hi everyone,

im contemplating on buying a Mr2 (sw20) turbo, i have a few questions that i hope you all can answer for me so i can make a better judgement on purchasing one off these babies, so please take some time to read what i have to say. :)

First thing i would like to know is how effective is the intercooling system compared to a front mount? im not completely sure where the intercooler would be stored but it seems to me as though it wouldnt be getting a lot of cool air rushing through it like a front mount does, this is one off my main concerns because when i purchase the mr2 i would like to push it 18-20psi and hopefully achieve ~300hp more or less.

Second question is how hard is the engine bay to work on? i already know that jap cars are a nuisance to work on and getting your hand in some areas can be a daunting experience (currently own a mk3 supra)


Third question is , does it already have a MAF system so i can vent to atmosphere? or would i have to get an aftermarket ecu and tune it etcetc, i quite like the hissing sound a BOV makes

Last question, is this car good for a everyday drive , is it not prone to breaking down so often?

If you guys have any advice, please feel free to tell me, i need all the information i can get!
thanks

-Dien

Hi Dein,
Welcome firstly to the Mr2 world. 
I will attempt to answer some of your questions but please keep in mind are only in my opinion & from my experience.
Firstly I have owned appprox 8 mr2's over the past 20yrs, ranging from AW11's & SW20's,  Currently own 3 sw20 turbos.  I have only ever bothered with either supercharged or turbo mr2's so thats all I can comment on.
Regarding first question, standard intercooler on sw20 not bad, until you want to raise boost over approx 14psi.  Factory intercooler position regarding air flow is pretty good, obviously not a efficient as a front mount though.  Some simple mods can be done to help increase flow if required, hence if running 18+ psi as you state.
 
2nd question: engine bay can be a little difficult at times, but if you have the car at a right height for the person working on it - its not too bad.  You are either over the top or underneath but most maintenance or replacement of parts can be accessed reasonably well.  Some certain things though, as you could imagine require an engine out job.. again not that hard once you have dropped a few.
 
3rd question: Not quite sure what you mean, but I think you are referring to a Blow off valve (BOV).  Turbo models (3sgte) all come with factory plumb back valves.  You can simply install an aftermarket BOV that vents to atmosphere or again, plumb back.  This doesn't require changing ecu etc.
 
4th question: Every day driver - of course.  My experience is the less modified it is the more the car is exactly that.  As anyone will tell you, the sky is the limit when modifying is in discussion, but keep in mind, the more you modify - yes you will increase HP & performance, but you normally sacrifice driver comfort & also reliability.  In saying that, basic rule of thumb, service, maintain & treat with respect & mr2's will give you back all the goods & reliability you want & expect from a car.
 
Hope this answers a few of you concerns.

thanks for the reply carmikey,

so an aftermarket intercooler will be needed.
My third question is concerning a problem i encountered in my supra, when i used a vent to atmosphere blow off valve, it would make my car run really rich for whatever reason i dont remember, (it had something to do with the AFM), so i had to use a plumb back BOV which fixed everything, although the plumb back doesnt have the nice sound.. (hope thats more clear to you).

Another question i forgot to mention, how many litres for 100km's? highway , suburban and city driving combined do you think i will get at maybe 2-3 boosts a day :D

thanks!

The earlier ones (Gen2) have the air flow meter, so will have the same problem. Later ones (Gen3) are Map sensor.
For working on them I dont think they are any worse than other front wheel drive set ups apart from leaning over the rear quarter panels. (or more trying not to)
As for intercooler there are a few options. I believe W2A is the best choice.
 
 

is there any way to overcome that problem?, because i intend to buy the 2nd gen

Download some blow off valve sounds to play in your car

I know Ddubtoile has a BOV on his gen 2, his car already runs rich though due to the fact itson a "safe" tune and makes 250rwhp with ease, and he daily drives it with no isses

First thing i would like to know is how effective is the intercooling system compared to a front mount? im not completely sure where the intercooler would be stored but it seems to me as though it wouldnt be getting a lot of cool air rushing through it like a front mount does, this is one off my main concerns because when i purchase the mr2 i would like to push it 18-20psi and hopefully achieve ~300hp more or less.

Q1
Front mounts are useless on an MR2 due to the lag you create having to get the air from the back of the car to front mount, and then back to the engine in the back. Options for intercooling are pretty much as follows:
Minimum if you want ~300hp:
a.) upgrade side mount to an HKS/Greddy/ARC or equivalent
b.) add ducting/fans to the intercooler to improve flow of air through it
c.) Add water/Methanol injection to the system to eliminate knock/regulate intake temps
Better option, top mount intercooler:
a.) upgrade to a Full-Race or Border or equivalent top mount intercooler
b.) add ducting/fans to the intercooler to improve flow of air through it
c.) Add water/Methanol injection to the system to eliminate knock/regulate intake temps
Best option, W2A intercooler:
a.) upgrade to a water to air intercooler

Q2.
I find I spend more time under the car more than over the side. It can get tight in there, so I generally try not to spend too much time on it myself lol.

Q3.
BOV may make it run rich due to that additional air that's vented, but the AFM has accounted for as staying in the system. You could change the system to a MAP sensor system, but that's a lot of effort just for a BOV. The real question is, what are you using the BOV for?
Q4.
Depends on your car. If its been well maintained in its previous life, and you're not modding it too much, it should be fine. I drove mine everyday for 50,000kms back in the day when it only had bolt ons, and it was fine. the moment i started changing turbos/ecu etc, the motor blew.

I'm really confussed by this whole post. Why do you care about the intercooler? A stock Gen2 turbo wont put out 18-20psi efficiently for starters and the stock ecu without tuning wont support it safely plus I think the injecotrs/pump/fuel rail on the Gen 2 at 18-20psi will be on its limit if not over, so if you have to change all these things to get to 18-20 psi why do you care about the intercooler? 
You were also asking about fuel efficiency so you can boost it 2-3times a day. Why do you want a car with high horse power and boost to only boost a few times on the street? I don't see the point of building a very fast car to drive slowly.
 

Given he doesn't know about MR2s, he's just assuming like most 2L turbo FR cars, you can just wind up the boost to 18psi without a lot of other supporting mods.
 
He wants to know why our cars don't run front mounts like every FR turbo out there. the reason is the lag the long piping would produce.
 
You don't learn if you don't ask questions?