While we love our MR2 Turbo’s handling, especially now that it has a proper suspension in place, we can’t exactly say the same thing about the steering.
Even with the optional electro-hydraulic power steering system—which our 1991 Toyota MR2 Turbo has—the steering is painfully slow, requiring almost 1200 degrees of rotation (more than three full turns) to get from lock to …
Given how squirrelly SW20's are from the factory, this would seem to be a nice way for a driver to be able to catch the back end faster. Among other advantages.
You can do this same swap with an Integra pinion into many civics.
"....shooting power steering sauce all over your garage."
I damn near shot my morning coffee out my nose reading this! HA!
A couple tips:
Make sure you don't try moving the rack from lock to lock if the tie rods aren't attached, because it can exceed the normal lock angle (or for the rack, lock travel) like this which will tear the internal seals out.
While the system is drained it might be a good time to install a PS cooler and magnetic PS filter in the return side of the system. I don't know how hot the SW20's PS fluid gets, but these might help prolong the life of the high-enriched unobtanium EHPS pump.
Toyota-compatible power steering fluid is usually Dexron III ATF.
In reply to Jerry From LA :
From what I can find the MR2's EHPS system was specified to use a special fluid from Toyota that's NLA, but a couple of manufacturers make a fluid that's supposed to be a direct substitute: Amsoil's multi-vehicle synthetic PS fluid, and Ravenol Synthetic E-PSF.
Is there some easy explanation of how a "bigger" pinion can be installed in the same location with the same rack?
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