Engine

Oil pressure is directly related to

• the ambient temperature
• the engine temperature
• the amount of oil in the engine
• the engine speed

When changing the oil you often end up with a slightly different amount of oil in the engine then you had previously.  Less oil means less oil pressure - add a little more oil and the pressure will rise.

Also, the oil pump is driven by an accessory belt. Operating the engine at higher speed runs the oil pump faster, raising oil pressure. Consequently, oil pressure is lowest when the car is idling (and hot), and will rise during cruising.

Normal oil pressure on these cars is between the Low and Mid mark when idling, and between the Mid and High marks when cruising. These marks, unfortunately, do not correspond to any known psi rating.

Limited testing by DSM owners with mechanical oil pressure gauges indicate that DSMs tend to have around 70-90 psi of oil pressure while cruising, and only 10-20 psi while idling. Cold starts can generate oil pressures of over 100 psi, a fact verified by the DSM manuals when discussing proper oil filter selection.

Consistently low oil pressure while driving could be an oil leak, or a bad oil pressure sending unit. Be careful.

The Last Word: Some DSMs just show low oil pressure, period. My car has shown low oil pressure for years, but nothing comes of it.

And, despite what some people have told me, oil pressure DOES depend - a little bit, at least - on the amount of oil. I've seen the oil pressure on my car go up by adding a bit more oil. There is a danger of overfilling the oil and causing oil "frothing", but I consider that a low-probability problem, whereas my car (and most DSMs, by now) does definitely leak and/or burn oil. Personally, I'd rather have a bit too much than not enough.

The oil light on the dash may come on under hard braking when your oil is low. Top up immediately.

Finally, the little connector that connects the oil pressure sender to the dash gauge can wear out and/or fall off. The gauge will show zero oil pressure and scare the bejeezus out of you, but the dash oil light doesn't light up. The sender is located between the oil filter and the wheel, under the car.

Many.  Read Michael Stegbauer's Idle page. Brad Baur has an excellent idle surge VFAQ up. Also read the answer to "How do I adjust the idle on a [DSM]" in this FAQ.

If this process doesn't work, you are in the minority. Try looking for something basic, such as

• loose throttle cable
• fouled spark plugs
• defective or gunked-up idle speed control (ISC) motor
• leaking injectors
• cracked vacuum hose
• damaged intake manifold gasket
• Timing. (If you have adjustable cam gears, make sure they didn't move)

High idle can also be caused by a throttle cable or cruise control cables that are too tight.

Some troubleshooting tips: if your idle adjusts when your A/C compressor is on, or when all of the electrical accessories are on, the ISC is at least partially working. If your idle appears to fluctuate with temperature, suspect an air leak in a vacuum hose or at the air intake first.

If you need to check the ISC, do it when it is hot. The ISC resistance can sometimes change when it has cooled down. Thus, the ISC looks ok when checked, but misbehaves when actually operating. The same holds true for cables since they can tighten up during operation.

The Last Word: With the age of these cars, cracked hoses, hardened gaskets and broken seals are going to be very common. The throttle body shaft seals can leak air, for one example. It's the nature of an older car.

Legend

	Very Likely
	Likely
	Eh...
	Not Likely
	Very Unlikely

This is commonly attributed to the hydraulic lash adjusters (lifters) used in the DSM cars. Other cars have similar problems - Mazda owners, for example, refer to them as HLA problems. Other possible causes include excessive carbon buildup on the valves and piston heads.

The general consensus is that this problem is not damaging to the engine. Indeed, many owners have lived with the problem for years with no side effects. In extreme cases, it is possible that the ticking may be picked up by the ECU as knock, causing a retardation in timing that will cost some engine power. This case seems to be the exception, not the rule, since the DSM ECU only 'listens' for knock during specific time intervals.

In the past, owners have reported that their tick appeared or went away with certain oil brands, oil weights, oil filters, oil pressures or the like. These 'solutions' appear to be car-specific and do not represent a real fix, but some experimentation may help alleviate the problem. Some owners find that adding a small amount of extra oil helps to raise oil pressures and minimize the ticking, but again, it doesn't work for everyone.

Yet another solution involves realigning the lifters in the engine to promote better oil retention. Jeff Brinkerhoff recently did so with excellent results, reported in the December 2, 1998 Digest. Bryan Cobb has followed his example with similar success. Check the FAQ Locator to find the procedure.

Simply replacing the problem lifters is unquestionably the best option. The lifters have been redesigned to eliminate the tick. There is a VFAQ on this process, which is not terribly difficult, and involves about as much work as realigning the existing lifters. Use the FAQ Locator to find it. The newer lifters apparantly do not rotate, and do not suffer from alignment problems.

There have actually been a few versions of the lifters. The original were Mitsubishi part number MD149309 used in 1990 to 1997 cars. A redesigned version (part MD337687) was then introduced, and was replaced yet again by part MD377054. This latest part number is reportedly the best version but the availability may be limited if dealerships still have some of the older part still in inventory.

Mike Ferrara focused on the problem of carbon deposits on the valves. It is a relatively dangerous procedure, as it involves pouring automatic transmission fluid into the intake of the engine. As fluids are incompressible, a miscalculation can literally devastate your engine. A few DSMers have experienced major engine damage from performing this procedure incorrectly. Thus, this procedure is not recommended for the novice mechanic

Rather than doing this dangerous procedure, those who have non-lifter tick problems should consider using Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner on their car. Other Digest members have had considerable success using it to clean major carbon deposits in the DSM engines. Read the Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner discussion captured on VFAQ page

Other sources of non-lifter tick include exhaust system problems including a cracked exhaust manifold, broken exhaust maifold bolt or stud, cracked turbine housing or other exhaust leak. Some owners have reported that their tick went away after changing, repairing or upgrading their manifolds. Others have found that their spark wires (whether new, old, upgraded or whatever) were arcing to the block, causing a sparking sound they mistook for lifter tick. This is usually detected by looking under the hood at a running engine in the dark. Finally, a few owners are sure their ticking is really the injectors firing.

Excessive engine vibration is a telltale sign that the balance shafts (also known as silent shafts) are out of alignment. These shafts are designed to counterbalance the engine to keep it from shaking during normal operation.

If the engine vibration just started, do NOT start or drive your car until you can verify that the balance shaft belt is okay. If the belt is old or worn, it can jump, causing the balance shafts to be out of phase. This, in itself, will not damage your engine, but is a symptom of much larger potential problems.

The real problem is that if the balance belt jumped, it may be getting ready to break, and could the next time you start your car. This in itself is not a bad thing (the car runs fine without the balance belt at all), but the balance belt has a nasty habit of hitting the timing belt after breaking. The timing belt will often jump or break after such treatment, which is, literally, an engine-destroying event. You can count on losing at least eight valves if the timing belt jumps, and probably all sixteen if it breaks. Repair costs can run into the thousands. It is for this reason that the balance shaft belt should be replaced at least as often as the main timing belt.

It is also possible that the engine will shake immediately after a timing belt change. This is indicative of a simple misalignment of the balance shafts in the engine. Running the car that way is not damaging, but is obviously undesireable. Return the car to the shop in question to have the timing re-done - driving it there is usually ok, although towing is great (especially if you can get the shop to do it). Read the timing belt VFAQ for more information. (Yes, it's listed in the FAQ Locator.)

Try putting a small amount of Ajax on the back of the offending belt(s) and running the car. This helps clean the belts off. If this does not work, you can purchase belt dressing from any auto parts store that might quiet them down a bit. You can also check the belts for correct tension - sometimes overtightening the belts (by just a bit!) will eliminate the problem.

Inspect your underdrive pulley. Make sure it is not cracked.

There have been reports that badly rebuilt alternator may also be the cause of the squealing belt. Try another alternator as a last resort.

Yes. Replace your thermostat. Although you can use a cooler thermostat, this may not be a good idea. See this answer for why.

If this fails to solve the problem, you may be having difficulties with your coolant temperature sensor. This sensor also affects idle, air/fuel mixture, and timing, and failures can generally be detected by the ECU as error code #21. A burned out fan switch or relay may also be the fault.

For racers that run their car at sustained high RPMs, it is possible that their cooling pump may not be operating that well due to cavitation. For these people, an underdrive pulley will spin the cooling pump slower than typical, allowing it to operate properly. This is not a concern for non-racers.

If you have ECMLink, start the car with the rad cap off.

• Let the car get to up temp with rad cap off and watch ECMLink and the coolant at the thermostat housing. it should not be flowing.. just gurgling a little. If flowing. you have a stuck thermostat.
• Once the temps reaches 183-187... the thermostat should open and you should see temps dropping to below 180.
• When you see temps drop, looks at the coolant.. it should be flowing.  
• Once it drops below 180, coolant should stop flowing.
• *** If coolant is flowing all the time, you have a bad thermostat.
• At one point once the coolant has cycled from rad to block a few times at idle, the rad fans will come on as there is no airflow across the rad.
• *** If rad fans don't come on, you may have a bad temp sensor, fan relay or fan.

No. This is normal. It is simply the air moving through the intake/bov that you are hearing.

Poor boost is often a symptom of other problems.  It is important to know why the boost is low before attempting corrections.

The DSM ECUs have partial control over the amount of turbo boost through the use of the boost control solenoid (BCS) a.k.a. thewastegate bypass solenoid.  Under normal driving conditions, the BCS is open and allows the wastegate to open at the normal intake pressure.  Should the ECU detect a serious problem with the engine, it will often close the BCS, causing the wastegate to open sooner and lowering the turbo boost produced.

