Project Auto GSX (BRINGIT), lets make it happen this year Options

[treydawgs4g63T]

Ok, i have started many threads over the last few years on cars i plan on building but never keep them going. This year, I have a decent car to work with and Have been making plans of what im gonna do to it all throughout the year. So for those of you who dont know me, my names TRAVIS a.k.a TJ. My current car is a 1993 Mitsu Eclipse GSX. Heres a little background on the car:

1993 GSX
red in color
Automatic tranny ( first out of 11 DSM's , yeah i know )
Black leather interior
sunroof
VERY NICE!

I bought this car almost a year ago from a buddy who had it at his parents sitting in a field. Believe it or not with no side effects. The only things that were wrong with it are two rust spots on the rear wheel wells. I also had to bug bomb it because there were a million spiders inside of it.

I have since installed a rebuilt 6 bolt motor and have been driving it for awhile now. I am still not sure how well i like the automatic tranny over a 5 speed but im getting used to it. I do however like the fact that the boost is constant even during shifts. which is an advantage over a manuel tranny car.

I would spend the next hour typing the info on the car but just go to my garage and you will find out.

My goals for this season are:

1- actually race my car at the track
2- run a mid/high 12 second pass
3- drive it more then its broke!!

Well im gonna cut it short for now but i will keep you guys posted every few days on the whats new and how shes runnin.

[awd4kicks]

Sounds like a plan TJ! Keep it rolling.

[treydawgs4g63T]

Ok, so i made a big mistake. I used a OEM headgasket when i rebuilt the motor and now i have to change it.

now i know the obvious things to check before going through all this work and i have already done most.

replaced almost everything to do with the cooling system ( water pump, thermostat, cooling fan switch, heater core, radiator , etc. )
checked my coolant flow ( all good)
checked compression and its still good 150 across
not using any oil

but......
spark plugs were wet
loosing coolant like crazy
excessive pressure in the cooling system causing coolant to boil over

gimma all the input you guys have but im pretty sure i will be installing a metal headgasket ( which i should have done in the first place ) real soon!!!!!!

[JMoushon]

any cross-contamination between oil and coolant?

[doayamaha]

metal is not really needed a cosmetic with arp's will work well. unless you are thinking about running really high boost 40 to 50, then i would have the block o-ringed titan's copper hg.

[awd4kicks]

TJ, it definitely sounds like you are pressurizing the coolant system with boost.

If you're going to stick with the 16g, then I would use the Mitsu 4 layer gasket with your ARP's. I personally feel that the Cometic can be better, but because it needs such a perfect surface preparation, I've seen and heard it fail a lot also. It wouldn't be a good idea in your case, unless you just had the deck of the block surfaced to the Cometic required finish. Even if you refinish the head surface now, an old deck surface would screw you over with a Cometic gasket.

If you are going to up your turbo to run high boost with a GT35 or your Precision, then I would recommend the O-ringing mentioned by Doayamaha. If you have that done the stock Mitsu head gasket has been working great for me.

[treydawgs4g63T]

thanks for the input guys!

no theres not any oil mixed with the coolant or vise versa

when i said metal HG i meant a cometic. i think i will just go with the mitsu 4 layer like you mentioned marcus. I will be pulling it apart in the next week.

I dont plan on running the precision or gt35 on this motor so the mitsu HG should be fine. I am building the other motor for that turbo setup.

[treydawgs4g63T]

ok guys, i ordered the goods.

mitsu 4 layer headgasket
ARP headstuds

also got my frontmount back off my brother
along with a set of AMS 580cc injectors

she will be going under this weekend.

[mitsu90]

hows that throttle body working?

[awd4kicks]

Let us know how everything works out.

[treydawgs4g63T]

Mitsu: its doin the same thing mine was doin. I dont know if they all do that or what so im gonna ask you other guys.

Ive done two boost leak tests in the past week. One with my throttle body and one with a diff. TB from Mitsu. Both TB's leak pretty bad from the seal behind the return spring. Do all throttle bodies leak there or are both of these in need of a rebuild???????

Also, my brothers car has a Eprom ecu and mine isnt. Would the eprom work in my car without effecting anything since his is manuel and mines auto? I know my TCU takes care of most but wasnt sure.

thanks

[treydawgs4g63T]

????????

[natedogg]

If I remember right a manual ECU is not compatible with an auto ECU.

I imagine both TB's are in need of a rebuild. Those seals dry rot with age. I've had to rebuild just about every one I've ever owned. There are some good instructions on how to rebuild on vfaq.

[black92_tsi_awd]

JNZ sells the seals ($12??) I bought a set last year and never had the time to redo my leaking TB.

[natedogg]

Or you can pick some up at a hardware store on the cheap. They're just rubber o-rings.

[JMoushon]

On the h/g... fwiw, I ran 26 psi from a 20g on a mitsu stocker and old stock bolts... your set-up should work ok.

[treydawgs4g63T]

that sucks about the Eprom. Oh well! i will prolly try and rebuild one of the throttle bodies i have layin around and see how that goes.

[mitsu90]

If I remember right a manual ECU is not compatible with an auto ECU.

not 100% but I do believe this will work. I remember when I had my auto, reading the atdsm boards people were talking about running a 14b and 450's in an auto and they would use a 5 speed ECU to compensate for the change. I also gave my auto ECU to ncgalant whom I believe used it in the laser for a short time.

[natedogg]

That very well could be. NC would know better than I. I have little to no experience with autos.

[treydawgs4g63T]

well heres a little update on the gsx. I got the headstuds and head gasket on the other day. As well as the front mount and injectors. Should have it back on the streets this weekend.

Any word on the ECU deal NC?