Hi everyone just bought my 99 rs this past Sept. it was at 64,999 its now at 67k. No maintenance has ever been done on it yet since I received it on my part and now the time has come.Since I had a leak for my upper hose and a worn out power steering ac belt figured I might as well do everything. What should I do? I want to do all the required maintenance so my car is running in top form. People said something about tensioner's do I have to buy a whole new gear then? If so which one? The parts I got so far are waterpump, thermostat,doing the timing belt, power steering ac belts because I heard chirps and those belts are worn, upper & lower hose. I do plan on buying headgaskets and rings. Which rings are the one I replace then piston rings? I cant even drive my car at the moment until I do all these things. Someone please help me thank you. Let me know if I am missing anything. I do also plan to flush fluids out. If I am missing something please help a newbie out like me thanks everyone.

when they say tensioner they are talking about your hydraulic timing tensioner here is one on e-bay for example eBay Motors: 95-99 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GS RS HYDRAULIC TENSIONER 420A (item 170188862442 end time Feb-01-08 10:20:21 PST) if your going to all this trouble you might as well do it to

I wouldnt take on a job like piston rings until you know more about your engine. Plus with only 67k, you do not need to be replacing rings. If you are worried about the condition of the rings do a quick compression test, wet and dry.

If youre going to jump into doing maintenance on that side of the engine, go with an OEM timing belt and tensioner, water pump, and new belts. Check the condition of your idlers with a quick spin check. Same with your alternator.

A good radiator flush requires a very nice machine that Im sure you dont have. Any shop should have one. Throwing in new clutch fluid (or AT fluid +filter) and engine oil + filter is a good idea.

mitsocruiser said:

when they say tensioner they are talking about your hydraulic timing tensioner here is one on e-bay for example eBay Motors: 95-99 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GS RS HYDRAULIC TENSIONER 420A (item 170188862442 end time Feb-01-08 10:20:21 PST) if your going to all this trouble you might as well do it to

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I will thanks plan to buy that one thank you, A question though what does the hydraulic tensioner do?

Keeps tension on your t belt so it wont jump teeth, why is it better to use oem timing belts? Ive seen kevlar ones that are a lot stronger than oem why wont those be good?

nfernotalon said:

Keeps tension on your t belt so it wont jump teeth, why is it better to use oem timing belts? Ive seen kevlar ones that are a lot stronger than oem why wont those be good?

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I should have said, non-OEM or similar belts of the same price range, tend to fail. The kevlar ones are nice.

Thanks for letting me know, bought aem cams for my timing belt figured I might as well as I was planning to do this mod anyway. Anyone know any good after market timing belts for 420a motors?

Lots of guys use the Greddy T belt. I see it as extra insurance.

I get all my OEM parts from "Mitsubishi Parts" | Online Parts & Accessories Catalog. They are nearly 40% off OEM price.

GReddy does not make timing belts for the 420a.

I just bought a PartsDinosaur timing belt kit yesterday, I always hear great things about that place.

absolute_DSM said:

The kevlar ones are nice.

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Sure they are. It would be even nicer if they made them for our engine.

OP, I use OEM belts on my race engines. NEVER had a problem and I rev over 8k. I would be quite comfortable putting the partsdinosaur belt on. I would (and do) source out my stock parts from bruce at partsdinosaur.

As for rings; you really need a reason to replace those. They are definitely not a maintenance item. Do you have low comp or or are you smoking a lot or something?

MB

Nothing is smoking or has low compression.

totaleclipse_05 said:

GReddy does not make timing belts for the 420a.

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Ah, sorry about that. Im 4g63 biased minded

d32a said:

Nothing is smoking or has low compression.

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No reason to do rings then.

But doing the HG now would not be a bad idea. If you are doing the belt then you are pretty close to being there.

MB

absolute_DSM said:

Ah, sorry about that. Im 4g63 biased minded

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One of the 700 plus horsepower drag evo 8 that english racing (portland or) built stretched the greddy T-belt, and ended up being off about 4 theeth after the end of its first run, they did the whole T-belt job in the pit area at pacific raceways and replaced it with an OEM T-belt, no problems since. When it comes down to it, its really hard to go wrong with OEM, unless there was a problem to begin with.

Back to the OP:

Buy a chiltons/ haynes guide, it'll give you detailed instructions one the inner workings of your new ride and how to do most things yourself.

There are two tensionors really. OUTside of the timing belt cover is the tension bearing that controls the Ac/power steering belt.
And inside the timing belt cover you have the more important tensionor (both the hydrolic cylinder and mechanical bearing itself) Also the idler bearing is in there too.

IF I WERE YOU......I'd look up what the 60K service would be at the dealership (look at the 90K as well) and just complete the work on that list.

bullettdsm said:

No reason to do rings then.

But doing the HG now would not be a bad idea. If you are doing the belt then you are pretty close to being there.

MB

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What is a hg?

Headgasket.

bullettdsm said:

OP, I use OEM belts on my race engines. NEVER had a problem and I rev over 8k.

MB

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You're the man. You're like the non-turbo guinea pig for all 2gnt's questioning the threshold of any part. And very credible at that. Awesome. . Keep doing what you do man.

Thanks, didn't know hg was headgasket. Also where does the hydraulic tensioner install by?

Blitzeclips said:

You're like the non-turbo guinea pig :

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, guinea pig. Yeah, I feel like that at times

BUT got another guinea pig item coming up (finally). I'll talk about it when I get it on the dyno.


MB

d32a said:

Thanks, didn't know hg was headgasket. Also where does the hydraulic tensioner install by?

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go here Team 2GNT Forums

Click on the engine block (top left), click on camshaft & valve(bottom left), look at the part numbers "03173-hydrolic tensionor".......and "01379-tensionor"


03173-hydrolic tensionor".......and "01379-tensionor

Thanks for letting me know. Hydraulic Tensioner coming Friday. Going to do my maintenance soon.

BigRand said:

go here Team 2GNT Forums

Click on the engine block (top left), click on camshaft & valve(bottom left), look at the part numbers "03173-hydrolic tensionor".......and "01379-tensionor"


03173-hydrolic tensionor".......and "01379-tensionor

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I already bought the hydraulic tensioner is it recommended I buy the other tensioner you are talking about 03179 as well? What is it called I have been looking for it in jnztuning? Anyone have a link for it thanks.

d32a said:

I already bought the hydraulic tensioner is it recommended I buy the other tensioner you are talking about 03179 as well? What is it called I have been looking for it in jnztuning? Anyone have a link for it thanks.

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03179 is just a bracket, no need to order a new one

Thanks ordered it and got it.