It's preventive time, what to do?

[dsmlifestyle]

Hello all. I purchased my first turbo eclipse (stock 99 GSX), but it is the fourth eclipse I have owned. I have been lurking (searching) the forums for a while to learn more about the 4G63 and the the GSX overall.

The Eclipse has 104k on it and is due for some serious preventive maintenance. I plan on replacing the timing belt, balancing belt (if I keep the shaft), oil pump, water pump, tensioner, and the tensioner idler pulley. Now the questions.

1. I have a knock issue that occurs in vacuum at 2.5-3k, but I have no issues when I accelerate in boost. I plan to replace the knock sensor, but should I think about inspecting the balancing shaft for play or just remove it and install a kit?

2. Should I pull the motor and check/replace a few other things like the head gasket, or do the work with the motor in the car?

 

[carbide]

I wouldn't bother pulling the motor. The timing belt is pretty easy to do on the car. You might as well replace the accessory belts too, plugs and wires, and all the pulleys involved in the timing belt. might as well change the engine oil, flush the coolant, and maybe change the drivetrain fluids as well.

 

[turboboy4]

If you are planning to remove the balance shafts, you might as well pull thhe motor and do what you think you need to and do the shafts when you have it out.

 

[dsmlifestyle]

I wasn't too sure of how bad the timing belt change was going to be on the 4G63, but I know my 420a is a small pain when I change/remove it when the motor is in the car. Any ideas on keeping/removing the balancing shaft? The car is a weekend car, so the smoothness really doesn't matter, but I'm kind of worried about removing it on a stock block.

 

[firefightermdc]

the 4g has more room on the driver side than the 420 does on the pass. side. more vacuum lines, but it's pretty easy overall. I wouldn't go to the extra trouble of removing the motor

 

[jaysonatticus]

I too am in the same boat when it comes to preventative maintenance. I'm still awaiting my rebuilt Stage 2 Tranny from TRE but in the future, right after the tranny is installed I am having the timing belt, all the pulleys, sprockets even, oil pump, water pump, etc replaced.

I wouldn't recommend pulling the engine. You can have all that stuff replaced without taking the engine out. As far as removing the balance shaft belt and using a kit I guess use at your discretion. I have one sitting next to me now but I was told that although I could do it, it would be wiser to wait until my engine was fully balanced. good luck

 

[dsmlifestyle]

Thanks for the reply's. As it stands, the motor is staying in the car while the P.M. is completed. Now all I need is for the temps to reach the 40's

 

[dsmlifestyle]

Well my preventive maintenance turned into a replace fest.
During a visual inspection, I found my driver's side CV boot is torn. I pull the axle, expecting gear oil to pour from the transfer case into the waiting container, but nothing. Now I'm worried, so I ended up pulling the motor and trans for a deeper inspection.

The clutch is shot and the rear BS shaft has a pretty nasty groove in it, so it must go. I ordered a Fidanza 3.2 kit and a Competition Clutch flywheel to resolve the clutch issue and a BS elimination kit from extremepsi so I can ditch the shaft. I'm glad I decided to go the preventive maintenace route before the upgrade route; things could be worse.

On a positive note, my knock sensor was loaking the magical goo, so I'm pretty sure that will resolve the phantom knock issue.