Check for vacuum leaks.

I agree, if the entire Pressure Plate is thinner or if the Flywheel is thinner.

Yes, by removing the shims your fork would sit more to the passenger side in your pic, so the slave would be further extended at rest. Not exactly the position you need. IMO your fork looks pretty good like that (because it's shimmed). The bigger question is why you need a shim. If everything is...

The slave cylinder likes to trap an air bubble that doesn't come out easily. Bleed it out like normal from the pedal, as the bleeder is open push the slave all the way in by hand, hold it and then close the bleeder.Also your shim sounds like too much unless your flywheel has been machined a...

It's a 4g63 NA right? It's the same PN as the turbo model - MB436741. This mount is also the same with an Automatic and Manual trans. Not so much for the other mount and two roll stops.

This should be your left side mount: https://www.rockauto.com/en/partsearch/?partnum=MB436741Note that it has two rubber stopper/cushions, one on each side of the mount that are not included with the mount. Also if your old mount is totally shot, the exhaust flex section takes a burden from...

Could just be an unbalanced tire or four.

I'm lucky to get to 200 spirited city miles before my low fuel light comes on (1g AWD). Takes about 12.5 gallons, so that's about 15-16mpg. I believe the tank holds ~16 gallons, but I'm not a fan of running it dry.

Probably a china turbo then. Yes, even a good-used manifold would be better than a chinabay header (if that's what it is). No matter what, it's going to be a project car. Looks like it's been sitting for a while. What's your mechanic ability? Because you're going to have to go through it with a...

Upper timing belt cover. Unsure if the headers are china, if they are they often crack and warp. Any rust on the strut towers? What's the mod list?

Yes, remove the drive plate and drive plate adapter from the crank and then remove the starter plate from the block. You will need something to hold the crank, probably the crank bolt on the front side, to remove the 7 bolts from the drive plate.

Valve stem seals and/or turbo seals could also be to blame.

I'm curious why you think you need bottom-end work? FWIW, I put 270k miles on my original bottom end and 200k on the head. At only 78k on yours, and unless something is damaged or you want to build it, it may not be necessary to mess with the bottom end.That being said, I used the ACL Aluglied...

Not likely unless you were shooting sparks with the Milwaukee

The step needs to be cut deeper in relation to the PP mount surface. So theoretically the supposed "scotch-brite disc on Milwaukee drill" could have slightly helped if only used on the friction surface.