1G Did I Win the Lottery?

[Tina94]

This past weekend, I found a one owner ‘90 Laser turbo manual at an estate sale with 64k on the clock. I bid on it and won! And it’s rust free which is absolutely unheard of in Wisconsin for these cars. I’m pumped!

I’ve always thought these cars were awesome but have never owned one or gotten in depth with one. This one hasn’t run in a while, but with some fresh gas and a new battery, she started right up and drove enough to verify function of pretty much everything besides the passenger door handle!

My first goal is to get rid of the rough idle it’s got. I suspect a boost leak but don’t know yet. I changed out the oil idiot light sender and the oil pressure sender as those were bad.

Timing belt will be right after I chase down the rough idle. The car sat for years and I don’t want to take any chances with a brittle belt. Will do water pump and related pulleys and balance belt at the same time.

I’ve been researching the process since everything else I’ve ever worked on has been pushrod v8s with timing chains or gear-timed diesels. Any tips or input would be welcome! I read a great TSB but it seemed a lot more complex than I had anticipated.

I plan to keep the car very close to stock given how unique it is and just enjoy it as a summer cruiser. At least by me, every dsm has been rusted to hell and/or been romped on pretty bad. But emissions have to go, the factory exhaust has to
go, and I’d probably like to do the complete turbo/intercooler system with a front mount and a modestly upgraded turbo that will still allow a light comfortable clutch to live a long and happy life. Preferably on stock injectors since I know nothing about tuning these cars or anything running maf instead of speed density for that matter.

Would like to keep a build thread documenting this car’s transformation from a neglected heap that hasn’t been registered in 5 years into (hopefully) a great summer driver and clean 1G. Please feel free to reach out With any tips cause I know nothing about these!

I just wish it was another color, preferably teal...

 

[wparks]

Nice find man. No rust in Wisconsin? (Grandpa kept it in the garage?)

I always say, step one, get a Factory Service Manual. Volume 1 is the Engine, Chassis, Body, and Volume 2 is Electrical. They will be your best friend.

Rough idle- I find that the fine screens in the injectors tend to plug after the fuel turns to varnish- A good dose of injector cleaner is a good place to start. I'd also pull and check the plugs- probably never changed. Check the plug wires- cracks? Check for air leaks between the air filter assembly (where the MAF is) and the turbo intake (splits, cracks or loose clamps on the bellow intake) and of course boost leaks but I'd just search for cracks or loose clamps for now. You could pull the intake elbow off the throttle body and see how dirty the throttle body is, and if that's nasty you might want to proceed carefully there. (Don't just spray in throttle body cleaner- pull it and read the factory service manual) I'd also check the base timing- again, FSM. That's pretty sensitive and has a big impact on idle smoothness.

You know I have to give you a little bit of crap right? You find a beautiful, rust free 90 1G (a rare enough beast as is) and in Wisconsin of all places, you seem to respect that, by saying "I plan to keep the car very close to stock given how unique it is" and then with the very next breath detail how you want to rip out the intercooler, chop up the front end and put in a front mount intercooler, change the turbo, etc etc. Isn't that sort of what you have seen happening to these cars? 1G's are getting more and more rare, especially in good stock condition, and I see fewer and fewer owned and talked about on this forum, and that worries me. A problem I see too often is excited DSM owners who short cut maintenance, have too little respect for the original machine, see a cheap ticket to a thrill ride, and go too quickly to mods that really can't be reversed.

It's your car, your DSM experience, and WE have your back whatever you do, but as for my opinion only, I would take the time to commune with your car through a lot of good maintenance, get to know it, and build a deeper respect for some first class Japanese engineering, then maybe consider upgrades later. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

 

[97egl]

Congrats on a good find that you are happy with.!

I would seriously advise you to change the belt before doing anything including chasing down the rough idle. With 64k miles there's a good chance the belt is original and 32 years old. You don't want to be pulling the head to replace valves that were good when you bought the car.

 

[Mech Addict]

That is a great find. We need more photos on your profile of this time capsule. Wheels are definitely aftermarket, though the complement the more rounded shape of this car.
You should at least remove the upper timing cover so you can have a look at the main belt. Decide at that point how immediately it needs changed. As many will point out (already have, in fact) there is pretty high consequences of failure. Your plan sounds on the right track, though, overall. Don’t be afraid of the timing belt procedure. Lots of steps to it, and slightly limited access, but it doesn’t take a magician to get it right. A few special tools will help a lot, for about $40-50 is all. Making the final adjustments on the tension pulley might take a few tries, at least it did for me, but you can check that it is right. Make sure you read the article on vfaq about it. I recommend obtaining the parts from one of the vendors on this site, especially one who will speak with you directly. For instance the one of the replacement pulleys requires a different bolt if you have a 90.
Happydriving!

