Tuning up the GSX

[Wrathchild 138]

I’m new to the DSM game, I’ve barely had my 95 Eclipse GSX a month, she’s got approximately 124K miles and I’m about to do a serious tuneup on her. Changed the oil with Valvoline Synthetic, firm believer in Valvoline btw. Couldn’t find Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs so I guess I’m going with Champions or whatever else the auto parts store offers, any suggestions? I know some spark plugs work better than others with certain makes. Getting ready to flush the radiator and change out the thermostat just for safety sake.

Now I have yet to look underneath the car, so bare with me, but does the GSX have a solid rear axle or is it cv axles like the front? This is my first 5-speed car so I know very little about manual transmissions, since you can add clutch fluid I assume you can also change it, should I do this? Also, tranny fluid itself, what brands are best for my car?

Also, tips on getting to the serpentine the easiest way would be GREATLY appreciated because that job just looks like it’s gonna be a bi*** . Next time I change the oil I plan on pulling the oil plan and replacing the pan gasket, I imagine it can’t be in all that great of shape after nearly 124K miles.

The thread “The Answer to Spark Plug Wires” where I first discovered this product was closed, just an fyi incase this post happens to be in the wrong spot. One of the things I’m looking into is a good pair of spark plugs, after reading “The Answer to Spark Plug Wires” I found these MSD Ignition spark plug wires (Part#32719) on Summit for $90 bucks, on all my vehicles I’ve always used OEM spec plug wires except for once when I bought Mopar Performance wires for my truck. My question is, are they worth the money? Am I really getting a gain out of this? I’m a man who likes to get the most bang for his buck. Because to me if there’s no real MPG or even a mild performance gain from this, then I’ll just stick with OEM style plugwires. Of course spark plugs will be replaced as well, kinda ticked they don’t seem to have Bosch Patinum +4’s for the car, but you can’t always get what you want.

I’ve been told buy a guy I work with that the 2G Turbos are prone to failure after 100K miles and that I should probably have it rebuilt soon. What are you guys’ thoughts on his comment? This is my first Turbo car so I’m still getting my knowledge on forced induction up to speed.

Later in the coming week I’m having my exhaust done, Magnaflow complete system with dual tips (hate hate hate those huge fart can exhausts with a firey passion!!) and after it’s done I’m going to run some Gum Out through the fuel system to clean it out, help my mileage some and after that I’ll be changing out the 02 sensor. 


Answers, Questions, Comments, Concerns, Knowledge, and Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[onefast2gdsm]

Drain and replace all fluids. Get ngk bpr7es plugs and gap them. Get ngk wires. For trans fluid get redline mt90. Check and replace any leaking gaskets. Do a boost leak test and fix leaks. Check your Turbo for shaft play, and just double check everything. Also since your awd change diff fluids with mt90 as well.

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[92AWDHX40]

NGK plugs excellent upgrade path is a great place to start since it seems you have lots of questions.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

I'm new to the DSM game, I've barely had my 95 Eclipse GSX a month, she's got approximately 124K miles and I'm about to do a serious tuneup on her. Changed the oil with Valvoline Synthetic, firm believer in Valvoline btw. Couldn't find Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs so I guess I'm going with Champions or whatever else the auto parts store offers, any suggestions? I know some spark plugs work better than others with certain makes. Getting ready to flush the radiator and change out the thermostat just for safety sake.

The plugs that have been proven to work best are NGK BPR6ES for stockish power levels and moving to BPR7ES, one heat range cooler, for higher boost. Autolite 63's also work dandy. Avoid iridium/platinum etc in our cars. Plain 'ol copper works best.

Now I have yet to look underneath the car, so bare with me, but does the GSX have a solid rear axle or is it cv axles like the front? This is my first 5-speed car so I know very little about manual transmissions, since you can add clutch fluid I assume you can also change it, should I do this? Also, tranny fluid itself, what brands are best for my car?

DSMs employ an independent rear suspension design. You will find axles back there. It might be a good idea to change/bleed the fluid in your clutch system if the fluid is dark. There are excellent tutorials in the Tech Article section. Tech Guide - DSMtuners I use Redline Shockproof Heavy Duty in my Transfer Case and Rear Differential. Redline MT90 in the trans axle. Many love the Synchroshift varieties but some, like myself, prefer something thicker than water in our cars.

