Quench my curiosity please =).

[Wherestheboost]

Just curious about everyone with a 420a motor, their current mileage and any major issues since they first bought the car. (ie. timing belt snapping, spunt bearings, blown tranny..etc. )

I bought mines a year ago with 150k, and i was looking thru the previous owners service records and he had the timing belt jump teeth twice, and some other minor things.

 

[dr1665]

Ive had the car almost ten years. I am the only owner. It's got almost 190k on it.

HG went at 142k, resulting in a nasty oil leak and no other problems. Decided to learn how to do it myself and rebuild when dealership wanted $1100 for a timing belt change.

Machine shop messed up floating wrist pin installation and the new motor popped 14k later.

Second original engine rebuilt with better parts and different machine shop. Has been running with a blown head gasket for just over a year now without any issues other than oil consumption. She doesn't overheat or anything. Even idling with the AC on in 118* weather. (She would like to, though.)

This is my favorite car in the world. Wouldn't trade her for anything. Take care of yours and you'll probably feel the same.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

Got my car with 74,000 on it. About a week after having her, the clutch said bye bye.

Around 90,000 waterpump went. When the mech. turned it on to drive it into the bay(instead of pushing it ) sprocket seized, snapped the timing belt and turned the $500 job into a $1400 top end rebuild.

110,000 TOB malfunctioned, along with the tranny.

I consider myself lucky..

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Around 90,000 waterpump went. When the mech. turned it on to drive it into the bay(instead of pushing it ) sprocket seized, snapped the timing belt and turned the $500 job into a $1400 top end rebuild.

Holy hell... I never knew that happened to you. I would've had the mechanic do that work on his dime - it was his fault, after all. Any reputable shop would've done that by default; I hope you don't go back to that place.


Got my car with 109,000. Supposedly the clutch was replaced before I bought it. I haven't had any serious problems with it until I started modding everything. The belts squeaked, and it needed some basic maintenance work, but other than that, it was a solid engine.

Hell, even after the modding, nothing major has happened yet.

 

[shiftdrift06]

Bought car around 130K, not much after car would sputter and bog badly, it was the fuel filter. About 140K, idler bearing (or was it tensioner?) seized, and snapped timing belt.
Also car at the moment has low compression, but does not effect daily driving. Overall I think this is a strong engine. And can last for a very long time, if maintained properly.

 

[4UH8ERS]

bought it with 125,000 miles on it. drove it for a month then I melted the piston top in cylinder 4 from running lean. Rebuilt it with the good stuff(view profile) had to replace crankshaft positioning sensor since rebuild and thats it motor wise.

I will be replacing both rear wheel hub bearing assemblies tommorrow they are sitting anxiously on my bar in the kitchen .

 

[markGSX]

bought my NT @ 130K, at 144K now... no major problems except the lower ball joint snapping (dealer supposed to do the recall and didn't).

I'm surprised at how well it runs for 140K... great compression and tranny shifts perfect. I would not be surprised if the previous owner had done a rebuild-- though I have no way to ask him.

 

[bullettdsm]

Let's see, bought mine with 95k on it. At 138k(?) spun a rod bearing (@8500rpm). Caught it in time to just replace the bearings. Around 140 head gasket went in spectacular fashion (James Bond like ). Few thousand later did "The Big Build" and now have 3600 on that engine. Car has been wonderful and I def. work my engines HARD.

MB

 

[totaleclipse_05]

Bought car with 106,000 miles on her in October of 04,

Had timing belt replaced about 2 weeks later for about $350

Power steering line had a tiny crack, but just braized over that.

Have done basic maintenance (spark plugs, wires, air filter)

I'm at 133,000 miles now

...........

I guess I have been lucky

 

[Locke]

bought mine with about 72k, now have almost 91k.

ran lean for a little while and melted some spark plugs, that was due to a clogged fuel filter though. i would consider the fuel filter as routine maintenance.

reverse light switch in tranny is faulty, and reverse doesnt slide right in.

for being wholly stock, i love it. Way faster than my wifes 07' Focus w/AT.

 

[Ajax]

Got mine with 127K on rebuild the engine with forged enternals drove 5k installed a turbo and all other mods drove 500miles melted #4 piston. Sat for a year rebuild bottom end drove 250miles timing belt snapped bending 14 valves,sat again for another 6 months rebuild the head drove it for I would guess another 500miles and lost most of my compression in number 4 only 30 while the other ones are at 150. The spark plug was melted but im guessing its going to sit again for another 6 months

 

[4UH8ERS]

Got mine with 127K on rebuild the engine with forged enternals drove 5k installed a turbo and all other mods drove 500miles melted #4 piston. Sat for a year rebuild bottom end drove 250miles timing belt snapped bending 14 valves,sat again for another 6 months rebuild the head drove it for I would guess another 500miles and lost most of my compression in number 4 only 30 while the other ones are at 150. The spark plug was melted but im guessing its going to sit again for another 6 months

wow! you might want to find out why cylinder 4 is running lean before you try and drive it again you think?

