Experiences with this car?

[sicbeing]

So it looks like im going to end up buying this 1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS I've had my eye on. I'm test driving it Sunday, and if all goes well I'll probably buy it on Teusday.

Now I've been warned about the timing belt on this car. I've been told that I need to change / replace it at around 60k miles. It's at 44k at the moment, sounds to be like its going to cost me $500.00

Anyway. What kind of small mods can I do to this car? Its stock at 140hp @???? RPMS.

Say if I wanted to put a chip on it (I don't really know what a chip -is- or what it -does- but I hear it's cheap for HP) how would I go about buying one that would -work- on my car? And how would I know if it will work on my car or not without killing the car?

I've heard that if I want a real exhaust system I need to put a full pipe on it. Like a direct feed. How much does this cost compared to just putting a new back-end of a pipe on, or how does it compare in performance? How can I tell what will fit on my car?

The engine I've read is a 2.4Liter. What else would I have to know about the engine to determine what kind of Turbo Kit I can put on it? I don't know how to tell them apart in the first place really either (how to tell turbo's apart anyway). And would I probably be dealing with lag?

Where can I go for performance wheels? Not tires, but rims. Low weight and decent looking compared to the size that comes on the car. Someone linked me to such a site in a past thread but I lost it.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll have more Q's later. If anyone has any other experience with this car I'd love any feedback. Thanks in advance

 

[retsmah]

Is it really a 2.4l? I would expect a 2.0.

Personally I wouldn't bother with those performance chip deals... I really doubt there is that much extra power to get out of that engine by just messing with the computer.

If you want a turbo... you do realize there are turbo Eclipses right? It seems to me if you want a turbo Eclipse it would make sense to buy one of those rather than buy a naturally aspirated one and try to turbo it.

I don't know how Eclipses are, the NA engine may be exactly the same as the turbo one, minus a turbo. However, I would think they might be higher compression engines, less suitable for turbocharging.

The timing belt change at 60k is pretty standard on all cars. You'll definitley need to do that. If you did the work yourself you could do timing belt and water pump for under $100

Cool lookin cars, make sure you get some pictures of it

 

[sicbeing]

I wouldn't know how to change the Timing Belt myself, and I don't know what a water pump is.

_EDIT_

You're right. It is a 2.0

_EDIT_

It's 140HP @ 6000 RPM and weighs 2855 lbs. How do I figure it's P/W Ratio? 2855/140? Or the other way around?

_EDIT_

Power / Weight is 0.04903677758318739
Weight / Power is 20.392857142857142

 

[retsmah]

You replied too fast, I edited my post already Power/Weight is... well, thats pretty self explanatory, power divided by weight 140hp/2800lbs.

 

[sicbeing]

You replied too fast, I edited my post already Power/Weight is... well, thats pretty self explanatory, power divided by weight 140hp/2800lbs.

I edited mine too and posted it both ways. I want to put a turbo charger, or anything I can get my hands on that will make it close to 300 HP. Like along the lines of 275 or so.

I will most definatly be taking pictures. Here are it's pictures from Autotrader.com

(The reason I can't buy one Turbo charged already is because I can't find one)

I will be taking my own personal pictures of me with the car when I buy it (hopefully nothing goes wrong) 👍

 

[Duke]

Yeah, that's the Neon's DOHC 2.0 with the head on backwards. Mitsu bought the engine from Chrysler - son't let anybody tell you otherwise.

I don't know ahything about the Misubishi head, but it's a nice little engine in the Neon. Pulls pretty strongly, responsive to massaging, fairly reliable. On the Neon you'll want to get the rockers updated if you plan to sustain high RPM; like I said, I don't know much about the Mitsubishi version of the head. The bottom end is strong and good for 220-240 hp.

Check to see if the headgasket has been replaced already. If not, budget $600-$1000 for that. The good part is, that you can get the timing belt replaced for the cost of the part ($50) while you're having the headgasket done, since you have to take the timing belt off to remove the head.

