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JBrandtRacer

MR2 Engine Smoke Power Loss

Hey, I'm kinda freaking out. My 2004 Toyota MR2 with a gasoline engine is acting up. The check engine light is on, and it feels like I've lost a ton of power. Plus, I'm seeing smoke when I accelerate, which is super embarrassing and definitely not normal. I've only got 37312 km on the clock! Any ideas? Could it be something simple?

4 comment(s)

karen_schwarz81

Dude, that sounds familiar. I had something similar happen with my MR2. Have you checked your ventilation system, specifically the PCV valve? A malfunction there can cause all sorts of weirdness with emissions and engine performance. Is the smoke bluish or more black/grey?

JBrandtRacer (Author)

PCV valve, huh? I'm no expert, but I googled it and it seems connected to the crankcase ventilation. Where is it and how would I diagnose if it is broken? What do you mean, bluish or black/grey smoke? Sorry if I sound ignorant...

karen_schwarz81

Okay, no worries! Knowing the smoke color helps narrow things down – bluish often means oil burning, while black/grey suggests fuel issues. Since you're seeing a check engine light and power loss and smoke, and I had a similar combo, I'd really lean toward the crankcase ventilation valve being defective. Honestly, though, diagnosing it properly can be tricky without the right tools. I ended up just taking mine to a workshop to fix it, as I didn't want make it worse. It's probably the best option unless you are an experte.

JBrandtRacer (Author)

Thanks a lot! Seeing it could be the crankcase ventilation, I brought the car to a workshop. Turns out it really was a defective PCV valve! 360€ later it's fixed, but at least I know what was up with it. I really appreciate the help!

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