2G My First DSM 1997 GST (Questions)

dem0n · Jul 20, 2017

Hello everyone! My names dem0n and I just picked up my eclipse about a week or so ago. I've owned a 3g eclipse for some time now and put countless hours and money into to no prevail of power. So I finally caved and bought a 2g and im in love. I would like to learn more about them. I've searched through the forums trying to gather information but I was having a hard time understanding some things because I'm still quite baffled by the fact that there is a turbo and there's a lot more into it than my 3g. Because I could do certain things on that car while on the 2g it's done differently.

Besides my introduction my real question is what should I do first. I have an appointment this coming Tuesday to get some parts fixed that needed attention. But once that maintenance is taken care of like the forums always say what would be the first steps in modifying. I was looking more towards starting out small with the "free" mods in 19eclipse90's forum post suggested. But how would i go about do this in a big bird explanation of why. I wanna add power but I don't know the correct path to take without ruining anything. I'm new to the DSM world and I wanna take it slowly and in the correct way. There's where I look towards you guys :thumb:

Mods:
16g Turbo
Hardened Upper And Lower Intercooler Piping
Magnaflow Exhaust
Aftermarket Wires

orangedsm · Jul 20, 2017

Just my opinion, but the first thing you SHOULD do to any used car after you buy it is a thorough inspection. Don't start modding yet, do a basic inspection and maintenance of typical wear items. You'll probably find that this will cost you a few hundred bucks (or more depending on what you find)

- Oil change and filter
- Inspect brake pads, rotors, lines, calipers, etc
- Inspect air filter, spark plugs, belts, any and all wiring in the engine, fuses, etc
- Give the engine a good cleaning, use degreaser and a pressure washer if you can, then inspect for oil and other fluid leaks
- TIRES - Don't start modding if your tires look like they sat in the Arizona sunshine for 5 years straight (cracks all over)
- Suspension bushings
- Turbo, check for excessive shaft play

All of these things are very basic maintenance items that you can do yourself without spending much money. There is of course more items you can (and should) inspect, but I'm not going to put a huge list, you've got a good start. Then go forward with your free mods or whatever else you can afford.

The key to a good running and fast car is to first have a well-maintained car.

TheLemon · Jul 20, 2017

What are you goals for this car? Daily, drag, auto x? Have you gone under the car and take a look at strut towers, suspension components, is the frame straight, etc? The reason I ask is because there are so many routes you can take when it comes to these cars and most people get stuck on the fact that they can be decently fast with a few simple bolt ons.

dem0n · Jul 20, 2017

orangedsm said:
Just my opinion, but the first thing you SHOULD do to any used car after you buy it is a thorough inspection. Don't start modding yet, do a basic inspection and maintenance of typical wear items. You'll probably find that this will cost you a few hundred bucks (or more depending on what you find)

- Oil change and filter
- Inspect brake pads, rotors, lines, calipers, etc
- Inspect air filter, spark plugs, belts, any and all wiring in the engine, fuses, etc
- Give the engine a good cleaning, use degreaser and a pressure washer if you can, then inspect for oil and other fluid leaks
- TIRES - Don't start modding if your tires look like they sat in the Arizona sunshine for 5 years straight (cracks all over)
- Suspension bushings
- Turbo, check for excessive shaft play

All of these things are very basic maintenance items that you can do yourself without spending much money. There is of course more items you can (and should) inspect, but I'm not going to put a huge list, you've got a good start. Then go forward with your free mods or whatever else you can afford.

The key to a good running and fast car is to first have a well-maintained car.

Actually on tuesday this is all going to be done :thumb:

The turbo is new, new tires, and the strut towers have the rust cut out and rewelded with steel. Other than that the only other skethcy thing is no flywheel cover.

TheLemon said:
What are you goals for this car? Daily, drag, auto x? Have you gone under the car and take a look at strut towers, suspension components, is the frame straight, etc? The reason I ask is because there are so many routes you can take when it comes to these cars and most people get stuck on the fact that they can be decently fast with a few simple bolt ons.

I'm looking to build this as a daily but work my way into drag which is hard because theres no tracks near me so I just like messing with people driving around or in town. You go to "mexico" for the racing i do or just in town LOL

but anyways I want to build it to be properly fast. The strut towers have had to rust cut out and rewelded with steel. I noticed some underbody rust (wisconsin problems) but the frame seems solid. When i go to jack it up though the underbody i can tell is a little soft and the rocker panel bent over in the one spot when i went to lower it while the one stand held.

