1G Early 1990 6 bolt Low compression... New engine or rebuild?

[p2000camaro]

I know this has been talked about ad-nauseam, but it's been years, and most of the links don't work anymore... Does anyone know where I can find a full rebuild kit for my engine? I kinda wanna keep numbers matching if possible because the car is bone stock.. I might put some beefier internals in just for reliability.. My compression was 110 in all cylinders except 3 (I think) was only 70... I don't get much low end power, but above 3k RPMs, it actually still runs great.. Even idles really well.. But I noticed blow-by the other day and my dipstick keeps popping out and squirting oil all over..

So yeah... Any suggestions?

Lilke say, for instance, would something like this work?? https://jjhengines.com/shop/jdm-mitsubishi-4g63t-engine-for-sale/

 

[dwb]

FWIW, I just rebuilt my 6bolt. There is definitely no "kit" available unless you're talking about the seal kit. I pieced everything together - pistons, bearings, rods, valves, seal kit, timing belt kit, etc. ExtremePSI, STM Tuned and ebay (for 2g pistons/rings) were my primary vendors.

 

[p2000camaro]

Are 2G pistons/rings better than 1G?

Also, does this place look sketchy to you?

1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse 2.0L Engine Rebuild Kit - Master - EK111M.E4

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Also, THANK YOU! I don't know where you're located, but do you happen to know of any really good shops that can do a rebuild? I'm assuming it'll have to be machined and stuff and... I don't trust many shops to touch this damn car.. Nobody seems to know how to really work on them anymore sadly.

 

[dwb]

I stand corrected, I guess there is a kit. I can't say I know anything about it though. I'm in the Denver area and found a machine shop that does 4g63 work. I did the rest myself.

 

[p2000camaro]

Awesome! I wasn't sure if that was actually a complete kit, or even if that site was trustworthy..

Also, if there's anyone that sees this in the St. Louis, or Illinois area... or KY.. Tennessee.. you get where I'm going, and knows a good shop for DSMs (especially engine/trans work..) Let me know!!

 

[dwb]

Maybe look for an EVO shop if you can't find a DSM shop.

 

[19Eclipse90]

Boostin Performance may be an option for you. Little further north but they are in Illinois.

 

[p2000camaro]

Nice!! That's about 5 hours away, but that's really not that bad for a shop that truly knows what the hell they're doing.. THANK YOU!!!

 

[Mech Addict]

So are you looking to do a lot of the removal, disassembly, and assembly work at home and basically just deliver the long block parts to a shop for machine work, or you want to drive in to a place and drive out later with a rebuilt motor in it.
I’ve been tempted by those used engine listings, but who knows what you’re getting. Still a lot of work, too.

 

[p2000camaro]

My goal would be to drop the car off and pick it up with a rebuilt engine.. . I would LOVE to do it myself, but it would blow up immediately.

 

[mitsubishikid]

I have rebuilt a few myself still running good, but if you want reduced down time buying another 6 bolt engine to swap the original one with or as a backup is not a bad option, then you could rebuild the matching vin engine and drive around with another engine in the car in the meantime, but it depends on if you can find a good used one.
I suppose if you can live without a running dsm for a while [no pun intended] it would be cheaper and less work and parts laying around to have Boostin do the job, but I would expect it to take a few months unless they have free time to devote to your project, probably a good idea to call them and ask for an estimate of how long it would take to complete the work first.

 

[Mech Addict]

I agree on getting a specialist for these cars. If it was a chev 350 there are many places that can do a great job. When you include the removal, reinstall, and getting it running right, then a place that really knows dsm seems important.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

4g motors are not hard to build. Anymore they are almost as easy as my SBC stuff I do. If I had time (but I don't currently) I would offer services. I had a man in Wichita contact me yesterday about a 7 bolt rebuild and I just don't have the time ATM.
Keep that 6 bolt as it has the best parts in it. Straight cut oil pump gears, good rods and pistons. Clean everything up, re-ring and bearing it and put it back together. Have the block and head both decked and have a head shop rebuild the head. The rest is just checking clearances, (it was running before), it just needs refreshed.

 

[Mech Addict]

I’m likely heading in this same direction at some point. I have only recently got a compression gauge, and once I get my oil leaks/ front case put back together, I’m going to check. Pretty sure my compression is still above 110, though, because it does run pretty strong and getting 27mpg.
I will likely go the route of my own work apart from the machine shop stuff. But it is not something to consider lightly. If you doubt your skills or don’t have the time, probably worth taking to a pro. Perhaps Marty will have spare time when It’s my turn…

 

[97egl]

I would have to suggest to anyone who needs an engine rebuilt to either rebuild it yourself or buy a running engine and sell the one that needs to be rebuilt as a core.

In my experience there are very few competent engine builders and machine shops left and those that do exist are swamped with work and/or unaffordable.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Only a few of us left. I have to fit it in around my JOB. When I retire, which is not far away, I plan to do a couple builds a year, just for fun. I've done it all my life and enjoy it.

 

[p2000camaro]

I would have to suggest to anyone who needs an engine rebuilt to either rebuild it yourself or buy a running engine and sell the one that needs to be rebuilt as a core.

In my experience there are very few competent engine builders and machine shops left and those that do exist are swamped with work and/or unaffordable.

