Soooo....short backstory. I've talked about bits and pieces of it, but here's the summary. I'm now in my 11th season running Lemons, all with the same team. Many dozens of races, and I now work for Lemons, traveling to races that I don't run and am available. My team is based in PA/NJ and I now live in Atlanta, so I'm an arrive and drive. I got remarried last year and also have an 18 year old son (and 15 year old, so not driving yet). My wife recently did an HPDE and is hooked. My son is dying to get into Lemons. I want to field a Lemons car for them at Road Atlanta in December. Here's the problem...my nickname on my Lemons team is "Dishwashing Fairy"...for a reason. I'm a hack with a wrench. I can do oil changes and stuff, but not a ton else...though I did just successfully pull the footwell module out of my BMW 128i. I have neither the skills, tools or time to fully care for a Lemons car. A teammate connected me with an already built AW11 Lemons car that has run races for 5 years now. The catch is that the engine has a cracked crank. The car is now with me in Atlanta. I've got boxes and boxes of spare parts, but no extra 4AGE engine. I've been talking offline to The Artist Formerly Known as -\_:)/- (sorry I can't spell your name, LOL) and an idea is formulating in my head.... Perhaps bring the car to the Challenge, beg for help putting the motor in and then use the Challenge as a shake down for the car.
I've also spoken to MrJoshua, he's got a 4AGE I can buy, so I've got an engine. I'm hoping this build will be relatively "easy" since we're just swapping one stock engine for the other. So the car is basically race ready once it has an engine. Wiring, brakes, safety, etc...is all done and good. The car even drove itself on and off the trailer to get to me.
So would anyone care to join in and help me get an engine in this thing so I can run it? Here is the vehicle in question....
Here is the current engine's cracked crank.
If anyone remembers the previous parking lot AW11 you know we need the redemption story of this one running flawlessly. 2022 parking lot MR2 redo, part 2, stock engine boogaloo.
GENERAL ORGANIZATION POST: This is where parts and duties and whatnot are laid out and will continue to be edited. Drop a comment if you want in or are planning to bring something!
Critical Components:
LeMR2 with bad 4age (SKJSS)
Parts for swap and refresh (SKJSS)
"Good" 4age (MrJoshua)
Engine hoist (AnthonyGS)
Jack and stands (hobiercr)
General shared tools
Torque wrench (hobiercr)
EZ up
Teams: on the previous PLBMR2, the split into "teams" worked extremely well. Here's a rough breakdown:
A- Engine drop team: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, Stampie
B- New engine team: Robbie? MrJoshua?
C- Car stuff team: GameboyRMH
Media/Catering/Moral Support: SKJSS, SVreX
In all seriousness, I don't see why we shouldn't easily be able to get this thing swapped, shaken down, and running competitively easily within a 24hr window. We need an engine hoist and some tools, the willing participants usually just appear at the challenge.
Yessssss! Welcome to the party!
Hey I know that car! We raced with it's former team at CMP in '18 and/or '19. I don't know if I'll make it to the challenge, but I'd like to help locally with the car if it works out. I'll PM you.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:
If anyone remembers the previous parking lot AW11 you know we need the redemption story of this one running flawlessly. 2022 parking lot MR2 redo, part 2, stock engine boogaloo.
I knew I forgot something in my post. Thanks!! Yes, from my understanding an MR2 was done before. I'm hoping this one will go very smoothly. Stock coming out and going in. Probably put a clutch in it while "we're in there", but otherwise should be race ready.
Mr_Asa
PowerDork
7/7/22 12:28 p.m.
Not sure when I will get in, but I'm down to clown
So I have the engine. It's from Marks garage sale. The car made it through most of the autocross until it broke a hack welded rear suspension arm. It ran well at high RPM, but crappy at low. It is on the ground complete with intake, alternator, headers, transmission, starter, etc. What tests should I do to be sure this thing will be a good candidate for the swap?
-and wow! A recently raced car is a very good start!
In reply to MrJoshua :
Compression and leakdown? Did you ever find out what made it run crappy at lower rpm?
I think I still have some supercharger bits if you want to complicate things. Let me know and I'll go digging thru my dad's garage.
Oh dang. I'll participate in round 2!
I could get to the hotel early Friday.
