96 Eclipse GS Clean Build

[mitecl96]

Car: 1996 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS.

History:
I bought this car back in January 2011 for $1800. The girl I bought it from only had it for a few months, still had the other owner on the title. The car was in a great need of new tires. All of them were showing metal and one was starting to be misshaped. The paint was completely dull. The rims had chips all over them. The reverse lights and the corner lights where tinted with black spray paint. The sunroof was siliconed in, literally. You could remover the sunroof if you cut the silicone. There was cheap eBay coil over sleeves on just three of the corners. The passenger side front was still stock. . The engine was hard to start and you had to rev on it till it warmed up or it would die. She claimed the A/C worked but it was missing a little computer thing under the dash. Simple fix, took my friends. The interior was a bit of a mess the head unit was held in with electric tape, and the harness was hacked and only two speakers work. I believe that was it.

My Standing Goal
Right now my goal is to get everything fixed and working while I try to make it look better. Also, to make it do good in a rally thing they do near me, where you have a cone coarse and you race the clock. Didn't get to enter this year but hoping to next year.

What Has Been Done

• Paint Restore Post #1
• Rims Painting Post #1
• Suspension Post #3
• System Post #4
• Dash LED Post #8
• Engine Teardown Post #10
• Engine Bay Clean Up And rebuild Post #11 - 36
• Random Add-ons And Shaved Valve Cover Post #43 - 45
• Suspension After A Year Post #45
• Front End Post #71
• Cut And Polishing Paint Post #72
• Header and Muffler post #79

Currently Working on

• Saving Money

Paint Restore

The paint has no clear coat and was painted by a retard. So when I was saving up for tires I used rubbing compound, polishing compound, and than wax to bring it back to a shine where they didn't take care of the paint. It took a month long of "wax on and wax off". And one buff are ha.

Rims Painting

Decided to paint the rims that where on it to make then look way better. Turned out better than I planned.

First I had to sand them smooth and get the chips out. Took about 10 hours to sand just one rim. But it was well worth it. Mad the end product way better.

Than of course I used primmer. I used Rustoleum from Lowes. Worked great.

Then I painted the red lip and than painted the black and had to do it right so I painted the back also. I used Rustoleum red and black. The paint is holding up great. Doesn't chip easy.

My car was kicked outside and put on jack stands. She makes me feel like that is what she likes.

Finally done and I love it.

 

[Custom GSX]

The rims look good, got to love spray paint. hopefully you cleared them alot or used body paint clear coat.

 

[mitecl96]

December of last year I spun out and went into a ditch backwards and the only damage was that it ripped the fog lights out. So then I decided it is time to fix the suspension. Because my car was not lowered right I had bad camber and within a year it ate up my new $450 tires. Hint why I spun out.

I went and ordered parts and as I was waiting I started taking her apart.

Out with the old.

YAY New parts.
2" lowering springs.
1" shorter gas race shocks
Camber Kit (Don't get the cheap kit like I did. Here is why. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/hangout/437181-my-bad-day.html)
Polyurethane bushing kit.

The old and the new.

First I had to get the old bushing out which is harder than I planned. I had to take everything over to Gateway to get all the bearings pressed out. Cost $100 more than I planned.

Finally got them put in.

Had clearance issues. The front A-arms where hitting the frame but nothing a hammer couldn't fix.

Than in the back I had to roll my fenders with a nice hammer too.

Than the last thing was the shifter bushings. Still don't get how this my my shifter feel way different and better.

Now to see what it looks like on the ground. And get it to an alignment. Oh and tires. Another $450 for tires. So that's $900 in tires this car has seen from me and I have only had it for a year.

Now I was scared oh where my car was going to sit and how it would ride from stuff of eBay. But it ended up sitting perfect for me and it doesn't ride bad for as low as it is. Pretty smooth. And the handling, it is crazy. It can take turns way way faster than it use to and I can have some fun up on the mountain roads to the point it starts to scare me and I never hear the tires scream. It barely if any sways in the turns. That is with stock sway bars and no strut bars.

 

[mitecl96]

When I got the car. The audio system was trashed. The radio harness was hacked and no idea how anything worked. I could not go without music so I had to rig it to work till I could upgrade and fix. I had two switches I mounted under the radio. One to turn the radio on and the other to turn the amps on. The radio speaker hook ups didn't work so I had everything running off amps.

Well finally got around to it and finally installed a new radio and fixed everything. The right way.

A Pioneer Head Unit
A 12" PR Memphis Sub.
Two Eclipse Amps.

Got the interior stripped out to run everything nice and tucked.

Had to drill 4 holes in the frame to get the power wire into the car.

The sub.

Mounted the amps to the back of the sets.

Had a problem with the seats up the amps hit the panels. Simple fit and looked good.

After that was out of the way it was time to mount the cap and the power and ground wires, And the rest.

Then it was time to get everything in. Looks nice and custom. Only thing left to change is the old box I build for my truck and get the second sub.

 

[ajpm26]

for just a gs, props for actually taking care of it.

 

[mitecl96]

Thanks. It started in bad shape just trying to male it look better.

 

[NathanCarlK]

Very Well done man, showed some true skill!

 

[mitecl96]

Dash LED conversion

First of all I want to thank WES_393 for taking before pictures for me because I forgot to.
I got all the info I needed from these forms.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-exterior-interior/274519-how-light-gauge-cluster-leds.html

I got all my LEDs off ebay and I got way, way more than needed, top be on the safe side. It took about a month to do but that was messing with ideas and waiting for the LEDs to get here

Don't have much pictures up here of me putting it together because something is messed up but here are all the end results.