I second the opinion that you should just buy a turbo Eclipse if that's what you really want, especially if you don't know exactly what to do.

 

[///M-Spec]

I'm going to give you the same advice I give to all first time owners of a sporty car who get mod fever.

Don't.

Save your money and invest it into some quality driver training. You asked about the SCCA in a different forum. I strongly urge you to hook up with your local chapter (there are many in central Florida) and try some Solo II. Move up to schools when you feel ready.

I say this because the primary limitation in any sports car is the driver. A lot of people are intent on spending time and money trying to improve the car and that's a fine thing to do. But most of them really wouldn't know the first thing about extracting but a fraction of the performance potential of even the most modest economy car. Something like Solo II can teach you how to do that. Just as important, it teaches it to you in a safe environment.

You would be surprised how well the car you're going to buy next week performs bone stock. And you would be more suprised to see people going even faster than you in "lesser" cars.

After you have maybe a season of Solo II under your belt, you may begin to understand what exactly you want to change about your car. You might feel while the car could always use more power, what it really needs is more roll stiffness or slightly more front camber. Don't just do what other people are doing and automatically assume it's the smart thing to do.

P.S. The car looks good, btw.


M

 

[sicbeing]

Thanks M Spec. What would be the first step in trying some Solo II? I only read a very, very little bit about Solo, or the SCCA at all. And how costly will it be to run my car? And do you mean when you say how well my car will perform, that it will perform good stock? I don't think I'll be doing too much more speed than I will do handleing.

_EDIT_

I know that handling on a car is just as important, if not more so, than putting all of it under the hood.

 

[sicbeing]

Yeah, that's the Neon's DOHC 2.0 with the head on backwards. Mitsu bought the engine from Chrysler - son't let anybody tell you otherwise.

I don't know ahything about the Misubishi head, but it's a nice little engine in the Neon. Pulls pretty strongly, responsive to massaging, fairly reliable. On the Neon you'll want to get the rockers updated if you plan to sustain high RPM; like I said, I don't know much about the Mitsubishi version of the head. The bottom end is strong and good for 220-240 hp.

Check to see if the headgasket has been replaced already. If not, budget $600-$1000 for that. The good part is, that you can get the timing belt replaced for the cost of the part ($50) while you're having the headgasket done, since you have to take the timing belt off to remove the head.

I second the opinion that you should just buy a turbo Eclipse if that's what you really want, especially if you don't know exactly what to do.

When you say Neon, do you mean the Turbo charged SRT-4 model?

_EDIT_

Sorry, didn't mean to post twice. Horrible habit.

 

[retsmah]

I wouldn't know how to change the Timing Belt myself, and I don't know what a water pump is.

I know you don't. Nobody is born with the ability to work on cars, you have to learn it. I suggest it for a couple of reasons. First, for the money you will pay someone else to do the timing belt you could do a timing belt and have a bunch of money left over for doing other stuff on the car.

Also, I don't know that it's a good idea to be modifying a car without knowing how they work. It'd be like having a fat guy for a personal trainer


Regarding the Neon engine... does that mean that the NA Eclipse engine has nothing in common with the Turbo? Or is the Turbo one also a Neon engine?

 

[TwinTurboJay]

there were no srt's in 1999 !

 

[///M-Spec]

Thanks M Spec. What would be the first step in trying some Solo II?

It's really easy to get started. If you're in Orlando, you can hook up with the Central Florida Region.

A- Find out when next their event is. (July 10th at Brooksville airport)
B- Show up.

That's it, really.

Most chapters charge 15-20 bucks to register for an event. Get there early (usually 7-8 AM), register and get your car teched. Then find out if there is a beginner's walkthrough of the day's course (there usually is). If for some reason there isn't one, ask the event manager to introduce you to someone who will help you. There is always someone happy help a newbie out. Most Solo II people are very friendly, laid back and very approachable.

