NEED INFO - Toronto shops that work on MR2's ?!

[wantamr2]

Complete noob here so be nice.

I was wondering if I can get some info on shops in the Toronto GTA area that work on MR2 Turbo's? I'm planning on getting a 92 MR2 Turbo fixer upper but want to know what I'm getting into.

1> I'm looking to do a full engine/turbo rebuild and was wondering what costs I would incur for something like this?

2> Is it better to go with a JDM engine swap?

3> What kind of prices are there for that?

4> What trouble spots should I look for when shop for MR2 Turbo's (Rust/mechanical etc)

5> Are there any real good forums for Toronto enthusiasts? (I'm coming from the VW scene which has the awesome VWVORTEX forums)


I know Japanese Automotive is awesome with these cars but he is extremely expensive and way out of my price range for this work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[MRQtwinturbo]

hey...welcome to TN...

1. are u just rebuilding motor to stock specs or will be building bottom/top end to run higher boost??.....if the ct-26 is dying on you....forget the rebuild....upgrade the turbo...this should all depend on what u want to do with the car....what kind of power do u want to make should be the very first question u ask urself..this will save u time and money in the long run if ur planning ahead....

2. IMO....no.....theres been alot of owners that have made great numbers with gen2 motors....all this jdm this..jdm that...is such a load of crap.....buy into the hype if u want to....the one main advantage of the "jdm" motor...is that if u can find a gen 3 with a ct-20b turbo....

3. price will vary depending on where u go...who u know...to give u a ballpark.....i'm rebuilding my motor (arias pistons/eagle rods/arp studs/cometic hg/shimless bucket conversion/some head work/balance crank and motor/etc.....and its ranging to around the 4-5gs CAD right now.....

4. most common problems to look out for would prolly be t-roofs leaking...but that is easily fixed..but with buying any used car...u should have it taken to a mechanic u trust and do the basic...compression test and leakdown test is vital to determine health of the motor....look for any visible signs of oil leaks....

5. ur in the best one now.......
for toyotas that is....TN is a toronto based forum....but we have members from all over the world....if u want to check out other mr2 and meet other local owners...check out www.ontariomr2club.com

[wantamr2]

Thanks for the quick reply MRQ, the story behind this is I've sourced a 91 MR2 turbo that needs some work (headgasket is shot) so since the head is coming off I would want to rebuild the engine.

Now I'm a big reliability freak and dont want to put down crazy horsepower. I do want to put down at least 250-275hp with hopefully the stock internals. I would like to upgrade the weak points in the engine which I'm not sure what that would be since it's a toyota.

This has been my dream car many years and have never found one reasonably priced until now. I'll be selling my A2 VW Vr6 converted golf for the MR2 which i've had 7 great years out of. I have about 5 g's to budget on it and want to do following.

1> Turbo rebuild if needed
2>Engine rebuild to factory spec or better
3>Upgrade Mounts and bushings
4>total car repaint
5> Boost Gauges, bov, boost controller and timer


I know I would be cutting it close but would you know who does good work for reasonable prices?

[wantamr2]

Oh yeah and a nice set or rims would be nice but can wait

[BDSL]

There is also Extreme Boost and ask for Jeff. He runs a shop and he is the owner of a 600rwhp MR2. His shop is located in Pickering...just outside of Markham. I haven't got any work done by him yet. But I am going to have him replace my axle shaft seal this coming Tuesday.

[wantamr2]

Originally posted by wantamr2
Oh yeah and a nice set or rims would be nice but can wait

I checked out the extremeboost website and found he is in Brampton. Is that right or has he moved?

[MRQtwinturbo]

^^his shop is in whitevale..just north east of pickering/scar border...

[BDSL]

The exact address 425 Whitevale Road, Whitevale, Pickering, LOH 1M0. His email is Jeffrey@eXtremeBoost.com

[wantamr2]

Thanks guys, spoke to Jeff and he seems pretty knowledgable. Has anyone gotten there stuff done there? How was his work? All comments welcome. Thanks,

[BDSL]

His price is very reasonable. His mechanic (Anthony) is very knowledgeable, as well as Jeff.

I had just got my axle shaft seal replaced. They are very fast and their work are very good. I highly recommend Jeff's shop.

[wantamr2]

Originally posted by BDSL
His price is very reasonable. His mechanic (Anthony) is very knowledgeable, as well as Jeff.

I had just got my axle shaft seal replaced. They are very fast and their work are very good. I highly recommend Jeff's shop.

How much did the labour cost you? Anyone else had any experiences with this shop?