You guys won't BELIEVE this!

[UnWoRtHy]

Well...as of last night, I just scored my Talon ESi a sister. I just found, and purchased (yup...all mine now) a 1987 Mitsubishi Starion. This thing is mint. No...it doesn't run just yet because it needs a fuel pump and an ignition lock, and it's got a tiny bit of surface rot (and yeah....that's IT! Nothing else wrong with it). But just wait till I get it running. 5 spd, 2.6L 4cyl turbo, rear wheel drive...and loaded to the hilt with all the factory options. And the thing looks sick...I'm not even going to have to buy a body kit because she looks mean out of the factory. I'm not quite done paying my Talon off, but I've decided, even though I'll have this car, I don't have the heart to sell it. But you can never have enough DSM's sitting in the driveway, right?

Oh...and I hope anyone reading this is sitting down because I forgot to tell you how much I paid for this thing. Ready? $200. That wasn't a typo. Two-hundred dollars. Even if once we start working on the thing, we find something terribly wrong, the parts I'd be able to sell off of at alone would be worth at least a grand. It's wierd...things this awesome don't usually happen to me! My Talon was my dream car, and I've wanted a Conquest/Starion for almost as long. How many people get to own TWO of their dream cars in one lifetime?

 

[Shadowfax]

Congrats! The Star/Quest are cool cars.

Now for the advice- take that 2.6L, yank it out. Drop a 4G63 in there today. Take the ECU and wiring harness from a DSM and hook it up.

The Injection system on the Starquest sucks. The turbo you have (12A) sucks. You will spend more time and more money trying to make that setup work, than for the fab work to bolt that tranny to the 4G63.

It's harsh, perhaps, but my cousin has a 14B powered Conquest -fuel issues galore. He bought his for cheap as well, changed head gasket, ported/polished the head, killed the jet valves, the intake manifold, ported the crap outta the exhaust manifold, installed 3" exhaust, a wastegate dump tube with tubular O2 housing, new fuel pump, new FPR, new wires, new coil, all new IC piping, 1st gen DSM MAF... and the car still doesn't run for crap... Don't get me wrong- during the few times it's not sputtering and bucking, it's really pretty fast... but the tuning issues are the deal.

The loss of .6L isn't that harsh, it's a SOHC motor - you'll actually be a bit further along with the DOHC 4V 4G63. In terms of being able to tune the car to mods- light years up.

there is plenty of room in the bay for the 4G motor, and then you can simply start swapping parts off your DSM Remember that the starion is rated like 175HP when intercooled - sure, like all things, you can increase that, but swapping in a motor that doesn't blow head gaskets QUITE as easily, and has a lot better tunablity, is a wise idea.

 

[aleccolin]

The G54B is bad about cracking the head. It WILL happen, if it hasn't already. Trust me, I've done it. The non-jet valve heads aren't as bad, but it will still happen. A 4G63 is definitley the way to go.

 

[UnWoRtHy]

Funny you guys should mention head issues. My friend (who found the car for me, actually) told me today that someone he knows who used to own a Conquest recommended swapping the head for one out of a Caravan. Supposedly, it'll bolt up and it's a beefier head that's much more durable. I'm skeptical...but hey...I'm new to Star/Quests so I'm willing to take advice from an experienced owner/tuner. Like I said, I'm not too sure about the whole Caravan head idea...but hey. I was told that with the stock motor in it with a few modifications, I could get a 12 second car out of it....and boy would that be cool.

I don't know about the whole 4G63 idea. GOOD idea, sure. But I don't exactly have the money to drop on a motor swap.

 

[aleccolin]

The 2.6L (G54B) head swap from a late 80's caravan is common for 2.6L Monteros, Raiders, Mighty Max's, etc. since the caravan head, while the exact same casting and material, is a non-jet valve head (at least for the efi models) whereas all the G54Bs with carbs are jet-valve models, at least to my knowledge. There is a jet valve eliminator kit available for jet-valved heads, but it doesn't really do any good since the weak point in the design is the edge created by the penetration for the valves, it creates a hot spot which ends up cracking the head. G54B heads are prone to busting valve springs too, though the ones in the turbo motor may be different. The caravan head swap is simply a cheaper alternative because they're easier to find. The cam is most likely different from the one in the starion/conquest, but otherwise the head is the same. Do some google searching and read up.

