How to Build a reliable dsm ?

[dark at night]

I am sick of getting my mustang stuck in the snow, so I believe that I am going to purchase a gsx or tsi. I know dsm has a tendency to break, but I dont plan on hot rodding it to much, but we all know how that changes. So I want to know what should I do to make it reliable. I want to know what goes first and what should I look for? Im assuming the manuals are a little better for lasting longer.

 

[this_tsi_8urV8]

I don't have that bracket and never had problems. Perhaps because I have stiff mounts and exhaust and my sh!t doesn't move much?

 

[IceMinion]

ok i just rebuild my enigne new rings main and rod bearings head gasket timing blet valve job re-surfaced head in i have 100 miles right now i havent reved it no more than 3,000rpm's and no more 60mph... and my question is long do i have to wait to break it or what the proper way to break in a 4g63t

Just beat the crap out of your engine, (seriously, drive it hard, not too much boost during the first couple hours of driving though), but then boost away.

I don't have that bracket and never had problems. Perhaps because I have stiff mounts and exhaust and my sh!t doesn't move much?

I would say with the right mounts, good hardware and proper torquing you will be "fine".

I am not trying to convince you that everyone who removes this bracket will FOR SURE have bolts break loose, but it will contribute.

As a rule of thumb, everything on the 4G63t engine was there for a reason, only remove parts if you are sure you know what you are doing.

I never even knew about that bracket. Wish my aftermarket dp had a place to bolt to it, I'd get one asap. Damn dp bolts always work themselves loose no matter what loctite/lockwashers/crimped nuts I put on there.

doesn't it feel good knowing why they keep failing? I swear i lived with this problem for years until i actually figured it out.

crap.... i don't got it >.> Explains the reason my exhaust bolts were working themselves loose. Any one have a part number for that?

It doesn't need to be the factory one, find some steel, bend it, drill some holes in it, add bolts....Issue resolved. Anything to keep the setup from flexing as much.

 

[dark at night]

Ok, after reading 51 replies I maybe maintenance is the key to these cars.

 

[colbyc]

You sir are correct, everyone complains cause there dsm isnt all reliable and always messing up yet they lack the effort to do the basic maintenance on it first, expect to add alot of go fast parts and think everythings gonna be all hunkey dorey, no sir

 

[GSXeclipsePSI]

Also don't let shops work on your car...

I have gotten my car back from a motor swap the wheel was loose, the cv boot was loose and leaking grease and the guy was a mitsu tech for 14 years!!!

Then I got my water-pump done in SC cause I was driving to FL from NJ and the water-pump went after 17hrs of driving and 700 miles and the shop did me good. They put the rear balance shaft out of phase, I told him there was something wrong, drove 60miles called him back up demanding him to fix it. It loosened my oil filter leaking oil and disconnected my starter ground wire from vibration.

Then I find out 8 months later he heil coiled my timing sprocket and didn't torque my AT pulley correctly .... Thanks for the bent valves and extra cash homie!

I do all the work myself now cause no cares more then me about MY car. Hands down we all care to do a better job then most people who are doing it everyday and your another $$$ or what not.

 

[NY 95 TSI AWD]

This is what needs to be bolted up to save the turbo bolts

Heres a better pic

Anyone know what size bolt goes there? I tried 10-1.25 and 10-1.50.
8 is too small and 12 looks too big.

Edit- I figured it out, it's 10-1.25

 

[Tanro]

My 3rd DSM and 3rd Reliable DSM. Breaking them is always because you trying to push the car beyond its limits. Yes you can push these cars Yes they can hold a good amount of power. But the harder you push the quicker they break.

Compared to my Turbo Saturn and High Comp N/A saturn this car has just as much road time as either of those cars and I have only owned a few weeks. I have allready put about 3,200 miles on it. I love to just drive it stock, on the weekends I am rarely home. I have driven it to work a few times, and take it on quick trips to the store during the week.

The motor needs to be rebuilt and I am building a 6bolt to go in it. It will then be my Daily.

 

[jkimes]

I've owned DSM's for 12+ years (a 5spd black on black 90 GSX for 5 years and my current silver 95 5spd GSX for 7+). I love this platform but there is no way in hell I would suggest that someone with no previous DSM experience should use a turbo eclipse or talon with more than very basic modifications as a daily driver. I left my 1g completely stock and she was one of the most reliable car's I've ever had. I bought her from my uncle (the only previous owner) with 64k miles and daily drove her pretty hard with only minimal preventative maintenance (I was only 19 at the time) and she ran like a raped ape up until the day I sold her at 139K. The only thing that ever broke on the 1G was the ECU due to a leaky capacitor (A common problem on 1G's that cost me $80 for a replacement). I never should have sold that car. My 2g was also very reliable.. when it was stock. However, once I started doing major modifications (turbo and ECU upgrade, engine swap etc) the 2g started seeing alot more time in the garage than she ever did on the road. I'm sure I wouldn't have most of those issues now, because my 2g has turned me into a decent mechanic over the years due to all of the parts I have had to swap out and problems I have had to diagnose and repair. However, since you are obviously new to the DSM world I would STRONGLY suggest you buy a well maintained mostly stock car unless you only plan to use it for a weekend toy. If you can find a nice, 99% stock, 5spd AWD talon or eclipse with under 120k miles that has lots of maintenance records and hopefully less than three owners (preferably a middle aged woman or a man over 50) I would jump all over it. Otherwise, you're probably better off keeping your mustang and buying a cheap 4x4 pickup for chores and driving in the occasional snow and ice. Plus you'll be saving the few remaining pristine DSM's for those of us looking to build a nice project car.

 

[DearestNameless]

hehe,

if you want to have a really reliable awd dsm so buy a proper gsx or tsi awd with low mileage and a service book… then put the fu***ng turbo stuff out of it and rebuild the 4g63 engine to a non-turbo with cyclone and eudm non-turbo pistons. And put some other stuff on it like a proper oil-cooler and so on.

You will end up with an indestructible awd dsm… you can run the engine with maximum power up to a whole hour without getting any trouble with the engine. Of course you only getting something about 150-160 hp… but that’s the price for real reliability.

you can build a proper turbo too. But the danger of failure is much higher.

Sören

wtf?

 

[yoshi_tony]

+1^^^^^ wtf????

 

[Ksone14]

reliable dsm requires lots of love and maintanance and luck . i just use this site for pointers when i get lost or need help, lots of friendly people on here.

 

[bo0st]

Don't listen to the people telling you not to get a car that already has mods done to it.

You could get a VERY reliable vehicle if the vehicle has mods on it. Think about it, he could have swapped the engine for all you know or rebuilt it.

I bought my eclipse with minor mods intake/exhaust and it was a great car. You wouldn't think it was judging by the guy that I bought it from, but sometimes "looks" are deceiving. I would rather buy a car from a guy that modded it, because then I know he put in better oil than just "grandma" who just drives the thing until it breaks.

 

[99vipereater]

Take better care of the car than you do yourself, and you're golden.

HAHA sad thing is I probably do take better care of my car than I do myself. Just ask my girlfriend she hates it.