A lot of MK3 people seem bitter to other drivers mainly because lots of them settled for the MK3. They originally wanted a MK4, but then found out how much it costs and lowered their dreams down to the third generation model. If they had originally wanted a MK3 in the first place and realize what it is instead of trying to change it to something that it isn't, the crowd will be a lot happier.
If you get a labor quote from a shop and it's anything less than $200, you can probably do it by yourself in an afternoon.
Never pay retail. Someone is always upgrading to something better or getting out of the Supra game.
I can't believe how naive I sound reading my original posts of
what I was going to do with a mk3 once I got one. It must be
like those Hollywood parties where producers have to feign
interest in new actor's bug-eyed optimism at actually being at a
real life Hollywood party.
To Go Back To MK3 Toyota Supra page Click Here
The hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it.
2-16-06... Supra kept on dying at idle at stoplights, so rewired CPS wires again with a different harness and that seemed to fix it. Then rewired that and O2 sensor again with speaker wire. O2 sensor wire had around two strands of wire hanging onto the original crimping. Still no real increase in MPG although the throttle response picked up like crazy. Some pickup with a regular wire rewire, then a little more juice after the speaker wire rewire. Cleaned CSI near intake manifold, wasn't really dirty, car starts up now pretty nicely.
2-16-06... One wire on CPS was dangling/loose even though it was rewired 8 months ago. Got to be careful about the crimping job. Kept on dying out when harness was shook. O2 sensor black wire was also loose. Rewired them... Running Greddy type S bov with stock bov in conjuction with each other. The sound isn't as loud but no more stalling problems.
2-8-06... Car has reached the 200,000 mile point. It seems like such a long time ago compared to 168,000 when I first got the Supra. It's like that Sabrina Paris song, "For all the times that we,
we ever wouldn't be, look at us baby, look at us now." Got some seatbelt hangers for the front seats, non-working 89+ gauge light switch and a door handle switch cover without any broken pins. CSI switch on thermostat was dirty, cleaned it and rewired the connector because I could see the copper wires from the outside. Big disrespect to the Pick and Pull in Hayward for patting me down like a criminal.
12-25-05... Uploaded pictures from the 12-10-05 Sacramento meet here. Total of 17 mk3's showed up.
11-08-05... Finally installed quick disconnect battery terminal. Bypassed the stock ignition system to starter. Turns out that was the trick. Been starting 50-100 times in a row now. Got tired of touching a bare wire from the starter to the battery if I wanted it to start. Hardwired the rest of the o2 sensor wires together because they seemed brittle. Throttle response picked up, like I just changed the oil or unloaded 300 pounds from the trunk. Still averaging 16 mpg. Bought some brown vinyl for $2 from Anna's Linens that looks a lot like burgundy and stitched up a new center arm rest and ebrake cover in a few days. It's not pretty, but it's better than the holes that was there before.
8-25-05... Big battery cable from the battery to starter was half green inside, so replaced it with a 2 gauge wire from Kragens. I think I paid too much money for it. While I was down there, remembered that the smaller wire to the starter was supposed to be a "temporary" fix four years ago, meaning that the wire and universal female connector wasn't supposed to last this long. Part of the smaller wire was exposed, stripped in the middle, which was subsequently replaced. Replaced connector with a stock looking brown connector. Although I'm worried because the one I replaced it with has a very small wire compared to the wire that leads into the engine harness. Just for fun replaced the turbo boost sensor and fuel pump relay. Tightened up the connector to the o2 sensor. Something must have done it because now I've gained an extra 3 mpg according to the supermonitor, 18 mpg all around.
7-25-05... Changed starter relay with a new old stock one. Wire to temperature sensor behind the power steering bracket was corroded, (3 out of the 4 copper wires was still there) so replaced that with another one. While the accordian hose was out, plugged in the loose oil pressure gauge wire. The oil pressure gauge would occasionally work depending on whether is was parked on an incline or not, so I guess it was just a loose connection. Replaced coil pack ground wire.