Walk the course. Sign up for your worker station and then enjoy your day. It's that easy.

Things to bring: Lots of water. An umbrella. Perhaps a fold up chair. A snack. Stick on numbers for your car or just some shoe polish. A tire pressure gauge (and air pump if you have one).

Prep your car: Remove all loose objects. Remove sub-box if you have one. Add 8-10 PSI of air in your tires to keep the sides from rolling over too much. Make sure your battery is tied down tight. Remove the spare tire and jack. Make sure you have plenty of brake pad left and that the brakes don't need to bled.

The tech inspector will take care of the rest.

Go out and have fun.


M

 

[sicbeing]

there were no srt's in 1999 !

I forgot we're talking about the past. Now that I think about it the SRT-4 came into play during what... 2003?

One of my main qustions that never gets answered is how I know what Turbo will fit onto what engine. What specs on a turbo match up to the specs on an engine that will determine wether or not itll kill the engine or not?

No offense to anyone, but this question, or questions like that, that I ask, are never answered. Or if they are, I don't know what the people are talking about, then I ask more questions and people just stop answering because they don't feel like explaining everything to a newbie.

 

[sicbeing]

It's really easy to get started. If you're in Orlando, you can hook up with the Central Florida Region.

A- Find out when next their event is.
B- Show up.

That's it, really.

Most chapters charge 15-20 bucks to register for an event. Get there early (usually 7-8 AM), register and get your car teched. Then find out of there is a beginner's walkthrough of the day's course (there usually is). If for some reason there isn't one, ask the event manager to introduce you to someone who will help you. There is always someone happy help a newbie out. Most Solo II people are very friendly, laid back and very approachable.

Walk the course. Sign up for your worker station and then enjoy your day. It's that easy.

Things to bring: Lots of water. An umbrella. Perhaps a fold up chair. A snack. Stick on numbers for your car or just some shoe polish. A tire pressure gauge (and air pump if you have one).

Prep your car: Remove all loose objects. Remove sub-box if you have one. Add 8-10 PSI of air in your tires to keep the sides from rolling over too much. Make sure your battery is tied down tight. Remove the spare tire and jack. Make sure you have plenty of brake pad left and that the brakes don't need to bled.

The tech inspector will take care of the rest.

Go out and have fun.


M

Wow. It really only costs 20'ish? I heard that track runs can cost like hundreds sometimes. How far will the 20 dollars take me?

As far as I know this car is stock everything. So no sub boxes or anything. I will get the brakes, tires, alignment, and anything else I can get checked, checked.

When I add more air to my tires, you mean go over the suggested amount by 8psi?

I can't wait to get started and try an actual track. Gran Turismo has gotten me so into that kind of stuff.

 

[retsmah]

Solo II isn't run on a full race track, they mark out a little track with cones. A full track day will be more expensive. And probably not a good idea for someone who hasn't raced before, since there is a fair chance that you'll destroy the car In autocross it would be really hard to wreck your car.

Solo II = Autocross, if you haven't seen it called that before.

The reason no one is answering your turbo question is because it's way too complicated, and most of us probably wouldn't know the answer. You have to do some research for stuff like that.

I'd definitley start looking around for a good eclipse forum if you think you are going to get one.

 

[///M-Spec]

It's only 20 bucks because Solo II is done on a large lot or airfield, and not at an actual race circuit. If you want to run at Sebring, YES, it usually runs about 200/day.

But don't let that fool you into thinking Solo II isn't fast or interesting. Because the course is smaller, the turns come up at LOT quicker. The straights are short, so handling is what is going to win the day on a Solo II course, not horsepower. Solo II gives you a solid foundation before you move onto full blown track events. And it also gives you a greater layer of security because the speeds are lower, so if you make a mistake, it's not going to bend up you or your car (too much)

EDIT: If they have a September event, it's possible I may be in town for it. I'd be happy to walk the course with you if you're there.


