Boost gauge installation MR2 + MR2/3sgte boost questions

[fivebob]

No check engine light...

I was ascending a hill in second and it must have begun knocking significantly enough for the ECU to both retard the timing and kill the boost. Car was fine after sitting for a few minutes.

Nah, that's not limp mode, limp mode is when the CEL comes one and it retards the timing even more, no fun at all

Although your answers are very succinct and helpful fivebob, I get the feeling you hate me... please don't hate me.

I'm just a lonely penguin

Hate you, how could I, you own an MR2, and you don't take life too seriously or try and make out you know more about cars than you actually do. Trust me, if I hated you, you'd know

My style of posting is non conversational, I provide answers and ask questions, can't be arsed with all the small talk.

So, should I put more of these is my replies

Nah, people would just think I'm laughing at them, maybe some of these damn where's that nudge nudge emoticon when you need it

[Chickenman]

Haha, fair enough dude.

I had limp mode with a girl once.. she was ugly and I was drunk, was probably for the best


I'm a little worried about the car though, it is an early gen1 sw20 and supposedly these had lower boost settings? I'm supposed to be changing my alarm over today before work but I might spend a bit more time making sure all the boost/vacuum lines are alright and sealing properly.

[fivebob]

I'm a little worried about the car though, it is an early gen1 sw20 and supposedly these had lower boost settings? I'm supposed to be changing my alarm over today before work but I might spend a bit more time making sure all the boost/vacuum lines are alright and sealing properly.

Stock boost on series I & II SW20's should be around 10psi, so you're not far off. Other than leaks, low boost can be cause by clogged cat, clogged air filter or a crappy gauge even

Marginally low boost shouldn't be a worry, zero boost now that's a worry

[Chickenman]

Thanks for your help guys.

There may be something in the crappy gauge idea... $39.95 just doesn't bode well

[Al]

Gutting the cat is pretty simple.....or you could just buy my pre gutted cat

[Chickenman]

How much you sly dog

I work so much lately... I barely get three hours to play wth my car.

[Chickenman]

Ok....

Me thinks the problem could be somehow related to the intercooler.

Firstly, when I wind down my window and floor it, I can hear a ssssssshhhh on my side of the car. I can't think of any real reason for that as the intake is on the passengers side and you can barely hear that inside the car.

secondly my intercooler pipe (from the turbo but after that metal bit.. ie not the i/c outlet) is soft and squishy, and quite long.

I'm sure it should be cut and a metal tube be put in it's place.

At worst my I/C could have a leak?
At best.. it's just a crap piece of soft hose that's expanding too much under boost (would explain the lack of real boost in 1st and 2nd and also the extra lag when launching on medium throttle).

Opinions?

Of course.. it could be something else too

[Rollux]

Gutting the cat is pretty simple.....or you could just buy my pre gutted cat

Gutting the cat was simple for you Al cause you just held the light and watched! I was the one who lost the skin!

A hoist makes life easier, and BTW, it is also easier to remove it from the turbo and gut it, rather than taking to it with a bar in place

[MrBob]

Ok....

Me thinks the problem could be somehow related to the intercooler.

Your problem could just be temperature related in general. This hot humid air we've got at the moment is not particulary dense which may account for the slightly lower boost reading. I've had fluctuation of around 2-4 psi in accross 10deg difference or so, in intake temperature. Higher temp will also mean detonation is more likely to occur, so the ecus probably retarding alot more.

at night now, Im getting similar intake temp as I was during a sunny day 3 months ago !

If you suspect the ecu is retarding + limiting boost due to knock, try running some av gas through it.. the difference will be noticable if this is the cause

[Chickenman]

Yeah it does go up 1 psi at night.

I'm curious about that 30cms of soft rubber hose before the intercooler...

I'm sure it's expansion under boost would cause problems.

Are all MR2's the same as mine? or has something been changed over?


The previous owners disconnected most of the speakers and took out the one that's supposed to be behind the passengers seat.

So they may have tried to $&#$% with other things.

[Al]

The cat aint worth much mate but shes bloody heavy, id prolly let you away with the cost of postage + beers at megameet 2005

[Dell'Orto]

nah, all MR2's have a long rubber pipe from the metal turbo outlet pipe (the one with the BOV) to the intercooler.

yeah gut the cat, cant hurt any, and after the k's your car has done its not doing anything anyway.

[andrew]

Has anyone gutted the cat while keeping the standard muffler? Just wondering if this results in much more noise ?

I suspect after 155,000kms mine is probably not doing a lot anymore.

[Al]

Yes its noticeably louder.

Replace the cat and elbow with a 3" dp and its even louder again...