That's kinda what I've been realizing.. The ones who say "OH yeah I can work on that car!" end up making me really f***ing nervous, or trying to charge me like 4x what a normal shop charges. I do have a mechanic friend who restores old cars (mainly corvettes).. I wonder if he'd be willing to help me out. Apparently now I need a new freaking radiator too. After finding out my engine is dying, I noticed yesterday that I'm spewing out coolant from the top of my radiator. There's a hole someone tried to patch a long time ago. Apparently it held pretty well until.. well, yesterday. Time to park the damn thing again

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Welcome to the world of 30 year old cars, not necessarily just DSMs. I have a 1967 car, it's over 50 years old. Things just get old.

 

[97egl]

That's kinda what I've been realizing.. The ones who say "OH yeah I can work on that car!" end up making me really f***ing nervous, or trying to charge me like 4x what a normal shop charges. I do have a mechanic friend who restores old cars (mainly corvettes).. I wonder if he'd be willing to help me out. Apparently now I need a new freaking radiator too. After finding out my engine is dying, I noticed yesterday that I'm spewing out coolant from the top of my radiator. There's a hole someone tried to patch a long time ago. Apparently it held pretty well until.. well, yesterday. Time to park the damn thing again

I would be surprised if your engine idles well with 110 psi on 3 cylinders and 70 on another. I would actually be somewhat surprised that you can get it to start. I would compression and maybe use a different gauge. The gauge could be reading low or you got a bad reading on the 70 psi cylinder.

As far as the dipstick blowing out.... If you are driving around above 3k rpms you probably are in boost a lot and it's not a surprise the dipstick blows out. That's actually pretty normal. I have 135-145 psi on all cylinders on my daily and the dipstick blows anytime I hit 10+ psi boost for any longer than a few seconds. The rubber is old and hard on the dipstick so it doesn't hold the stick in like it would have new.

You can get a full aluminum radiator off ebay for like 120 shipped to your door just FYI. The welds aren't the prettiest, but I've had 4 and none ever leaked on me

 

[p2000camaro]

I would be surprised if your engine idles well with 110 psi on 3 cylinders and 70 on another. I would actually be somewhat surprised that you can get it to start. I would compression and maybe use a different gauge. The gauge could be reading low or you got a bad reading on the 70 psi cylinder.

As far as the dipstick blowing out.... If you are driving around above 3k rpms you probably are in boost a lot and it's not a surprise the dipstick blows out. That's actually pretty normal. I have 135-145 psi on all cylinders on my daily and the dipstick blows anytime I hit 10+ psi boost for any longer than a few seconds. The rubber is old and hard on the dipstick so it doesn't hold the stick in like it would have new.

You can get a full aluminum radiator off ebay for like 120 shipped to your door just FYI. The welds aren't the prettiest, but I've had 4 and none ever leaked on me

I'm not a mechanic so you may be right.. I will say that at low RPMs, it is sluggish as f***, until about 3k, then it hits power (when the turbo kicks in). But yeah, it really does idle smooth. I might have it tested again tho just to be safe.. I asked if he had to take out the fuel pump fuse and he said no.. but I thought that was like a must.. And yeah, I know the radiator isn't a huge deal.. just another thing to add to the pile.. I still wish it was a GSX, but what can ya do..

 

[dwb]

I have no idea what my compression numbers were but at 270k miles I'm sure it was bad. Still idled good and was a slug until boost. Sounds a like @p2000camaro

Blow-by galore that pretty much required a catch can if I didn't want a smokescreen every time I got on it. #2 cylinder had a broken piston ring.

 

[p2000camaro]

I have no idea what my compression numbers were but at 270k miles I'm sure it was bad. Still idled good and was a slug until boost. Sounds a like @p2000camaro

Blow-by galore that pretty much required a catch can if I didn't want a smokescreen every time I got on it. #2 cylinder had a broken piston ring.

That sounds exactly like what I have going on.. I didn't think about adding a catch-can... as I said, I'm not a mechanic, but that might be something to consider until I can get it rebuilt.. Mine is at 266k. I honestly don't know if the previous owner had it rebuilt or not.. I probably have the records somewhere, because when I bought it he gave me every record for the car... but then it sat for like 20 years afterward. So I kinda disregarded all the records and started replacing shit anyway. Still need shocks, struts, cv boots, a power steering pump, rack and pinion.. aaaand a paint job.. Thankfully no rust, except a tiny bit of surface rust that I'm hoping to squash before it gets worse.

 

[dwb]

Rebuild your power steering pump if it's intact. They're pretty easy and last time I checked the oem seal kits were still available.
I rebuilt my rack too and it was a pita. Not so bad once you have done it a time or two.

 

[p2000camaro]

Rebuild your power steering pump if it's intact. They're pretty easy and last time I checked the oem seal kits were still available.
I rebuilt my rack too and it was a pita. Not so bad once you have done it a time or two.

I've found 91-94 seal kits, but I haven't been able to find 1990 ones..

Also, while I got you guys (), is the rad for the 1990 the same as 91-94? I know the cooling system is slightly different, and some of these rads say they have an oil cooler.. do I need that?

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Is that what I'd need?

 

[dwb]

I've found 91-94 seal kits, but I haven't been able to find 1990 ones..

oh yeah 90. Those probably are different

Edit: yes different part numbers. MB501695 is the 1990 seal kit and MR244546 is 91-94.