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91 mr2 turbo???

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lsd shifter
1K views 21 replies 5 participants last post by  GDII 
#1 ·
I bought a 91 turbo back in October and have just started driving it. Years ago it had a driveline swao to a 245hp JDM motor with trans. How can I tell if it is a lsd trans and what engine I have? Also how can I tell whether I have a stock shifter or updated one? I did just change the trans fluid and now wonder if it is correct for the trans as this car originally did not have lsd.

cheers

Bill
North Vancouver
 
#2 ·
Post a picture of the engine we can identify the generation. Really the only way I know to identify if it has a LSD is to pull the axles out of the transmission and look at the differential. Redline lightweight shockproof is always my recommendation for the e153 it works we for me.
 
#5 ·
That's a gen2, so not 245hp (not stock anyway). Oddly it's got the ceramic power badge, which would indicate JDM, but it also has EGR, which as far as I know was north american market only.
 
#7 ·
Actually the peripherals are US as it was installed at a toyota dealer and it would of had to go through emissions testing which I have a copy of. I also have a copy of the receipt from the JDM importer that brought in the engine. I have driven stock mr2 turbos and this has significantly more power.
 
#9 ·
Even if it's a JDM engine it can't be the 245PS version as you cannot bolt the GEN2 manifolds to the GEN3 head.

What's the ECU part number? It is still running he USDM engine harness as it has the EGR plugged in and like Alex said, you can drill the JDM head and manifold to fit EGR in a GEN2.
A JDM Gen2 should make 220 or maybe 225hp, I can't remember the exact rating. Most of the difference is in the ECU though. And if the boost were turned up higher than stock then of course the stock power ratings go out the window. Perhaps that is the case here and that's why it has more power than other stock turbos you have driven?

The 245hp JDM motor would be the Gen3, which that most certainly is not.

It is possible to drill the head and manifold to add EGR to a JDM motor, perhaps that is what was done here?
Toyota quote in PS so it's 225PS in the case of the JDM GEN2 3SGTE vs 200PS for USDM and 245PS for the GEN3 3SGTE.
 
#8 ·
A JDM Gen2 should make 220 or maybe 225hp, I can't remember the exact rating. Most of the difference is in the ECU though. And if the boost were turned up higher than stock then of course the stock power ratings go out the window. Perhaps that is the case here and that's why it has more power than other stock turbos you have driven?

The 245hp JDM motor would be the Gen3, which that most certainly is not.

It is possible to drill the head and manifold to add EGR to a JDM motor, perhaps that is what was done here?
 
#10 ·
I was told it had a different ceramic turbo on it that was part of it being JDM. Are there any numbers on the block that would indicate its origin? My more important issue is finding out whether it has lsd or not and if the lightweight shockproof oil I put in it thinking it was not, will be harmful.
 
#11 ·
As far as I know there is no way to tell on the LSD, other than to pull an axle and look in the hole. Even that can be a bit of a crap shoot, as aftermarket LSD's aren't necessarily readily identifiable this way.

But IF it's an e153, and IF it has the OEM LSD, it should have a bar through the center. Note that this isn't a universal identifier, as the S54 (non turbo transmission) also has a bar on it's open differential. And aftermarket LSD's typically don't have the bar, making them look an awful lot like the stock open differential.

I guess there's the old "spin one tire, and if the other one spins the opposite way it's an open differential". That test should at least rule out the presence or absence of most aftermarket LSDs, but I'm not sure the stock viscous LSD can be identified this way. Which leads you back to pulling the axle and looking.

Lightweight Shockproof should be fine, although technically it's not the recommended fluid. MT90 is the "correct" option. That said I ran lightweight shockproof for many years with no issues, and many others have as well.

A few years ago I switched to MT90 and have not looked back, but my transmission is also in pretty good shape (rebuilt with new synchros about 10 years ago).
 
#15 ·
I was told it had a different ceramic turbo on it that was part of it being JDM.
It's possible that it has a ct20b that came from the gen3 engine, they bolt on just fine but have an extra stud (7 vs 6) on the downpipe flange. If you can get the heatshield off you will be able to identify it from the flange.

Can I get a recommendation for good short throw shifter?
The stock 93 shifter is what I would go for, it's supposed to be the best even over the TRD shifter. Coming from the 91 shifter it is great I don't have any experience with other aftermarket shifters.
 
#16 ·
Thanks to all that responded, lots of good info here. Most of my previous rides were older BMWs so this MR2 is a real cleansing of the pallet which I am quite enjoying. Interesting and fun little car that I am learning more about everyday.

cheers,

Bill
North Vancouver
 
#19 ·
The other guys can correct me here if I'm wrong, however, I have swapped turbos on both my Celica (To WRC CT20b) and my MR2 (To CT-21 built from CT20b) and one dead giveaway on my cars is the Gen2 turbo heatshield will not bolt up to the turbo itself but only to the two bolts in the manifold.
That is for sure a Gen2 heatshield. If you reach around it towards the firewall, is there a bolt holding it to the turbocharger? This may be the easiest way to tell which turbo you have (if I am correct here). The other way would be to look for the extra stud hole where the turbo meets the downpipe, as others have already pointed out.
 
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