The ECU uses the BCS to reduce turbo boost in several situations.  Should the ECU detect a large amount of airflow into the engine, the BCS will be pulsed off and on to reduce the air intake to acceptable levels.  This can lower the turbo boost significantly, and usually only occurs at high RPMs.  This is usually a temporary problem, which disappears when the intake airflow drops to more normal levels.

The ECU will also close the BCS if it detects significant engine knock.  Knock, also known as preignition or detonation, is a damaging condition brought on by excessively advanced ignition timing, lean air-fuel mixtures and/or low octane or poor quality gasoline.  The BCS is the second and last line of defense against knock - the ECU will first retard the ignition timing in an attempt to prevent knock.  If this fails, the BCS will close to reduce the intake air flow (and boost pressure) to a minimum value, hopefully eliminating the knock at the expense of engine power.

A simple LED monitor circuit can be constructed to check the operation of the BCS.  If the BCS is pulsing, or remains closed during typical engine operation, it means that you may have some other problem that is making the ECU very nervous.  This is often accompanied by retarded engine timing, resulting in a further power loss, all of which makes the car much slower than it should be.  Note that the operation of the BCS monitor is not necessarily intuitive - study the Troubleshooting section, this issue of the Diagnostic Port, and the Boost Solenoid Details page very carefully before deciding you have a problem.

If the BCS is not operating as expected, suspects include poor quality gas, excessive turbo pressures, injector malfunctions, oxygen sensor malfunctions, and anything else that can lead to a low-octane, air-rich mixture inside the cylinders.  Differences in mass airflow sensors from car to car will also affect the operation of the BCS.

If the BCS is fine, the timing may still be retarded due to airflow or knock problems.  If you are certain this is not the case, it may be time for some modifications; see "What should I do to make my car faster, or handle better?" , above.

If you are certain this information does not relate to your problem, check your intercooler hoses. Often a hose has popped off, or is leaking air badly. Another spot to check is the wastegate actuator; make sure the actuator rod is still connected to the wastegate door. Otherwise, the wastegate may be flopping open and letting out all the boost air. Sometimes the arm has broken off the wastegate due to a rusted-out holding pin.

This is called boost creep, and occurs when the turbo is pushing so much air that the wastegate, even when fully open, cannot dump all of the intake pressure.  This results in a continual increase in intake pressure, and is common with upgraded turbos, especially with upgradeddownpipes - the exhaust would rather flow through the turbo/exhaust than the more restrictive wastegate, which spins the turbo ever faster.  Cars with this problem can develop mind-blowing (and engine-blowing) intake pressures in a hurry.

The general solution to this problem is to port the oxygen sensor housing, turbine housing and/or wastegate to allow them to dump more air.  Otherwise minor malfunctions of the wastegate may also exhibit themselves as boost creep, such as poor travel on the wategate actuator arm.  Some people use an external wastegate for better pressure control.

Check out Tom Stangl's - O2 Housing Porting vfaq. (archived PDF)

People interested in more theory behind this problem will enjoy Dennis Grant's Turbo Fundamentals Series.

The dip stick is often usually forced out by excessive crankcase pressure.  In many cases, however, this is not due to an increase in crankcase pressure - rather, it is due to a decrease in the holding power of the dip stick.  Lots of these cars are over 5 years old, with many approaching the 10 year mark, and most rubber parts have lots their original resiliant nature.  The rubber plug on the dip stick may have shrunk and hardened over time, causing the stick to come out more easily than before.

Read Jack's Transmissions PCV article. 

If replacing the dip stick rubber doesn't help, the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve is often at fault.  This is an inexpensive little part that is supposed to vent excess pressure, but it can wear out or clog.  A quick replacement may be in order.

Another possibility is replacing the breather hose with a small K&N valve cover filter, which will hopefully help to vent excess pressure.  Bad turbo oil seals and worn piston rings are the next likely suspects.

Tip: Attach a small clamp near neck of oil tube. Then find a spring that will hold on to the diptick and attach other end of spring to clamp.

There is a TSB for this problem, number TSB080795, NHTSA Item Number: SB039984.  Unfortunately, no summary or listing of this TSB is currently available on the web. 

One DSMer suggested simply sticking a pin into the vent hole on the windshield washer reservoir cap. The stock hole is so small that it is hardly visible, and can easily get clogged. Cleaning or enlarging the hole keep pressure from building up in the system.

This is usually poor ignition, caused by:

• bad, incorrect, platinum or poorly gapped spark plugs
• bad or loose plug wires
• bad ignition coil
• bad transistor pack

Try swapping each one out until you fix the problem. Testing the components may or may not reveal the problem; many people have had components (especially wires) test ok, but perform badly on the car. Plug wires may also be loose in the coil pack, although they may look fine.

Other possible causes include

• a bad battery connection (or bad battery), leading to poor power to the fuel pump;
• misaligned timing belt;
• excessively high airflow through the 1G MAS, leading to 'missed' counts;
• incorrect routing of the vacuum hoses on the throttle body (there was a mistake in a shop manual somewhere);
• decaying of the ECU capacitors (a must read - go here for details);
• worn camshaft lobes (normally only a possible problem on certain aftermarket parts called Web Cams);
• or (in at least one case) a broken thermostat.

Those with an interest in spark plug theory will enjoy this post about Basic Theory of Spark Plug Operation. 

Lorrin Barth pointed out that a fourth cause, especially on rebuilt heads, may be poor fit between the valves and the valve guides.

Also check out David's Turbocharger Troubleshooting diagnostic chart for a comprehensive guide to smoking and other engine problems.

No, this is normal. Exhaust gas temperatures on DSMs range from about 775 degC to 825 degC on-highway, depending on whether you are within or over the speed limit. Most materials start to get 'red' hot at about 800 degrees C. The only solution to this 'problem' is to take it easy on the throttle.

Unfortunately, it is typical for 1G cars to end up with cracks in the exhaust manifold, O2 sensor housing and/or turbocharger housing. There is not much that can be done to prevent this, short of replacing original 1G manifolds or O2 housings with their more robust 2G counterparts. This is obviously not much of an option for the turbocharger, given the stock 2G turbo is smaller than the stock 1G turbo, and is obviously no help to 2G owners.

Short of replacement, sometimes the offending parts can be welded to close the cracks. This does not prevent them from cracking again, however. Unless you get a good deal on welding, it is probably best to simply replace the parts (preferably with upgraded parts). Those with cracked manifolds should know that many aftermarket exhaust headers also have significant problems with cracking.

Many people who experience problems immediately or shortly after washing their engine have damaged the crankshaft angle sensor on the car. Without this sensor, the ECU cannot tell what position the crankshaft is in, and the engine cannot run.

Usually, people who wash their engine are able to cover the electrical sensors prior to washing. If this is done, the engine will probably start up fine right after washing. However, driving the car with a wet engine will create steam, which can get inside the crankshaft angle sensor housing. Once the car is shut off, the steam condenses into water, which wrecks the sensor.

Some owners are able to 'revive' their sensors, but most are dead. Some Digesters have investigated if they can be repaired, but so far nobody has been able to do so.

To prevent crank angle sensor damage, either wait until the engine is mostly dry before driving, or drive it for a while and then raise the hood to allow the steam to escape.

Video: (non descriptive) Project DSM Engine Bay Cleaning

Video: Tom's Turbo Garage VR4 Engine Detail

##############################################################
Here is one way to do the engine:

** Important. NEVER USE A PRESSURE WASHER **

Start with a cold engine.
Run the engine until the engine is warm to the touch.
Shut the car off.

Place plastic bags / Saran Wrap / Baggies over the

• Alternator
• Cam Angle Sensor
• any other sensitive electronics

Choices of cleaner:

• Scrubbing Bubbles has been reported to work very well and safe for painted surfaces. I like the Foam as it clings as it cleans and easier to see.
• For more stubborn areas, diluted degreaser (or natural degreaser like orange).

Spray and scrub the engine. Avoid getting water in the electrical connectors.
Use a light mist of water to rinse everything.

Once done, remove the bags and either wait until dry or start the engine (at your own risk) again with the hood up. Let the water evaporate.

OPTIONAL: Once the engine is up to temp, if you like your rubber (and painted parts) shiney (NOT THE BELTS!), spray regular Armor All on them, then go for a non dusty drive. In 30 mins, the heat applied to Armor All will have coated the rubber in shiney even coat.

Turbo models have low impedance injectors (2-3 ohms), and include a resistor pack in the electrical system. Non-turbo models (including the Spyder 2.4L) have high impedance injectors (13-16 ohms) and do not have a resistor pack.

The resistor pack is installed to ‘fool’ your ECU into thinking it is driving high impedance injectors. Vehicles that have low impedance injectors AND resistor packs have ECUs that use a saturated signal to operate low impedance injectors.

If you are unsure because your vehicle is modified, you can measure the resistance across the two electrical terminals of the injector. If the resistance is between 1.5 and 4.0 Ohm you have low impedance injectors.  If the resistance is between 8 and 16 Ohm you have high impedance injectors. 

Low impedance injectors are designed to be driven by peak and hold signals. Most of the OE manufacturers that produced cars with low-Z injectors chose a “workaround” to using the low-Z injectors since it wasn’t cost effective to produce an ECU with the necessary circuitry and injector drivers to produce these P&H signals for the few high performance cars that needed it.

