So here's my dilemma, 2 weeks ago I shattered my Spider gears, (bought my MR2 with 280K and gearbox was sad) had an idea this was going to happen anyway, SOoo... the following day I jumped on Ebay and found a replacement box, coupled with another N/A engine, both "apparently" done 52K, so I bought it, weekend before last, I ripped my old engine and box out, and fitted the new, (the old engine seemed a little sluggish but I figure that to be from the excessive Klms.. I know what you are thinking, Why would I buy a car with sooo many K's?... it was cheap, and rather well looked after, bar this gearbox issue.... Anyways getting back to the point..
 
Since fitting the new engine, I am now almost at the point of rolling it out my driveway again, but before I do there are a couple of things that are concerning me..... With Ignition on, the "Battery" and "oil" light are supposed to stay lit (while engine off) is this right) .... as mine atm are lighting but only for about a second (on Ignition with engine off), the car runs, and seems ok, still need to check timing etc etc, I have also fitted my old alternator as I know it was working 100% on the old engine, can't see why it wouldn't be the same now, running, with high beams on ( at idle) it seems to be lacking a little, (11.95V) ish. 

I am new to the MR2 game, and usually very self sufficient, so far have done everything, 100% on my own, and it is starting to get to me.

What year/rev was your original engine compared to the replacement?
 
Did you swap the ecu as well?

Both are the same, 1990 sw20 3s-ge, shouldn't have mattered, the only difference I could find is that this one has a slightly different throttle body, (the old was throttle cable straight in, the new has a single point linkage) but the new still works fine with same cable, just a little adjustment... so there should be no need to change the ECU. I wouldn't think.

Was it a Australian delivered 1990 or a JDM (G-Limited), both non turbo but not sure if the ECU's are different.

just an old stock Aus Delivered, but can't be arsed anymore ... need the car on the road asap, I am way too busy so just putting it in the shop tomorrow, see what they come up with.
 
All I can say is fingers crossed it's nothing major and just needs a quick tune ... :D
 
 
heh yea right with my luck >.<

got my car back from mechanics, after a hefty bill and several days waiting, Hopped in to take it for a test run, only to find the engine light on ...... not impressed. .... after a further inspection, and fault code diagnostic, I have found that the engine code being displayed is error 52 (knock sensor) which should be fine as it is from the original engine (that came out of the car) .... I asked the mechanics to bleed the cooling sytem, I believe they may have messed this up, bubble is the cooling sytem I believe could affect the knock sensor (is this right???).
 
Also the thermofans do not seem to be coming on, yet the temperature does not get above half (normal) and engine fan seems to be intermittant, and I have no idea why but the oil and battery indicator lights illuminate when I select reverse O_o ...
 
Any thoughts?
 

Absy
 The temperature gauge should normally sit right in the middle and never move. However an NA should not 'bubble' when hot, although turbos often do.
Important!! Get the system bled properly before driving it much further. To do it properly on an MR2 takes a lot of time, and many places don't know the right procedure.
I have a detailed article on this I could send you if you pm me, but include your email.
 
Radiator thermo fans only come on when the system is above a certain temp.
Similarly, the fan in engine bay only comes on when the temp gets above a certain point, often when the car is idling when hot.
I don't know why the warning lights would come on with reverse, maybe wiring problem?
Also the voltmeter should be above 14 V with the engine running regardless of whether the headlights are on.

Yea the problem is sitting at idle for some time and the temp not rising at all .... that is a concern, it sat at mid for approx 15 min and didn't move, nor did either fan come on. As for the lights, have me stumped as they where working fine on the old engine and I did not notice them before I took it to the mechanic. I rang the mechanics back and they asked me to bring it back in the morning and the "head" mechanic will sort it out.... Hopefully this will be the end of the drama.
 
I have read up on the "bleeding" of the cooling system and found a couple of different way to do it, both very similar using both bleeder hoses and having the heater turned on at fulkl, I will be expressing this to the mechanic also.
 
Thanks for the replies, I will keep this updated.

"yea the problem is sitting at idle for some time and the temp not rising at all .... that is a concern, it sat at mid for approx 15 min and didn't move, nor did either fan come on"
Under normal operating whether hard driving or a long period of idling, sw20  temp gauges will sit in the middle and never move. That's just the thermostat doing it's job.
You could open the front trunk and feel the pipes going to the radiator. The front fans would probably only come on if the pipes are too hot to touch.
 
 
 
 

Ok ...SO have the car back now, after the mechanic had busted the knock sensor ... then replaced it today, and now I am at my wits end, about ready to sell it to sims.... It has a list of problems, can be driven, but cannot accellerate much...
 
The oil level and battery light are constantly dimly lit and light fully when reverse is selected (wierd I know) also reverse lights are not illuminating, there is only one plug anywhere near the reverse switch so must have the right one there.
 
The engine bay fan light will illuminate (obviously stating fan not working when it should be) turn ignition off and back on ... fan works, light stays off ... O_o
 
Have not yet been game enough to run it hard enough to make temp rise much at all so unsure if thermofans are running properly.
 
under VERY mild accelleration it seems fine, but if I push the pedal down a little faster than it is accellerating at, the engine seems to die in the ass and sounds like it is "breaking down" ... yet if revved slowly will get there ... (so far have not pushed it past 4K rpm so unsure how hard it will rev.
 
I have a funny feeling I have missed something small ... somewhere ... as last engine worked fine, all dash light everything. and this engine is same year, N/A same as old, same everything... far as I can tell, the only differences I have been able to spot are a few connections (oil sender switch, knock sensor) and throttle body slightly different also. was there a series 1 and series 2 bought out in 1990, because as far as I know the series 2 was released in 1994. I should also point out that the engine came out of an import from Japan, 52Klms done (as per odometer).
 
When I was finishing up the process of installing the new engine, I got stuck at the starter not firing, and thermofans kicking in afterward with ignition fully off (later realised I had forgotten the main Earthstrap from gearbox) that had solved that problem, possible that trying to start it without the earthstrap, may have damaged some of the wiring in other areas?....
 
The key thing here is this is my daily driver for the moment, I work full time, and only have one day a week to play / fix any problems that arise making this a major pain. Any guys around brissy area that know their MR2's avaliable for a saturday soon?... can't pay much atm as I have just shelled out 2K for all the work I have done recently, but could at least put on some drinks, or possibly shoot some pics.
 
Going insane.