TheLemon · Jul 20, 2017

dem0n said:
I'm looking to build this as a daily but work my way into drag which is hard because theres no tracks near me so I just like messing with people driving around or in town. You go to "mexico" for the racing i do or just in town but anyways I want to build it to be properly fast. The strut towers have had to rust cut out and rewelded with steel. I noticed some underbody rust (wisconsin problems) but the frame seems solid. When i go to jack it up though the underbody i can tell is a little soft and the rocker panel bent over in the one spot when i went to lower it while the one stand held.

The rust you are seeing seems pretty typical considering the area you are in and it's something you will probably want to keep an eye on. Does the place you are taking your car to do compression tests? A test will give you a basic idea of the health of the engine. Another big question is do you have a budget for this car?

dem0n · Jul 20, 2017

TheLemon said:
The rust you are seeing seems pretty typical considering the area you are in and it's something you will probably want to keep an eye on. Does the place you are taking your car to do compression tests? A test will give you a basic idea of the health of the engine. Another big question is do you have a budget for this car?

I will keep on eye on the rust. Later on im gonna do what the previous owners did but around the body with patching up the rust with steel so it doesn't spread. Probably gonna park it for the winter so it doesn't get worse. And I could ask the owner if they do but it would have to be a different day but will keep that in mind. As for a budget basically unlimited because I dump all the money I earn into it plus im selling my 3g so ill get more free money.

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

Last night I was able to cut out the bov dump tube out of the intake btw. I will run it like that till i get get rid of the stock intake with the airbox and replace it with an Injen intake.

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
I will keep on eye on the rust. Later on im gonna do what the previous owners did but around the body with patching up the rust with steel so it doesn't spread. Probably gonna park it for the winter so it doesn't get worse. And I could ask the owner if they do but it would have to be a different day but will keep that in mind. As for a budget basically unlimited because I dump all the money I earn into it plus im selling my 3g so ill get more free money.

It's great that a budget isn't really an issue for you then. If you are able I would suggest trying to get OEM replacement parts whenever possible especially when it comes to engine parts. They can be more expensive when compared to aftermarket but it is worth it to prevent headaches later down the line. You can also download a program called Mitsubishi CAPS that will basically get you part numbers for anything you need. There are a few parts on our cars that are no longer in stock and harder to get a hold of but you can normally find what you need in a pick-a-part or on ebay for example.

dem0n said:
Last night I was able to cut out the bov dump tube out of the intake btw. I will run it like that till i get get rid of the stock intake with the airbox and replace it with an Injen intake.

Are you still running a stock MAF? Were you trying to get your BOV to dump to atmosphere or just trying to cut down the plastic tube for less air restriction?

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

TheLemon said:
It's great that a budget isn't really an issue for you then. If you are able I would suggest trying to get OEM replacement parts whenever possible especially when it comes to engine parts. They can be more expensive when compared to aftermarket but it is worth it to prevent headaches later down the line. You can also download a program called Mitsubishi CAPS that will basically get you part numbers for anything you need. There are a few parts on our cars that are no longer in stock and harder to get a hold of but you can normally find what you need in a pick-a-part or on ebay for example.

What would be the main parts for the engine you're talking about for oem? Some examples?

TheLemon said:
Are you still running a stock MAF? Were you trying to get your BOV to dump to atmosphere or just trying to cut down the plastic tube for less air restriction?

Yes its stock. I put the MAF back on how it was. And no i wasnt trying to get it to do that. I just cut the plastic tube for less air restriction yeah. I got it as close to the wall of the stock intake as i could. Still a decent chunk left but got the main part of it out of the intake restricting air flow.

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
What would be the main parts for the engine you're talking about for oem? Some examples?

Timing components, oil pumps and gears, water pump. I have personally used aftermarket pumps and components that failed in the first 100 miles. The money you save on parts like these can cause a bigger issue that is more costly to fix later on. That isn't to say that all aftermarket parts are like that, just do some research beforehand before just blindly bolting it on.

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
Yes its stock. I put the MAF back on how it was. And no i wasnt trying to get it to do that. I just cut the plastic tube for less air restriction yeah. I got it as close to the wall of the stock intake as i could. Still a decent chunk left but got the main part of it out of the intake restricting air flow.

Oh okay, I think I actually remember doing this "free" mod a long time ago when I still had a stock intake. I have seen a lot of people completely remove the tube and resurc hose in an attempt to vent to atmosphere, all it really does is throw off the stock MAF. I guess it would be worth it to make the car run worse just to hear the BOV between shifts LOL

.