The way they solved the problem was to add a resistor box into the fuel injector harness, thereby increasing the resistance in the circuit to the higher value needed to prevent the ECU injector drivers from overheating due to excessive current draw. (e.g. low-Z injector resistance is 3.0 Ohm, plus in-line resistor of 7.5 Ohm, making a total resistance of 10.5 Ohm, which is safe for the ECU).

For more information about Injectors, visit the Fuel Injector Clinic FAQ page

You would already know this if you had checked your shop manual. (You do have a shop manual, right?) Also, owners of late 1996 to 1999 DSMs need read no further - base timing cannot be adjusted on these engines - any attempt to do so will result in a 'check engine' light.

Adjustment of the base engine timing is done through adjusting the crankshaft angle sensor. There is a trick, and here it is : the ECU normally controls the engine timing, so unless you disable the ECU control, you are not seeing the base engine timing when you hook up your timing light. Instead, you are viewing the ECU-controlled timing, which may be substantially different. Adjusting the timing without first disabling the ECU control will have little effect, as the ECU will re-adjust the timing to the original value.

Fortunately, the factory provided an easy way to disable the ECU timing control - a small electrical connector in the engine bay. All you have to do is connect it to a ground to temporarily disable ECU timing. On 1Gs and 1995-1996 2Gs, the connector is located on the firewall, near the middle. (Owners of 1997+ cars please note: these engines lack the timing adjustment connector, and timing cannot be adjusted.) 

After you ground this connector, hook up the timing light and check if the engine timing is +5 degrees BTDC . (For instructions on how to use a timing light, check Brad Bauer's Timing Light FAQ.) Timing adjustment is done by adjusting the crankshaft angle sensor. After the adjustment is complete, unhook the connector and re-check the timing, which (owing to the ECUs intervention) should now be around +8 degrees BTDC.

Please note that it is possible for the operator to set the timing further ahead than +5 deg BTDC. Doing so will not generally help power output, and may limit or disable the ECUs ability to safeguard your engine. See Chapter 6 in the ECU Primer for details why.

Here are a few videos to help you

• In Depth - 6-Bolt Mitsubishi Timing Belt Replacement (Part 1)
• In Depth - 6-Bolt Mitsubishi Timing Belt Replacement (Part 2)
• Basic Overview - DSM Graveyard 4g63 Timing Belt Tutorial
• Technical Bulletin - 1G Timing Belt

Checked the FAQ Locator. Tom Stangl has put together a comprehensive list of VFAQs on the subject.

Tom Stangl has a VFAQ on the subject.

The disadvantage to removing the shafts is increased engine noise and vibration. By removing the balance shafts, you are removing the primary mechanism for controlling engine shake. The engine will sound rougher, noisier, and 'buzzier' than normal.

As for the advantages, opinions vary, and the debate is too exhaustive to report in full here. Proponents have the following reasons for removing the shafts:

• no balance shaft belt to worry over;
• more power from the engine;
• faster acceleration from the engine; and
• no long-term effect on engine durability.

Of these, only the removal of the balance shaft belt is uncontested, and is most cited as the reason for removing the balance shafts. Owners who have experienced $2000+ in engine damage as a result of a broken balance shaft belt generally don't want to repeat the experience. 

Opponents counteract the other claims with arguments that the power increase from the engine might be negligible, and removing the shafts might affect long-term engine durability. Some say that getting the engine balanced and blueprinted will alleviate durability problems, but others disagree with this.

It would seem that claims of increased horsepower from this mod are difficult to make. Todd Day is highly skeptical about any claim of power increase by reducing rotating mass. He points out (quite correctly) that once a rotating mass is spinning, it takes much less energy to keep it spinning than it did to get it spinning in the first place. This makes any static estimate of power difficult to credit.

Overall, the majority of owners who commented on it said they were happy with the mod, and found the increased engine shake quite bearable. Of course, most of these individuals were probably enthusiast drivers or racers, and so don't mind the extra noise.

Lots of people. Opinions vary on driveability, but most racers seem to like them.

A popular option is the XACT Streetlite Flywheel.

Quick answers: 
 -  stock fuel system, pump gas: 15 psi, or an O2 sensor reading of 0.85V minimum, or an EGT reading of 1650 degF maximum. 
 -  upgraded fuel pump, stock turbo, pump gas: same as above. 
 -  upgraded fuel pump and injectors, stock turbo: same as above. You will probably hit fuel cut first. Here's why. 
 -  turbo upgrades: varies, but typically lower than 15 psi. You'll need a fuel management system before you can do much of anything more than that. Here's why.

Owing to individual variations between cars, the 0.85V O2 reading mentioned above should be treated with extreme care. Most people prefer 0.90V or better.

Detailed answers:
By changing the intake pressure in your car, you are changing the mass of air entering the engine. In order to maintain a proper air/fuel mixture, more fuel must be delivered to the engine to compensate. Therefore, the 'safe' amount of boost on any DSM is primarily determined by the fuel delivery system in the car. Also, local factors will change the actual mass of air entering the engine, which again changes the required fuel.

Under all circumstances, remember this simple rule: intake air pressure does not equal intake air flow. Flow is what matters.

The amount of boost pressure you can run without risking damage to your engine depends on the following factors: 

• fuel pump
• injector size
• turbo efficiency
• intercooler efficiency
• mass airflow sensor modifications
• gasoline octane rating
• operating altitude and temperature

There may be other factors that affect maximum intake pressure. Those interested in a more detailed discussion can read Morgan D'Antonio's post about what limits boost levels on DSMs.

In the above list, the fuel pump and fuel injectors determine the amount of fuel that can be delivered to the engine in a given time. Aftermarket pumps and larger injectors increase fuel delivery capacity.

Turbo and intercooler efficiency determines the temperature of the air going into the engine at any given pressure. Lower temperatures reduce combustion temperatures, but also increase the actual mass of air entering the cylinders. Colder ambient temperatures also increase air mass. Higher altitude cars, though, have less dense air to push than sea level cars, meaning less air mass enters the engine.

MAS modifications introduce an additional element of error into the mass air calculations done by the ECU. Because the ECU, under some conditions, does not check to see that the amount of fuel provided is adequate to safely operate the engine, the operator must monitor the engine operation. Most 'free' mods do not change the MAS operation enough to cause problems, but there is always a small possibility of engine damage, as well as idle and misfire problems.

Gasoline octane is important in that it also reduces the occurance of knock. Running too much boost on bad gasoline with leave your engine pinging like crazy, forcing the ECU to cut boost and reduce timing, thereby losing power.

The rule, accoding to leading DSM performance authorities, is to run at least 0.85V from the oxygen sensor at all times. This corresponds to exhaust gas temperatures of about 1650 degrees F maximum. Failure to observe these limits will often result in melted engine parts.

As a general guideline for those without air/fuel or EGT gauges, sea-level cars may safely run 15 psi (1.0 bar), with the stock fuel pump and turbocharger. The addition of other mods does not generally change this figure, provided the intake pressure remains at 15 psi maximum. This is the level that most owners run in their cars, at least until further upgrades are possible.

For those not operating near sea level, the 'safe' boost you can run seems to increase by about 1 psi (0.07 bar) for each 1000' over sea level. For example, a car at 3000' over sea level can safely run as much as 18 psi of boost. This rule is less reliable than the above 15psi rule, though, since high-altitude owners are understandably reluctant to repeat the boost-related engine damage experienced by some unlucky sea-level owners.

Those owners with upgraded fuel pumps may also run higher boost levels than 15 psi. If you want to do this, presumeably you have installed air/fuel (A/F) and/or exhaust gas temperature (EGT) gauges in your car to monitor the engine operation. Moving to higher boost levels without at least one of these instruments can be hazardous to your cars health. Provided you meet the above-mentioned 0.85/1650 rules, there is no limit to the boost you can run until you hit fuel cut.

It should be noted, however, that the stock DSM turbochargers are pretty much incapable of making more power somewhere around the 15-17 psi level. Above this limit, the turbocharger heats the intake air so much during compression that any power gained from additional air density is lost. Many people have reported this effect, which leads to less power at higher boost pressures.

Also, higher boost pressures exact more stress on the engine components, regardless of the air mass. After all, 18 psi is still higher than 15 psi. Owners that run pressures higher than 15 psi may experience failures on other components that cannot take the stress. One good example is the intake manifold gasket, which was made of rubber in 1990-1992 cars, and sometimes cannot handle the increased pressure. (Fortunately, the replacement 1993-1994 gasket is metal.)

Those interested in the factors responsible for limiting boost should read Morgan D'Antonio's take on what really limits your boost levelson a DSM.

The ECU only checks the oxygen sensor under specific circumstances. If it doesn't get to check the sensor, it can't tell if the sensor is dead.

According to Todd Day of Technomotive:

" Your car must undergo a "cruise" session above 45 MPH for 30 minutes or two "cruise" sessions for 20 minutes (depending on [model] year) before the ECU will flag a dead O2 sensor. At least for the 1Gs - this probably got a lot tighter for 2Gs. This is why a lot of people won't ever see a code get thrown for O2 in their daily commute driving."

The best way to determine if an O2 sensor is dead is to monitor it with an air/fuel (A/F) gauge. 

There is a great guide written here by MrBoxx of DSMTuners: 

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/spark-plug-faq.233421/ 

You want to go with the non projected type plugs like BR6ES, BR7ES, BR8ES. 

BR6ES = Stock to 20psi
BR7ES = 20psi to 30psi
BR8ES = 30+psi

Non projected plugs help fight against spark blow out in high boost applications.

If plug fouling occurs, go one step hotter and monitor performance and results.

