Questions on buying a dsm

[Boysenberry]

I'm looking to buy a 2g gst or gsx, but there are a couple questions I need to ask first. Note that these are only questions I was unable to find answers to before hand.

First, how reliable are these engines? I've heard of people having problems with them failing, and I've heard other people saying that they're pretty solid. Just wanna hear from someone who has owned one

Second, and last (kinda applies to the last question, I guess) how common is crankwalk? Is it a serious problem? Is it repairable? And if I'm looking at a car, test driving it and whatnot, is there an easy way for me to tell if it's walking? I've read a little about crankwalk, but I still don't totally understand it.

Looking forward to your feedback, thanks

 

[gst-turbo]

I owned one for over a year and have only replaced starter and installed mod have been good for me

 

[Boysenberry]

How many miles are on yours?

 

[AngelOfPassion]

I'd say the engines themselves are reliable when not abused. I would get a real boost gauge and a wideband air fuel ratio gauge installed on the car ASAP if you choose to buy one. They are great help in knowing that the car is running healthy which is great for the longevity of the motor.

Crankwalk is something that if it happens it happens. Most of the time though people will think their cars have walked when it really hasn't. A really easy way to tell if a car is walking is by taking a hard left turn and pushing the clutch in, if it sticks to the floor there is probably some play in the crankshaft (crankwalk). However, I will note that mine sticks to the floor a little after a hard left turn and I haven't had any issues owning the car since January of 2012...

I will say that these are very old cars though, and you will need to repair misc things from time to time. Any car this age will have its wear and tear maintenance. I just had to replace my tie rods and drivers side axle and that was a hefty repair bill. But you will get those types of things with any car this age really...

Just start learning as much as you can about a turbocharged application to save yourself headaches later. Learn what the correct air fuel ratio's are at cruise and wide open throttle, learn what turbo your car has and what fuel system to know it's not being pushed too hard. Learn stuff like that and you will be ok.

 

[Boysenberry]

I'm definitely used to miscellaneous repairs by now, this 98 Camaro I have now is the newest car I have. I've just always loved cars made in the 90's, and I'm sure willing to sacrifice a little money for repairs here and there to own the car that I want.

I'll be honest, owning a turbocharged car, I'll probably run the crap out of it. But all necessary maintenance will be done, and just as I am with my Camaro, I will be sure not to drive the car if I suspect any sort of problem. That in mind, from your experience, will the car be something I can drive every day? It will definitely get better gas mileage than the Camaro!

And thanks for some of the tips, I'll be sure to get gauges as soon as I make a purchase! I'm definitely doing my research. I've loved these cars since before I started driving, so I'll be doing everything I can to keep it going

 

[Insane20]

Try and get a bone stock one if possible. I love the 4g63 it's a great motor and can take some abuse. If u get one I would tune it up plugs wires air filter fuel filter oil change trans fluid change transfer case fluid change rear end fluid change and above all if the timing belt hasent been changed change it.

And yes I drive mine everyday.

 

[jbeaton9292]

They are good motors as long as they are taken care of so deffinatly do the initial maintenance on it right off the bat dont slack get to know your car like precious poster said its an old car stuff is bound to break but once you have replaced enough its like new again

 

[DJ Raydiate]

I will say that these are very old cars though, and you will need to repair misc things from time to time. Any car this age will have its wear and tear maintenance.

I too am in love with older cars so maintenance is a must. I just let go of my 88 camaro that I had built from the ground up. My DSM is my new baby now.

 

[AngelOfPassion]

That in mind, from your experience, will the car be something I can drive every day? It will definitely get better gas mileage than the Camaro!

If you keep up with the preemptive maintenance yes, it will be something you can drive every day.

However, if you turn it into a project and start trying to build a lot more power, you may want to have a back up vehicle because it will break more often the more you push it. Not to mention the time down for the upgrades themselves...

 

[Boysenberry]

Wow, tons of feedback! You guys are great!

When I make a purchase, the car HAS to be stock. That is one of my main things. Also, as soon as I buy it, it will probably sit until all necessary mods/maintenance is done so that it will be at it's best when I start driving it and getting a real feel for it.

The car will probably never be a project car. That's why I'm buying this car, so my Camaro can be a project car I love the look and sound and everything else about 2g Eclipses too much to not be able to drive it daily.

Thanks for all the feedback, like I said, you guys are great! If anything else comes to mind, specifically about the crankwalk, I'd love to hear about it. I'm still learning

 

[AngelOfPassion]

Quoted from 1000 AAQ:

"What is 'crank walk'?
What is a 'walking' crankshaft?
Is there a recall or TSB regarding the crank walk problem?
How can I tell if my car has a walking crankshaft?