Also, tips on getting to the serpentine the easiest way would be GREATLY appreciated because that job just looks like it's gonna be a bi*** . Next time I change the oil I plan on pulling the oil plan and replacing the pan gasket, I imagine it can't be in all that great of shape after nearly 124K miles.

DSMs have Timing Belts rather than serpentine belts and to rest your mind timing jobs are a cinch once you've done it. The Tech Guide has lots of information, including pictures to help make things more clear. Tech Guide - DSMtuners As for the Oil Pan, I would really suggest leaving it alone. If it's already leaking, that's one thing but I would not remove it just for kicks. To me, it's one of those don't fix it if it ain't broke situations. Cause you know you're going to mix up those 2 damned short bolts.. (do a search you'll see what I mean).

The thread "The Answer to Spark Plug Wires" where I first discovered this product was closed, just an fyi incase this post happens to be in the wrong spot. One of the things I'm looking into is a good pair of spark plugs, after reading "The Answer to Spark Plug Wires" I found these MSD Ignition spark plug wires (Part#32719) on Summit for $90 bucks, on all my vehicles I've always used OEM spec plug wires except for once when I bought Mopar Performance wires for my truck. My question is, are they worth the money? Am I really getting a gain out of this? I'm a man who likes to get the most bang for his buck. Because to me if there's no real MPG or even a mild performance gain from this, then I'll just stick with OEM style plugwires. Of course spark plugs will be replaced as well, kinda ticked they don't seem to have Bosch Patinum +4's for the car, but you can't always get what you want.

I don't recommend you spend big dollar on spark plug wires. Some buy expensive Magnacores etc, and are dissatisfied with the performance/quality. Some have great luck and wear by them. However, MANY, appreciate the performance, longevity and low price tag of NGK Premium spark plug wires. So long as you're getting adequate spark (stock DSM ignition systems have gone 10's) flashy wires will not make you faster.

I've been told buy a guy I work with that the 2G Turbos are prone to failure after 100K miles and that I should probably have it rebuilt soon. What are you guys' thoughts on his comment? This is my first Turbo car so I'm still getting my knowledge on forced induction up to speed.

Firstly, ignore all doom-sayers. So long as your maintain and treat your vehicle with respect it will likely reciprocate. Now, that having said, DSMs do have issues. Some blown way out of proportion and others you might really want to look into. In the case of your T-25, it is really no different in failure rate than any other turbo that has been driven hard, daily for 100k+. I have 140k+ on my unit and it has absolutely ZERO shaft play. Inspect your unit for shaft play to help determine it's health. Checking Turbo Shaft Play - DsmWiki is an alright explanation of the process.

Later in the coming week I'm having my exhaust done, Magnaflow complete system with dual tips (hate hate hate those huge fart can exhausts with a firey passion!!) and after it's done I'm going to run some Gum Out through the fuel system to clean it out, help my mileage some and after that I'll be changing out the 02 sensor. 


Answers, Questions, Comments, Concerns, Knowledge, and Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ensure you do your research before you purchase an exhaust. A Magnaflow complete system is likely not a good option. Search around the forums a bit to get a feel for what you might be interested in. To get you started, most that are interested in big power end up with a 3" Downpipe, either a stock/hi-flo/or removed Catalytic Converter and a 3" Cat-Back to a muffler of their choosing. I appreciate that you don't like the "fart can" for the most part the DSM community prefers something more civil, both visually and aurally, not unlike the stock muffler- just higher flowing.

You have much reading ahead of you but I hope I answered a couple of questions or provided some useful information for you. Really go over the VFAQ, Maintenance, Upgrade Guides, etc. Searching is another great way to find the information you're interested in.

Your next few stops might be:
Virtual Tour of the DSM Engine Bay - 1G Visual Index

Frequently Answered DSM Questions - DSM Forums

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/fre...stions/324090-download-2g-service-manual.html Trust me, you will need this.

 

[4g63tsidsm]

You may want to look in to a timing belt-water pump change if it has not been done and would look to see if there is any shaft play in your turbo.

 

[Wrathchild 138]

Drain and replace all fluids. Get ngk bpr7es plugs and gap them. Get ngk wires. For trans fluid get redline mt90. Check and replace any leaking gaskets. Do a boost leak test and fix leaks. Check your Turbo for shaft play, and just double check everything. Also since your awd change diff fluids with mt90 as well.

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Any idea on how many quarts/gallons of MT90 I should invest in?

Define shaft play for me sorry man I know very little about Turbos. What part is the shaft exactly? Is there a national registry of some sort for reputable shops that do boost leak tests?

