The Central Hub for DSM Community and Information

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. This is where the DSM platform history is documented and archived. Log in to help us in our mission, and to remove most ads from the browsing experience.

Promised Clean 1g, Left With a Project

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

tec_41

10+ Year Contributor
342
7
Nov 23, 2008
West Bend, Wisconsin
First off, if this should be moved to the tech section I apologize. This is a long story, so if you don't want to read it all, I'll include a summary at the end. The point of this thread will be for me to pick the heck out of your brains :)

My background:
My very first "fun" car was a 95 Talon ESi. I learned that thing inside and out, and ended up building a turbo kit for it. Once I blew it up I fully built the motor. I learned the majority of my wrenching skills on that car, and don't regret owning it for a second. I've also own an 04 WRX, 03 Mustang, and a few other toys here and there...so I'm not completely helpless when it comes to turning a wrench!

That being said, my knowledge is limited to the 4g63 platform. I hesitantly left Indiana yesterday with a 92 Talon TSi AWD (I live in Wisconsin), and boy is this thing in need of some TLC. The kid who sold it advertised it as CLEAN, with a great looking mod list and low miles. And the asking price was $3800 - Which seemed fair for a clean 22 year old car. He sent me a bunch of low-res pics, nothing that showed how dinged up the body really was. Bent lips on 2 wheels, scratches and dings all over, windows don't work for crap, interior is okay except for panels missing screws and for some reason the seat belts were in the back seat. Head unit isn't even mounted in the dash, Hurst shifter wasn't attached right (idk how you screw that up), and much more. He answered all of my questions with lies.

The second I got out of my truck to look at this thing my jaw dropped. "Clean" is the last word I'd use to describe it. I was pissed, and I let the guy know he wasted my entire Sunday. I left with the car, talk about buyer's remorse. But now I'm starting to have a little hope - It would be such a fun Winter car, even with its beat up body. I paid what I thought it was worth, which was much less than his asking price, and limped the thing 500 miles home. It runs like crap. I haven't had a chance to look at it much yet, but will after work today. Right off the bat I noticed an open vacuum line hanging off the throttle body, which might attribute to why it idles high and like crap. But also, the car supposedly has 550cc injectors and a 16g turbo, which it definitely can't be tuned for. There is soot all over the back bumper and it bogs down like crazy throughout the whole RPM band - particularly at 6k.

He said the previous owner said it had DSMLink v2, but I only see an Eprom ECU that isn't socketed (attached picture). It has a 16g of some sort, I can't quite see the numbers in the picture I took this morning so I'll have to look when I'm home from work. It idles very high, at like 1500rpm, and is rough. It fluctuates, and somtimes dies. I think this might be due to the Fidanza flywheel and vacuum leaks.

So where the eff would you guys start? I'd like to get this thing back to a simple running state. Put in stock injectors? Take out the manual boost controller? It peaks around 15psi right now. Also, I'm sure after 500 miles of highway driving under rich conditions the spark plugs are fouled. So I'm going to pick up a set of NGK BPR6ES on my way home tonight and put those in. Also going to trace down all the vacuum leaks I can, and do a boot leak test if I can find my tester. CEL is on for supposedly a coolant temp sensor, maybe I'll knock that out right away.

TLDR? Cliff notes:
Picked up a neglected 1g. Here's the claimed mod-list:

-Built TRE stage 2.5 trans with lsd, double synchro first and second, evo 1st and 5th
-4 spider center diff
-New head as of last November
-ARP head studs, Cometic head gasket
-16g turbo
-Balance shaft delete kit
-Slowboy racing front mount
-Lsd read end
-550cc blue maxx injectors
-Dsm link v2.5 *turns out it's just an EPROM Ecu, no Link*
-Fidanza aluminum flywheel
-Centerforce dual friction clutch

Car runs like poo, want to get it back to a simple running state. Right now boost is turned up to 15psi via MBC, and the bigger injectors/turbo are not tuned for. Here is an album with a few quick engine bay shots and a pic of the ECU- http://s52.photobucket.com/user/tec_41/library/1g TSi AWD

Where the heck would the 4g63 experts start?[DOUBLEPOST=1413832516][/DOUBLEPOST]The Eprom ecu I appear to have (MD145903) is from a 1990 supposedly. And since mine is a 92, I read I'd have to swap pins 6 and 14. Anyone know the reason for this?
 
