Project MV8R

[OlberJ]

Nice one. All top info.

Just a shame we don't get the N* over here but will still be following this build with interest.

[podge]

nice project be good to see this one progress:thumbsup:

[cbulen]

I have added a HUGE faq (and still growing) to my thread on the MR2OC.com. You will need a membership to read it (free). I don't have time to post a second copy of the FAQ here and maintain it.

http://www.mr2oc.com/showthread.php?...75#post3596875



________
CBulen
Project MV8R
sign up for the build manual at http://www.mv8r.com/

[cbulen]

Cut N paste from the other threads I have going:

Today, I cut my 91na. I cut a good size section from the pass side, and a smaller section from the driver's side. The driver's side only needed the factory tranny notch extended furthur aft. I found that I am not able to move the whole drivetrain to the right as I had hoped (to help the left side axle). If I did, it would require a LOT more frame cutting. I am trying to avoid cutting the frame where the rear crossmember bolts go into the frame. If I have to move the powertrain to the right, I will have to cut into that area.

I was able to raise the motor into a position very close to its final location. At this point, I just need to fine tune my cutting a bit, to provide room for the powertrain to shake while it is running (during acceleration, engine braking, etc).

I am ecstatic that I was able to do very little cutting to make this powertrain fit. I did not even cut off the right side stock engine mount ears! Cutting them is not necessary to make the powertrain fit. However, I might end up doing that anyway, just to make it easier to work on.

Today, I fine-tuned my chassis cutting. I also added a dent to the trunk firewall to give clearance to the right corner of the rear valve cover. I believe that I now have the motor in pretty much its final location (still sitting on a tranny jack). I also found I was unable to move the whole assembly to the right as I wanted to do to help the left axle. The reason was because the right shock tower is not vertical, but tilts inward, towards the engine compartment. The N* is close to hitting the tower near the top, just under the vacuum line bolt, under the engine lid prop-rod hole.

I checked the rear crossmember clearances and found I need to take a chunk out of it. The final drive of the F40 is located futhur aft than the E153/S54 by 2 or 3 inches.

Today I cut a BIG notch in the crossmember to clear the differential part of the tranny case. The F40 diff is a lot furthur back (towards the rear of the car) than the E153/S54. Unfortunately, its not enough to just notch the Xmember. The CV joint of the left axle will interfere with the Xmember in a big way. The super long bolt that holds the Xmember on -- the right front bolt of the Xmember, is in the way as well.

Fortunately, these can be rectified with a custom crossmember, made from tubular steel. Also fortunate is the rear suspension lower control arm attach point is pretty much out of the way.

However, when I create the new crossmember, I will have to get very very creative to pick that point up, as I cannot go from the Xmember to the pickup points in the same way that Toyota did it, which was from the rear and inboard of the joint. I will probably have to come up from the rear and underneath the pickup point.

Its a good thing this is a 91 Xmember that I cut up, and not the one from my 93T ! So, when I swap everything over to my 93T, I will probably just sell that stock Xmember. So now I will need to buy some 93+ rear tie rods.

________
CBulen
Project MV8R
sign up for the build manual at http://www.mv8r.com/

[cbulen]

The latestest pix. First, I am showing that the engine/trans is now higher in the car, very close to its final position. To help with the crossmember situation, I currently have the drivetrain forward in the car as much as I thought I could safely go (near the front firewall). I may move the whole kit-and-kaboodle rearwards by an inch or so, since I have decided to not fight with the stock crossmember. This will give me more peice of mind, and give the engine a little more room to rock.





This is the earlier Xmember, and you can see the pickup points for the rear tie rods. The tie rods are not installed.






A view looking towards the left side of the car. I plugged the jackshaft in just for grins.






The meat of the problem: the left side axle area






Here is the offending crossmember bolt:


Views from above:



________
CBulen
Project MV8R
sign up for the build manual at http://www.mv8r.com/

[cbulen]

Update: Please see my April 2009 newsletter at www.MV8R.com for pix and details.

Summary:
I may have discovered a way to use the stock MR2 crossmember. I fooled around with steel tubing and a tubing bender that I bought, and estimated it would take me a month or two to build a crossmember I liked. I built one version, cut it apart, and built a second version. I decided that Ver2 would be a mockup for the final version.

I then decided to try building the front engine mount. During the course of this, I discovered that I might be able to move the engine furthur forward. I then thought if I tilted the engine slightly, I could use the stock crossmember. This was not obvious in my prior attempts to figure out engine placement. Its one of those things where you have to keep trying different things, and experiementing with different things, both of which eat up a lot of time and effort, and most of the things you try don't work. I built two different front motor mounts before I was happy with it.


Anyway, I now have the front mount mostly done to the point where it can support engine weight. The same is true for the rear mount. It attaches to the stock crossmember which now fits with some minor modifications. Using the stock cross member means saving a whole lot of time, and makes the project easier for future swappers who follow in my footsteps.


I am now working on the passenger side (the right side of the car) mount. The driver's side (left side) mount will be tricky and require some creativity, as the GM F40 transaxle has no provisions on top of it to mount it to the car. The mount points are low, and to the outside of the trans. The MR2 is set up for a top mount of course.


I also will be working on the intermediate shaft (jackshaft) support, aka the ball bearing carrier. Once these are done, I can determine the axle lengths have either modify some Porshe 928 axles I have (basically using them as axle stock, as there are two different splines on each axle), or have axles made from bar stock. I do not believe I can modify either the MR2 turbo axles or the Pontiac G6/F40 axles. TheG6 axles are too skinny for the MR2 spline, and the MR2 axles are just a hair under the OD of the G6/F40 spline. The 928 axles are fatter by 2mm than everything, and they are nice and long giving me lots of material to work with.


I also have been researching a ECM solution, and may have found something.


I have also obtained a Northstar flywheel (no such thing as OEM northstar flywheel), clutch disk with the correct F40 spline and pressure plate. I obtained a pontiac clutch master cylinder so I will now be able to check the clutch operation and clearances.