See this article: Guide to Reading Spark Plug Performance

While this post is from the Volvo forum: What is a Wideband, and why do I need it? And Basic tuning tips [archive copy], it is a good read and applies to turbo cars.

Turbo 4g63 Guesstimates

block- 85-90 lbs (empty)
crank - 35lbs
head with out cams - 35 lbs
longblock (head,rods,pistons....) 275 - 300lbs

Replace whatever non mitsubolts and non mitsu washers you have. (Yes. Even ARP)

Use stock Mitsubishi bolts and turbo washers. (Thanks Salomon Ponte) Also make sure to use Nickel based anti seize on any bolt you put in.

If stock bolts break, they are easier to drill out than some of the stonger non Mitsubishi bolts.

With the extreme temperatures these bolts see, if you want extra peace of mind, do not re-use turbo bolts and can replace with new Mitsubishi stockers every time you crack them loose to remove the turbo (not cheap! 60$).

M8x1.25
They aren't long. 10-15mm should do the trick.

You can also refer to : What size bolt do I need for X part?

Step 1: Replace the o-ring.

Mitsubishi Parts:  
MD619648 would be used on a 90-94 Style sensor. 
MD622021 is just for the 97-99 DSM/EVO 8/9 sensor.

Aftermarket:
Felpro #: 420

DIY: 
CAS o-ring size is P30 (w=3.5mm, ID=29.7mm)

Autozone also sells a small pack of "Distributor O-rings". There is one in there that fits perfectly and has worked for me. It come sin a pack of 8 I believe, varying in sizes.

Go to Lowes / Home Depot and get some pluming o rings

If still leaking after replacing o-ring, keep reading.

Add RTV between the cam position sensor support and the head, and new gasket (MD329503) and or RTV between the support and cover

JNZTuning writes: http://www.dsmtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235353#9

The gasket on the front of the housing (3 bolt) is part number MD329503. If it's not too severely damaged/worn, you could always try a *THIN* coat of RTV to patch it in the meanwhile.

You already have the other seal for the CAS itself (MD622021), so the only other seal is on the back side where it seals to the head. If you're getting leakage out of the front cover, I would probably not only fix the 3-bolt cover gasket, but reseal the RTV on the rear where it sits against the head.

I grabbed a used one that was sitting back in the parts bin (please excuse the child-like use of Paint). You can see in the 2nd picture (arrow) where the groove is that you need to RTV. 

Make sure that you clean off both surfaces (head and CAS) to remove the old RTV and oil.

You should be oil-free after that.

(download archive copy w/ images here)

DSMLink Tuning Guide

For those of you that have a DSM and have DSMLink, Nick (NickNorth11) and Shane2GSX wrote this basic tuning guide for the DSMLink community.

It's been reviewed by the experts and creators of DSMLink for accuracy. Figured I'd throw it up on here since we have some DSM's and I think a few of you have asked me about DSMLink.

Basic DSMLink Tuning Guide

(This guide is exactly what the title implies, a basic guide to tuning. It is not intended to teach you, or tell you, everything needed to tune a DSM. Research will be required to fully understand the terms, values, and procedures below. With that said, the people involved with any and all aspects of this guide are NOT responsible for ANY damage done to your car.)

Before You Start:

• Verify that Base Timing is correct
• Verify that Base Fuel Pressure is correct (1g manual = 37 psi; 1g auto = 43.5;2g = 43.5 psi )
• Verify that there are no boost leaks
• Ensure all other components are working correctly
• Swap plug wires to account for different CAS (97-99)

Approximation of desired values:
(Some of these must be obtained manually and some via DSMLink. Others are simply values to monitor and keep within given parameters.)

• A/F Ratio
  • (closed loop) 14.7
  • (open loop) 11
• AirFlow (compare to specific turbo output)
• AirFlowPerRev (at idle) M/T = .27 ±10% (.24 - .30)
  A/T (neutral) = same as M/T
  (drive) = .31 ±10% (.28 - .34) 
• CoolantTmp > 179°, sufficient operating temp. to tune
  • if: x < 206°, full timing 
  • 206° < X
  • <224°, -1°>x>224°, -2°
• IdleSw (car off / ecu on) 1
• IntTemp (34°< x <84)
• ISCPosition 30 (at idle)
• LearnedIdleAdj 140 (at idle)
• LTFT Lo x→0, (0 ± 5)
• LTFT Mid x→o, (0 ± 5)
• Front02 cycles around .5 (.05-.95)
• RawThrotPos 32
• ThrotPos if: idle, 0
• WOT, 100
• TPSvolts .63 (when RawThrotPos = 32)

Setting Initial Parameters:

1. Setup wideband operation within dsmlink.
2. If needed, change BoostEst to your respective engine size. (2.0L, 2.3L)
3. Set the A/F Ratio prefs for your injectors.
4. If base timing is off, adjust timing sliders across the board to compensate. (if 3, add 2)
5. If needed, cancel out any CEL’s due to already known causes. (such as rear O2)
6. For safety and if desired, set Knock CEL to 3 degrees knock.
7. Set global and dead time parameters according to specifications for injectors.
8. Set desired values to be logged.

Closed Loop Tuning (Cruise/Idle):

1. Setup DSMLink to Log the following (if available):
    
   1. TPS
   2. STFT
   3. LTFT Lo
   4. LTFT Mid (2G) or LTFT Hi (1G)
   5. MAFRaw
   6. Wideband
   7. Boost sensor (GM 3 bar, AEM, etc.)
       
2. Turn on vehicle and let warm properly.
3. Drive normally, cruising for at least 10 minutes - Do not go WOT
4. Let car idle for 5 minute before shutting it off - Stop logging
5. Choose your method of closed loop tuning by determining first if AirflowPerRev is at an acceptable value at idle. If AirflowPerRev is not acceptable, begin tuning using Method 1 until it is at an acceptable value. If AirflowPerRev is acceptable, proceed to Method 2.

Method 1 – Airflow Metering:

1. Turn on vehicle and let warm properly.
2. Begin logging. Drive normally, cruising for at least 10 minutes - Do not go WOT
3. Let car idle for 5 minute before shutting it off - Stop logging
4. Compare LTFT for idle (Lo) and cruise (Mid) operations – Strive to get as close to 0% as possible.
5. If either is greater than +/- 5 from 0%, proceed to step 6. If not, and your happy with your %, you may stop.
6. If LTFT Lo is negative, decrease the 50 Hz slider in the amount of that value. (i.e. If LTFT Lo is -10%, decrease the 50 Hz slider from 0% to -10%).
7. If LTFT Mid is positive, increase the 150 Hz slider in the amount of that value. (i.e. If LTFT Mid is 10%, increase the 150 Hz slider from 0% to 10%).
   
   Or: (From method 1) If LTFT Lo is greater than LTFT Mid, increase dead time. If LTFT Lo is less then LTFT Mid, decrease dead time.
8. If adjustments are made, return to step 1.

Method 2 – Fuel Delivery:

1. Turn on vehicle and let warm properly.
2. Begin logging. Drive normally, cruising for at least 10 minutes - Do not go WOT
3. Let car idle for 5 minute before shutting it off - Stop logging
4. Compare LTFT for idle (Lo) and cruise (Mid) operations – Strive to get as close to 0% as possible.
5. If either is greater than +/- 5 from 0%, proceed to step 6. If not, and your happy with your %, you may stop.
6. If LTFT Lo is greater than LTFT Mid, increase dead time. If LTFT Lo is less then LTFT Mid, decrease dead time.
7. If LTFT Lo and LTFT Mid are equal but non-zero, adjust global setting.
8. If adjustments are made, return to step 1. 

Open Loop Tuning (WOT) Fuel & Timing:

1. Choose a desired fuel/octane level.
2. Choose a desired boost level that you want to run. Dial your boost in at a lower boost setting to begin with, depending on turbo size, probably no more than 1 bar.
   (An alternate to the previous method is to start at your target boost level with conservative settings, i.e. low timing and rich mixture. Make a few pulls before tuning to ensure safe operation before continuing with this method).
3. Choose a proper A/F Ratio to shoot for in the entire RPM range – Some common A/F ratios are 10:1, 10.5:1, 11:1, 11.3:1, 11.5:1. The proper A/F ratio will depend on your specific vehicle and its setup. While there are too many variables to list when determining a proper A/FR, some of the common ones are fuel octane, intercooler efficiency, and turbo size. In most cases, on a properly running DSM, on pump gas with an efficient intercooler, an 11:1 A/FR is a common and safe ratio to make good power with.
4. Ensure that all values you want to log are set. (The following are recommended).
   1. Wideband
   2. Boost sensor
   3. EGT
5. After warming the car properly (warm car, drive at cruise for 10 min., idle for 5 min.), data log a 3rd gear pull from 2000 RPM to redline. Keep a very close eye on Knock, A/FR, and EGT’s for anything that might spell trouble.
   • If you see ANY Knock, increase fuel sliders. If A/FR is already richer than your target, reduce timing by a degree instead of increasing fuel.
   • If no Knock is present and your A/FR is leaner than your target, increase fuel to desired level. If A/FR is richer than your target, and you’re at your target boost PSI, decrease fuel.​
6. 6. Allow car to cool down between runs. (Number of runs between cool down periods will be dependant on intercooler efficiency and boost level, among other things. Not doing this will result in inconsistent results).
7. Continue logging runs in this manner until you reach your target A/FR with no Knock.
8. Once you reach your target A/FR with no knock, raise boost by 5 PSI or less. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until you reach your target boost PSI.
9. Once you’ve reached your target boost PSI and desired A/FR with no knock, increase timing by one degree and log another 3rd gear pull from 2000 RPM to redline. Again, keep a close eye on Knock, A/FR, and EGT’s.
10. Repeat step 8 until you see one degree of knock retard. At that point, reduce timing by one degree. (Aim for high teens to low 20s for timing advance. Higher is better.)
11. Finally, do a full run from 1st through 4th gear, watching Knock, A/FR, EGT’s, and boost. Watch knock especially closely. Ensure you run the car very hard. If you see any Knock, you may need to reduce timing. If you see that your A/FR’s are off, you may need to adjust your fuel.

