Did I buy a Lemon?

[UndeadTSI92]

I just recently bought an Eagle Talon TSI. I paid $1,600 for the car. It won't move far without overheating. It needs new fenders, hood, TSI passenger side skirt, rims and tires, paint job, CD player, driver side visor, hatch hydrolics, valve cover gasket, blue smoke comes out of exhaust, oil gauge does not work Idles harder than any car I have ever seen, eats babies, and needs a tune up really bad. I have never seen a DSM with only 150k have so many problems. I might needs new piston rings too for all i know. I just need to know why it is overheating. When i got it I had to drive it 300 miles between 80 and 95 MPH without a problem. When I got close to home was the first time it overheated. The only after market modification is a short throw shifter and it has a rebuilt transmission. Any suggestions would be helpful. I would like to know what i could replace some of the parts with to make the car run better if not gain a little power.

 

[vr6chris]

well, as far as you buying a lemon. i think you know what you were getting yourself into, by listing the amount of things it needs, and the problems it has. as far as over heating, check if the fans work, thermostat etc. It might need rings as you said it is blowing blue smoke. Probably the best thing to do right now, would be to change the timing belt, replace o2 sensor, spark plugs, etc. pretty much the basic tune up to see if the car starts running any better. but you definately have some work to take car of. good luck

 

[eagletalon_1800]

I just recently bought an Eagle Talon TSI. I paid $1,600 for the car. It won't move far without overheating. It needs new fenders, hood, TSI passenger side skirt, rims and tires, paint job, CD player, driver side visor, hatch hydrolics, valve cover gasket, blue smoke comes out of exhaust, oil gauge does not work Idles harder than any car I have ever seen, eats babies, and needs a tune up really bad. I have never seen a DSM with only 150k have so many problems. I might needs new piston rings too for all i know. I just need to know why it is overheating. When i got it I had to drive it 300 miles between 80 and 95 MPH without a problem. When I got close to home was the first time it overheated. The only after market modification is a short throw shifter and it has a rebuilt transmission. Any suggestions would be helpful. I would like to know what i could replace some of the parts with to make the car run better if not gain a little power.

k well the blue smoke comming out of the exhaust means that your valve guides are probably worn and in order to fix that you would have to take the head off and put some sleeves in them or rebuild the entire head which is prob what you would have to do. and the over heating part might be that your rad is clogged up and maybe you will need to do a rad flush and hopefully that will work and maybe if u haven't already check the hoses and maybe try looking at the rad and see if it has missing spots of huge dents stuff like that.

 

[UndeadTSI92]

Appriciate it. I kinda did know what i was getting myself into but getting a hold of a DSM in southern Indiana is so hard. I just took what i could get and I like the body of the Talon. I have the oil filter and a new PCV valve and plan to change the oil tomorrow as well as i have some NGK spark plugs coming in tomorrow. It has brand new belts. The fans work and I was going to try the thermostat next and if that doesnt work i am going to check radiator and fluids and such, but is there something other than that I may need to look at?

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

When you say new belts, do you have proof of the timing belt, balance shaft belt, waterpump being done? Also, the timing pullies should be done and the timing belt tensioner. All of these components are part of a very thorough timing belt job. Just new accesory belts don't cut it.

Are you aware that the engines are interferenece design? If the timing belt breaks or skips a tooth or 2, it could bust the head, and possibly cause piston or bottom end damage.

Just the above 60K maintenance is about $400 in parts, you can do it a little cheaper if you buy cheaper timing belt, etc.. Most people recomend OEM on all of the above.

The waterpump you could skip if you are short on cash, but you are gonna be in there anyway, so best to do it now. Murphy's law; If you don't then that goes out next

Oil (Synthetic is better especially for turbo cars, but if you are burning oil might wanna just use dino till you get that taken care of), oil filter, fuel filter, plugs and plug wires (NGK is fine on both). By the way never use any platinum or other fancy plugs, just the basic NGK's, once a year in a turbo car is good, lots of heat in there.

Change transmission gear oil, transfer case, rear diff. Of course these are at your discretion, personally I say at least change the gear oil. Get the right kind: Redline MT90, or GM Sychromesh, or BG Synchromesh. The Redline is thicker, probably protects better, just my own personal belief; the synchromesh stuff is thinner, but shift faster/smoother. If you go sychromesh, better change more often though.

Inspect your ECU (search for more info).

Compression test. Leakdown test.

Run some seafoam thru your intake to remove carbon (but if you want to do this, do it before the oil and plug change, otherwise put off till the next time you want to change plugs, oil, cause it dirtys both.

Determine whether the oil burning is the rings, or valve seals or both. If it only burns some oil after sitting idling, then it's probably just the valve seals, if it burns it constantly after warming up, it's the rings probably.