7-18-05... Supra only has a 10% of not starting on me after a hot day of driving. I don't know what happened. I want to say leprechauns because the only things I did to bring about the change was rewire some turbo timer wiring, take out the steering column and putting it back together again. When it still does that click thing, (which I read seems to mean bad starter contacts or solenoids) I lock the drivers door, unlock the passenger door, crank it from the passenger side and it starts, which was twice all ready. I know the problem isn't my alarm, but I still do it anyways just so I can rule it out. The turbo timing wiring I redid was the e-brake wire which had some copper exposed and the big black wire from the steering column leading into the turbo timer harness. The black wire was spliced into a smaller looking wire before meeting up with the black wire again so I just stretched it a bit and butt plugged the original two black wires together. I don't think regrounding the coil packs affects the starting because there were some instances where the car started without it being grounded, not intentionally of course.
6-26-05... Replaced CPS, starter wiring, automatic computer, redid the wiring on coil pack when code 14 popped up, rewired cps wiring all the way across the cam covers to fix code 12. Installed a blue non-tems tray, moved the real tems switch to the left of the automatic under the console. Thanks to scottiedawg66 and Dave for rewiring my knock sensors. Car starts occasionally and then won't start leaving me stranded. In these situations I just reach for the magazine I keep underneath the passenger seat for such occasions and keep cranking it every now and then before it magically starts up like there's never been a problem.
5-10-05... Supra hasn't started for the past three weeks. On the plus side, found some time to install an uncracked AFM gasket.
4-15-05... Found out that when the shop replaced the power steering pump, they used power steering fluid instead of ATF. Changed that. Also cleared out screen so no more roaring sound whenever I turn the wheel, the front end also seems lighter. Changed a hose on AFM with a Kragen's radiator hose that's almost the same size. Plug to the coolant temp sensor was corroded/broken so replaced that.
3-11-05... Super monitor is working again. Turns out that the cigarette accessory fuse wasn't broken, but it was twisted inside. Replaced it with another one, turned the key to ACC a couple of times and it went back on.
2-10-05... Put some heat shrink around the CPS and O2 sensor wires. Also cleaned the battery terminals and redid one of the grounds. Car now starts more often instead of not cranking after two starts. Replaced coin holder and headlight washer switches with flat dummy panels because they were never used. Removed rear cargo bins, put back in coil pack cover and Greddy oil cap. Kept the water draining plugs in the spare tire well open so that when it rains, the water won't collect in the spare from the leak in the hatch somewhere.
12-31-04... Passed Test Only Smog, shoutout to Lim. Reglued the model MK3 to the dash. The CPS mod hasn't really caused the MK3 to start more often. It occasionally still cranks without starting and then the next day will start with no problem. The upside is, that stops me from doing any illegal activity because what's the point of having the Supra as a getaway car if it only occasionally starts?
12-13-04... New Champion copper spark plugs, generic spark plug wires, coolant temperature sensor (shoutout to Timothy) and thermostat. Swapped ECUs and charcoal canisters. Did the CPS hardwire mod so now the car starts. Installed new plug so that the auxillary fan comes on, which is funny because three years ago, Zero/Represent was looking at my engine, yanked the plug out thereby breaking the clip and said, "there, now you'll have an extra 20 hp". For the record, there was no noticeable gain. Did a straight hookup to the O2 sensor because the plug had one wire barely hanging on; the coolant temp sensor wire was the same way, so that was replaced. Changed center console to a better looking one (shoutout to B-rad and 90tsupraboy).
10-5-04... Changed 16 year old battery cable and coilpack. Put back in K&N drop-in air filter. Fuel flap refuses to pop open, so I have to open it the "emergency way" through an opening in the trunk. The hole in my armrest, from wear and tear, is continuingly getting bigger. The passenger's seat bottom is showing more wear than normal. I had to put in washers to stop my instrument panel cluster from shaking.
Modacar people was nice but would have probably been nicer had we paid their regular rates for a dyno instead of the cheap group rate 
Me on the far right tucked between a Rx7 FC and a Jeep. Mk4's get the
front seats as usual while the MK3's are designated to park in the
back area for almost all Supra meets.
If I stop and signal for a left turn, why would you try to pass me on my left?
Most people are more in love with the idea of Supra ownership than the actual reality of it.
Click for a bigger pic of my car
First created 8-02-04
Last updated 8-25-05