MCCC = Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner
Seafoam is another brand of Combustion Chamber Cleaner

A combustion chamber cleaner cleans carburetors, intake manifolds, intake and exhaust valves, pistons and combustion chambers. It also removes deposits, eliminates carbon knock and restores performance.

Some people swear by it, others are on the fence. YMMV.

Short Description of how to use MCCC

Mopar Combustion Chamber Cleaner/Conditioner is really good for removing carbon deposits, but the directions on the can are not so useful. The following directions outline the way that professional mechanics have been using the cleaner for years -- they were finally published in TSB 18-31-97 for 1996-98 Jeep 4.0 Liter misfire conditions:

De-carbonizing Procedure

1. Operate the vehicle until the vehicle reaches operating temperature.
2. Remove the air tube from the throttle body.
3. With the engine at an idle, spray the entire contents of Mopar Combustion Cleaner, p/n 04318001, directly into the throttle body. Allow the vehicle to load up with the cleaner to the point of almost stalling out.
4. Shut the engine OFF after the entire can is ingested.
5. With the hood closed and the vehicle parked inside the garage, allow the vehicle to soak for two to three hours. This will ensure that the engine will maintain its temperature and will allow proper solvent penetration.
6. Drive the vehicle on a highway/freeway that will allow the vehicle to be driven safely at the posted speed limit. Upon entering the highway/freeway, accelerate hard to the posted speed limit and maintain speed. Slow down and then perform 5 to 10 Wide Open Throttle (WOT) upshifts. Continue driving at the maximum speed limit for 1-2 miles (if conditions allow).

There are quite a few things that could cause this.

#1. Check the Power Transistor Unit. (located on the intake manifold generally) This provides signal to coil from ECU and also provides RPM for tach.

#2. Check the Coil Pack.

#3. Your ECU might be taking a dump. Get it tested.

#4. Bad ground or a short.

Diagnosing a No-Start

This guide is obviously not meant to offer a complete list of things that could be keeping your car from starting. However, checking these things BEFORE posting your problem will help us better understand your situation, and give you a better chance of getting the right advice very quickly.

If you donÂ’t have a Factory Service Manual, check out this link: http://www.lilevo.com/mirage/

And we beginÂ…

So, you go out to your car one morning, and, lo and behold, it wonÂ’t start. The DSM Gods must be angry with you. Â…Time to start the diagnostic process. For quick reference, I have sectioned this article off into the basic problem areas by symptom. Find the area (highlighted in Bold) that most closely matches your problem area(s)Â….or just read the whole thing, so youÂ’ll know what to look for on that fateful day, whenever it may occur.

I – Does the car NOT crank, or crank slowly?
If the car doesnÂ’t crank at all, or cranks very slowly, areas to investigate include the following, in order of likelihood:

1. Check your battery terminals and cables. Loose, corroded, or broken battery terminals or cables will drain your battery. If the car cranks very slowly, your battery may have some juice left. If not, it may be completely dead. 

2. Using a DVOM (Digital Volt/Ohm Meter), check the voltage on your battery. Red probe goes to the positive post; black probe goes to the negative post. If battery voltage reads low (anything lower than 12 volts is low!), your battery has been drained. This could be due to any number of things. Did you leave an interior light on by mistake? Are your battery terminals loose or corroded? Did your battery ground out on an aftermarket strut bar? Is your alternator going bad? Take your battery to your local AutoZone, OÂ’Reilly, Advance Auto, or similar parts house. Most of these chains offer free battery testing and free charging (especially if you bought your battery from them). 

3. If you have an Automatic, is the car in Park or Neutral? If you are M/T, are you depressing the clutch all the way when starting the car? If yes, your Neutral Safety Switch or Clutch Safety Switch (respectively) may be faulty. Refer to FSM for proper testing procedure, or just unplug it.

4. When you turn the key, do you hear the starter click? If not, time to check it. Refer to FSM for complete testing procedure. Check the starter relay first. On a 1g, this is located under the dash, to the immediate left of the steering column. There are three relays down there – the starter relay is the one in the middle. With KOEO and clutch depressed, battery voltage should be present at the relay. On a 2g, the starter relay is located near the radio.

5. Check the Alternator fuse (80A in a 1g, 100A in a 2g). This is located in the main fuse box under the hood, and should be the largest fuse in there, making it easy to spot. Careful – it’s also the only fuse that is secured by a bolt, so keep this in mind when attempting to remove it. (See image below for location)

6. Pull the upper cover off of your timing belt and make sure you have not snapped or damaged the timing belt. If you are at all in doubt about the condition of the belt, pull it out and replace it. If there is any possibility that you could have jumped timing, run a compression test to verify if (or, more likely, how many) valves were bent. 


II – The car cranks, but just won’t start.

There are four main things a car needs to run: Fuel, Fire (Spark) at the right time (Engine Timing), and Compression. Once the car has all of these things, it really has no choice but to start – remember, cars are just machines. With a car that cranks but doesn’t run, the first thing you need to do is diagnose which one(s) of these four basic necessities you’re lacking.

1. Checking for Fuel: The DSM fuel system is fairly straightforward. Sparing you the painstaking details, there are a couple of things you will need to do to verify that youÂ’re getting fuel. Try spraying some starter fluid into the cylinders and try to turn the car over. If the car will start, you are most likely not getting fuel. 

Start by removing the fuel line from the filter (passenger) side of the rail (Careful! The fuel system is under pressure, and since you canÂ’t start your car, you canÂ’t relieve the pressure in the lines. Keep your face away from the fuel line, and wear protective eye gear. Imagine sticking your face in front of a bottle of champagne before uncorking it. Get the idea?)Â…Stick the end of the fuel line into a clear container and have a friend crank the car (or turn on the fuel pump via the check connector behind the battery). In a normally operating fuel system, plenty of clean gasoline should fill the bottle pretty quickly.

If you donÂ’t see a lot of fuel, or if it looks nasty, change your fuel filter (refer to VFAQ). If nothing comes out at all, you will need to make sure your fuel pump is turning on. Open the fuel filler door and remove the filler cap. Have a friend put his or her ear up to the filler hole and listen as you crank the car (in a 1g, you have to crank it! Putting the key in “ON” will accomplish a whole lot of nothing). You can also power the fuel pump via the check connector. Stock fuel pumps will emit a faint buzzing or whining noise when they turn on. Larger aftermarket pumps (especially Walbro) will usually be loud enough for you to clearly hear inside the car yourself. If you donÂ’t hear the “whine”, thatÂ’s your problem – your fuel pump isnÂ’t powering on. Possible reasons for this include a faulty fuel pump, disconnected or damaged wiring to the pump, or a faulty MPI relay, among a few other things.

If you are getting fuel to the fuel rail and your fuel pump is operating, but the car still doesnÂ’t start, itÂ’s time to consider fuel pressure. Pull the return hose from the Fuel Pressure Regulator and see if itÂ’s wet with fuel after cranking the engine. If itÂ’s dry, your Fuel Pressure Regulator could be faulty. Buy or borrow a fuel pressure gauge (these are fairly inexpensive, and can be purchased from any AutoZone, OÂ’Reilly, or Advance Auto, etc.). Follow the manufacturerÂ’s directions and refer to FSM to check the fuel pressure. Remember to remove the vacuum line (small rubber vac line going to the Fuel Pressure Solenoid – the one your Boost Gauge should be TÂ’d to) from the fuel pressure regulator and pinch it closed with your fingers (or an adequately sized bolt). The specs youÂ’re looking for are as follows: 

1g N/T: 47-50 psi
1g Turbo (A/T): 41-46 psi
1g Turbo (M/T): 36-38 psi
2g N/T 4G63: 47-50 psi
2g Turbo: 42-45 psi 

Next, check to make sure your injectors are firing. Measure the resistance at the injector clips with your DVOM. Resistance should read 2-3 ohms at the injectors, and the clips should be receiving battery voltage while cranking. Take a long, rubber-topped screwdriver and place the metal end on top of each injector, and your ear on the other. Crank the car, and listen for a sharp metallic “clicking”. You’ll hear the clicking each time the injector fires. If your injector’s aren’t firing, try swapping out your Injector Resistor Pack with a known good unit. These don’t usually go bad, but when they do, they’ll keep the injectors from firing. The ECU may also be at fault here, or the wiring to the injectors may be damaged.

2. Checking for Spark: Before checking for spark, first remove and inspect your spark plugs. Are they improperly gapped or have they been fouled by age, improper fuel mixture, etf? If so, replace them and try to start the car again. 