We should be there Thursday night happy to lend a hand Friday
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:
In reply to MrJoshua :
Compression and leakdown? Did you ever find out what made it run crappy at lower rpm?
No, I had lots of possibilities. It was bought after sitting for years untouched at Marks, and he bought it from someone who had performed lots of "Mods". The wiring was fairy hacked (stuff like: switches on dash controlling ignition switch duties, dash mounted AFM gauge run out the door to get under the car, etc), ALL the various hoses that could be removed or capped were, etc. . I put it together fast and cheap without much diagnosis. The injectors were the cheapest I could find (looked more like a kids squirt gun than an injector), restarting trouble during the contest that was solved by simply tightening the coil wires, fuel filter was NASTY when I changed it. I put a new one on and a bunch of fuel in but never cleaned the tank. The hoses going to the TVIS are removed (which should leave them open?), and I never checked timing. It does have new plugs and wires.
Basically, I didn't spend enough time on the poor low RPM performance issue to figure out how things should be, so I could figure out how to make them right.
I have an engine hoist I can probably fit in the Tahoe or strap to the trailer with my MR2. If this happens there will be a slew of mid rear cars this year.
You guys are berkeleying awesome!! I'm not the mechanic, but here are some of my thoughts. And feel free to tell me I'm an idiot....
- Since it's going to be an endurance car, reliability > power. Not that I won't take what power I can get, but I want it to have the best chance possible to run a long time. To that end, I'm going to make sure my drivers' shift well short of redline.
- MrJoshua, if you're too concerned about the motor you have or it would take too much work, I don't mind trying to source another one. There are a few on Car-Part. If utterly necessary I could bite the bullet and get a JDM 4AGE. I'd prefer not to as they're not cheap, but again the goal is reliability (with a side of hp).
- I also want to follow as much of the K.I.S.S. philosophy as I can. Since I can't do much to the car beyond the basics, I want to make it as easy as possible for you guys and for the person or mechanic who helps me take care of it in the future.
I'm so excited!!!!
My vote would be, whatever engine ends up being chosen, the two go next to eachother and every single thing that's different on the new engine is removed and replaced with the equivalent component from the current engine. It was working before, it should stay as similar as possible.
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) said:
You guys are berkeleying awesome!! I'm not the mechanic, but here are some of my thoughts. ....
- .....
- MrJoshua, if you're too concerned about the motor you have or it would take too much work, I don't mind trying to source another one. There are a few on Car-Part. If utterly necessary I could bite the bullet and get a JDM 4AGE. I'd prefer not to as they're not cheap, but again the goal is reliability (with a side of hp).
- ..........
I'm so excited!!!!
I am not concerned beyond what I should be with any high mile motor. I don't want to sell you future problems no matter how the engine is getting put in the car. I had been thinking about what type of tests I wanted to do before the parking lot build became a possibility.
Another question for you and the hive: What is the likely damage to the motor in the car with the broken crank? Would it make sense to source a crank and throw a crank in that motor at the same time as the motor swap? Back up motors are great to have whether they are for the Challenge or the future life as an endurance racer.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:
If anyone remembers the previous parking lot AW11 you know we need the redemption story of this one running flawlessly. 2022 parking lot MR2 redo, part 2, stock engine boogaloo.
Once I make it there I'm in for the sequel 
In reply to MrJoshua :
I'm not sure what the damage is. Hopefully the bearings took it all. One mechanic I sent the picture to said it looked like a clean break so damage may not be terrible.
On the broken crank engine, I would primarily be concerned with how much junk circulated through the engine after it started eating itself- metal bits can do damage. A look at the oil filter and pickup screen might tell you a lot there.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:
On the broken crank engine, I would primarily be concerned with how much junk circulated through the engine after it started eating itself- metal bits can do damage. A look at the oil filter and pickup screen might tell you a lot there.
It does look like something took a bite out of the crank just opposite of the crack (Right where the arrow on the main cap is pointing 
)
I just wanted to point out the Challenge moto of "It only has to last 6 autocross runs and a few 1/4 miles."
Totally down for this!
Let me know what I need to bring. Tools, service manuals, jackstands, beer, etc.
I remember in round 1 that the electrical harness was a big issue.