 

[Shadowfax]

consider this- which is more expensive- repair, replace, and modification of two motors? Or just one?

I learned the hard way long ago to stop, and take a LONG look at what you want. Then do things right from the word GO.

Realizing that you have a throttle body fuel injection system, and that you'll be hard pressed to make it work well at the power levels you're wanting - and you'll see that sooner or later, you'll either stand alone, or convert to a 4G63... You could try and convert the parts that matter to a DSM EFI setup- shouldn't be impossible... ones is the chicken, the other the egg.

just look at everything objectively and decide slowly what will cost the least in the end.

 

[doug]

there is plenty of room in the bay for the 4G motor, and then you can simply start swapping parts off your DSM

He has a 2G N/T-- there's not really anything he can swap.

 

[Shadowfax]

He has a 2G N/T-- there's not really anything he can swap.

fair enough but upgrades for the 4G63 are WAY easier to find and buy than about anything for the starquest.

I know of a few starquest owners that made 13's pretty easily... but much beyond that, you are looking at soo much to get it tunable and running well, I think it's flat not worth it to put any money into that motor- specially when you could have the reliability and power of the 4g motor with RWD

 

[JiveMasterT]

swap in a twin turbo 454 big block, then you be all set.

sorry, i may drive, upgrade, tune, etc dsms... at heart, ill always be a chevy guy.

 

[94custtal]

I have a 88 conquest tsi sittin in my garage and i'm having some debates of what i want 2 do with it.Ok i have a 94 talon, 1.8 but its still my baby, and i have the money 2 buy a 4g engine but dont kno what car 2 drop it n2, which would be a faster car or require less hardship?

 

[RallyChick]

my bf has about 4 non running conquests, and one of them are currently getting ready to be modified. he's going with the 4g63 engine. and has several sitting around. when he had his quest running, he couldn't keep it from spinning the tires. it was fast. i can't wait till he finishes it! this is a great sleeper car we got alot of wtf looks because they are rare to see out on the roads, however not rare to see them in 3ft tall grass on blocks good luck

 

[4g63awdtalon]

6g72 would be a cool swap for it but i don't know how hard it would be

 

[Blue91Talon]

If you really wanna learn a ton about these cars then check out the following sites:
http://www.starquestclub.com
http://www.tristarion.com
http://starquest.i-x.com

Im a member at the first one and also have an 84 that is on hold till it warms up for a full rebuild of the motor....and finding upgradable parts isnt to hard if you get on some of the above mentioned sites, it is true about the fuel injection system, it sucks which is why many people swap on magna mpi manifolds from aus. and then go with a stand alone. also you can find a good list of free mods at http://www.t-racing.com (one of a group of people in the 12's right now.) Anyways have fun with it. EDIT: forgot about the head too, yes they are notoriously weak, mine on the 84 was cracked and i have a new clearwater cylinder head sitting in the garage waiting for after the rebuild to go on.

 

[Shadowfax]

6g72 would be a cool swap for it but i don't know how hard it would be

I know a shop that is doing it- and considering making a kit for it. The n/a 6G72 isn't a bad fit at all- swapping in the TT motor is what they are working on- the main issue is the tranny - finding a tranny to bolt on that can handle the power isn't fun.

The 6G72 is only 19" deep (balancer to rear main) but with turbos you want nearly 34" across... the idea isn't too horrid, and if you've got time and fabricating skills it's possible- however it's a LOT harder than the 4G63 swap. And really, considering that in order to actually run the 6G72 turbo you'd need the 3/S TT ecu- and it sucks complete ass.

You're further ahead just swapping a 4G63T into the quest. All the fun, all the research all the information of the DSM, with RWD!!