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

TheLemon said:
Timing components, oil pumps and gears, water pump. I have personally used aftermarket pumps and components that failed in the first 100 miles. The money you safe on parts like these can cause a bigger issue that is more costly to fix later on. That isn't to say that all aftermarket parts are like that, just do some research beforehand before just blindly bolting it on.

Ok yeah those parts will be oem. The water pump has already been replaced so i don't have to worry about that.

TheLemon said:
Oh okay, I think I actually remember doing this "free" mod a long time ago when I still had a stock intake. I have seen a lot of people completely remove the tube and resurc hose in an attempt to vent to atmosphere, all it really does is throw off the stock MAF. I guess it would be worth it to make the car run worse just to hear the BOV between shifts .

True haha but speaking about that I want to hear my bov but I don't want it to be atmospheric because that just sounds like a mess.

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
True haha but speaking about that I want to hear my bov but I don't want it to be atmospheric because that just sounds like a mess.

Are you still running a stock plastic bov?

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

TheLemon said:
Are you still running a stock plastic bov?

Yeah I still have the stock plastic bov. I was also told about how I should be running a front mount intercooler since I have a 16g turbo. Is that true? The owner before me replaced the t25 with a 16g so its still on the stock side mount intercooler but with the metal upper and lower piping instead of the other junk.

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
Yeah I still have the stock plastic bov. I was also told about how I should be running a front mount intercooler since I have a 16g turbo. Is that true? The owner before me replaced the t25 with a 16g so its still on the stock side mount intercooler but with the metal upper and lower piping instead of the other junk.

I think you can still get away with using the stock side mount especially if you already have metal piping. I am assuming you still have a stock fuel system and that would probably be a bigger power bottleneck to your turbo than it getting heat soaked. Have you looked into a fuel pump rewire mod? You could also take out the stocker and clean it out with a little gas to get oil residue out of it and straighten bent fins, there might be a lot of debris trapped in between. Have you thought about your tuning options like ECMLink?

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

TheLemon said:
I think you can still get away with using the stock side mount especially if you already have metal piping. I am assuming you still have a stock fuel system and that would probably be a bigger power bottleneck to your turbo than it getting heat soaked. Have you looked into a fuel pump rewire mod? You could also take out the stocker and clean it out with a little gas to get oil residue out of it and straighten bent fins, there might be a lot of debris trapped in between. Have you thought about your tuning options like ECMLink?

Yeah I have the stock fuel system as well. And I didn't look into that mod yet because I still gotta finish up fixing her up because the front left wheel assembly somethings going and she likes to leak a little oil when its off from around the bottom of the oil return line and it looks like around the oil pan as well.

I haven't gotten at tuning either because I wanted to get a the basic mods done first like the intake, front mount, fuel pump with that regulator, and injectors before I do a tune if that makes sense. Beef it up a little first. But with ECMLink cant i technically tune it myself a little bit without breaking anything?

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
Yeah I have the stock fuel system as well. And I didn't look into that mod yet because I still gotta finish up fixing her up because the front left wheel assembly somethings going and she likes to leak a little oil when its off from around the bottom of the oil return line and it looks like around the oil pan as well.

Definitely focus on getting any leaks or suspension issues sorted out first :thumb:

. Are you having any problems engine wise?

dem0n said:
I haven't gotten at tuning either because I wanted to get a the basic mods done first like the intake, front mount, fuel pump with that regulator, and injectors before I do a tune if that makes sense. Beef it up a little first. But with ECMLink cant i technically tune it myself a little bit without breaking anything?

Yea, I was just wondering if you considered it. You can put in stock values for everything in Link but if you haven't done anything yet that would really require it I would just recommend keeping it in mind for later, the stock ecu should be okay for what you have now. I would suggest picking up an Innovate Wideband if you do decide to go with Link, you can use it by itself before you get decide to start tuning with Link.

dem0n · Jul 21, 2017

TheLemon said:
Yea, I was just wondering if you considered it. You can put in stock values for everything in Link but if you haven't done anything yet that would really require it I would just recommend keeping it in mind for later, the stock ecu should be okay for what you have now. I would suggest picking up an Innovate Wideband if you do decide to go with Link, you can use it by itself before you get decide to start tuning with Link.

I actually have purchased a wideband already but i was originally gonna put it in my 3g so its wired but the 02 was put in so id just have to cut the ground and power wire out so i can put it in the 2g and then have the o2 put in there.

