New to the GST

[AnicetoMojica]

So I am not new to the DSM world, I owned a 92 eclipse GS, Loved the car but no turbo = no fun

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So to start off I just recently picked up two 94 Eclipse's.
One is a GST
the other a 1.8

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Both cars are super clean on the outside, but motor wise.... They need some serious work.

I am looking to build the GST into a "almost stock" reliable motor to start. I just wanna get this baby running and understand how the whole turbo system works.

I am not sure even where to start, im kinda overwhelmed. I got the motor out of the car and on a stand, the head taken off, the intake, ehaust and turbo all sitting on a shelf.

Should I start with the head? The block? The turbo?

Someone please give me a little guidance here.

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[1990dsmkid]

lets start off with what is wrong with engine? Why does it need rebuilt? Do you plan on keeping and modyfing this car and if so how far do you wanna push it? If you just want to keep it stock then Id recommend just a stock rebuild and be done with it but if you plan on adding and gaining power then you might want to look into forge internals.

 

[AnicetoMojica]

When I bought the car he said he was driving it, it started to heat up and lost power. I pulled the head, blown head gasket, lots of water and oil everywhere. I'm pretty sure a new head gasket and head studs would fix it, but I'm looking to completely go over the engine. I commute to work so I want the motor to be in top shape. Once the motor runs good then I am looking for power, I plan on going to track days and so forth but really have no knowledge of turbos on these cars. I don't even know what to start rebuilding first.

 

[1990dsmkid]

Id say take the head to a shop and get them to pressure test it and see what kind of shape its in. If it checks out ok then Id move onto the bottom end. Check the crank and see if it needs to be micropolished. Then check the clearances and get the need bearings for mains and rods. If pistons are in good shape could just replace the rings or you could just use stock pistons. The stock internals should hold up to about 400hp. If you plan on going big then just go forged and be done with it. Arp head studs are a good investment. Use all new oem gaskets and put it back together and start learning. Goodluck

 

[90ATEGST]

with it being a 94(7 bolt) id definately check the thrust bearing clearance to make sure that motor hasnt started to crankwalk before moving on any further with that block. i recently checked clearances on a 7 bolt i got hold of and thrust clearances were at .008. which is barely still within service limits and the copper layer of the bearing had already started chewing up the crank...good luck bud!

 

[-Boosty-]

First thing I would do is find a reputable shop in your area to do your work. If you are just taking it to be machined and then doing everything else yourself or having it built for you, make sure you can trust who ever is doing it and that they have experience in these motors.

Second thing I would do is determine your power levels. Are you going to be happy with 300-350 hp? Or are you looking to pull over the 400+hp mark? I've read that a stock block and head can handle into the 400hp range someone correct me if they have heard different.

I chose to do everything that was difficult to do with the engine in the car first. I wasnt too worried about the turbo (even though mine was fine) because i could solve that problem with the motor in the car. My goal was to get the main components finished and get the motor back in the car. The only things i didnt end up replacing new were the alternator and power steering.

Dont cut corners. Buy OEM and trusted parts for your build. Get everything that needs machining machined like the block, crank, head etc. Parts that tend to sneak up on you quick are timing components, oil pump, water pump, BSE kit (if you decide to go that route) clutch/flywheel (since your already there), all new fluids and things like that.

Buy trusted gaskets. Dont be fooled by awesome ebay prices on anything. Do your research and find out what other people are using and have had good experience with. I chose felpro for most of my build although a lot of people will argue the fact that oem are better. My head gasket is felpro as well and ive had no issues so far.

Label your parts. Buy a bunch of sandwhich bags, grab a few sheets of paper and every set of bolts you take off, throw em in a bag and label them. label all the connections if you need too, to ensure they are all back together. I omitted labeling connections that were obvious like injectors, coil pack, etc.
Take a lot of pictures. I referenced my pictures A LOT when i rebuilt my motor. Enough said.

Grab a case or two of beer (if your of legal age, if not have an older sibling get some ) to help coax your buddies into helping out. I had a buddy the whole time helping me and when i made a mistake he was right there to point it out. When i reassembled everything i triple checked, then when i was done triple checking i checked it all again. If my buddy asked me if i checked something, without hesitation i rechecked it even tho i was 100% sure it was done.

