How can I make sure my GSX stays reliable?

[smills1840]

I'm probably picking up a 99 GSX next week. Bone stock, 110,000 miles. Completely serviced already (timing belt, water pump, head gasket, fluids, etc).

My question is, how can I make sure it will stay up and running? What are some common parts that will break? I don't have a problem upgrading things like axels, mounts, etc. For a few months, it will stay stock-ish (exhaust, intake, fmic, minor bolt ons) but then I'll be doing a holset build. I'll be looking for around 400hp, so THEN what will I need to do/upgrade so it stays as reliable as possible?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[99ECLIPSEGSXDSM]

Leave it stock and don't beat on it! And always do the maintenance when and where it's do!

 

[TSITurbo95]

Just keep up in the maintenance. Take care of your car and it will take care of you.

 

[Boostdclips99]

Just take care of it and don't cut corners on parts. These cars are getting older and of course things will break, just make sure when things do break use proven parts. If you aren't constantly hard on the car every time you pull away from a stop light, it will last a lot longer than you expect. Lastly just keep up with preventative maintenance that could leave you stranded (e.g. thermostat, belts, oil, fluids, etc.)

Also,I see you are located in Blacksburg, I live in Christiansburg. Nice to have some fellow DSM guys around here.

 

[Paintballaa5]

These cars aren't as unreliable as any other car. Its people who drop huge turbos and cut corners and expect crazy horsepower on engines that are nearing 150k + miles that make them seem unreliable.

 

[4G63_Attack]

Like what 99ECLIPSEGSXDSM said don't beat the living day light out of it. I have a lot of bolt ons and never beat on it and its been a couple of years now and nothing happen....... At the very lest do the balance shaft removal

 

[Dsm Rob]

Buy a 2nd car . Stay onto on the maint and you'll be fine.

 

[talon2gbuyer]

maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!!!

 

[JusMX141]

Follow Mitsubishi's maintenance schedule to a T, and don't use any shitty aftermarket parts on your car. This includes any generic performance item bought new on eBay, or even choosing things like aftermarket timing belts over OEM.

From there it's as simple as modding the car tastefully, and not hacking anything. Only buy what you can afford, and only mod your car to the degree of power you want to make. In other words, don't put a GT35R on the stock block and expect it to last forever at 30psi. Don't install a 255lph pump without the proper regulator. Don't drop in 750cc injectors and drive the car around until it's convenient for you to get it tuned. You get the idea.

 

[smills1840]

Just take care of it and don't cut corners on parts. These cars are getting older and of course things will break, just make sure when things do break use proven parts. If you aren't constantly hard on the car every time you pull away from a stop light, it will last a lot longer than you expect. Lastly just keep up with preventative maintenance that could leave you stranded (e.g. thermostat, belts, oil, fluids, etc.)

Also,I see you are located in Blacksburg, I live in Christiansburg. Nice to have some fellow DSM guys around here.

I'm in cburg all the time and I don't think I've ever seen your car. We'll have to meet up for sure man!

Do you by chance play paintball? A guy on a paintball forum has a username really similar to yours.

Also, I'm definitely going to keep up with the maintenance, but I'm just curious if there are certain parts that are known to be weak.

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[H@xtGSX]

Put it in a vacuum chamber, suck all the air out, and leave it in there... drain the gas tank first.

Otherwise, don't modify it. It was designed to be as reliable as it is going to be at it's stock configuration. Once you start throwing on stuff to exceed the original configuration, things WILL break. Clutches, old belts, hoses, O2 sensors, oil pumps, water pumps, fuel pumps, coils, injectors, emissions crap (if you have it), wheel bearings, CV shafts, differentials...... um..... pretty much everything eventually.

Lets put it this way... I bought my car "stock" from a guy who didn't change the timing belt, had it snap, and bent the valves up for $1200 (because it was in REALLY nice condition otherwise and it's a GSX). I now have easily put well over $8,000 into my car, and it's just starting to "get there". It's nowhere close to some of the really nice rides you'll see on here. Those guys have spent tens of thousands and broken just about everything you can possibly break, multiple times. Modifying it will decrease its reliability, but increase its FUN.

