What to do with my car?

[idkiliketurbos]

Well I am at a point where I will soon be getting another car for the winter and the eclipse will be sitting. I am starting to think of possibly getting rid of the eclipse for something awd. I am just not really sure if I could get anything even close to what I would want to sell it for. The details: 1997 eclipse gst with a 1st gen 7 bolt motor/head/intake manifold/2nd gen throttle body, 14b turbo, apexi n1 3" turbo-back, 18" enkei rims w/ hankook tires, and a few other minor things done to it. Car is from california and has no rust on the body at all, strut towers are clean, hatch is clean. Has some dents around the body but none that are big by any means. It has 111k miles on the body. Now the issues. I changed the throw out bearing and clutch disc at about 106k. Recently it has developed some VERY slight throw out bearing noise and once in a great while when i'm shifting it won't go into a gear and I will have to let out clutch and push it in again to get it in gear. I am just confused at this point as what I should do with the car or if I were to sell, what I could get for it. I am just starting to wish I had bought a stock car without any rigged up intake manifold things or anything like that. Any idea's would be cool.

 

[wht420aeclipse]

I'd put some money and time into fixing the current problems with the car. That way when and if you do drive it in the summer months it will be enjoyable and get you back into the mood of modding.

BTW car looks really clean from that pic

One thing I've learned of the years building these cars is if you don't take the time and money up front to do it correct the first time, then your gonna hate the car down the road when it breaks and ends up in the garage for several months waiting on parts and time.

 

[dsm1212]

Ya I feel ya keep wanting to get something AWD but i just think if i sell the eclipse i will end up regretting it. Think its worth it to just fix up and eventually get an AWD car also.

 

[Tre3zy]

i really think that you should keep the car and should put the time to fix the problem.... any car is no fun when it doesnt want to do what you want it to do.... i have had that problem with my GVR4 when i first got it.... almost sold it after a week.... but i saw the potential that these cars have.... thing is with these cars you have to be patient and dedicated.... you cant half ass things....

 

[idkiliketurbos]

I guess it would make sense to keep it and fix any problems I have with it. It has been a great learning experience for me being 17 and already have dropped the tranny in it and done tons of work on it. I have a feeling this winter i'm going to be dropping the tranny out of it again.

 

[Dserge]

Keep it. Trust me. I sold my first 1g TSI AWD that I put a lot of blood sweat and tears into. Needless to say 1 year later I saved up all my paychecks for my current 2gb.

I will never get rid of this car no matter how much it falls apart on me!

Just drive it like you would a geo metro and it will last.

 

[tsi87889095]

I would keep it. If nothing else buy a 1G awd drive as your daily driver and you can drive it in the winter being that you guys get a decent amount of snow. With these cars its always good to have another car to drive and plus a 1G is so much fun in the snow.

 

[90tsiawdturbo]

At least keep it till you get an AWD lined up...btw I'm like 30 miles from neenah...used to love the Neenah/menasha skatepark!! Lol

 

[69_luv]

Don't sell it, I sold mine and I spent 6 years searching to find a replacement. I have the AWD now, and yeah its pretty cool, but my GS-T was a monster. Keep the one you have, and if your so into the AWD, do the conversion. I think I saw someone just had the whole conversion 2G AWD conversion parts (sale pending as set) - DSM Classifieds

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Converting the gst to awd is an option. You will also save some money.

There is an awd conversion in the classifieds right on here right now, with everything you need to convert your fwd to awd

 

[idkiliketurbos]

Thats not a bad idea. I never took that into consideration. Plus I guess I might as well fix what I need to on the car because just like any other car, stuff is going to break, this one just seems like it likes to break more but thats what you get when you buy a used car. I really like the car when it treats me right, and I hardly EVER beat on it.

 

[Vladimir]

There is probably a problem with th clutch fork. Or shifter linkage. I dont think it would be a problem with the synchronizers or transmission forks cause u didnt touch that. There can also be a problem with the motor mounts that can cause that problem. You lubricated the throw out bearing right?

