Street/Strip '90 GSR-4 build

[1990AWD]

Figured I should finally put together a little journal of my car so far before I do a complete build this winter.

Car: 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSR-4

Bought my car August of 2010 for $5200. It had 73,874 kms on it, bought from the original owner in Canada (car was imported from Japan in '09). Car was bone stock minus a boost gauge, mbc, and Megan Racing exhaust.

Ran the car at the track shortly after I got the car and managed a 15.3@low 90mph.

The next spring I did some maintenance on the car, removed all emissions junk, turned the boost up to 15psi, and with some more practice managed to get up to a 14.5@97-98mph.

With the boost turned up I began experiencing boost creep, due to the stock O2 and the large 3" exhaust, so I got myself a used ebay O2 dump for cheap just to cure the creep. It was cheap so it never sealed to my downpipe well, but it cured the creep. Oh, and I heavily ported my turbine housing at the same time.

Next was starting to mod the car. My ECU went so I shipped it off to ECMTuning for repair and socketing. (ECMTuning is great btw, fast shipping and great customer service.) They sent me back the ECU along with LinkV3 and the speed density bundle. I also wired in the NLTS feature.

Next I got myself a Walbro 255HP (and rewired it), an Aeromotive A1000 AFPR & install kit, found some used FIC 1000cc injectors, 6an fuel filter and filter to rail kit, a Innovate LC-1 with DB gauge, A-pillar pod, and some more miscellaneous stuff.

With all this I was able to turn the boost up to a consistent 20-22psi and kept learning how to tune and especially learn the speed density. I ran into problems tuning the speed density which I later discovered it probably was my injectors weren't flowing what they should be.

Anyway, took the car to the fastest street car shootout held at an old airport. First couple runs were nothing special, low 14s, but when I was put in the elimination race against fellow DSMer Garrett Silva (greddy_1700), I made sure to add some timing and lean it out a little. Just so happened my laptop died so I couldn't even log the run!

I ran a [email protected] with a 1.895 60'. My new PB, and pretty good IMO for the stock SMIC on a slow track.

 

[1990AWD]

The next issue I needed to deal with was my intake temps. The stock SMIC just couldn't keep up as I was seeing 200+*F temps at the TB elbow! So I found myself a used Buschur Racing FMIC from one of the wisemen here and began the install.

While doing the install I ditched my a/c system, relocated my ignition coil and coolant resivoir, ditched both washer fluid tanks, lowered my battery, made a bracket to keep my cruise control, put new slotted rotors and new brake pads on. All removed most of the interior from the front seats back.

With all that done, I was able to get the car weight down to 2940 lbs.

The extra power that came from the cooler intake temps now caused my clutch to start slipping so I was never able to get a good tune on the car but I still managed to run a [email protected] with the clutch slipping the whole way down the track.

That was fall of 2011, and the car has been sitting since. I kinda want to just put a new clutch in and see what I can do yet on the 14b, but I have a 7 blade X-35 in my basement so the car is mainly waiting for a complete build. Hopefully by this time next year I'll be in the 10s.

 

[1990AWD]

Well, it's been a long time coming but I'm gonna finally get a new clutch put in the car. Should have the transmission out tomorrow and parts come Wednesday. Goal is to be up and running by the end of the month and racing by May 5. *fingers crossed*

 

[1990AWD]

Been working away at getting a clutch put in. Almost all done, just a couple minor things left, I just don't have pics of the drivetrain back in.

First couple pics are the old factory clutch, a little used to say the least.

Its an ACT streetlite flywheel with a slightly used competition clutch, I believe a 2500lb pressure plate.

 

[Bud92gsx]

Subscribed

 

[Gs Dewd]

Also Subscribed.

 

[CrackedDSM]

Love those tail-lights, man. Car looks great.

 

[1990AWD]

Thanks guys.

 

[1990AWD]

Got a little work done today. Got the clutch slave cylinder on and started bleeding the clutch. I think I've gotten 90% of the air out and it still feels like its not doing anything. I'm getting a little worried. I know I installed everything right, and the fork/pivot was in good shape, worked perfectly for the first >46k miles.

Anyway, just a couple pics today. The Mustang is my cousin's '02 GT that's getting 75mm throttle body, motor mounts, SCT tuner, and some maintenance.

 

[1990AWD]

Got almost everything done. I've bled and adjusted the clutch so the only thing I can think of is that its just that much easier to push in than the clutch in my VR-4. Anyway, injectors are back in after being cleaned and tested, ic piping on, transmission and t-case fluid filled. Just have to finish filling in the rear diff, install the exhaust, and the car should be ready to run.

btw, Red Line heavy duty shockproff is the most frustrating thing ever, its just so thick!

 

[Bud92gsx]

Nice progress bra.

 

[manny402]

Very! Very! Clean car. Lucky you.

 

[1990AWD]

Got the car running today, still up on the stands. Clutch engages and disengages so its looking good so far on that front.

Car runs ...okay... definitely not smooth. Gonna have to try and tune it better, but mainly get some fresh fuel in and I'm gonna combustion camber cleaner the crap out of it, change oil, run, change oil, and then put in new oil and plugs.

The last two pics are the driveshaft carrier bearing support bushings I put in, old ones were garbage. The carrier bearings themselves still seem pretty good.

 

[1990AWD]

I've got the car running better, still a lot of work to do on the tune though.

I ran some MCCC through the engine Saturday and sprayed some into the cylinders and let that sit till today. Ran it up to temperature, changed oil and filter and took it for a little rip. I forgot my other oil filter but next is change oil again to make sure I have all the old crap out and put in new plugs and just work on this tune.

Oh, and my clutch is engaging really close to the floor, my fork and pivot must be more worn than they looked, so I welded a little bit onto the slave rod to make it a little longer so I got a little more travel, while still not running on the release bearing.

 

[1990AWD]

Don't have much new to post, just been driving the car and learning to tune (I have a separate thread for my tuning woes). Just running 16psi right now but car pulls pretty good.

 

[1990AWD]

Yesterday I finally was able to work on the car a little. I torched the front crash brace thing until there's really only enough left to bolt the bumper cover on. I also cut the bumper cover a little, just to get more airflow into the intercooler without doing the full hitler stache.

My intake temps used to rise 40-50* on a pull, now maybe 25*. Free easy mod.