The plugs that have been proven to work best are NGK BPR6ES for stockish power levels and moving to BPR7ES, one heat range cooler, for higher boost. Autolite 63's also work dandy. Avoid iridium/platinum etc in our cars. Plain 'ol copper works best.

DSMs employ an independent rear suspension design. You will find axles back there. It might be a good idea to change/bleed the fluid in your clutch system.

I checked the NGK website and when I input the stats for the car, the BPR6ES and BPR7ES didn't come up. Any idea why that is? Were they only used in the later 4G63's in the Evo?

You may want to look in to a timing belt-water pump change if it has not been done and would look to see if there is any shaft play in your turbo.

Will do man, appreciate it. Forgot to ask this one earlier: what do you guys recommend for shocks and springs?

 

[onefast2gdsm]

If I remember correctly the trans takes 2 quarts don't quote me on this. Idk about the diff because I don't have an awd. I had trouble finding those plugs as well, if there's a Carquest by you, ask them to look at their local foreign car warehouse for them. Shaft play is play in the compressor wheel. Take off your intake. Stick your fingers inside your Turbo and see if you can push the wheel in and out or up and down. Boost leak test is simple. You can buy a tester for 20 bucks, take off the intake, connect the tester to the Turbo and use compressed air to pressurize the system.

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[PieEyedPiper]

Do not fret over what plugs companies do and don't list for our cars. Just run down to NAPA/Kragen/O'rielys/Autozone/Shucks/Canadian Tire/Advance Autoparts or whatever and pick up NGK BPR6ES plugs. Bring a $10er.

I understand that may not be inspiring "just do as we say", but there have been many experiments and experiences that have lead us to this conclusion. Besides, an Evo 4g63 is not so unlike the DSM 4g63.

 

[ssicb]

+1 for no "fart can" exhaust. just make sure you have enough flow!

 

[Wrathchild 138]

If I remember correctly the trans takes 2 quarts don't quote me on this. Idk about the diff because I don't have an awd. I had trouble finding those plugs as well, if there's a Carquest by you, ask them to look at their local foreign car warehouse for them. Shaft play is play in the compressor wheel. Take off your intake. Stick your fingers inside your Turbo and see if you can push the wheel in and out or up and down. Boost leak test is simple. You can buy a tester for 20 bucks, take off the intake, connect the tester to the Turbo and use compressed air to pressurize the system.

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Will do, I'll give CarQuest a shout today and I'll also check for shaft play and boost leak asap.

I understand that may not be inspiring "just do as we say", but there have been many experiments and experiences that have lead us to this conclusion. Besides, an Evo 4g63 is not so unlike the DSM 4g63.

I'm not a subject matter expert but I've been tinkering with cars long enough to know when someone's full of shit or not, you guys seem pretty straight forward plus a good friend of mine referred me to these boards so it's all good.

I wouldn't think the EVO 4G63 would be much different. Different injectors, turbo, intercooler, possibly some different internals but for the most part I would think the block is very much the same. Kind of the like the Chevy small-block 350, never really changed design wise.

+1 for no "fart can" exhaust. just make sure you have enough flow!

Getting a full Magnaflow system. May port out my exhaust manifold later, I did some reading up that said a header on the 4G63 is a waste of money and the Mitsubishi manifolds flow efficiently enough.

 

[Achelea]

Define shaft play for me sorry man I know very little about Turbos. What part is the shaft exactly? Is there a national registry of some sort for reputable shops that do boost leak tests?

I can name one once ya figure it out. Wrathchild 138's Garage.

A boost leak test can be made at home using parts from home depot.

YouTube - Boost Leak Testing 101: Building the tool.

This is a simple one. If you feel froggy, you can make a fancier one that has an air compressor fitting on the end, as well as a regulator to keep from pushing 120lbs of pressure through your engine.

Personally I have the BLT with a compressor fitting, a length of compressor hose, and a regulator where I can connect it to shop air. Makes it easier to read and I can dial the pressure up as I need to. When I get home tonight, i'll take a picture of it.

As for shaft play: When you pull the intake piping off, reach your fingers into the turbo's inlet and grab the shaft that sticks out from the front. Shaft play is the amount of play, or movement you have in the shaft other than rotational. IE in and out, or up and down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMgN3bLG8VQ lateral shaft play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP8PtlWzovc in and out shaft play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=midhrYaoAzU&NR=1 Extreme shaft play.