 

[idkiliketurbos]

Yeah I definatly lubed the throw out bearing and the pivot ball for the fork. I am sure I will have to drop the tranny this winter and figure out what the issue is with it.

 

[Vladimir]

check for the motor mounts tho... good luck bro. and dont sell her she's a beautiful car.

 

[69_luv]

Part of the problem with buying a DSM that has anything done to it is that you the current owner now have to find out about the little things, change stuff that was done wrong, and on TOP of all that the car is over 10 years old, is prone to break anyway, and all around a general headache except for when they do "treat you right..."

Saying that, the only way that your really going to get over the whole first part of the headache is if you find a completely stock eclipse, one that hasn't been modified, or abused. And that my friend is a very hard task. Then once you get the stock car, the "tuner bug" comes knocking on your door asking for a crap load of money that was allready invested in say your current car.

So don't sell it. Just take it in baby steps and fix what you don't like. You said there was some getto rigging on the intake? I would start there, and also figure your TOB problem. Good luck man, but I wouldn't sell your car, its pretty clean looking.

 

[vannaksgsx]

This is a decision that only you can make. If we tell you to keep the car ( i would ), and you don't really want to, you're going to tell us and yourself that you're gonna fix the problem- but in reality you'll keep putting it off. THEN, the car will give you MORE trouble. Take a look at how much it will cost you to convert to AWD, or just fix the current shifting problem. Then decide if it's worth keeping.

I know exactly how you feel. My first 2gA GSX started giving me issues, and I didn't want to deal with it- so I sold it. REGRET.

OR, if you're getting sick of the car, but still want a turbo'd AWD- sell it (you wont have a problem doing that) and buy an EVO

 

[idkiliketurbos]

Well the intake is all stock piping for now since I picked it up for cheap. I just have a totally random idle but when I did a boost leak test the only leak I found/heard was coming from by the throttle body on the side facing the fire wall so ordered some new shaft seals and hopefully that will fix that issue.

 

[69_luv]

You can pick up piping for pretty cheap, I think I saw on extreme PSI from side mount to TB for $2##. Front mounts run in the $300+ range and come with full pipes. Do some research on here for your idle problems, it could be a slew of different things. As far as your shifting problems it sounds like you didn't get something right in the install steps. Torque values, bad parts, something...
When you droped the tranny out of the car did you support your motor good? You could have broken a mount. Post a new thread for diagnostic help and see if the forum can help you with your problem. What psi did you take your boost leak test to, and did it hold it? How where you doing it?

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

yeah man, just tackle those issues one at a time. Then all of those smaller problems dont seem like such a big issue. and all of us are always here to help you out.

My Talon was a mess when I got it in July. Wiring was trashed, interior was a mess, no engine, no front brakes, wrong front bumper, radiator support bent, just to name a few. I just take on one project at a time. My interior looks like new now, my wiring is all put back like it is supposed to be, I'm working on an engine to drop in, and I almost have the brakes replaced (pefrect opportunity to upgrade) and im in the process of replacing the radiator support.

I wouldn't go out and buy a 100% stock gsx, that seems like as waste of money for something just to use as a reference, that is what we are here for. Post pics of stuff that you think is off or not correct and we will be able to help you out.

Good luck with that. I hope you decide to keep it and fix it. A nice DSM is really hard to come by these days, it would almost be as much of a PITA to find another one in as good of shape as it would be to just fix yours.

 

[Ego4sho]

AWD swap it and build the block

 

[idkiliketurbos]

Well for my idle issues I have also replaced my biss screw which seemed to work for a little while. And I was doing a boost leak test to even just 10 psi and it would leak out pretty quickly right from where the shaft seals were. When I dopped the tranny I had the motor supported by a jack with a 2x4 on top of it so it should have been supported good.