lets say one at a time) and whack in new ones and bobs your uncle.

Or is it often worn crank as well? if so do you need a new crank or am i right in thinking you can get it re ground and balanced and then get bearings to suit?
or is that a load of all Cod $h1te!!
Anyone had this done and how much coin did it cost?
Questions questions.

If a big end goes, and the repair is to be done properly, all the oilways in the block and head need washing out of debris.

Crank need measuring and grinding/polishing as required

Big end of rod needs checking for heat damage.

Bottom line is it's a full engine strip down.

[Ryan S]

Thats good advice Hez

anyone guess that i am a bit of a worrier.

I tend to err on the forewarned is fore armed side of things.

I've researched and read up on all the things that could go wrong with my MG and how to fix them

So far nowt's gone wrong.

Now I've gone and done it

i can only think of a handful of occasions in my time on here where i've seen folk with big end problems or terminal engine problems, most issues are related to other things, usually daft niggles, misfires, ecu fault codes and the like.

[C35Rob]

you seem hell bent on buying a car that needs loads of work for some reason?

why not just save up for a little longer and buy a good car?

the way I look at it, is that it's probably going to be cheaper in the long run spending £4-5k and getting a loved, sorted car rather than getting a snotter for £2k and enduring the heartache of then getting it up to scratch

no?

[danjama]

The £4k car is just as possible to go wrong as the £2k car is IMO.

The £2k car is better to some, as at least you will learn it inside out and know where your money is going and that it's being done properly and how you want it. Those special highly priced cars always bite you in some way.

[masterbateson]

I don't suppose, Rob - East Coast Imports, that your car is the one i said I liked on ebay in another post

I have an admission, please everyone forgive me.

But.

I am terminally boring and why? well for one reason, although i may have 5 grand or more in the bank, for some reason i struggle very hard to justify spending it on a car as a toy.

I am not buying a car to rely on to get to work etc, i am only buying it to play in on days off evenings and weekends.

I suffer terribly from over sensibleness, i worry whether i should instead pay some money off my mortgage, get the drive relayed, or save for mt pension.

I know its SAD but hey thats me.

I can just about justify spending 2k tho, but if I am honest I would be chuffed if i could get one cheaper.

I don't mind doing a bit of work,consider myself fairly handy and will tackle most things with the right how to guide and a bit of help.

Thats the only reason I would entertain a car that needs work as I like working on cars, and I am terminally sensible/tight.

Once again please all try and forgive me, this is my 1st confession this year.

[masterbateson]

Sheepy sell me your car I like it!

Has to be cheap tho!

[C35Rob]

I don't suppose, Rob - East Coast Imports, that your car is the one i said I liked on ebay in another post

No, you can see my car in the members profiles area, a white rev 3 GTS w/ tom's bits and bobs

The black fresh import turbo you linked on eBay belongs to another trader on here - Rev5GT

[thomp1983]

If your that concerned about 3sgte reliability and happy with stock rev1/2 power then find the best car you can bodywise be it an n/a or turbo and fit a 1mz v6 engine. There about 200-210bhp, loads of instant torque and virtually bombproof to silly high mileages and have a supercharger option if you want more power.

[masterbateson]

I'm not really concerned about the 3gtse engine, just trying to get clued up.

Like to know as much as poss b4 parting with my readies.

[Nic]

I would rather pay a premium for a good Rev3+ example with all the paperwork to back up the history and parts fitted than buy cheap and then have to spend £? to put it right. These cars are cheap now but new parts are not, if for example you have to overhaul the suspension, get the bodywork sorted, etc. you could end up spending £K's.

When I was looking I wanted a Rev3+ Turbo hardtop and I waited until the right car came along. It's not like the weather is any good at the moment, my advice would be to take your time and find the right car for you.

[synXero]

I would always, always advocate you buy the newest car and the best looked after car you can afford. You're way better off spending 3k now and getting a car with fewer issues. Definitely. Yeah, they're all going to have some little niggles over the course of your ownership, but that's to be expected. You just want to avoid a cheapo car that hasn't been loved.

On the other hand...

Those special highly priced cars always bite you in some way.

This is so true. I had a cracking white rev3 NA car for almost two years. Absolutely loved it, fiddled with every bit of it, learned to spanner on it. Then one day I found a rev5 Beams for sale and plowed my cash into that car thinking it was more special. In some senses it was... But it wasn't half the car my white one was. It was always less reliable.

[masterbateson]

Thanks for the posts guys!

I'll think of summat else to fret about shortly.

Although looking/waiting for the right car is bad enough to start with.

[Harrodbear86]

Nice