To check for spark, disconnect one of the spark plug wires and attach a spare spark plug (itÂ’s always good to have a spare handy – you can use a cheap-o one from Wal-Mart for testing purposes). Place the plug and plug wire onto the valve cover and have a friend crank the car. Do you see spark arcing onto the valve cover? Sometimes itÂ’s best to do this test at night – this makes it easier to see the spark. Repeat this test on all 4 cylinders to verify that youÂ’re getting spark all the way across. If youÂ’re not getting spark on some or all of the cylinders, first check the condition of the spark plug wires – does the spark try to arc through the wire while youÂ’re testing? If so, the wires are damaged and must be replaced. Next, check resistance at the coil. Specs differ by year, so refer to your FSM for the specs for your particular vehicle. If everything tests out okay and youÂ’re still not getting spark, pull the ECU and check the board for damage due to capacitor leakage. DSMs are not getting any younger, and are notorious for leaking ECU capacitors. One final culprit could be the CAS. These differ by year as well, so again, refer to FSM for appropriate testing procedure and specifications. First, however, you might want to make sure the CAS is not turned 180* out (i.e. “on backwards!”).

3. Checking Engine Timing: The procedure for checking and setting engine timing is fairly complex, so I will let you refer to the VFAQ for this one. HereÂ’s the link: 

http://www.plymouthlaser.com/timin.htm

4. Checking Compression: Checking compression is another thing that is best covered in the VFAQ. Here you go: http://www.dsmgrrrl.com/FAQs/compression.htm


III – Fuel, Spark, Timing and Compression are good, but the car still won’t start!

We’ve narrowed it down this far, and we’re definitely making progress. There are a couple of things we can check now that will usually “seal the deal”.

1. Has your car been sitting for any length of time? If youÂ’ve stored your car, or itÂ’s been down for a while, and now wonÂ’t start, you can bet that the gas in the tank has gone bad. Drain the gas tank via the drain plug on the bottom of the tank, and remove the tank (refer to FSM for exact removal instructions. Remember to remove the fuel pump and all related electrical connectors first. Dropping the fuel tank will take about an hour if youÂ’ve never done it before). Clean the fuel tank with high pressure water and let it air dry IN A SAFE LOCATION (away from any possible danger of sparks or extreme temperatures) for at least 24 hours. Fill the tank with a few gallons of high octane gas, as well as a bottle of Fuel System Cleaner (like Seafoam) and/or Octane Booster. 

2. Does the car eventually start, or act like itÂ’s trying to start? Is the problem especially bad after the car has sat overnight, or on a cold day? This is likely your ECT (Coolant Temperature Sensor). The ECT is the first sensor the ECU looks at when you start your car. The ECU asks it "How cold is it outside today?" and the Temp Sensor responds. The ECU takes that information and decides how much fuel to send to the injectors. If your ECT is faulty, the ECU will either get an incorrect reading back, or no reading at all, and will stay in open-loop, dumping fuel into your cylinders, making your car excessively hard (or impossible in some cases) to start.

The Coolant Temp Sensor is located on your thermostat housing, towards the bottom, on the left/front. It is a two-prong male connector (one prong on a 2g). Inspect the wires going to the sensor first – there is a lot of heat down there, and wires can become brittle and snap off of the connectors due to age and extreme temperatures. The following information demonstrates how to check the operation of the ECT on a 1g. For 2g, refer to FSM.

Testing the Coolant Temperature Sensor on a 1g:

Unplug the black plastic clip and turn the key ON (do not start the car). Connect the negative probe of your DVOM to a good ground on the car, and the positive to one of the plugs in the clip. With key ON you should see approx. 4.5-4.9 volts. You may have to try both of the plugs until you find the one that sees voltage – one sees voltage and the other does not.

Assuming this checks out okay (99% of the time it will), we will now move on to resistance. Basically speaking, as the temperature of the coolant INcreases, the resistance value will DEcrease.

With the engine cold and the sensor unplugged, turn your DVOM to resistance (ohms) and connect the probes to each of the two prongs on the sensor. The prongs on the ECT will form a sort of "T" shape: kind of like this: | \

With engine cold, resistance should read somewhere between 2,200 to 2,700 ohms (if it's a little higher, it is due to extremely cold ambient temperatures. Somewhere close to this range is okay though).

The next step in this test would normally involve starting the car and getting it up to operating temperature. However, if the car will not start at all (probably the case if youÂ’re reading this), you can replicate this part of the test in a heated dish of water. See below for instructions and necessary water temperatures. If you can get the car to start, plug the sensor back in and start the car now. Get the engine up to operating temperature, and turn it back off. Unplug the sensor again, and repeat the resistance test. (BE CAREFUL, it is VERY HOT down there now). The resistance should now read approx 280 to 350 ohms. 

If the car will not start at all, or if you can't quite reach the sensor, you can unbolt the sensor unit and reproduce the testing procedure with a dish of water. If you do this, have a rag or bolt handy to plug the hole you make by removing the sensor -- lots of coolant will come out. You can drain the coolant first if you want to avoid this.

Put the bottom of the sensor (round, gold metal part) into a dish of room temp water (50-80*) and measure resistance. Then, heat the water to approx. 180-200* (not quite boiling), and repeat, using the same resistance values stated above. 

If resistance is not within specs, replace the sensor.

Related resistance specs for 2g Turbo engine:

Cold (68*F): 2.1 - 2.7 kOhms
Hot (176*F): 0.26 - 0.36 kOhms

Testing procedure is similar for 2gs. Refer to FSM for complete testing procedure.

Coolant Temp Sensor on a 1990 GSX Circled in Picture (Pay no attention to the letters. But if you’re interested, “A” is the Coolant Temp Fan Switch for the A/C, and “C” is the Temp Gauge Sending Unit).

There you have it. Chances are, if youÂ’ve tried everything listed here and your car still wonÂ’t start, itÂ’s time to post your problem in the forums for some detailed advice. 

Short answer: Yes.

For more details on this, Magnus has created a great document 1Gina2G (PDF) 

If that link does not work, we have archived the document 1Gina2G Archive (PDF)

If you are reading this, chances are you are either having a problem with your cooling system, or would like to make it more efficient. Below is a list, both 1G and 2G specific, that can help when making your decision and troubleshooting a failed cooling system. This FAQ focuses on stock-style cooling systems.

Your cooling system consists of 5 major components. They are your Radiator, Thermostat, Radiator Cap, Water Pump and Cooling Fans. We will discuss these in detail throughout this FAQ.

To sum it up, there are only 3 reasons why your cooling system will fail.

1: Lack of flow 
Typically this is caused by a failed water pump, a stuck thermostat, a blocked or clogged radiator. A failed water pump will have the tell tale sign of coolant seeping out of the weep hole. You will typically notice a large pool ofcoolant below your timing belt cover area. Barring any broken hoses from your Oil Cooler, this is usually a sign of a failed water pump. 

A stuck thermostat will reveal itself when your car is at operating temperature, your coolant is full, however your upper radiator hose is cold. Eventually the pressure inside the system will exceed the radiator cap's spring and you will start pushing coolant into your overflow. Change your thermostat.
A clogged radiator will reveal itself when all others fail. Usually, you can visually see debris in between the fins of your radiator. If there is enough of it, it will impede airflow past your radiator, and the efficiency of your radiator will not be sufficient enough to cool your engine. Flushing your radiator is as simple as removing it, pressure washing or hitting it with compressed air to blow the fins clean, then flushing the internals with water. Introducing aftermarket equipment in front of the radiator such as an FMIC or oil cooler without proper ducting will also impede airflow.

2: Lack of Coolant/Incorrect mixture
Typically this is due to a leak of some form. Find it and repair it. Your cooling system travels through a number of areas including your water pipe, turbo (if applicable), Oil cooler, water pump, throttle body, heater core and overflow container.

The ideal mixture is 50/50. That's 50% Coolant (Ethyl Glycol) and 50% distilled water. This mixture works for most driving habits under most conditions, however, most of us do not fall under this "Average" driving habit, and increase of water into your cooling system will allow it to perform better. Water does a fantastic job of removing heat, so the more of it you have, the better. Do not run straight water, your cooling system requires coolant to lubricate and increase the boil temperature of water. A great additive for your cooling system is a product called "Water Wetter", and is found at your local Canadian Tire, Autozone, Part Source, Napa etc.

3: Pressure.
As your cooling system heats up, the water in your system expands and your radiator cap keeps this expansion pressure in your system, raising the boil point of the water. As you drive your car, coolant will be pushed out into your overflow as the system creates pressure. Albeit a small amount, this amount returns to your cooling system once the car shuts off. As the engine cools, it creates a vacuum and barring all the funky Fluid and Thermo Dynamics, replenishes the cooling system by sucking it in back through the overflow via syphon. 

There are mainly 2 reason why your coolant will not be sucked back into the system:

1. Radiator Cap: A poorly functioning radiator cap will allow for too much coolant to be pushed out and/or not enough seal to allow for the syphoning of coolant back into the system. 

2. Overflow bottle/hoses: The overflow bottle should be below or at level with your theromostat housing, and a line inside the overflow bottle that goes down past the normal cold level for your coolant. Cracks or tears in the hose between the overflow bottle and thermostat housing will also impede a suction of coolant, and will pull in air. 

Pressure can also come from the combustion chamber. A failed headgasket will either allow for coolant to enter the combustion chamber and be burned, or push air into the cooling system. Typically, the signs of a failed headgasket would be one or more of the following:

1. Foaming of coolant
2. Burning of coolant (White smoke)
3. Oil in Coolant/Coolant in Oil
4. Overheating condition within 10 or so minutes of driving
5. Overflow bottle filling up/overflowing at operating temperature
6. Coolant being pushed out of the rad cap under boost
7. Lack of return from overflow bottle to cooling system
8. Increase of pressure in cooling system/pushing coolant to overflow. (This can also be attributed to a failed radiator cap)

Lets discuss the 5 components, what they do, how they do it and how to maintain/increase their efficiency.