 

[Calan]

I'll add...

Learn everything you can about it so that when you pick up a wrench, buy a new part, or make a tuning adjustment, you'll know exactly what the ramifications will be.

 

[Boostdclips99]

I'm in cburg all the time and I don't think I've ever seen your car. We'll have to meet up for sure man!

Do you by chance play paintball? A guy on a paintball forum has a username really similar to yours.

Also, I'm definitely going to keep up with the maintenance, but I'm just curious if there are certain parts that are known to be weak.

Thanks for the help guys!

I have another daily so it doesn't get driven everyday. Nope it's not me, I don't play paintball.

Let me know when you get the GSX, I work at VT so I'm over there everyday.

 

[smills1840]

Follow Mitsubishi's maintenance schedule to a T, and don't use any shitty aftermarket parts on your car. This includes any generic performance item bought new on eBay, or even choosing things like aftermarket timing belts over OEM.

From there it's as simple as modding the car tastefully, and not hacking anything. Only buy what you can afford, and only mod your car to the degree of power you want to make. In other words, don't put a GT35R on the stock block and expect it to last forever at 30psi. Don't install a 255lph pump without the proper regulator. Don't drop in 750cc injectors and drive the car around until it's convenient for you to get it tuned. You get the idea.

I have another daily so it doesn't get driven everyday. Nope it's not me, I don't play paintball.

Let me know when you get the GSX, I work at VT so I'm over there everyday.

What do you do at VT?

 

[arodgst]

Lol great feedback i wish i can hitthe "like" Like FB. But use quality partsthat arw tried and tested to make sure they last the beatings!!!

 

[boost97gst]

"How can I make sure my GSX stays reliable?"

Sell it and buy a 420a , sorry, had to dig a lil. These cars are notoriously finicky, main reason is that we car junkies squeeze out over 200hp/Litre and that simply isnt done reliably most of the time. It cant be done reliably with forced induction.
Best bet is routine maintenance, do not accelerate or brake hard and basically drive very gentlyl. Ive had several vehicles including a mitsu go well over the 200k mark with very minor problems due to the nature of my driving.
When i was 18, i could blow an engine up in 15k miles. Its all about city vs hwy travel and how hard you accelerate, and of course CHANGE THE OIL AND CHECK FLUIDS EVERY TIME YOU FILL UP

Im in the same boat as everyone else btw. Bought the car for 1k im now about 11k into it and it still needs paint and new carpet. When you try to get big HP every little thing eventually breaks. And it adds up so fast.

 

[smills1840]

Bought a 99 GSX, but it had been completely serviced. New gaskets, belts, water pump, everything. The receipts for maintenance totaled $3200, so I feel really comfortable with it being reliable. I absolutely love it.

 

[Boostdclips99]

What do you do at VT?

Work for Research Admin Systems

 

[smills1840]

Word. I'll be working at Owens dining hall in a couple weeks.

 

[91stocker]

Bought a 99 GSX, but it had been completely serviced. New gaskets, belts, water pump, everything. The receipts for maintenance totaled $3200, so I feel really comfortable with it being reliable. I absolutely love it.

Sounds like a nice pick up man.

 

[foxracing4500]

I'm probably picking up a 99 GSX next week. Bone stock, 110,000 miles. Completely serviced already (timing belt, water pump, head gasket, fluids, etc).

Spencer

sounds like mine when I bought my bone stock 99 gsx. First thing I did though was change oil and spark plugs.


I would probably pop off the valve cover too and see how dirty it is.

 

[TSiAWD666]

Don't mod it and definitely don't race it Sadly I'm being 100% serious!

 

[smills1840]

Definitely no racing, but you know I won't be able to keep it bone stock

 

[HustlerTalon]

Simple.

Buy it.
Leave it inside your garage.
Don't drive it.

Unfortunately, with those 7-bolt cars, no maintenance will cure crankwalk. My first DSM (97 GST) crankwalked on me at 20mph while shifting from 1st-2nd. But like everything else in this world, there are exceptions...good luck.

 

[smills1840]

Well, I'm already leaking coolant . Water pipe oring is bad. Surprisingly, I'm not even mad about it.