91 Eagle Talon TSI AWD

[944g63]

So right now I'm in the process of changing the head gasket on a DSM I recently purchased.

Here's some pictures:

The famous DSM trailer shot.

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The stock engine.

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The odometer says 242,000 but the body is pretty clean!

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BFG's!

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Stock 14b.

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The car in its new home for a while.

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The "home-made" boost controller from the previous owner. I plan on replacing it with a Hallman.

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My progress.

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Upon removing the exhaust manifold I noticed one port was wet, and oily looking. I asked some guys at another forum and they said its my valve seals, so I added that to my parts list too.

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Closeup:

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Comparison:

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And check out this oil return line, the side pictured was connected to the turbo!

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The exhaust manifold looks good with no visible cracks.

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And this is what happened when I set the crank pulley to TDC. I'm guessing the exhaust side is off by a tooth or so?

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And the crank pulley, I'm wondering if I should replace this because of the chip in the side of it.

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[bryanwheat]

You need a gallon of purple power and a spray bottle on that engine. Those cylinders don't look real bad, i would bet that you still have decent compression, if in doubt pour some oil in them and see if it drains thru the rings fast.

 

[dsmlover07]

Nice project man, looks like fun, and a nice build coming along.

 

[944g63]

just kind of a side question what hp level of boost pressure should a good headgasket and arp studs be installed?

Well considering the mods I'm putting on the car I plan to run about 15-16 psi with the stock turbo. The ARP's were already on the car.

But others have ran an OEM composite headgasket and ARP studs to 30+psi. But from what I have read the stock 6 bolt head bolts are plenty strong to hold high boost.

You need a gallon of purple power and a spray bottle on that engine. Those cylinders don't look real bad, i would bet that you still have decent compression, if in doubt pour some oil in them and see if it drains thru the rings fast.

I will try this. What results should I look for, and what would those results mean about the condition of the engine? I'm just hoping that the bottom end will hold up till I can save up money to build one up.

Nice project man, looks like fun, and a nice build coming along.

Thank you, hopefully I can order all my parts and start putting it back together soon.

 

[olddsmer]

If you just want to use standard oem type parts, look at "Parts Dinosaur". He has some pretty good pricing on 4G63 stuff.


Regards
Greg

 

[944g63]

If you just want to use standard oem type parts, look at "Parts Dinosaur". He has some pretty good pricing on 4G63 stuff.


Regards
Greg

Thanks for the tip I will have to check out that site. Do they offer OEM or is it like topline and such?

But my name is also Greg, haha.

 

[jimbob_843]

Man deffinately flush that buildup from the coolant passages!! Good progress there. Idk about the cyl walls tho... probably gonna have some very low compression. I would hone and re ring.

 

[944g63]

Man deffinately flush that buildup from the coolant passages!! Good progress there. Idk about the cyl walls tho... probably gonna have some very low compression. I would hone and re ring.

How would you flush the block? I don't really have the tools to pull the motor out at the moment. So I'm hoping I can run the bottom end until I get another 6 bolt block to build.

 

[white92talontsi]

No need to pull the engine to re-hone.

You can carefully cover the crank while it is still in the block and use one of the cheap blade type hones from your local auto parts store to rehone the cylinders.

It may be your best interest to pull the pistons anyway. Judging by the head gasket the car was ran a little lean and probably suffered some detonation in the process.

If it were mine I would pull the pistons and check them out real good especially check to make sure the ring lands are not cracked.

Re-hone and re-ring it and ride on.

 

[944g63]

No need to pull the engine to re-hone.

You can carefully cover the crank while it is still in the block and use one of the cheap blade type hones from your local auto parts store to rehone the cylinders.

It may be your best interest to pull the pistons anyway. Judging by the head gasket the car was ran a little lean and probably suffered some detonation in the process.

If it were mine I would pull the pistons and check them out real good especially check to make sure the ring lands are not cracked.

Re-hone and re-ring it and ride on.

I didn't know that you could really hone the block with it still in the car. So you just take out the rods and pistons and do that? But hopefully I can find a killer deal on a set of pistons and rings because I wasn't exactly planning on messing with the bottom end yet.

But I'm pretty sure the car was ran lean too. I'm thinking the PO just turned up the boost and drove, and now this is the result. Now I'm thinking I should just pick up a long block from SIM.

 

[white92talontsi]

I didn't know that you could really hone the block with it still in the car. So you just take out the rods and pistons and do that? But hopefully I can find a killer deal on a set of pistons and rings because I wasn't exactly planning on messing with the bottom end yet.

But I'm pretty sure the car was ran lean too. I'm thinking the PO just turned up the boost and drove, and now this is the result. Now I'm thinking I should just pick up a long block from SIM.

Yep you sure can, On a 1g it is super simple honestly.

