$850 95 GSX Build

[awild]

Parts wish list: 6bolt $350, act 2100 (sbr 2100), short shifter $25, Wheels/Tires, lowering springs, evoIII 16g, dsmlink, bigger injectors+fuel pump, fpr, fp gauge, boost gauge, mbc, egt gauge, gauge pod, full exhaust, fmic...is that too much to ask for? Oh and how about a radio dammit. bold = bought

1995 Eclipse GSX 5spd 133k. Ran rough and wouldnt idle without holding the gas down. Mainly stock at purchase other than front strut bar and unidentified aftermarket bov

Day 1 - Got it home on a flatbed. $850 car w/ terrible paint (painted 3 times). $125 tow.

Day 2 - Pulled plugs. They were f'd. Going to put in some new NGK's and then do a compression test.
UPDATE - Plugs went in, car starts and if you hold the gas it will stay on. Dies without pressing gas pedal.

Day 3 - Plans are to check plug wire firing order, do a compression test, check all possible major boost leaks visually, adjust BISS if needed.

Day 4 - Checked firing order = good. Discovered that the valve cover was cracked in the front inside by the plugs. Gotta hold everything else off until I get a new one on there.

Day 5 - Ran a compression test. From left to right the numbers are 170, 180, 30, 50. Added some oil in the low ones and rose to 50 and 80. Head gasket or rings?

Day 6 - Confirmed EPROM! Not much else I can do until I figure out if it's going to be a redone head/rings or 6 bolted.

Day 7 - Scrapping what I can of the 7 bolt with 133k on it and pulling it out. It's getting a 6 bolt.

Day 8 - Removed front bumper/headlights and SMIC and SMIC piping.

Day 9 - Removed turbo, exhaust manifold, radiator, drained oil. Took quick pics with my phone

Day 11 - Drained trans and transfer case. Removed transfer case and all but one bolt of the intake manifold.

Day 12 - Trans is out

Day 13 - Engine is out

 

[93_tsi_fwd]

Got a good deal there man. post up some pictures

 

[awild]

Will do once it's kinda light out.

 

[gage333]

wow! 850 for a gsx??? thats awesome dude... is it driveable???

 

[awild]

In theory yes....but there's an idling/starting issue. Once that's solved it's 100% drivable. Needs a few other things like paint, and what not but couldn't pass.

 

[qwik-gst]

thats awsome man. i just got a 95 gst with same problem. but mine was fixed with changing the plugs.

 

[MichaelSuch]

Great deal, I paid $900 for my '92 GS-T with crappy paint and a bad door, only thing wrong with mine is it smoked a little but not anymore!

 

[awild]

I need to look into the firing order on my plugs. They might be criss crossed considering the previous plugs were absolutely screwed.

 

[bluegs03]

hey man what did the compression come out as ### when thats bad things start getting expensive quick!

 

[awild]

bluegs03 - I'm doing the test in a few hours when I get home from work. not sure as of yet. Going to be tough to get super accurate numbers since I can't keep the car running long enough to warm up the engine.

 

[Ravenous]

Check your coolant temp sensor wiring, when I was having problems starting and keeping my car running that was the culprit. If you have a logger you can check the temps and if they aren't close to ambient that would be the problem.

 

[awild]

I would think a CEL would be thrown on my OBDII scanner if the cts was the problem. But then again you never know with a dsm

 

[NeedDSMinMyLife]

Thats Damn good! Pick it up From a private owner...
Salvage, Auto Auction???

 

[awild]

Private owner, clean title! Can't wait to get it going around the autox circuit.

 

[awild]

Ran a compression test. From left to right the numbers are 170, 180, 30, 50. Added some oil in the low ones and rose to 50 and 80. Head gasket or rings?

 

[knochgoon24]

Have you taken a peek to see whether you have and EPROM ECU yet?

 

[awild]

Didn't even think about it. I will tomorrow. Got the whole console out right now anyways. Keeping fingers crossed for the eprom ecu

 

[evileclipse909]

Sounds like you got a blown head gasket between cylinders 1 and 2. the low compression wil give you a missfire.

 

[awild]

Confirmed that it has an EPROM ECU

 

[beniger]

right on brotha i just got a 90 gst today for 400. all stock won't start

 

[50trimmed1g]

Thats cool man. It feels great to get a car for so cheap. I picked up a 97 gsx with rod knock for 1000 dollars flat. Bought a used motor for 250 and am running around in 2g gsx for under 1500 with registration and everything included. Best part is it came with a front mount Ic, evo3 16g and a full 3 inch exhaust and an hks bov. As for your compression issue you should get a compressor and perform a leak down test. They sell the part you need which screws into the spark plug wells at any auto store. You basically pressurize each cylinder while it is at top dead center, and listen for where the air is rushing out. Either of the manifolds=valves, oil cap= rings, cooling system=headgasket. Let us know what it was.

 

[awild]

Day 7 - 100% not reusuing the original engine. it's getting a 6 bolt

 

[awild]

Day 8 - Removed front bumper/headlights and SMIC and SMIC piping.

 

[awild]

Day 9 - Removed turbo, exhaust manifold, radiator, drained oil. Took quick pics with my phone

 

[awild]

Day 10 - Bought a complete rebuilt 6 bolt w/ appx 98k w/ 14b turbo, 6 bolt fly and oem clutch for $350