Radiator
Arguably the most important part of the system, the radiator is a heat transfer device and allows for flowing air through the fins to transfer heat from the engine to the air and dissipate. There are three things you need to remember about your radiator.

1. Airflow
2. Coolant flow
3. Airflow

In order for coolant to pass through your radiator, it must not be clogged. Ensuring your radiator is free from contaminants will ultimately keep it working as efficiently as possible. Your radiator hoses are also a must-maintain part of this important system. Cracked, worn, or soft radiator hoses are just a few heat cycles away from failing. I have personally seen a car cooling after a run down the track and the upper rad hose splitting open before my eyes! 

Airflow is also THE key to a properly working radiator. We add FMIC's, Oil Coolers, Transmission Coolers, Power Steering coolers all in front of the engine cooler and then wonder why our coolant temperatures start to skyrocket. If you look at a stock DSM, you'll notice there are many plastic shrouds all around the radiator. These are there to direct air directly to the radiator, and not let it bleed off from around the car. When adding upgraded components to your car, it is crucial that you imitate these factory shrouds by building your own ductwork to direct air to the radiator. Without airflow, the radiator cannot do it's job. A great test for this is to turn on your fans with the hood closed and see if it will suck a piece of paper to your FMIC. If it can, chances are your airflow is pretty good. 

Thermostat and Radiator Cap
These two critical parts of the cooling system can be the difference between overheating and overcooling. The thermostat keeps the pressure in the system, upping the boil point and keeping all that nice expensive coolant in the car. 
 

Quote:
There are three seals in the rad cap. One on the outside that seals the water neck housing. Second seal is on the inside that is spring loaded and seals inside the water neck housing. This one maintains the pressure in the cooling system. Once pressure builds past 11 lbs with a stock rad cap from the coolant heating and expanding, its pushes past this seal into the over flow until pressure falls back below the rad cap specs.

How does it come back in when it cools ? There is a third seal or valve which works in the opposite direction. Its the round metal thing in the middle of the second seal. When coolant contracts, this valve opens and allows coolant from the overflow to flow back into the coolant system. Under pressure and expansion, this metal valve is sealed shut against the second seal. The cooling system constantly goes through this cycle of expansion and contraction which your driving, the rad cap needs to be functioning properly on order for it to do so.

A 16lb rad cap will cause all your lines to be a little more pressurized than a stock rad cap, but will increase boiling point. You'll notice your overflow coolant level fluctuate more with a 11 lb rad cap than a 16 lb rad cap. I like to keep my cooling system a little more "loose" with the stock rad cap.

-- Credits to Reza Mirza

The thermostat is what regulates your temperature, and oddly enough, the pressure in the system as well. Pressure is defined as a resistance to flow, and the thermostat creates just that. Without a thermostat, you will eventually overheat due to lack of pressure, so keep it in there. Your thermostat can fail both open and closed, and it's pretty easy to figure out what will happen in either circumstance. Installing too low of a temperature thermostat will cause an overcooling condition, which can be just as harmful as overheating. Your ECU depends on the engine getting to a certain temperature for normal operation, and if the car does not get to that temperature, the ECU will always think it's simply still warming up, keeping it in openloop mode. In openloop, the ECU depends on it's internal tables to tell how much fuel to introduce, and typically, this is a rich mixture. Also, the ECU depends on thecoolant temperature to begin learning fuel trims. This temperature is around 180 degrees for a 2G, and 190 for a 1G. Also, using a colder "racing" thermostat to try and combat an overheating problem is rarely the solution. A car that overheats will overheat no matter at what temperature the thermostat opens, it will just take longer for it to happen.

Water Pump
A variable displacement pump, the water pump's job is simple; Keep the coolant moving through the system. The water pump rides on a sealed bearing and is spun by the crankshaft via the alternator/water pump belt. The "weep hole" is a small hole at the top of the water pump and in a failed bearing/pump circumstance, coolant will drip out of this hole. Typically it is best to replace the water pump every time you do a timing belt job, as you need to remove the timing belt in order to do it. Ensuring a good seal between the pump and block as well as between the water pipe and pump will prevent you from having to do the job more than once. Take your time!!

Cooling Fans
Properly installed, shrouded and working cooling fans are critical to not overheating in stop and go traffic. A 1G has a thermoswitch at the bottom passenger side of the radiator that controls the fans on/off, whereas the 2G has an ECU controlled setup. Different combinations of setups can both do the job equally (2 pullers, 2 pushers or one of each). The OEM fans work great, and if you can keep them, do so, however most of our upgrades prohibit such an idea, so they came out with slim fans. In this scenario, bigger IS better. If you can cram a 14" slim fan in there, do it. The more airflow you can provide to your radiator, the better. 

Hoses
Last but not least are all the coolant lines and hoses. As your car ages, so do the parts, and with the expansion/contraction of your coolant lines, the eventually will begin to deteriorate. Check your lines every so often to ensure there are no soft spots, cracks or tears as these are signs of impending failure. The smallest soft spot will eventually lead to a leak or split in the line.

Coolant Mixture
Lets take a look at the coolant mixture. What is the best mixture? Some will say 80/20 water/coolant, some say 70/30, some will say 50/50, but it's all in what works for you and your area/driving style. If you live in a hot area, a 75/25 mix might work, but colder areas require more coolant than water, so a 50/50 is best. Ensuring your coolant mixture is correct, and that the system is full at all times will ensure your car cools itself properly. Air is the enemy to your cooling system, and it ALWAYS comes from somewhere. Be it a cracked line, failed rad cap or improperly burped system, air will cause all sorts of heating/cooling conundrums that can drive a person mad. If everything above is in good working order, you will never get air in the system, period. 

So, there you have it, a basic writeup about a typical DSM Cooling System configuration, how it works and where to start when that temperature gauge starts creeping up on you in 30*C weather in stop&go traffic. I hope this thread has been helpful for you.

After hearing this problem discussed a hundred times on the list, and recieving a lot of mail, I figured I'd whip up a quick FAQ on what you should look for when you encounter this common problem. 99 times out of 100, it's one of these fixes. Hopefully you're not among the 1% that has to go to the dealer to have them fit one of those UGLY black "kludge boxes" onto your ECU.

Here are a few things to try:

1) Block off your EGR valve. Sometimes these fail, and when they do, this is what happens. It happened on my car, then I put in a block-off plate and everything was great. They also cool your intake noticably, and you'll never have to clean your TB ever again! To get one of these great little things, send some email to my mentor, Frank Szymkowski.

2) Change your vaccum hoses, especially the one going to the fuel-pressure regulator. Sometimes this one leaks and creates problems for the FPR.

3) Change your plug wires. I'd use some MagnaCore wires. They're less $$$ than the stock ones, and they're 8.5mm opposed to the stock 6mm. The stock wires are no good, especially when raising the boost.

4) Clean your throttle body REALLY well. Make it spotless, including both sides of the throttle plate.

5) Clean out your intercooler. Do this by taking it out, dump about a gallon of gasoline into it, then shake it around and dump out. Repeat process until gas coming out is clean.

Do all of these, and your car will run better than new!!

Some people have issues with a CEL coming from Rear O2. (Failed Cat?)

Here is an O2 Simulator you can build. This gets very hot so be carefull. Mount it outside the car.
It has also been menrtioned that you should use 4 resistors instead of 3 for better heat dissipation.

E316G acronym stands for "Evo 3 16g" Turbo

This 16g turbo is good for a well tuned car to hit 310-350WHP @ 20PSI

You can vent your BOV to make the cool woosh sound but be warned, there may be problems.

If you are running a standalone / ecmlink ecu in Speed Density mode everything will be fine. If not (you are running a chip or SAFC), you may experience very rich conditions along with stalling or stumbling. 

This depends on what your end goals are. You can't go wrong with the following for up to 35 PSI:

Setup #1: 
Head gasket: Felpro Permatorque MLS
Head studs: Standard ARP or L19

Setup #2:  (Shep and John Wigger use and recommend)
Head Gasket: OEM MLS 
Head Studs: Standard ARP or L19
Head O Rings: Steel

Important: The difference between the Felpro 1153-1 and OEM MLS is the Felpro has a built in o-ring and the OEM does not.

A note on L19 and A1 studs

As far as the L19, A1 head studs vs. standard ARP... I would suggest that the L19's and A1's can offer higher clamping loads, but that requires you to apply more torque to the studs to acheive this. Our cylinder heads can not really take the increase load. To be honest, at those loads, you begin to crush the seats around the studs. The structure simply cant take all that the L19 and A1's have to offer. I would really suggest saving the money and going with standard ARPs. A lot of the 8 and 9 second cars run the standard ARPs without issue.

AWDDSM95 @ DSMTuners 
Headgasket for 35-40psi??

You must ensure that your block and head mating surface are pristine if you want to run really high boost.
Anything sub-par and it does not matter what headgasket / studs you use.

Aim for as smooth a finish as you can get. (around 10 micro-inch)  
It must be under 30 micro-inch finish.

Quick Turbos are 18g or under. (11 - 14 sec)
Fast Turbos are 20g or larger. (11 seconds or less with Traps higher than 125)

For city in town fun, you will have the most fun with an E316G. (Has run high 11's with 122 trap)

Estimate 10 crankHP per 1lb / min of flow.  