 

[944g63]

Yep you sure can, On a 1g it is super simple honestly.

Should I replace the rods and bearings too?

 

[Jon91TSi]

Haha I should have done that too. But I could have bought a clean 1g with a lot of searching, but got this car for pretty cheap. I figured that with the left over money I had I could just bring this car back to life. There's been quiet a few headaches but what did I expect?

I'm going to try to patch up the existing harness in the car, but I'm hoping I can find a stock harness. This will go with my plans to run ECMLink in the future and I want to relocate the fuse box inside the cabin.

Can't go wrong with a cheap car. I spent $400 for my 2nd 91. The interior needed a complete replacement and the engine was overheated pretty bad (haven't opened that Pandora's box yet), but the car was owned by a guy in his 60's, so everything is there and unhacked and very stock so I don't have any un-doing. Just fixing, which I don't mind. I should be able to get into the engine as time allows in the early spring. I have a build blog going as well. Good luck with all your work!

 

[92mitsubishi]

really nice find you got yourself i like those rims

 

[thomcasey]

Your rods and pistons should be fine. Just hone and install new rings. Make sure you get a mechanics punch ($6 @ harbor freight) and mark each rod and it's cap, this way they are re-installed on the right rod and in the right direction. This will also give you the opportunity to inspect the rod bearings.

 

[944g63]

Your rods and pistons should be fine. Just hone and install new rings. Make sure you get a mechanics punch ($6 @ harbor freight) and mark each rod and it's cap, this way they are re-installed on the right rod and in the right direction. This will also give you the opportunity to inspect the rod bearings.

What does this mechanics punch do? I haven't ventured much into bottom ends and such. I know what all components go into the head and how to check them. The bottom end is where I'm going to get lost.

 

[thomcasey]

All you do is push it on the part, it is spring loaded So it will mark it when it clicks. It makes it easy to mark each rod and rod cap to they are matched and oriented properly

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[944g63]

I'm slowly making progress on my dsm still. I installed a new walbro 255, and I also re-wired the fuel pump. When I was tightening the power connect at the bottom of the sending unit I broke off the treads. Right now I just have a 1/4" bolt through the old space and the power lines connected through the bolt. I'm wondering if anyone else ran into this problem and maybe a better way to fix it.

I also took apart the head, I used a 8"c-clamp and an o2 socket to compress the springs then I removed the keepers. All of the valves slid out with no resistance but I'm replacing them anyways. With my next pay check I'm going to take my head to get resurfaced and the new bronze guides installed.

Lastly I'm looking for an impact gun to remove the crank bolt. Then I can install the new front case.

 

[tsd123]

+1 on parts dinosaur. I bought all my timing components, and water pump from him. Looks like a good project. I had to do all that fun stuff after I bought mine.

 

[bryanwheat]

Why are you replacing the valves and guides, the stock items are good for many more miles than what you have. A good cleaning of the head, a resurface and a valve job is all you need. Also it is very easy to get the crank bolt out. Just attach a breaker bar to the bolt, wedge it between the control arm and swap bar and hit the key. The engine turning from the starter is plenty enough to get the bolt out.

 

[944g63]

Why are you replacing the valves and guides, the stock items are good for many more miles than what you have. A good cleaning of the head, a resurface and a valve job is all you need. Also it is very easy to get the crank bolt out. Just attach a breaker bar to the bolt, wedge it between the control arm and swap bar and hit the key. The engine turning from the starter is plenty enough to get the bolt out.

I already have the guides but I just figured it would be best to replace them with the new valves. And I'm not sure of how many miles these items do have on them.

Also my motor is taken apart so I don't see that method working to remove the crank bolt.

 

[1995 brian]

Hey man were did you get this car? Does it have leather seats that are all busted up?

 

[944g63]

Hey man were did you get this car? Does it have leather seats that are all busted up?

I bought the car in south Denver, I believe that is Lakewood? But yes the front seats are trashed but the rear seats are mint.

 

[bryanwheat]

I already have the guides but I just figured it would be best to replace them with the new valves. And I'm not sure of how many miles these items do have on them.

Also my motor is taken apart so I don't see that method working to remove the crank bolt.

Most new valves that aren't ss are bad quality unless you go with oem. The oem valves in your head can be used for 500k+ miles. You can have the face on the valve re ground with a fresh angle and the valve will be as good as a new valve.

 

[944g63]

Most new valves that aren't ss are bad quality unless you go with oem. The oem valves in your head can be used for 500k+ miles. You can have the face on the valve re ground with a fresh angle and the valve will be as good as a new valve.

Well the valves and guides I purchased are supertech brand. I figured that freshening the head up would help me a little performance wise. But how do the guides hold up?

 

[dsm44130]

I personally would at least throw some new rings in there and ball hone those cylinders , I bet one of those rings is cracked if not brittle enough to break .