A 'walking' crankshaft is a crankshaft that moves too much inside the engine. This is also known as excessive thrust bearing play. The movement is usually due to the crankshaft not fitting inside its bearings correctly. While not bad for the crankshaft, the movement can place excessive or uneven loads on the bearings, causing premature failures.

Many 2G owners have suffered from walking crankshafts. It appears that Mitsubishi built many 2G engines using defective crankshafts, which were machined out of specification and are thus capable of moving around too much inside the block. All 2G model years appear to be affected to some degree.

To fix this problem, Mitsubishi has designed several versions of matching crankshaft bearings. This allows the defective motor to retain the crankshaft, yet matches the bearings correctly so as to eliminate the excessive crankshaft movement. Matching the bearings in this manner is tricky and requires exact information about when the crankshaft was manufactured, which may be determined by color markings on the crankshaft itself. The 2G factory manual includes information on how to match crankshafts to bearings.

1G owners do not generally need to worry, as there are no chronic problems with crankwalk in per-1995 cars. However, it is possible for any engine to experience crankwalk if there is a problem with the crankshaft bearings. It has been reported that 'small rod' / 7-bolt flywheel motors (manufactured from later 1992 through 1994 on 1Gs) are more prone to crankwalk than 'big rod' / 6-bolt flywheel engines (manufactured from 1989 to early 1992). However, there can be no guarantees, since big block V8s and all other engines can also suffer from crankwalk.

It can be difficult to tell if a particular car is experiencing crankwalk. Symptoms are usually indirect and difficult to diagnose until major damage occurs.

Since the clutch places pressure on the crankshaft, many owners have reported clutch or shifting problems associated with the walking crank. Having the clutch 'stick' down on left-hand turns is often a telltale sign of crankwalk. Other symptoms include inconsistent engagement height, poor or rough engagement, difficulty shifting, ticking noises and varying pedal height or pressure. Another possibility is having the engine RPM decrease significantly when the clutch pedal is down.

Another problem with crankwalk is that the crankshaft may move so much as to literally tear up and destroy the 2G crankshaft angle sensor. This problem usually manifests itself as a ticking noise coming from the timing belt area, as the sensor is literally and slowly ground away by the crankshaft. Any such noise should be investigated right away to prevent serious problems.

Unfortunately, cranshaft angle sensor failure usually leads to a replacement sensor, rather than a replacement crankshaft, as mechanics fail to diagnose the underlying problem. 2G owners who have experienced premature failure of the crankshaft angle sensor should investigate the possibility of a walking crankshaft immediately.

For more information, read this post by Paul Estavez, which describes the crank walk problem in detail. Also read Road Race Engineering's archive of posts that contains all of the Talon Digest posts about the walking crankshaft problem. Those who appreciate that a picture is worth a thousand words will appreciate the Crank Walk Photo Archive.

Although 2G DSM owners have been anxiously awaiting a recall or TSB on the crankwalk problem, there is none as yet. According to Paul's second post on the subject, there may never be a TSB, although some members of DSM Canada are pushing for one in this thread on their discussion board. As a result, it is doubly important that affected 2G owners get their bearings (or blocks, if necessary) replaced before their warranty expires. This might be difficult for owners of aftermarket clutches, as dealerships often claim the aftermarket pressure plates are the cause of the problem."

 

[Boysenberry]

I found that exact post just before you posted it on here! It did help a lot. I'm not terribly worried about it. From what I've read, this problem normally occurs before 100k miles, so any car that I'd buy (planning on buying one with under 150k) would probably already have the problem resolved, if there was a problem to begin with. Am I right?

 

[SNAKE_15]

These cars are reliable but you just have to keep up with the maintenance like any other car. Crankwalk usually happens when someone is driving the car like shit. Yes it is best if you find a dsm that is bone stock because you know that car hasn't been through tough times

 

[AngelOfPassion]

I found that exact post just before you posted it on here! It did help a lot. I'm not terribly worried about it. From what I've read, this problem normally occurs before 100k miles, so any car that I'd buy (planning on buying one with under 150k) would probably already have the problem resolved, if there was a problem to begin with. Am I right?

Yes and no. I feel that way with my car, it has 190k miles, but I have also been told it has always had the stock clutch and never anything with more pressure. Some theories around crankwalk say that a higher pressure clutch can speed up the crankwalk process or even cause it.

My personal opinion on the matter though is that if the car was going to walk, it probably would have already...

 

[JusMX141]

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