The Bearded1's VR4 build/resto/help Thread

[bearded1]

Hey guys,

I've been meaning to make a "build" progress thread for a while to keep myself motivated and maybe get some pointers, etc. while I work on my car.

I bought my '93 VR4 in Fall of 2011. I'm not strictly an import guy, I'm more of an auto enthusiast in general, but I'm definitely a Mitsubishi fan and I was in love with 3000GT's for several years before buying my own. I lurked on the "OTHER" forum, and various other sites, for several months doing serious research and reading before I decided to actually invest in my own. I looked around for a while locally (Oklahoma area) and after several dead ends and a few just too far gone, I found one worth looking at in Amarillo, TX. I had my aunt go take a look at it for me and take a few pictures of the car and cosmetics etc, and after communicating with the guy for a few weeks I took a drive over with a buddy for a test drive. Then I decided to drive her home!


314797_2297615210267_588366699_n.jpg

Taken at Dairy Queen on the way home to Oklahoma

I'm having some trouble with my desktop where I store most of my pictures, so more pics will be uploaded later and as I go.
My car really is in poor shape cosmetically, but after doing a lot of maintenance and replacing parts, it's now in decent shape overall as far as the actual mechanics go. I hope to fix more of the cosmetics this summer, hopefully with some input from the forum! I'm not experienced with detail work at all, so looking forward to getting some help there...

After I bought my car, I drove her almost every weekend for about 6-8 months, fixing things here and there as I found them. Most of the way through the 130 mile drive to my hometown one weekend, I found myself stranded when my clutch decided to give out with no previous warnings. My baby was parked and the transmission was pulled slowly and the clutch replaced with an XTD stage 3 I got from an acquaintance (who bought a stealth from a field, fixed it, broke it and sold it in about three weeks time). He wasn't needing it anymore
I also ended up replacing the output shaft while the transmission was out with a 300M shaft.

While she was apart, I decided there was no better time to go ahead and tear apart the OTHER end of the motor and do my maintenance. And thus began the year long period of the car sitting while I worked on it one weekend at a time. Full 120k mile maintenance was performed, including VSS replacements and main/rod/thrust bearing replacements.

She's ran off and on since then in different capacities. So, instead of continuing to ramble with even MORE of a long story, I'm just going to go ahead and throw out the current mod list for those who like to skip straight to the meat

Current mods and fixes installed as she sits:

120K mile maintenance
XTD Stage 3 Clutch
300M output shaft
ARC2
Palm logger
Wideband, Oil pressure and boost gauges
Ninja MBC
Seattle solid motor mounts
Seattle short throw shifter
TGE Preset cam gears
Full vacuum reduction and emissions delete
Gutted precats
IPS downpipe and test pipe
PTE 550CC injectors
Hotwired stock pump
AEM FPR on the rail
Rail mounted FP gauge
Heavy ground wires
Preturbo hard pipes
GZP FMOC
One step colder plugs
MSD wires

Sitting on the shelf:

Walbro 255
Ninja transfer case bracket
driveshaft carrier bearings
DSM intercoolers



I'm currently in the middle of an alarm/remote start/keyless entry install, so alot of my interior is torn out. I've also been chasing an issue with my motor sticking towards rich in various situations. I've just recently replaced the injectors and hoping the issue is worked out. Also porting my intake manifold runners before reinstalling. I've also fixed and am fixing various vacuum leaks along with an exhaust leak caused by my horrendous 3SX rear precat delete while the bay is apart. I'm planning on working out ALL the current kinks before I upgrade the turbos. I try to do things as best as I can with a "measure twice, cut once" philosophy.

My 100% solid and unchanging goal is to make my car a solid reliable, badass street car, and it will get there one step at a time. I hope to make it to 500AWHP eventually, but HP is just a number, and not one that I'm firmly attached to. It will be a street car, period. There will be no stripping interior, or grinding off casting flaws to save weight. I want my car to be fast, just like everyone else, but I also don't want to stray away from it's purpose.

I hope to keep this thread as a sort of progress meter for posterity, and hopefully it'll continue to keep me motivated. Maybe I'll even get some help when I get stuck, and with those pesky cosmetic issues. Maybe something here will even be of use to someone in the future!

Hopes and dreams, lead on...

[NOMIEZVR4]

Sounds interesting..

[sergechronos]

Sitting on the shelf:

Walbro 255
Ninja transfer case bracket
driveshaft carrier bearings
DSM intercoolers

Needs more cowbell...

Also in place of the Walbro 255, you may want to look into the Walbro 416 (or the pump gas version which I don't remember the LPH of) as it is quieter than the 255 and would allow much bigger fuel upgrades down the road.

Don't get me wrong though, love the steps you're taking and the build it right the first time approach. Should be a reliable daily monster once you're done.

[bearded1]

Needs more cowbell...



Also in place of the Walbro 255, you may want to look into the Walbro 416 (or the pump gas version which I don't remember the LPH of) as it is quieter than the 255 and would allow much bigger fuel upgrades down the road.

Those are literally just the parts I already have on hand. But we will have more cowbell

You know, I considered that before I got my 255, thinking that that would give me some overhead, but I got a good deal on the 255 and went with it. I was concerned when I bought it about noise (I have a external 255 on my S10 and it's really obnoxious) but I was told the in tank pumps aren't as loud. More overhead and quieter is good enough for me. I actually really appreciate knowing that before I dropped it in. Thanks!

Anybody know if my filter accessories and crap will fit the larger pump, or should I just get new accessories with the pump?



Jake

[sergechronos]

Well, it's up to you as to whether or not you are okay with it. Me personally? I just didn't like how loud it was.

The 400/416 would basically be like double the price of a 255, but depends on what direction you're going with it. I, like you, liked the idea of more overhead and a nice quiet pump since I'm aiming for GT style build, but I got a smoking deal on mine. Not sure about the interchangeability, and that may also depend on if it's the gas or E85 version of the pump that you buy. I can double check my pump this weekend and take some pictures for you to look at and compare. Don't have a 255 here anymore, but I do have an OEM pump somewhere around as I recall.

[bearded1]

Like i said, I was concerned about it before I ever bought my 255. GT is what she was built for and GT she will stay

If you've got one and handy and want to get some pictures that would be awesome. Don't pull the pump or anything just to take a picture!

Jake

[CoopKill]

I do not see any fuel control in that list (unless missed). The 50% larger injectors could be your rich issue?

[sergechronos]

I've got my 416 out since I'm upgrading the fuel sender for better wiring and bigger feeds and returns. Wouldn't be a problem at all to check it out and snap some pictures for you.

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[bearded1]

I do not see any fuel control in that list (unless missed). The 50% larger injectors could be your rich issue?

Coop,
ARC2 was installed last spring.
Stock injectors were just removed and larger injectors were installed - the motor has not been started since then.

I had suspected one of the stockers may have been sticking open - when it would hold rich, revving the motor would actually return it to stoich after a few moments. Hopefully that issue is cured when the interior and intake mani go back on.





Jake

[sergechronos]

Hope these E85 Walbro 400 pics help you figure out how interchangeable it might be with the 255.

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