Go here to see more
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/hangout/438480-need-pictures-please.html

 

[sypherzero]

View attachment 143823

Deerpark water, FTMFW! Haha, looking good man!

 

[mitecl96]

Engine Tear Down

Went to visit my dad for two weeks got back home and took my car for a cruise. Half way through my cruise I spun two rod bearings. Great way to come back home when your completely broke and just spent your last $60 to fill your car up with gas.
Got to working on getting the engine out and torn apart.

Got her all apart.

Dirty

Rod bearing #2

Rod bearing #3

 

[mitecl96]

With my engine out and in the process of being rebuild. Just a stock rebuild.
I decided to clean up the engine bay and repaint it.

I used heavy duty oven cleaner, Dollar General Brand. It worked way better than I thought it would do.

I let it dry over night and got right to masking and taping it off. Once I grabbed a can I heard thunder. Hit panic mode and got it cover two minutes before it started pouring down like crazy.

After it stopped raining for half an hour I uncovered and got right to spraying primer.

I gave that the time to dry and it was time for red.

Than it was time to mask of for the satin black.

Ripped off the paper like I was unwrapping a Christmas gift.

Got some of the lines painted on bolted on and one of the harnesses. Waiting on other stuff to dry.

 

[Josh97eclipse]

Wire tuck it.

 

[mitecl96]

I really want to but don't really have the money. Still haven't got to start my rebuild on my motor. Having to wait to save up for the machine shop.

Update On Bay Clean
Got the fuse box and computer in and the everything thing else just waiting on my motor.

 

[mitecl96]

Well really haven't got much done on the rebuild still waiting for some more money. Hopefully I'll be able to get my crank turned and block honed. Then get everything cleaned.

Have been painting everything that needs high heat paint for the motor.

The valve cover was so badly painted and chipped I had to completely strip the paint off and clean it. Then got it painted.

 

[Josh97eclipse]

It costs nothing to wire tuck. I bought a multi spool of different gauge wire from harbor freight for 40, sodder for 12 and heat shrink and electrical tape. about 60 bucks total. Made the bay so much cleaner.

 

[Boosted DSM 32]

Did you just use spray paint to paint the engine bay?? That looks awesome! Honestly has more shine to it than stock nice work restoring

 

[mitecl96]

It costs nothing to wire tuck. I bought a multi spool of different gauge wire from harbor freight for 40, sodder for 12 and heat shrink and electrical tape. about 60 bucks total. Made the bay so much cleaner.

The only problem I see that I might not like is that the driver side will be to clutter free and the passenger side is still cluttered because of the power steering, a/c, and the vacuum and evap system. That would cause it not to look right. I've been wanting to do a wire tuck but that's what is stopping me. I've been thinking about just putting my intake filter over there and making an air box.

Did you just use spray paint to paint the engine bay?? That looks awesome! Honestly has more shine to it than stock nice work restoring

Yeah, I use the spray paint from Walmart. It's called Krylon. I didn't use clear either because it holds up pretty good. I have painted my friends BMW with it white. Nobody believed that it was spray paint. I'll look to see if I can find a picture but he sold it. We didn't use clear on it either but held up great afterburners cured for a couple days.
I wish I could paint my car though but it takes to long to do it right. Taking allergen trim off, doors, fenders, Hood, and hatch. I like to do it right so it's hard to tell it was painted.

And thanks I just hope I get it running soon.

Just found some pictures on Facebook of the BMW.
Before

Ready for primer.

And Done.

 

[Boosted DSM 32]

wow that looks great for spray paint good job bro! and that engine bay looks awesome nice work

 

[cammons]

Awesome Very Nice

 

[mitecl96]

Finally got to do a little with the block. Got it honed and cleaned. Ready for me to throw new parts at her. But first I couldn't have the engine bay all fresh and painted, I had to paint the block.

I want to peel the tape off but I decided to keep it on there and so nothing can get sown in the block so it can stay clean. I'm sure it's going to be sitting in the plastic container for awhile. :-(

 

[mitecl96]

Got more done. Got everything painted now. Got the carbon off the head and cleaned it up. Had to get a spark plug thread chaser because d.a. previous owner had screwed something up and you couldn't really tighten up the spark plugs because they had that feel like they where about to strip. Feel right now.

My little work shop.

Still waiting to get my crank turned. Ran into a problem. We can't get the crank sprocket off to get the oil pump off. Broke and bent the bolts for the puller. Trying to figure out how to get that off.

 

[buhay6]

wow man, your doing a great job. Makes me think about getting a 2g but going the n/t route......why have 2 turbo monster money pits when you can have one and a reliable dd!

 

[mitecl96]

Thanks. I'm just trying to make her look good as a dd. I do want to get a second one with awd. But really am having to wait with that. I also want to in the future see what power is possible out of these little 420as.

But right now I just need to figure out a way to get this crank sprocket off.

 

[4g63tc]

Funny my GSX always broke down after putting a full tank in it, so for a while I ended up only going to 3/4, and kissing the rabbit's foot.

 

[mitecl96]

Yeah, always happened to me. When the voltage regulator went. When I busted my oil pan. Now the rod bears. It was also the same with my truck. At the gas station filled both tanks up about $150 in gas and the starter went out. But good thing that was an easy fix. Just got a new starter and put in there. I miss having a off the ground car didn't need a Jack for everything.