You can use some Lucas Oil Stabilizer if you want a bandaid for not burining oil. Don't add any more then needed, cause it does thicken the oil. Works good on bad rings, valve seals.

Check tire air pressure, make sure all 4 tires are the same size, treadware, diameter: It sounds almost silly to point that out, but with AWD, all 4 tires must match exactly in tread wear, and diameter. Otherwise it can damage the vicous coupler (AWD setup).

Of course you probably will want to fix it the right way by rebuilding the bottom end, or re-ringing, and/or the head.

Used parts are on eBay and at: www.dsmtrader.com

OEM parts: www.mitsubishiparts.com

Welcome, good luck.

 

[DGajre777]

Change transmission gear oil, transfer case, rear diff. Of course these are at your discretion, personally I say at least change the gear oil. Get the right kind: Redline MT90, or GM Sychromesh, or BG Synchromesh. The Redline is thicker, probably protects better, just my own personal belief; the synchromesh stuff is thinner, but shift faster/smoother. If you go sychromesh, better change more often though.

BG Synchromesh? Do you mean Syncho Shift? Or is there a BG Synchromesh out there too?

Anyone know why RRE states, "Syncro Shift is for use in the transmission only. On AWD cars for the transfer case and rear differential we recommend Red Line's Heavy Weight Shock Proof Gear Lube"?
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/eclfluids.htm

I always thought that you could put the Synchromesh or Synchro Shift in the tranny, x-case and the rear diff.

 

[gsnoturbo90]

i bought my car for 1,000 and granted its a 90 with no turbo but i swear on my life its in perfect condition there like 3 dings on the car 2 of wich i got while driving it. sounds like you got yourself into a big mess thats gonna take some time and money.good luck

 

[DSM90AWD]

First thing I'd do is a compression/leakdown test. Buring oil + overheating sounds alot like a blown headgasket / cracked or warped Head to me.

May also want to check your coolant overflow for traces of oil and drain your oil looking for discoloration and traces of coolant which could also confirm the above.

BTW.. $1,600 is ALOT of money for a '92 DSM in the described condition. Edmunds values your car at about $580.

Ouch

 

[talondude4]

$1,600 why? It sounds like you got it from a scrap yard man.

 

[willsdsm]

well the over heating could just be as simple as the radiarot cap seal being dryrotted and letting you run low on coolant, or as bad as a blown head gasked what have you checked so far?

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Well around here, $1500-$2000 is the average price for a fixer-upper AWD or Turbo car, I even see NT's going for that much.

A good condition clean 1G AWD with no "known issues" goes for around $3500 (with over 100K miles, original engine/tranny/turbo. And you know it's gonna need something within a year or 2 of driving it.

So I don't think he did as bad as what some of you guys are saying.

When I say Snychromesh I mean it in the braod term of all the "Synchro Gear oils", forgive me if I got it wron on the BG, it's enough to get him pointed in the right direction.

NO: do not put synchromesh in the Transfer Case, or the Rear Diff, WAY TOO THIN! Redline Shockproof or any other gear oil that is thick enough will work for those.

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Check your coolant level first of all, report back.

Best to start a new post for each seperate issue, with the title of the post being specific to the issue, so people will see it, and those with experience with that particular issue will answer.

Don't try to do it all in one post, it won't work.

 

[Spoolin4Ever]

Did you buy a lemon? Yes, but we all did! hehe Welcome to the club!

Welcome to the Hotel DSM, you can checkout but you can never leave!

 

[UndeadTSI92]

well the over heating could just be as simple as the radiarot cap seal being dryrotted and letting you run low on coolant, or as bad as a blown head gasked what have you checked so far?

It isn't a blown head gasket and the transmission has been rebuilt and I called the man that had it before me he said he had the shockproof in the transfer case which kinda threw me off for a second cause the man has no idea what cars are about. I have no milky substance in the oil and i don't think the headgasket is blown. It is a little low on coolant and am checking around for busted hoses. The radiator isnt in the best of shape but i think it will do. I am going to flush it as soon as i get the tags to move it. I will be taking it from where I have it now and posting it up in my garage for a few weeks. The old rubber Intake hose has hole in it. What happened there i have no clue. So it has been eating dirty air like woa. For now i will stick with my trusty Mazda MX3 till things are fixed.

 

[UndeadTSI92]

Well around here, $1500-$2000 is the average price for a fixer-upper AWD or Turbo car, I even see NT's going for that much.

A good condition clean 1G AWD with no "known issues" goes for around $3500 (with over 100K miles, original engine/tranny/turbo. And you know it's gonna need something within a year or 2 of driving it.

So I don't think he did as bad as what some of you guys are saying.QUOTE]

I guess I didn't do too bad then.