'88 Toyota supercharged MR2

[Shaun @ Tru6]

If you needed to find a proper engine for one, where would you look?

Do you think Toyota would have one? Or the supercharger itself to put on a normal engine?

[pavulon]

Seems like a start?

https://www.eliseworks.com/engine-works/lotus-supercharger-kits/

https://rotrex.com/centrifugal-superchargers/lotus/lotus-elise-exige-toyota-supercharger-kits/

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks, one was actually easier to find than I thought. Seller said he couldn't find one for years for his roller he is selling. I found several quickly. I don't think he's selling now since he just changed the price from $1500 to $1234 on the FBMP listing so I don't think I'll be getting an 88 MR2 any time soon.

[Tobra]

A Camry

V6 swap is easy button, used to be an outfit in San Antonio had a kit

[thingmon]

Stock.mk 2 version?
..https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_S_engine#3S-GTE

[Reg]

Lots of jdm swaps around. Maybe not SC but 20v black or silver tops. I miss my Two!

[slow&rusty]

@Tobra and @thingmon - The first gen MR2 is the AW11 chassis and the engine bay is very small to try and wedge in a 3SGTE or even a Camry engine. I believe you are getting confused with the SW20 which is the 2nd generation MR2 that has more engine bay space and many owners have done the Camry V6 swap.

As @Reg mentioned swapping in a 20V would be cool, but you will need a full standalone EFI as the 20V engines operate off a MAP sensor while the MR2 SC OEM 4AGZE engine is AFM based.

@Shaun - I'm not sure if you can source a new 4AGZE from Toyota...good question! The Supercharger is clutch and EFI driven \ triggered and is known as the SC12. The Supercharger in the Previa minivan is larger and known as the SC14, some people have had varying levels of success making them fit and work.

I know a fair bit about these engines and cars as I used to race, own and modify them from 1997 to 2004.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks Yasin, great info. It looks like you can stuff the Corolla version of this engine in there with some mods including moving the intercooler. car-part.com has two of them for sale for $2200. But this guy got deluged with interest so now he thinks he has a gold mine.

I think the great thing about looking for toys is learning about them and keeping your eyes out for the right one and then jumping on it whether it's a Trans Am (now only looking at 77-78), Saab 9000 Aero, CRX Si and now a supercharged MR2. So many of these cars have been hacked to death, except the Saabs.

I also found a real IMSA GTU 2.8L MFI motor that I am leaning toward. The issue will be detuning it for street.

[911boost]

I wanted one of those so bad as my first call back in 1990....

Would it be possible to get one from Japan?

[cockerpunk]

toyota has a notorious lack of support for these older engines. the only toyota engines with serious aftermarket support are the 2zz, and 2jz. the AR series guys are trying, but not nearly as sucessfully as 2zz and 2jz have been. even finding parts for these engines and cars is really getting hard.

the dirty secret of mr2s is that the first one was not that good. they are like 2700lbs, and the second gen is even worse.

the best MR2 is spyder 3rd gen. has plenty of engine replacements too, from the plug and play 2zz to a k24. the 3rd gen mr2 really is best of the breed.

[slow&rusty]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

toyota has a notorious lack of support for these older engines. the only toyota engines with serious aftermarket support are the 2zz, and 2jz. the AR series guys are trying, but not nearly as sucessfully as 2zz and 2jz have been. even finding parts for these engines and cars is really getting hard.

the dirty secret of mr2s is that the first one was not that good. they are like 2700lbs, and the second gen is even worse.

the best MR2 is spyder 3rd gen. has plenty of engine replacements too, from the plug and play 2zz to a k24. the 3rd gen mr2 really is best of the breed.

I'm not sure why you would say the first and second gen cars were not good, but to each their own.

FYI the first gen cars weighed in at 2,340-lbs, that's a 100% stock car, off the showroom floor. Guys that I used to race with easily got these down to sub-2,000-lbs with very little effort. The 2nd gen cars weighed in at around 2,750-lbs with leather, AC, fully loaded and the glass roof.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

I'm not sure why you would say the first and second gen cars were not good, but to each their own.

FYI the first gen cars weighed in at 2,340-lbs, that's a 100% stock car, off the showroom floor. Guys that I used to race with easily got these down to sub-2,000-lbs with very little effort. The 2nd gen cars weighed in at around 2,750-lbs with leather, AC, fully loaded and the glass roof.

curb on an aw11 supercharged is 2400, which means its a 2500-2600lbs car on real scales. the sw20 turbos were 2900 curb! then NA sw20s were 2700 curb! easily add 100+ for actual street weight.

they werent good because they were porkers. esp compared to the 1990 miata, which was a true 2100lbs car.

meanwhile the spyder came in at 2100lbs, and made more power than the aw11.

the zzw30s were the best mr2s, hands down.

[Reg]

The aw11 is the best. Just like sequels. The first is most always the best. The 1600 eng redlined 7500 in street guise and powered many a racecar that produced well over 200hp in race trim. And that’s no turbos or SC. 😀

[kolo]

I had one years ago, bought a used JDM 4AGZE engine and a bigger supercharger from a guy in san diego, and maybe a lot of TRD stuff before toyota stopped making parts....
They are out there but the prices have spiraled. the mr2 owners club is a good source mr2oc.com.
It was a lot of fun autoxing.
I have a billet larger crank pulley that's never been used...

[slow&rusty]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

curb on an aw11 supercharged is 2400, which means its a 2500-2600lbs car on real scales. the sw20 turbos were 2900 curb! then NA sw20s were 2700 curb! easily add 100+ for actual street weight.

they werent good because they were porkers. esp compared to the 1990 miata, which was a true 2100lbs car.

meanwhile the spyder came in at 2100lbs, and made more power than the aw11.

the zzw30s were the best mr2s, hands down.

The 100% stock AW11 weighed 2,340-lbs fully dressed with all fluids, this was at the calibrated scales on the track, not 2,500-lbs and certainly not 2,600lbs. The lightest new production car we weighed back then was the Mazda 323 GT which came in at around 2,280-lbs and it showed as they were fast around the track.