TheLemon said:
Definitely focus on getting any leaks or suspension issues sorted out first . Are you having any problems engine wise?

I don't want my tire to go flying so yes definately getting it sorted plus i don't want to leak out all my oil either. Engine wise I haven't had any problems, but the guy did put in what he thinks but cant remember for sure a 95 2g transmission when the cars a 97 because the old one was starting to slip. The problem with that I have sometimes is it likes to slam into drive sometimes but not always from park and when i punch it and it down shifts once or twice its like a huge jerk depending and then i go flying LOL

but im just think thats all the power kicking in

TheLemon · Jul 21, 2017

dem0n said:
I don't want my tire to go flying so yes definately getting it sorted plus i don't want to leak out all my oil either. Engine wise I haven't had any problems, but the guy did put in what he thinks but cant remember for sure a 95 2g transmission when the cars a 97 because the old one was starting to slip. The problem with that I have sometimes is it likes to slam into drive sometimes but not always from park and when i punch it and it down shifts once or twice its like a huge jerk depending and then i go flying but im just think thats all the power kicking in

Oh, do you have an auto? I've never had the pleasure of driving one.

dem0n · Jul 24, 2017

TheLemon said:
Oh, do you have an auto? I've never had the pleasure of driving one.

Yeah shes an auto. I suggest getting one because I rather not have to deal with certain situations with a stick. Plus another benefit is that you can hold hands with your special someone LOL

. But besides that me and my dad replaces my front pads and got about 99% of the squeaking to stop. The clips were really gunked up. I also have my appointment tomorrow to get my front left wheel fixed so something doesn't break and that whole assembly goes, fix the leaking oil from the return line/oil pan, and then the starter since the transmissions different (it grinds bad when you start it because different transmission with the starter). Plus my dad really wants me to get a flywheel cover because for whatever reason the old transmission didn't have a cover and the new one didn't either.

Jay 97 GSX · Jul 27, 2017

I would suggest after maintence ofcourse, to get the supporting mods for the 16g aswell as dsm link.

TheLemon · Jul 31, 2017

dem0n said:
Yeah shes an auto. I suggest getting one because I rather not have to deal with certain situations with a stick. Plus another benefit is that you can hold hands with your special someone . But besides that me and my dad replaces my front pads and got about 99% of the squeaking to stop. The clips were really gunked up. I also have my appointment tomorrow to get my front left wheel fixed so something doesn't break and that whole assembly goes, fix the leaking oil from the return line/oil pan, and then the starter since the transmissions different (it grinds bad when you start it because different transmission with the starter). Plus my dad really wants me to get a flywheel cover because for whatever reason the old transmission didn't have a cover and the new one didn't either.

How did the appointment go? You can pick up one of those covers for about 10 bucks new if you don't feel like finding a used one in a pick-a-part.

dem0n · Aug 1, 2017

TheLemon said:
How did the appointment go? You can pick up one of those covers for about 10 bucks new if you don't feel like finding a used one in a pick-a-part.

It went good but I haven't fixed much yet. I got the oil leak fixed. That was just leaky gaskets on the return line. Bad the bad news is i probably need a tie rod and two wheel bearings and maybe more not sure though. They also discovered that the reason its making all the noise is because i need a new flywheel. The teeth are chopped up. Plus i need to reinforce my strut towers a little.

For "mods" so far all ive done since im just fixing things is cutting out the bov dump tube from the intake and put in smoked black side markers. I need to take it back to a different shop to get all the suspension stuff fixed because around 80 theres a loud thud or bang noise a couple times until i slow down. I want that fixed because its scary and makes me think the whole front left wheel is just gonna go. Its either those wheel bearings causing that or the tire off balance or messed up a little im assuming. They're brand new though.

Also would this inspection plate work so my flywheel isnt exposed anymore? The Cover
Description with the picture: Genuine OEM Mitsubishi Flywheel Inspection Cover. 7-Bolt DSM AWD & FWD. Starting At: $10.00

pauleyman · Aug 1, 2017

tie rods aren't that expensive. Neither are wheel bearings for that matter.

dem0n · Aug 1, 2017

pauleyman said:
tie rods aren't that expensive. Neither are wheel bearings for that matter.

The shop that fixed my leak quoted it at $1400 and that was without doing the flywheel.

I'm gonna take it to a different shop that only works on that kind of thing so the price should be a few hundred with it all said and done.

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