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Finally got the '92 ES, now sitting in front of my garage door.
Since I have to replace the engine, I might as well document every hassle, with pics.
I'll be doing the 60K-mile stuff and the end clutch deal on the auto trans.
I'm not new to wrenching, but I am new to Mitsu.
Step 1. Rebuild rather than replace. That way you know what you have.
Step 2. Toss the auto trans in the Garbage. Unless of corse this car is for you mother. LOL.
Step 3. install 5 speed and enjoy it as that is what you really wanted anyways.
Those automatics could not pull the socks off a Dead man. No matter what you do to them.
Actually, I DD a work truck, I'm currently spending my days as the mechanic on a very large dairy farm. 4WD and low range are both mandatory just to get around in the snowy months.
I'll use this car for taking my lady out, and running to the store. Other than that, it'll be driven by my retired father, who lives adjacent and no longer has a left hand, but has arthritis in both knees.
A custom torque converter can do wonders for the launch, as can retarding the exhaust cams and advancing the intake cams, especially since I'm at 4500' elevation. I'm aware this might require some custom tuning at the local chassis-dyno shop.
The only argument for rebuilding this 3.0 is the chance to port & polish the heads and have them shaved for more compression, along with polishing the piston crowns. But spending $280 for a pair of head gaskets isn't happening, let alone replacing head bolts at $40 / set. Besides, shaving may change the cam timing in ways I might not like.
Turns out the free extra engine that came with the car is also ruined. So now I'm thinking about a '93-'96 Montero 3.5L 6G74 long-block-assembly. I can get one for $200. Been searching for threads on what all this would entail, such as custom grinding / welding. Any links would be greatly appreciated. Likewise links to info on the power / economy switching button on the shifter. 2 different tunes?
Last week at Pick-N-Pull in SLC I found a green RT 5-speed, engine ruined, so I pulled nothing from it.
Car has an e-bay muffler under it, some buzz-bomb looking deal a 16-year-old might like. I think I'd like to replace it with a rear-turbo ( Squires STS style ) putting 6 psi into the intake manifold. But not right away. Don't want to over-reach.
I guess everyone here would think less of me if I contemplated doing a GM 3.8L L36 & 4T65E swap, right?
Well I guess if that's your thing is GM engines and transmissions. I'm thinking that would be way more of a hassle making everything work and fit than just rebuilding the stock 3.0 and enjoying it or swapping in a 3.5 even. You said yourself you don't want to over reach.. So don't. A DOHC auto isn't overly fast, why try and make it. Enjoy it for what it is, a good looking car that's fun to drive and comfortable.
ignore GT wizard; he's steve68's retarded brother. atx's are fine. the gearing is a little long in 1st, which makes them feel slow--but if you have n/a, you're not it in for the speed anyways. i've driven atx's as n/a, fwd-tt, and awd-tt...and they are perfectly fine.
GM swap is quite possible, but rather pointless, imho. there's no way you'll get nearly as much power out of a GM v6 n/a as you can by simply upgrading to a stock vr4 engine and tinkering with it. not to mention electronics, fitment, transmission, etc.
it would help if you explained what was dead on the engine. if it skipped timing, you'll need rebuilt heads. if you spun a bearing, you'll need a new bottom end. lots of variables there.
p.s.
i dunno what "ebay exhaust" is, but i'd like a pic. the HKS superdragger looks like a POS ebay exhaust and is an incredibly valuable find--it's the best sounding exhaust on our cars by a considerable margin.
Only a minute before I gotta rush out the door, but I'm wondering if the DNJ gaskets are good enough, the price is far more realistic than wasting $270 for Fel-Pro, which I always insisted on until this.
Still thinking about fabbing accessory brackets to use the Montero 3.5, considering the cost of 3.0 pistons. $155 / set is the best I've found so far. I can get the 3.5 for $150 if I don't take the heads, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, or accessories.
And a bit of research has turned up a 4.422:1 final drive, which would add 300 RPM at cruise, but would sure wake up acceleration in first gear. Based on my experiences with comparable gear swaps in other cars, this will be one of my highest-priority upgrades.
Still can't let go of the L36 idea, I know it can do 35 MPG. But gotta try the 3.5 with 4.42 gears first, IF the DNJ gaskets are any good.
Oops, I'm late. Thank you for your comments, I'll read and answer them soon.
interesting ideas. hope whatever route you take works out for ya
IPD is almost right. I may have been mistaken about the performance levels the OP was looking for.
All stock anything is fine for just going from A to B. Like taking your Mom to the store. The auto is just fine for that.
I am sure your Mom would get a kick out of it. Maybe ever scare her a little. WEll, OK Grand mother. My mistake.
But if the OP was wanting options? There is plenty to be had. It all depends on his performance goals.
Let use know how your build turns out. Would be cool to see Dyno numbers.
Good luck
AS far as the L36, THat needs to be in the back of a Fiero. W/about 10 lb.s boost.
stock vr4 power levels can easily be handled by atx, wizard. not just atx power levels. fwd mtx's can't even dream about that.
i plan on running my awd atx as 100% stock (plus a trans cooler) after the car is making ~600awhp, just so it can shut people up once and for all.
WTF is your problem? I never said an ATX could not handle HP or even torque. So shut the fuck up.
Don't try to put words in my mouth, just to try to make yourself look smart. We all kmow you know something.
Just never seen an ATX have ANY good exceleration do to the crazy high first gear.
I know what they can do. Not new at this game. We still have our ATX that had been built for drag racing. Still have the high speed stall converter.
Been there, done that. And don't just talk about what you can do. Show us, like I do. Untill then, your nothing but hot air.
And now you are talking about turbo power behund one. That's cool and all. But this is an NA thread. Show me an NA Auto that moves. LOL.Show us.