Hope this helps get you on the right track. Right stuff down as often as you need to find a concise path to take. GOOD LUCK!!

 

[AnicetoMojica]

Just so you know, it's a six bolt motor. I have heard about the crankwalk issue with the seven bolt.

I have been spending a lot of time on extreme psi. I am not going the cheap route on anything. But I am interested in the full gasket kits They have, from cometic and fel pro. Is this a good idea?

I know for sure I am buying arp head studs. I have a shop out here that is gonna look at my head. How do you feel about adjustable cam gears? Or should I wait till later?

I checked my exhaust and it's cracked. I got a better flowing one from my buddy, (will post a pic later)

My other concern is bolts. I wanna change out all the intake studs, the exhaust studs and the Turbo bolts. Extremepsi sells them but is it a good or bad idea?

Thank you guys for all your input, I really appreciate it.

 

[1990dsmkid]

Changing the studs and bolts wont hurt at all. Technically your suppose to change the turbo bolts everytime you change the turbo. Extremepsi has oem gaskets sets but either set should be just fine. If you are getting cams then might as well throw in some cam gears but if not just wait off until you do

 

[AnicetoMojica]

Should I replace the o2 housing? And What parts of the Turbo usually need to be changed?

 

[95talongirl]

I went with the stainless steel exhaust studs from extremepsi when I did mine. Had a problem with the other ones comming loose over time. Not a big deal other than it causes an exhaust leak.

The turbo, as long as its good, typically doesn't need parts replaced. Those are best to be left alone unless there is a problem. It is a good idea, however, it repalce the lines. Sometimes those can get gunked up over the years (esp. if the car was neglected) and thus restricting flow.

Sounds like you are off to a good start. I wouldn't worry about crankwalk, even if yours was a 7-bolt. It's over blown. I've had three 95 Talons, all early 7-bolts, with no crankwalking issues. Crankwalk is something that can happen to ANY engine at any given time. There were some issues with them, but it was not nearly as big of a problem as the internet said it was. Chances are people blew thier cars up being carelss, and just blamed it on "crankwalk" instead of owning up to thier own mistakes.

 

[Mike02rt]

Just so you know, it's a six bolt motor. I have heard about the crankwalk issue with the seven bolt.

I know for sure I am buying arp head studs. I have a shop out here that is gonna look at my head. How do you feel about adjustable cam gears? Or should I wait till later?

My other concern is bolts. I wanna change out all the intake studs, the exhaust studs and the Turbo bolts. Extremepsi sells them but is it a good or bad idea?

Thank you guys for all your input, I really appreciate it.

There really is no "crankwalk issue" in the 7 bolt. Mostly claims from people who just "think" their crank walked.

Just do maintenance, get her running well, then begin to mod. Take it slow and do some research first: like reviews, write ups, etc...

Building doesn't mean dropping a lot of money, just means planning your build ahead of time and sourcing quality used parts too.

Use www.ssstuds.com for any exhaust bolt kits. They may have some stuff not listed just ask them.

 

[AnicetoMojica]

Okay, but is there a way to check if the Turbo is good? Or just wait and put it on the car see if it boosts?

I do have one big problem. The previous owner decided it would be a good idea to put sealant on all the plugs on the car. So I already broke my cam sensor clip, just trying to get it off. And my injectors are stuck to the wiring harness. Any tips on getting them off, or should I buy new clips and plugs? And Where can I find them?

 

[95talongirl]

You bascially just check for shaft play with the turbo. There's usually some side to side; but the in and out play is where you'll find out if its bad. Also if its oil soaked, it could have bad seals, which then it will need to be serviced.

Not sure what to advise on the sealant issue. That's odd. Maybe soemthing like PB Blaster can help break down the sealant? Not sure about that one, as have never encounted it.

 

[AnicetoMojica]

How much better are the evo o2 sensors compared to the stock one?

 

[snowborder714]

Please try again with a more descriptive thread title. A generic thread title like this does not help me when browsing new threads to see if I can offer help or when searching old threads for info to help myself or others.