 

[Wherestheboost]

Let's see, bought mine with 95k on it. At 138k(?) spun a rod bearing (@8500rpm). Caught it in time to just replace the bearings. Around 140 head gasket went in spectacular fashion (James Bond like ). Few thousand later did "The Big Build" and now have 3600 on that engine. Car has been wonderful and I def. work my engines HARD.

MB

Lol. I read your profile, are those the only mods? Ill have to do more research when i get off from work. It looks like your throwing down nice numbers and 1/4 times N/A.

 

[bullettdsm]

Lol. I read your profile, are those the only mods? Ill have to do more research when i get off from work. It looks like your throwing down nice numbers and 1/4 times N/A.

Thanks for the nice comments. Yeah, that is my whole mod list. Remember it's not what you got, it's what you do with it that counts .

My time is the fastest posted for a 420a NA. I've been very up front about what I have in my car and how I did it. I did this so that others can see that; 1. It can be done. and 2. It helps to generate interest in keeping the 420a NA. I fully believe that the time will go down. I'm hoping that others will follow to the point of worrying more about HOW they are going to get their power down to the track, instead of just trying to find power.

Keep in mind that sub 15 sec. 1/4 miles will beat MOST of the stockers out there. That does make the car competitive. At the track I consistently beat those cool looking street mustangs and firebird/camaros. I'm hoping that helps to generate interest also.

Feel free to follow,

MB

 

[andymoraitis]

I don't own mine anymore, but I had a 95 GS that I bought in October of 98 with 38K miles. I did the t-belt at 61K, but didn't know about the waterpump, tensioners, etc. Nevertheless, I ran it on the original water pump, tensioners and idlers to 124K when it was sold. I only added a full exhaust system to it and it never left me stranded and ran beautifully. It also had the stock clutch for that entire period. It was a great daily driver and I still wish that I had it today. Other than the t-belt work and a fuel filter, the only things I changed on it were the oil, coolant, plugs and wires. She was a great budget ride.

 

[Ajax]

See that is the thing I have wideband and I was tuning with it when it happened ( was reading between 10.5-12.0), what I need and going to get before I run it again is a egt!!! I will check out my fuel injectors aswell as it seems that that can cause a bad problem lean problem too. But beleive me its going to be awhile before it runs again.

 

[Shadow98]

I bought mine at 190,xxx. Now has 243,xxx the only thing that gave out on me was the alternator. I've change out a bunch of other parts, but it was cause she was running bad. I just like to spoil her. I was supposed to be boosted by the end of this week, but it looks like it's not going to happen till the end of the year.

 

[Wherestheboost]

Dang...243k.... only my oldschool bimmer ever saw mileage like that.

 

[420Adriver]

130,000 on mine, 10 minutes after i had it a radiator house broke. One week later timing belt broke and belt 4 valves, when i got it i had to replace the left wheel bearing and alternator belt snapped a few times. Oh and i had to replace my water pump and ever since then i've replaced alot of stuff on it that looked worn, not because i had to but just to be on the safe side.

 

[RWKustoms]

When I had my 95 GS it ran very well for about the first year and a half, I had bought it with 78,000 miles. It was auto and the first thing to go was the tranny (it started going into nuetral everytime I stopped). I replaced the tranny twice in 8 months and after that my water pump went. I changed my timing belt along with the tensioner etc. It seems that after my water pump went that's when every other problem came up. My a/c evaporator started leaking and then my heater core leaked coolant all over my floorboard. Then the power steering/AC belt kept getting shredded because of a f...ked up crank pulley (replaced with one from the junkyard). My rear upper knuckle bushings and all shocks were also bad. My exhaust mani had leaks along with the flex portion from the downpipe. I changed numberous valve cover gaskets along with grommets. I also replaced the oil pan gasket, tranny filter and pan gasket, all four motor mounts, numerous fuses, carpet from the leaking heater core, batteries and terminals.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

My power window master switch went along with the motor, my horn went too along with my brake light switch. I then had to replace my A/C switch and numerous fuses and bulbs from different shorts.

I got so pissed at the car and that's when I decided to buy a GST. I knew for a fact that most things replaced possibly had never been replaced before so each problem came right after the next. I was pretty nervous before I bought my GST because I knew it was still an Eclipse and turbo at that but the funny thing is that I've had very little problems with it because I've learnt the art of preventative maintenance. I baby my car so much even with all the mods and my friends ask me all the time if I knew my car is turbo because I don't drive it the way I should sometimes.