MR2 Engine Power Loss

I'm having some serious issues with my 2000 Toyota MR2 (gasoline engine). It's got about 117k km on it. Lately, the check engine light keeps popping on, and the car feels like it's lost a ton of power. Engine response is awful, and sometimes it even stalls when I'm idling. Fuel consumption has gone way up too. I've also noticed a weird whistling noise, and a loud hissing sound when I accelerate. Any ideas? Could it be the pressure sensor? Someone mentioned something about turbo lag, which sounds plausible. I'm pretty sure it's related to the boost pressure system.

4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar! I had similar symptoms with my MR2. Whistling and hissing, loss of power, the whole shebang. Have you checked the wastegate valve? That's usually the culprit when you're hearing those kinds of noises and losing boost.

The wastegate valve, huh? I'm not super familiar with that part. Is it easy to check myself, or is it something I should probably take to a professional? And what exactly should I be looking for?

Honestly, unless you're comfortable working on turbo systems, I'd recommend taking it to a shop. The wastegate is kinda buried, and if you don't know what you're doing, you could mess something else up. Best to let a pro diagnose it. I am 90% sure though that this is the problem.

Thanks a lot for the advice! I took it to my local workshop, and you were spot on - it was indeed the wastegate valve. Repair cost me 860€, but at least the car's running like new again!

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