Last edited:
Looks like you're keeping the car. Saw your CL post last week but not anymore. Good luck with the car.
Yessir! I had 3 people show interest right off the bat. Let one guy come out and grossly lowball me...I know my asking price was high and I expected to be talked down, but damn! I'm not going to deal with any more Craigslist idiots. I'll save the car myself.

Brian - It's very sad seeing how many of these cars fall into terribly unworthy hands. But I keep hearing stories like yours that give me hope. I know I can get this thing to where it should be. It's just hard to prep myself because 3 weeks ago I sold a car I had dumped a bunch of time into. Though, "finally, onto something that won't be a freaking project". But I'm learning that simply isn't a realistic expectation :p
 
..
the only time my Fidanza flywheel ever caused a stall (even then it's not for certain since it's only once) was after a long foot-down pull through fourth and into neutral at ~4.5-4.8k. Let the rpm drop by itself and after that much pulling it didn't recover and stalled out. Once, and only once. Every other time I go neutral when I'm going to slow for a red light or stop sign, and never even need to tap the gas, it just drops and then sits at my idle of 900. Doesn't even dip below and try to recover.
 
A little update - I ripped out the dash and engine harness, here are a few pictures of that-

http://s52.photobucket.com/user/tec_41/library/1g TSi AWD/Engine Harness and Electrical

Feel free to tell me what you guys see...There's also a picture of the coil which appears to have a different connector than the other one's I've looked up for a 92. The coil also has a random black wire sticking out of it that sparks when grounded. It also has "ESAP" etched on it in 2 spots. I'm finding quite a few clues that the PO swapped in a 90 harness/ecu into this car, and all subsequent parts. Check out the injector harness - Wire colors are all mismatched.

Just trying to figure out what parts to buy here. I'm already hopefully picking up a 92 harness/ecu from another member on here. If you guys have any suggestions on what to look for, what to buy, anything really, I'd appreciate it! I'm having a hard time even coming up with the right questions right now.

Also, what the eff is this loose looking bolt/washer contraption? Found this just as I was leaving...the bolt definitely isn't "loose"
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 

Attachments

You must be registered for see attachments list
Last edited:
Looks to be the intermediate shaft carrier bearing mount is not lined up correctly[DOUBLEPOST=1415585732][/DOUBLEPOST]There r dowel pins in the bracket and holes to receive the pins in the block. If the pins don't line up with the holes. The bolt never fully engaged the block. On crucial parts that must line up perfectly. U will find the dowels dowels line up. Bolts only hold together u will find these dowels on the rear main seal carrier. Head to block, oil pump drive shaft as seen here main caps and a few other choice places. Where alignment is crucial[DOUBLEPOST=1415587334][/DOUBLEPOST]List off the top of the head. 2 dowels live between the block and head 1 for each cam gear each cam cap bolt has 1 1 Woodruff key on crank nose. 1 dowel for crank to flywheel 1 for each main bolt these like the head are steel rings 2 live between oil pump case cover and block 2 also between rear main seal carrier and block 2 like the head between block and trans for awd 2 for the carrier bearing mount 2 for the transfer case to trans 1 located in the infamous crank walk blot location not totally sure on the rear end. Never messed with 1. But make sure all dowels are installed and accounted for best part about this build for u is that u can fix any mistakes now and make this built 100% right. If u don't know something ask someone will have the answer lack of knowledge is y there r so many of these cars gone good luck with the build hope we see some more in the future I have done a lot of research on mine and am finally in the home stretch. Don't get discouraged may not look like it but u have a excellent learning experience in front of u and the gratification of reviving something from the dead. Good luck
 
Last edited:
As far as sensors go I think all r the same. Not 100% sure tho. I'm a 2g guy. But have done the 6 bolt bottom 7 bolt head swap on my 98 spyder. Might get some input from a few 1g guys on here just to double check
 
Went to install the stock injectors, and picked up a set of new O-rings, which were just for the top of the injector going into the fuel rail. The lower isolators have quite a gap between the injector and the head...so much that the injector tip can wiggle around. There's no way it's sealing tight, so what do I have wrong here?

I had popped the lower isolators off of the FIC 550 injectors that were in the car. As you can see in my picture, they only fit on the stock injectors if you stretch them a bit. And even then, they barely hold on. Do I have the wrong isolators?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 

Attachments

You must be registered for see attachments list
Dang it, I swear I had an o-ring set from my old wrx but I can't find it! I just ordered a set for $15, so I'll give that a shot. Thanks!
 
Add Value - Be Respectful - No Trolling - No Misinformation - Participate Often!
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community

Build Thread Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top