M

 

[Duke]

I forgot we're talking about the past. Now that I think about it the SRT-4 came into play during what... 2003?

No. It's the same 2.0 DOHC that is in lots of first-generation Neons, from plain coupes through the R/T. It makes about 150 crank hp in Neon form, but can be built up to 200 or so wheel horsepower with a comprehensive naturally aspirated modification plan.

The bottom half of the engine is identical to the Neon's. The Neon's head is put on with the exhaust ports to the rear and the intake ports to the front. The Mitsubishi version has the exhaust ports to the front and the intake ports to the rear. How much the head itself is different internally, I don't know.

One of my main qustions that never gets answered is how I know what Turbo will fit onto what engine. What specs on a turbo match up to the specs on an engine that will determine wether or not itll kill the engine or not?

No offense to anyone, but this question, or questions like that, that I ask, are never answered.

That's because it's a highly technical question. No offense to anyone, but I've told you several times to ask at a board that is specifically related to the car you're talking about. You can't expect a general-audience Gran Turismo crowd to have details like that at their fingertips, and no one is going to take the time to expalin everything to you when there are dozens of sites that already exist on those very subjects, if you look for them. But a forum about the car you're looking at will be full of knowledgeable enthusiasts and should have a thorough FAQ to read.

10 seconds on Google:

www.dsm.org
www.dsmtalk.com
www.dsmtuners.com

 

[sicbeing]

It's only 20 bucks because Solo II is done on a large lot or airfield, and not at an actual race circuit. If you want to run at Sebring, YES, it usually runs about 200/day.

But don't let that fool you into thinking Solo II isn't fast or interesting. Because the course is smaller, the turns come up at LOT quicker. The straights are short, so handling is what is going to win the day on a Solo II course, not horsepower. Solo II gives you a solid foundation before you move onto full blown track events. And it also gives you a greater layer of security because the speeds are lower, so if you make a mistake, it's not going to bend up you or your car (too much)


M

Awsome, thanks M Spec. Except to hear more SCCA questions from me around a week or two after buying the car. Don't want to jump into an unfamiliar car right onto an autocross 👎

 

[TwinTurboJay]

it would probably be cheaper to do a complete engine swap with as turbo eclipse rather than redoing a n/a version to be fitted with a turbo !

 

[///M-Spec]

NP PM me or post in your other SCCA thread.

EDIT: Whoops. Forgot to say you should contact them and find out if they have loaner helmets. If not, then you will need to buy one. (Snell-95M or better, unless they've changed the minimum spec. lately)


M

 

[sicbeing]

No. It's the same 2.0 DOHC that is in lots of first-generation Neons, from plain coupes through the R/T. It makes about 150 crank hp in Neon form, but can be built up to 200 or so wheel horsepower with a comprehensive naturally aspirated modification plan.

The bottom half of the engine is identical to the Neon's. The Neon's head is put on with the exhaust ports to the rear and the intake ports to the front. The Mitsubishi version has the exhaust ports to the front and the intake ports to the rear. How much the head itself is different internally, I don't know.

That's because it's a highly technical question. No offense to anyone, but I've told you several times to ask at a board that is specifically related to the car you're talking about. You can't expect a general-audience Gran Turismo crowd to have details like that at their fingertips, and no one is going to take the time to expalin everything to you when there are dozens of sites that already exist on those very subjects, if you look for them. But a forum about the car you're looking at will be full of knowledgeable enthusiasts and should have a thorough FAQ to read.

10 seconds on Google:

www.dsm.org
www.dsmtalk.com
www.dsmtuners.com

You're right, you have. Now that I think back I was meaning to find forums like that. Never got around to it then forgot about it . Sorry.

Mspec: If you're around my area and you'd like to meet up at an autocross that'd be great. God knows I'll be feeling real alone my first time by myself .."Uh, hello, where can I race my car at?"..SCCA Employee, "Go away"