 

[19Eclipse90]

Want to sell it? It'd be nice to trade up to a '90 model with 300K+ fewer miles on it than mine.

Welcome to the community!

 

[Kryndon]

I plan to keep the car very close to stock given how unique it is and just enjoy it as a summer cruiser.

But emissions have to go, the factory exhaust has to go, and I’d probably like to do the complete turbo/intercooler system with a front mount and a modestly upgraded turbo that will still allow a light comfortable clutch to live a long and happy life.

okay now you're on the right track!!! You just can't keep these cars stock, they are too easy to modify and make better. Decent well put together mods that add to the car can be very beneficial. These aren't really the types of cars such as numbers-matching E bodies that really fetch a high price if everything is OEM and pristine.

Congrats, and welcome to the club, you wont turn back. Also nice lineup of cars. Would love me a Z28 one day.

 

[Tina94]

You know I have to give you a little bit of crap right? You find a beautiful, rust free 90 1G (a rare enough beast as is) and in Wisconsin of all places, you seem to respect that, by saying "I plan to keep the car very close to stock given how unique it is" and then with the very next breath detail how you want to rip out the intercooler, chop up the front end and put in a front mount intercooler, change the turbo, etc etc. Isn't that sort of what you have seen happening to these cars? 1G's are getting more and more rare, especially in good stock condition, and I see fewer and fewer owned and talked about on this forum, and that worries me. A problem I see too often is excited DSM owners who short cut maintenance, have too little respect for the original machine, see a cheap ticket to a thrill ride, and go too quickly to mods that really can't be reversed

You are absolutely correct. I didn’t realize the fmic upgrade would require butchering the bumper. That might be a no go for me then. Unless I can find a very small unit that fits without cutting supports.

I’d like to do nothing irreversible unless it’s an undisputed upgrade with no drawbacks like braided brake hoses or a better fuel pump.

I’d like to do mostly restoration work and enjoy it for what it is. That being said technology’s changed in the past 30 years and I’m a lot more concerned with quality instead of cost than the oem so I’ll change some things but jut don’t want to change the spirit of the car too far from it’s roots

Thanks everyone for the kind words and support. I’ve lurked on this forum for years as I’ve tried to buy various dsms and it seems like a very nice community. There’s a lot of elitism out there on other sites like “if you aren’t making 1000 hp you ain’t shit” kind of stuff and that’s not really how I see cars. That’s cool if that’s what you’re into but it’s just not for me. Always appreciated the respect for others’ builds that I’ve seen here and the positive, helpful attitude.

 

[llxkevinxll]

I’d like to do nothing irreversible unless it’s an undisputed upgrade with no drawbacks like braided brake hoses or a better fuel pump.

I’d like to do mostly restoration work and enjoy it for what it is. That being said technology’s changed in the past 30 years and I’m a lot more concerned with quality instead of cost than the oem so I’ll change some things but jut don’t want to change the spirit of the car too far from it’s roots

Fuel pumps and brake hoses will be reversible too. And given it sat probably a good idea on both.

OEM part cost is becoming less of an issue than OEM part availability sadly. No amount of money can buy what doesn't exist.

Nice car, welcome fellow Wisconsin DSMer and Camaro owner haha.

 

[Tina94]

Fuel pumps and brake hoses will be reversible too.

Well yeah I was just using those as examples of upgrades that don’t really count as modifications from an originality standpoint.

Right on, not too many of these gems left in our neck of the woods!

 

[llxkevinxll]

Well yeah I was just using those as examples of upgrades that don’t really count as modifications from an originality standpoint.

Right on, not too many of these gems left in our neck of the woods!

Ah I see. I would agree. That is a no brainer swap without "ruining" the car.

 

[streetraceboi]

Im just impatiently waiting for more pics

 

[Blindmouse]

I just wish it was another color, preferably teal...

Keep the original color if not faded!... the car's value is higher with the immaculate original paint.

 

[Tina94]

Coming soon I promise! It has some algae growing on it from sitting and overall is filthy. It looks pretty rough but the paint appears to be in remarkable shape all things considered

 

[Tina94]

Went back and reread everyone’s comments now that I’m home and not distracted. Will definitely be doing timing belt before anything else. Also searched “aftermarket timing belt” and “timing belt quality” on the forum but didn’t find what I was looking for.

I read some reviews on the gates blue belt saying that it was more durable than oem. And on stmtuned.com, bother the gates blue and the hks purple are a lot more expensive than Mitsubishi. Are they substantially more durable?

I’ve also seen some really knowledgeable people saying oem only, however those comments are from long ago and I don’t know if things have changed since then.

I’d like to buy the full kit off STM so I get the right parts from a site sponsor. Super willing to pay more for a more durable product but don’t want to pay more just for a fancy color, or worse, for an inferior product.

Thanks!

 

[DreamChaser7]

This past weekend, I found a one owner ‘90 Laser turbo manual at an estate sale with 64k on the clock. I bid on it and won! And it’s rust free which is absolutely unheard of in Wisconsin for these cars. I’m pumped!

I’ve always thought these cars were awesome but have never owned one or gotten in depth with one. This one hasn’t run in a while, but with some fresh gas and a new battery, she started right up and drove enough to verify function of pretty much everything besides the passenger door handle!

My first goal is to get rid of the rough idle it’s got. I suspect a boost leak but don’t know yet. I changed out the oil idiot light sender and the oil pressure sender as those were bad.

Timing belt will be right after I chase down the rough idle. The car sat for years and I don’t want to take any chances with a brittle belt. Will do water pump and related pulleys and balance belt at the same time.

I’ve been researching the process since everything else I’ve ever worked on has been pushrod v8s with timing chains or gear-timed diesels. Any tips or input would be welcome! I read a great TSB but it seemed a lot more complex than I had anticipated.

I plan to keep the car very close to stock given how unique it is and just enjoy it as a summer cruiser. At least by me, every dsm has been rusted to hell and/or been romped on pretty bad. But emissions have to go, the factory exhaust has to
go, and I’d probably like to do the complete turbo/intercooler system with a front mount and a modestly upgraded turbo that will still allow a light comfortable clutch to live a long and happy life. Preferably on stock injectors since I know nothing about tuning these cars or anything running maf instead of speed density for that matter.

Would like to keep a build thread documenting this car’s transformation from a neglected heap that hasn’t been registered in 5 years into (hopefully) a great summer driver and clean 1G. Please feel free to reach out With any tips cause I know nothing about these!

I just wish it was another color, preferably teal...

You already know more than I did before starting my proper research. Can’t wait to see her roadworthy again! People here will be a great asset and very helpful.

 

[Tina94]

You already know more than I did before starting my proper research. Can’t wait to see her roadworthy again! People here will be a great asset and very helpful.

That’s certainly the impression I’m getting. Wow your car looks amazing. That teal...

 

[Mech Addict]

I believe the bigger concern is the balance “B” belt. I don’t think you can go wrong with oem all the way around. Water pump is very pricey, and I believe they are now made by Aisin, and you can also get the direct Aisin brand where you can basically see where they grind off the MB part number. Makes sense to get a tensioner, even though by miles yours should be fine. 32 years….
One trick I was told, did not follow, and came to regret is to use a dab of blue locktite on all the fasteners that don’t have a lock washer. I got to buy another lower cover for my stupidity.
And the tools- there is one that backs off the tension arm, one that holds the sprockets in place, and one that fits the two pin holes in the tension pulley for proper torque adjustment. Pretty sure STM will have all three.
You will get to check the condition of the driver’s side motor mount after you remove it. Those are basically nla for 2.0 turbo, and most people swap in a poly replacement.

 

[Tina94]

I believe the bigger concern is the balance “B” belt. I don’t think you can go wrong with oem all the way around. Water pump is very pricey, and I believe they are now made by Aisin, and you can also get the direct Aisin brand where you can basically see where they grind off the MB part number. Makes sense to get a tensioner, even though by miles yours should be fine. 32 years….
One trick I was told, did not follow, and came to regret is to use a dab of blue locktite on all the fasteners that don’t have a lock washer. I got to buy another lower cover for my stupidity.
And the tools- there is one that backs off the tension arm, one that holds the sprockets in place, and one that fits the two pin holes in the tension pulley for proper torque adjustment. Pretty sure STM will have all three.
You will get to check the condition of the driver’s side motor mount after you remove it. Those are basically nla for 2.0 turbo, and most people swap in a poly replacement.

Is it worth it to just delete the balance shaft while I’m in there? That would solve that reliability problem. Yeah I’ll definitely do tensioner and everything. Thanks for the motor mount tip, I’ll just order one preemptively along with all the tools.

I’ve wasted so much time and money trying to cheap out on stuff. I’ll never make that mistake again.

I’ve been e39 540i shopping lately too and the cost of timing tools is actually what made me decide against buying one.

 

[DreamChaser7]

You already know more than I did before starting my proper research. Can’t wait to see her roadworthy again! People here will be a great asset and very helpful.

I was planning to paint a different color but was convinced to keep it between people on here and my wife. Will make the repaint a tad easier but not much given the extent of my tear down.

That’s certainly the impression I’m getting. Wow your car looks amazing. That teal...

Response meant to go here, and thank you.

 

[pauleyman]

Is it worth it to just delete the balance shaft while I’m in there? That would solve that reliability problem.

I'm in the minority. 30 years of dsm and I've never deleted balance shafts. I won't do it by itself during a belt change. I will on a motor build when motor is out of the car

Yeah I’ll definitely do tensioner and everything. Thanks for the motor mount tip, I’ll just order one preemptively along with all the tools.

I’ve wasted so much time and money trying to cheap out on stuff. I’ll never make that mistake again.

I’ve been e39 540i shopping lately too and the cost of timing tools is actually what made me decide against buying one.

 

[DreamChaser7]

I'm in the minority. 30 years of dsm and I've never deleted balance shafts. I won't do it by itself during a belt change. I will on a motor build when motor is out of the car

Thinking of doing the race balance shaft myself. Not quite sure yet. If not it’ll be BSE for sure.

 

[wparks]

Hi Tina94-

Yes- a balance shaft delete requires you to pull the block out of the car and have it on a stand. Not really needed as long as you keep the belts and seals in good condition. You are at a crossroads here as far as how deep you want to go now- Just regular maintenance, or full tear down and replace all of the wearable items. At 64K miles it's just "broken in" in terms of wear unless it was severely abused so a pull does not seem warranted, but age is no friend to anything rubber- after 32 years, seals, hoses, gaskets, mounts, etc are all suspect, especially if they touch oil and that is the primary driving factor in the maintenance you will need.

Inspect carefully any seals you can get to in the front and replace them if you see any hint of leaking, or just to be preventative: the front crankshaft, balance shaft, and camshafts. You want to protect those new belts. For replacing the belts there is lots of help here and on Vfaq for procedures and some really helpful inexpensive tools. Factory service manual is a must and I'm glad you are getting that. The fancy cam gear lock tool is not shown in that book but it makes it SO much easier. Go slow and ask lots of questions. Best and fastest answers are to short specific questions that don't require a book to respond.

As far as OEM- Unfortunately there is a lot of LOW quality stuff coming out of China- it is improving, but more so in the past it was vastly inferior to OEM quality level. Now it's harder to tell the difference- many mainline "OEM quality" parts are made in China and are pretty decent. Blue and purple timing belts are mostly desired for the appearance, but they are top quality. You can get good OEM quality black belts for much more reasonable- I really like Gates, it has never done me wrong. Shop around to different suppliers, and ask questions- you will get a feel for the price vs. quality and choose good stuff that is a good value.

Don't scrimp on the hydraulic belt tensioner, or on the timing belt idler/pulley kit if you need them, which you might not. After only 64K miles I would expect that the idlers are mostly OK- look for wear, rust, or any excessive play or roughness in the bearings. Mech Addict is right- If you touch any of them Loctite Blue is cheap, good insurance.

Water pump is a great idea- again, corrosion and seal deterioration over time is the concern more than wear. The tensioner may be fine- It will be the original Mitsubishi motors part. There is a procedure to bleed/test it in a vice detailed in the FSM. If it behaves properly I would probably reuse it. I bought a cheap tensioner, and it went squishy, so I lost my belt and valves and it set me back quite a ways. If it has to be replaced, look for an original Mitsubishi Motors part if you can- I paid well over $100 for mine and it helps me sleep at night.

As to motor mounts, I've never had much of a problem with the really big driver's side one, but the mounts on either side of the block- at the front bumper and under the firewall are almost always broken, oil soaked, and sagging badly. Those really get hammered as the engine rocks forward and back during hard pulls. I replaced all four mounts with red "prothane" mounts (a little pricey, but worth it) and I have been VERY happy. They are quite stiff, give a good firm and confident feel under power, and can take infinite abuse. (It's nice not feeling my shifter handle yank forward and back as I get on the gas.)

Sorry for the book, us old guys like to ramble . . .

 

[pauleyman]

I disagree. You can pull balance shafts with motor in the car but I wouldn't. Easier to pull the motor. I have done it personally so it's doable but really sucks.

 

[Tina94]

Really good points. Thank you. I’d rather just do everything since it has sat since 2017. Age is at least as bad as miles on those components just sitting. I’d rather just do everything at once and know what year and how many miles everything was done. Then I can track my service intervals easier instead of piecemeal.

So you guys wouldn’t just pull the engine for the timing belt? Figured the hour or two it would take to pull it would pay off in ease of working. But if it’s more convenient to leave it in, that would be great, I won’t bother.

 

[pauleyman]

So you guys wouldn’t just pull the engine for the timing belt? Figured the hour or two it would take to pull it would pay off in ease of working. But if it’s more convenient to leave it in, that would be great, I won’t bother.

Belts? Leave motor in. Balance shafts. Pull the motor.