Hi guys,
 
Thought I'd start a thread to show my first ever MR2, and also keep track of my mods as I go. 
 
I bought the car about a month ago. For about 10 years I've really wanted a black, targa, turbo MR2, and this car came up and ticked all the boxes and so i bought it! 
 
Car is a 1990 JDM SW20 MR2 GT with Gen 2 3SGTE, with 132,xxx kms on the clock, and which I've been told has never been boosted above stock. 
The car as I bought it has the following mods/features: 
- Apexi power intake
- Full 3" exhaust (looks like some sort of custom job, not sure)
- HKS BOV
- HKS Boost gauge
- BC coilovers C12-RA's
- Bridgestone potenza RE003's on Work Rezax rims
- The headunit has streaming bluetooth audio etc. which is nice. 
 
As soon as I got it, I gave it to my workshop to do a full service on it, and so many dollars later it's in top nick and running really nicely. 
I'm planning to modify it in three stages over the next few years:
 
Stage 1: Target 150 rwkw
- Upgraded SMIC & fan etc.
- Upgraded spark plugs (with colder spark)
- Fuel Cut Defender turned up to ~16 psi (i've already soldered a circuit for this together but havent installed yet)
- Electronic Boost Controller turned up to ~14-15 psi (i wanna tune boost control in-cockpit, i think that'll be fun lol)
I've read the stock fuel system and turbo are capable of this, so I'd be interested just to see if it can be done on mine. 
 
Stage 2: Target 200 rwkw
- Change turbo: Either CT27 or other direct bolt on swapped turbo
If this is awesome fun I might leave it like this for ages and enjoy. I am reluctant to rebuild this motor, as I've already got another beast with a fully built / forged internals motor and it wasn't cheap (hahaha, i went down the "cheap+fast" route, then eventually swapped that for "fast+reliable".) 
 
Stage 3: Target 250 rwkw
- Upgraded Injectors
- Upgraded Fuel Pump
- ECU / EMS of some kind. i've been told Link is a good system for this car, and I'd be most interested in basically whatever is both easy to plug 'n' play, but also a system that my tuner is familiar with and capable of tuning (i'm unsure at this stage who will actually tune the car, I'm in Melbourne and there aren't many obvious MR2 specialists around.)
- Turbo kit: Probably a Garrett GT3071R, GTX2867R, or similar. I dont want a super laggy top end monster though, so I'm very open to being swayed to something smaller but I think for 250rwkw neither the disco potato nor the 2871 can do it. plus, from everything i've read so far, the 3071 actually spools basically just as quickly as the GT28 series turbos do anyway on this motor. Of course this is all pie in the sky stuff right now, and I'm very open to learning more over the next few months/years and changing directions. 
 
Thanks for reading! 
Here are some pictures:
 
 

Well, I’ve now got a GFB Electronic boost controller and an intercooler kit, and so I’ve started taking out the stock intercooler. My goodness what a ridiculous job that is hahah.

I’m halfway through but I think I’ll finish the job later this week when I have more time.




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Finally got the old stock intercooler out and then almost immediately was putting in the new one quite easily in comparison.
I refuse to regret purchasing a mid engined sports car to work on; but far out there’s no room to do anything.




Anyway, so here’s a pic or two of the new setup. I’m using an eBay kit which has turned out to fit really well actuallly, all the bolt holes lined up, I put the stock fan back on, and all the pipes made sense and lined up reasonably quickly.





Now I just need to finish putting the BOV in, and then install the EBC I have and I’m set to turn up the boost a little bit and see how it goes. :)





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Probably a little late now, but when you're feeling up to it, it would be worth putting in a blocking plate in front of the IC.

Deevon
Probably a little late now, but when you're feeling up to it, it would be worth putting in a blocking plate in front of the IC.

Hey thanks for the advice Deevon, yeah I am gonna get some either thin metal sheet or just a sheet of thin hard plastic and cut the outline based on the stock shroud I took out to make a proper blocking plate. I actually made one out of cardboard late last night just to test fit it in and see how it would work and it does fit etc. but I decided I couldnt be bothered making one last night. 
 
So you reckon the blocking plate makes a noticeable difference? I wouldve thought it would be only small difference, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm gonna do it, but if it really makes a huge difference maybe ill just take it all apart and do it straight away. now that i've removed the stock one and theres so much more room in there, i feel invincible haha. 
 
I'm also a bit worried cause getting the old intercooler out I nicked a cut in the AC belt, so I'll have to replace that too. I assume I can just drive without running the AC and it'll be fine. 

DannyJ

Deevon
Probably a little late now, but when you're feeling up to it, it would be worth putting in a blocking plate in front of the IC.

Hey thanks for the advice Deevon, yeah I am gonna get some either thin metal sheet or just a sheet of thin hard plastic and cut the outline based on the stock shroud I took out to make a proper blocking plate. I actually made one out of cardboard late last night just to test fit it in and see how it would work and it does fit etc. but I decided I couldnt be bothered making one last night. 
 
So you reckon the blocking plate makes a noticeable difference? I wouldve thought it would be only small difference, but maybe I'm wrong. I'm gonna do it, but if it really makes a huge difference maybe ill just take it all apart and do it straight away. now that i've removed the stock one and theres so much more room in there, i feel invincible haha. 
 
I'm also a bit worried cause getting the old intercooler out I nicked a cut in the AC belt, so I'll have to replace that too. I assume I can just drive without running the AC and it'll be fine. 

There will be people a lot smarter than me with actual graphs etc that I hope will chime in, but as far as i know it makes a fair amount of difference due to the fact that the cool air is forced to go through the cooler not around it.
 
There are premade one available if you don't want to make one.
 
Could also look to put a bigger fan on it too. Mr2 engine bays are notoriously hot so drawing in more cool air to the IC is invaluable.
 
If you've nicked the IC fan belt just change it. Very easy job and I was able to find the belt at a local auto store for $18 (I did mine last weekend). It runs around the harmonic balancer so I'd imagine it turns whether the AC is on or not, but I'm not 100% sure on that.
 

Oh, and if you pull it out, for the 1%ers you could paint the IC in ceramic heat resistant paint (not the fins). Won't be a huge difference but will lower the heat soak a little.
 
I painted my cooler and blocking plate:

That's awesome dude, your plate is super slick lookin. Very cool. I'm keen now to make something more slick like that. 
 
I'm gonna pull it all out again probably this weekend and finish the job properly, plus I bought a replacement AC belt so i'm gonna fix that too (although I have no idea how to replace the belt - I assume there's some sort of tensioner pulley that can be loosened while you replace the belt? I'm not very knowledgeable about this stuff)
 
ANyway, so yeah when I do pull it all out I'll definitely take your suggestion and make a blocking/channeling plate to make sure the air is going through the IC and not just around it into the engine bay. 
 
Thanks for the advice and pics btw, very helpful. 
 

No worries mate,
 
The belt goes around the harmonic balancer, the AC compressor and then the pulley up the top.
 
The pulley up the top has a bolt on the bracket you loosen and then you can easily slip it off. Very easy job, let me know if you can't find the bolt I'm talking about and I'll get a pic for you.
 
If you're feeling extra adventurous you could do the alternator belt while you're there (need the AC belt off to do it), depending when they were done you could be running a belt that is over a couple of decades old. It's a little more fiddly but still relatively easy.
 
Sorry for adding to your list haha, but I'm a firm believer of "doing it while you're there"