Hey guys
So after a long long time (almost 11 months to be exact), a lot of money and a whole lot of problems my engine is back in, everything is hooked up, but it doesn’t start.
I don’t know where to turn or what to do. I have accepted that I made a mistake in buying a 24 year old turbo sports car with 121 000 km as my daily driver. Now I just want it to run again and I certainly believe I have invested the time and money for it to do so.
Drove my baby for a month before a combination of ignorance on my behalf and low oil caused it to *knock knock knock* Met a guy on the net that was able to build an engine for me from the parts that he had. Seemed reliable and trustworthy, offered me a lot of parts and tried to help me out the best he could. Ended up using my bottom end, his head from his 7m, threw in TRD cams , forged pistons , decked and skimmed , MHP , ARP studs etc. This engine was built for reliability with an expectation of around 300rwkw. Nothing to major.
So the problems started almost immediately, with my new found mechanic finding out that the cylinder walls where scratched, meaning they had to be honed. The honing somehow took 3 months to do and was done wrong so it had to be done again. This took another month.
Then we found out that the diff was cracked and leaking, so was the fuel tank. The brakes where locking at every opportunity, the digi dash worked intermittently.
Replaced the diff , fuel tank , brakes.
Then the guy my mechanic was working with decided to torque down the MHG to 75nm using ARP studs , so that blew. SO , new gasket and torqued again to correct specs.
Then my mechanic had a problem sourcing flywheel bolts , which we eventually got after 2 weeks.
He used his harness so I needed a different ECU, which eventually he found.
After all this, I expected my car on Saturday after months of patiently waiting. On Saturday it did not start. I don’t know why, what error codes, anything…just that the engine is cranking so its must be spark or fuel. I have yet to see the car but am close to my wits end. My faith in my current mechanic started dwindling a while ago and after this last hiccup on Saturday I fear that I will have nowhere to turn should my car not start.
I wake up every morning and hope that today is the day my Supra is done. It is my daily driver, my first true sports car and my first turbo car and I was only able to drive it for a month before I spun the bearing. Spent approx. $14 000 just on this car so far.
I tasted boost and then got it taken away from me and I’ve had to drive my missus’s 1.8 NA lancer ever since….
I’m asking for help from the Supra community. Is there anyone on here willing to help a Supra newbie? I want to learn learn learn and I have been reading and rereading every piece of material relating to the MK3 I could get my hands on in the past year in anticipation of getting my car back. Is there anyone in/near my area that is willing to spend some time with me, help me get my engine running and teach me?
If I have to I will approach this car alone and learn as I go but know I will learn best with another MK3 fanatic. That can help me not to repeat mistakes he and others have made as noobs. Anyone? I live near Hurstville ,Sydney .Car is in Yagoona at this point in time.
So after a long long time (almost 11 months to be exact), a lot of money and a whole lot of problems my engine is back in, everything is hooked up, but it doesn’t start.
I don’t know where to turn or what to do. I have accepted that I made a mistake in buying a 24 year old turbo sports car with 121 000 km as my daily driver. Now I just want it to run again and I certainly believe I have invested the time and money for it to do so.
Drove my baby for a month before a combination of ignorance on my behalf and low oil caused it to *knock knock knock* Met a guy on the net that was able to build an engine for me from the parts that he had. Seemed reliable and trustworthy, offered me a lot of parts and tried to help me out the best he could. Ended up using my bottom end, his head from his 7m, threw in TRD cams , forged pistons , decked and skimmed , MHP , ARP studs etc. This engine was built for reliability with an expectation of around 300rwkw. Nothing to major.
So the problems started almost immediately, with my new found mechanic finding out that the cylinder walls where scratched, meaning they had to be honed. The honing somehow took 3 months to do and was done wrong so it had to be done again. This took another month.
Then we found out that the diff was cracked and leaking, so was the fuel tank. The brakes where locking at every opportunity, the digi dash worked intermittently.
Replaced the diff , fuel tank , brakes.
Then the guy my mechanic was working with decided to torque down the MHG to 75nm using ARP studs , so that blew. SO , new gasket and torqued again to correct specs.
Then my mechanic had a problem sourcing flywheel bolts , which we eventually got after 2 weeks.
He used his harness so I needed a different ECU, which eventually he found.
After all this, I expected my car on Saturday after months of patiently waiting. On Saturday it did not start. I don’t know why, what error codes, anything…just that the engine is cranking so its must be spark or fuel. I have yet to see the car but am close to my wits end. My faith in my current mechanic started dwindling a while ago and after this last hiccup on Saturday I fear that I will have nowhere to turn should my car not start.
I wake up every morning and hope that today is the day my Supra is done. It is my daily driver, my first true sports car and my first turbo car and I was only able to drive it for a month before I spun the bearing. Spent approx. $14 000 just on this car so far.
I tasted boost and then got it taken away from me and I’ve had to drive my missus’s 1.8 NA lancer ever since….
I’m asking for help from the Supra community. Is there anyone on here willing to help a Supra newbie? I want to learn learn learn and I have been reading and rereading every piece of material relating to the MK3 I could get my hands on in the past year in anticipation of getting my car back. Is there anyone in/near my area that is willing to spend some time with me, help me get my engine running and teach me?
If I have to I will approach this car alone and learn as I go but know I will learn best with another MK3 fanatic. That can help me not to repeat mistakes he and others have made as noobs. Anyone? I live near Hurstville ,Sydney .Car is in Yagoona at this point in time.
Last edited: