DSM noobie needs some advice

[brandonwh64]

Hello. i just picked up a 1996 Eclipse GS non turbo with 420A engine. I love the car but it needs alot of TLC. I have a list of questions below for all the experts here at the wonderful DSM Tuners! If i ask a stupid question please let me know cause i am truly a noob

1. How hard is it to change rack and pinion on these eclipse/talon cars? this one has TONs of play in the steering wheel and feels like there is no power steering. also the wheel bearings are whining and when u hit bumps in the road it makes me feel like i jerks to the opposite side.

2. when your driving straight, the steering wheel is turned the the right a little and not aligned with the wheels. can this be fixed with an alignment?

3. Will a 4G63 engine fit in a GS that originally had a 420A?

4. What is the best turbo for stock engine? 6-8 pound?

5. Can anyone point me to a great guide for rebuilding a 420A engine?

6. I have a set of 1999 mustang GT wheels. I know the bolt pattern is the same but will they fit with 225/50/R17 tires?

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[_dOp_skyLINe]

1-its not to hard if you know how to

2-yes

3- no

4-420a??? t3/t4 4g63?? i love the 16g or 20g

5- i dont have any guide. search in the forum

6-please dont put the mustang wheels on a DSM

 

[gusu]

1. I don't think there is a rack and pinon made for a 2g. The 1g had the option of pulling them from the 1.8l

2. This could be several things, a suspension shop should be able to tell you/fix whats wrong for pretty damn cheap.

3. This is a major modification, you might as well buy a turbo model unless you WANT a very complicated swap just to do it. It's more expensive than its worth by FAR in the end.

4. If you're only wanting 6-8 PSI I'd personally use a 13b or a T-25 whichever you can find cheaper. The 13b is a 1g auto turbo while the T-25 is a 2g turbo from both manual and turbo.

5. There are several on this forum. I'd look it up for you but all of these questions so far have been very easy to find and I don't feel like looking up a link.

6. Not sure what the stock rim size is. Someone else will answer this better than I would.


*edit* I DO NOT suggest using a 16g or a 20g for only 8psi they are way to large to run at such low boost plus they cost way too much if you aren't trying to max them out.

 

[ktgurl87]

I think 1 & 2 have a lot to do with each other.
3. yes
I wouldn't worry about 4 until you figure out 5
And why would you want mustang wheels on an Eclipse?

Why does it need a rebuild? Have you got the car up to date on all maintanence? I would honestly worry about getting the car running correctly first before jumping head first into throwing a turbo on it. Crawl under the car and see if you can see what else is wrong with the steering bits and chassis parts (tie rods, ball joints, any and all bushings, etc.) and maybe you can figure out why your car is out of alignment. If you replace anything, it is a good idea to get it aligned after you get done putting new parts on. Just my 2 pennies.

 

[brandonwh64]

Thanks for the reply's gentlemen!

The reason for the mustang wheels is that one of the back wheels is bent and i didnt notice until i bought the car. It doesnt shimmy any while driving but it worrys me that the tire will not last long with the wheel bent and i also have the GT wheels from when i had a ford ranger and they would be great until i get a nicer set of wheels for the eclipse.

When driving the steering wheel is very stiff and feels like it has no power steering at all but it has fluid in it but as one other members has mentioned, i have an appointment this weekend to have the front end examined and a parts list made. I really want to replace the wheel bearings, CV boots, and bushings to rule those out. The only reason i mentioned rack and pinion was cause of the stiff ride and lack of feel for the power steering but i will let the auto shop decide that part.

Sounds like i will keep the 420A engine. From what i have been reading is that its a good engine but has its issues with stuff like turbos and high mileage. this engine has 159K on it and was wondering about the guide to rebuild just incase it starts acting up later on.

Also another question i had was that when it cold started like in the morning, it will idle for about 1-3 minutes then just shut off and repeats this until its fully warmed up. I will be changing the spark plugs and wires hopefully this week or next to rule that out but what other components could relate to that? it doesn't misfire while driving just when its cold started and idling.

More questions . What is the best spark plug for this car? i would like to have one that may increase gas mileage since i drive this car 400 miles a week. also would a MSD power pack help with any performance and gas mileage?

 

[95talongirl]

1. Never did one before; doesn't look like a whole lot of fun. The steering wheel play defiantly would make controlling the car annoying. Check for worn out suspension bushings as well. My car would also want to "jump" lanes and found that the rear bushings in the knuckle were pushed out. Replaced those; along with the struts and it was a night to day difference in handling. Worn out struts can cause a lot of handling problems.
2. Agreed; take it in to an alignment shop; they could tell you more. Could be caused by a number of things and/or worn out parts. Or it's just out of alignment... chances are with the steering problem you have some bad parts.

3. no

4. Yes, that'd be a fairly decent goal on a stock internal-ed engine. Stay on the smaller end; like a t25 or 13g, as mentioned.

5. I do not know of a real guide. Search around or hop on over to sites like 2gnt.com or neons.org and see what the neon people are doing. When I had a neon r/t; did the basics.. CAI, header/exahaust, performance computer (which I think one exists for the 420A cars). Then you'd get into things like cams, head and port work, ect. Make sure all your basic maitenance is done first.

6. I believe that the wheels on my mustang are 17 X 8 in the front 17 X 9 in the rear. Bolt pattern is the same. Not sure of the offset. Remember that these are coming off a RWD vehicle. Those tend to have a different offset. If you insist on a Mustang wheel; opt for one without the pony logo in the caps.

 

[95talongirl]

A good set of stock spark plugs will suit you just fine. Also, you really won't see any significant "gain" out of an ignition box when everything else is stock. You basic maitainance, like plugs/wires, and a new air filter and making sure the tires are properly inflated will help the most with mileage. Keeping your foot out of the gas will, as well.

 

[brandonwh64]

Thanks talongirl! I measured the wheels and they are 17x8 all the way around. i was going to install one on the car last night to see what it looked like and it it scrubbed the finder but we had massive storming here in the south so that was postponed to a dryer day.

So what does everyone think of the 420A engine? its peppy from my experiences the other night when i found some long straightaways.

Also with the center caps on the mustang wheels, they have two inch holes in them due to the ford ranger having a longer hub so when i temporarily put them on the eclipse, i will not put on the center caps.

I was thinking of stock plugs but i was reading that platinum or iridium plugs were better but thats why i ask. i seen pulstar plugs but 25$ a piece i dont see me paying. I am thinking of NGK Iridium plugs since there about 6-8$ a piece but i dont know which model to order. I def dont want to order the wrong thread pattern then have to send them back. if anyone has these NGK Iridium plugs, will you let me know what the part number is for the 420A engine?

*EDIT!*

I found this for cheap, is this a good turbo to have and what other parts would i need to install it?

http://www.amazon.com/Godspeed-Internal-Wastegate-Charger-Universal/dp/B004AMNAD8

 

[LandoAWD]

Looks like folks have you rolling. Read our avatar rules

 

[brandonwh64]

Looks like folks have you rolling. Read our avatar rules

AHHH! sorry bout that, i read down to the newbie posting and stopped but i have just reread most of the rules and i am changing it as we speak.

 

[Maverick4g63]

To OP: do a quick forum search for 420A turbo projects. You may or may not know that there are many variables and supporting upgrades that must be addressed before you can "bolt on" a turbo to a 420A.

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[brandonwh64]

To OP: do a quick forum search for 420A turbo projects. You may or may not know that there are many variables and supporting upgrades that must be addressed before you can "bolt on" a turbo to a 420A.

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Oh ok THANK YOU! will do that! i have an idea of what i would like to do and i appreciate all they help with my exploration of possibilities.

 

[Maverick4g63]

Oh ok THANK YOU! will do that! i have an idea of what i would like to do and i appreciate all they help with my exploration of possibilities.

No prob and welcome to the site.

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[brandonwh64]

No prob and welcome to the site.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk

THANKS!

Also i just bought 4 NGK IX Iridium BKR6EIX Plugs for my car. i seen they got great reviews. got them for 28$

 

[Shake_Zulla]

Read this: 2GNT.com - Power_Stages and then all the power stages.

When you want to rebuild your motor read this: 2GNT.com - A_Proper_Rebuild - it is writen by one of the smartest persons on the 2gnt website.

When you want to turbo read this: 2GNT.com - 2GNT_Turbosystems and then this: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/420a-turbo-conversion/366603-end-all-parts-list-go-turbo.html

However, I think you would gain the most from doing this: 2GNT.com - Manual_Transmission_Swap since the auto trans is a turd.

Also nice car, looks clean but you might want to do this http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/app...pper-door-trims-window-trim-merged-5-7-a.html

 

[95talongirl]

NGK makes a good plug; you should be find with those.

Ah, ok. I guess I was thinking Cobra. I know those have the staggered wheel sizes.

As far as the turbo project goes. How are your fabrication skills? The reason I ask is there are kits available for the 420A through Hahn Racecraft that will give you everything you need. It tends to be pricey; but if you are not handy with fabrication the price is worth it since it will take the guess work out.

But first and foremost get the car's problems fixed and make sure the maitanance is up to date.

 

[brandonwh64]

Thanks talon girl! update! i got the mustang wheels on and it acually looks good! i will post pictures tomorrow.

What do you guys think about this turbo? its kinda cheap?

Amazon.com: Godspeed Gt25 T25 Internal Wastegate Turbo Charger Universal: Automotive

Sorry for bad picture but here is the mustang wheels on the car

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[brandonwh64]

Well bad times last night on my way home from work. my alternator went out i posted a thread Here about it and i just ordered a new one to replace it.

Also another question. my front end is the main issues with this car and i noticed last night that the front wheel lean in at the top like this > / \ What could cause that? i ordered some shocks and struts and im about to order some tie rods and ends. is there anything else i should order to fix that? i love this car and want it to be driving like a new one!

 

[LD25Delta9]

I wanted to add my $0.02. Junk those iridium junk plugs. You got bamboozeled. Hornswaggled. You've been duped. Get some stock NGK Copper's NGK BKR6ES. I'm not sure what the part number is on that, but they work the best and are 20 dollars cheaper.

Listen to Shake_Zulla. He has the good low down.

As far as fab skills needed to turbo the 420a....They aren't necessary. Any exhaust shop can do the welding for you for cheap, and that's the only fab required. Everything else is bolt on. You can even get a bolt-on turbo drain for the oil pan.

Oh, one more thing: Lose those junk rustang rims! That's blasphemy! It doesn't matter if they look like sex on a million dollar bill with your name on it, hangin' out of Kim Kardashian's thong. It's just plain wrong.

 

[brandonwh64]

LD25Delta9:


yea LD, the mustang wheels are temporary cause the stock wheels, one was bent were it was curbed.

What do you think about my situation about the front wheels leaning in like this? / \

What parts would you order to fix this? i ordered this morning over 250$ worth of parts but i need to know what steering stuff i need to order

 

[jaydubb1988]

I would say change the ball joinst/ control arms as well since a lot of people have problems with them. I changed struts control arms and tie rod ends in a weekend on my 1gb. Not the same cars but it was easy especially it being my first time doing any thing like that. Make sure u get an alignment when your done I waited a month and ate up the front tires. And I'm really not diging the rims either ... Good luck bro

 

[brandonwh64]

Thanks Jaydubb!

What do you think about This KIT

It comes with:

2 Lower Control Arms 2-K90265 RL.
2 Lower Control Arms 1-k80577 R and 1-k80576 L.
2-K80564 Sway Bar Links.
2-EV350 Inner Tie Rod Ends.
2-ES2347RL Outer Tie Rod Ends.

OK i got off work early today and lifted it up. i took of the wheels and brake calipers and i found a mess! most of the bushings and grease joints are torn and dryed out from not being greased... EVER so i am ordering new suspension for the front end tonight and will install it once it arrives

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[Shake_Zulla]

LD25Delta9:


yea LD, the mustang wheels are temporary cause the stock wheels, one was bent were it was curbed.

What do you think about my situation about the front wheels leaning in like this? / \

What parts would you order to fix this? i ordered this morning over 250$ worth of parts but i need to know what steering stuff i need to order

20 bucks says it was/use to be the front passenger side! You know if you want to save some time take it to a suspension/tire shop and get a free estimate... notice how I said free! These poor suckers will send you home with a paper with all the parts you need to be all groovy again and you will feel more like a ninja.

 

[brandonwh64]

20 bucks says it was/use to be the front passenger side! You know if you want to save some time take it to a suspension/tire shop and get a free estimate... notice how I said free! These poor suckers will send you home with a paper with all the parts you need to be all groovy again and you will feel more like a ninja.

The suspension on both sides needs to be replaced. all of the joints have the rubber ripped.

I would say 95% of the rubber is gone on all the joints and if its not gone its dry rotted. also most of the joints have alot of play in them and mostly wore out.

 

[LD25Delta9]

+1 for posting pics. That's brownie points.

Your camber is waaaayyy off if your tires are / \. This could be due to the rims. Most likely it's not, but it could be. Just one more reason that rustangs are garbage.

I think new suspension all the way around and an alignment is the right path. Listen to everyone about that stuff. I think you are on the right path though.