Mitsubishi:
14b = 30 lb/min
16g = 34lb/min
Big 16g = 36lb/min
18g = 40lb/min
EVO III Big 16g = 42lb/min
20g = 44lb/min

Forced Performance:
Big28 = 37lb/min
FP2544 = 44lb/min (56trim/ dual BB)
Sleeper 16g = 44lb/min
Green = 49lb/min (50 trim)
FP49 = 49lb/min (50 trim, T31 turbine)
Red = 60lb/min (60-1 trim, dyno 520whp)
FP3052 = 52lb/min (dyno 504whp)
FP3065 = 65lb/min (dyno 585whp)
FP58 = 65lb/min (GT40 56 trim comp. wheel, .49A/R PTE, T350 turbine)

AGP:
T28 = 36lb/min (TB03 compressor)
RS43 = 43lb/min (46 trim T04E)
SS44 = 44lb/min (It is a 44lb/min but not a 48trim. It is not a GT30 at all. It's special, topsecret, Kevin)
RS49 = 49lb/min (50 trim T04E)
RS60 = 60lb/min (60-1 trim) (claimed 534whp)
RS65 = 65lb/min (56 trim GT40)

DSM Performance/Extreme Turbo:
ETA12 = 36lb/min (S-trim, ETA comp housing)
ETA32 = 48lb/min (50 trim, ETA comp housing)
ETE32 = 48lb/min (50 trim, T04E comp housing)
ETE42 = 50lb/min (60 trim, TO4E)
ETE52 = 55lb/min (60-1 trim, TO4E)
ETE53 = 55lb/min (60-1 trim, T04E)
ETE73 = 72lb/min (T66 comp wheel, T04E)

Buschur Racing:
BR-BIG28 = (claimed 350hp)
BR20G = (TD05/6 hybrid)
BR475 = (No info as of yet)
BR57 = (Garrett T3/T4)
BR500 = (claimed 504whp)
BR580 = (claimed 575whp)
BR675 = (No info as of yet)

Slowboy Racing:
SBR-M50 = 48lb/min (50 trim)
SBR-M60 = 60lb/min (60-1 trim)
SBR-GT10 = 44lb/min (48 trim, dual BB)
SBR-GT11 = (No info as of yet)
SBR-GT12 = 55lb/min (56 trim, dual BB)
SBR-GT13 = 60lb/min (60 trim, dual BB)
SBR-GT14 = 65lb/min (56 trim, dual BB)
SBR-GT35R = (No info as of yet)
SBR-GT30R = (No info as of yet)
SBR-G50 = 48lb/min (50 trim, T04E)
SBR-G57 = 55lb/min (56 trim, T04E)
SBR-60-1 = 60lb/min (60-1 trim, T04E)

Frankenstein Turbos:
Frank 1 = 46 trim, 20*clipped TD05H turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 2 = 46 trim, unclipped TD06 turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 50 = 50 trim, unclipped TD06 turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 3 = 54 trim, unclipped TD06 turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 57 = 57 trim, unclipped TD06 turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 4 = 60 trim, 10*clipped TD06 turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 5 = 60 trim, unclipped TD06H turbine, TD05H 7cm2 housing
Frank 6 = 60 trim, unclipped TD06H turbine, TD05H 8cm2 housing
Frank 7 = 60 trim, 10*clipped TD06H turbine, TD05H 8cm2 housing

The following is from the Garrett Catalog:
"R" = Ball bearing; "S" = Special

GT12 = 10lb/min (50trim, .43a/r turbine)
GT15 = 15lb/min (60trim, .35a/r turbine)
GT20 = 20lb/min (55trim, .46a/r turbine)
GT22 = 18=22lb/min (52trim, .56a/r or 60trim, .67a/r turbine)
GT25R = 22lb/min (60trim, .64a/r turbine)
GT28R =24lb/min (60trim, .64a/r turbine)
GT28RS =28lb/min (62trim, .86a/r or .64a/r turbine)
GT30R =55lb/min (56trim, 1.06a/r or .82a/r turbine)
GT32 =35lb/min (52trim, .78a/r or .69a/r turbine)
GT35 = 35lb/min (52trim, 1.18a/r turbine)
GT35R =45lb/min (56trim, 1.06a/r or .82a/r turbine)
GT37 = 36lb/min (52trim, 1.12a/r turbine)
GT40 = 65lb/min (50 or 54trim, .94a/r or 1.34a/r turbine)
GT42 = 75lb/min
GT42-1 = 85lb/min
GT42-2 = 96lb/min
GT60 = 125lb/min (56trim, 1.47a/r turbine)

The following is from Turbonetics Catalog:

On TO4E Compressor housings:
50-trim = 47lbs/min
54-trim = 45lbs/min
57-trim = 49lbs/min
60-trim = 50lbs/min
T-100 = 180lbs/min

TO4B compressor housing:
60-1 = 65lbs/min
62-1 = 70lbs/min

Holset:

HX35 Compressors: (Est: 60lb/min)
50mm / 78mm 7-blade
52mm / 78mm 7-blade
54mm / 78mm 7-blade
54mm / 83mm 8-blade
56mm / 83mm 8-blade

Turbine: 70mm / 60mm

HX40:Compressors: (Est 70lb/min)
56mm / 86mm 6-blade (cast & billet)
60mm / 86mm 6-blade (cast & billet)
60mm / 86mm 7-blade (cast & billet)
58mm / 83mm 8-blade (cast & billet)
60mm / 83mm 8-blade 

Turbine: 76mm / 64mm

Missing Holset Flow Information.
Due to various housings, this information may be hard to nail down.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turbine Conversion:

Mitsu = Garrett
6cm2 = .41 a/r
7cm2 = .49 a/r
8cm2 = .57 a/r
9cm2 = .65 a/r
10cm2 = .73 a/r
11cm2 = .81 a/r
12cm2 = .89 a/r

There are many things in and around the timing belts that should be checked when doing a timing belt job, especially if replacements are done infrequently. (Owners who perform timing belt changes on a more frequent basis (perhaps as part of engine rebuilds or other work associated with motorsports) need not necessarily check everything each time, and will of necessity have the experience to judge what to replace and what not to.)

The following is a list of parts that should be checked, repaired and/or replaced during a timing belt replacement. The list is based off of experience with 1G cars. 2G owners can still use this as a guide, but 2Gs may have certain other specific problems not mentioned here.

For more information on why belts are so important on DSMs, read the section Why is it so important to change the timing belt on a [DSM]?  in this FAQ.

Note that after a timing belt job has been performed by an outside source, it is important to check and/or adjust the base engine timing. Not an alignment issue, this involves taking a timing light and double-checking that the base timing has not gotten screwed up.

This is not as straightforward as it may seem, since the ECU generally controls the timing and can 'fool' the mechanic into believing the base timing is ok. It is necessary to ground the timing adjustment connector in the engine bay to disable the ECU control and allow the engine to run at its true base timing. Otherwise, the ECU will do it's best to dynamically adjust the timing to the 'correct' value, even though the base timing is messed up.

Failure to do this check may result in the ECU lacking sufficient range to advance the timing as far as it should go, leading to a loss of power. Some Digesters have (belatedly) checked their base timing only to find that their timing was set all the way back, presumeably when a timing belt recall was done on their car. Once they reset the timing to the correct value, the car 'wakes up' and runs stronger than ever.

Read this post by GAS_MAN on DSMTuners first.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/boost-leak-test-how-to-with-boostpro-net-tester.169435/

If you want to build your own boost leak tester that won't scare the crap out of you if it blows apart,
check out this video Ultimate Boost Leak Tester

Then follow Oldman on DSMTuners list.

1. Disable your mbc.

2. Turn your motor to 30* ATDC to avoid valve overlap. (you will lose pressure if any valves are open)

3. Start your test at the TB elbow and focus on area behind the TB first.

4. Spray soapy water at TB gasket, BISS, TB shaft on both sides, IM gasket, injector insulators, brake booster, afpr and all vacuum lines/connections.

5. Open your oil cap and listen for leaks. (PCV, valve seals/guide, rings)

5. Listen to your tailpipe for leaks. (EGR, valve overlap, jumped timing, bent/unseated valves)

6. Once all leaks are fixed, move the tester back to the turbo inlet.

7. Spray down the compressor cover (known leak), BOV return/flange (DO NOT TAP YOUR BOV LINE FOR YOUR MBC!!!), IC end tank/fins and all connections. Re- test.

8. Note that you will leak air into the crankcase through the turbo seal but do not panic, this is normal during a static pressure test as long as there are no shaft play.

The desired test result from the begining of the LICP (bypassing turbo) is around 20psi (on boost gauge) with the compressor set at 30psi, while taking no less than 30 seconds to bleed down to 0.

As a reference, my last test on my 500 mile new engine, I was able to pressurize the system to 25psi, bled down to about 16psi (my 1G bov) in about 30seconds, then took about 3 mins to 6psi and just kinda lingered there for a while. It's not easy to do but the point is it's possible. My next goal is 30psi After motor break in and Dodge modding my BOV. A boost leak test is one of most pita but important regular maintenace task, the key is patience and endurance

HYUNDAI ELANTRA (1992 - 1994)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL (1992 - 1994)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS (1992 - 1994)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA (1994 - 1995)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA GL (1994 - 1995)
HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS (1994 - 1995)
HYUNDAI SONATA (1994 - 1995)
HYUNDAI SONATA GL (1994 - 1995)
HYUNDAI SONATA GLS 1994
DODGE 2000 GTX 1990
MITSUBISHI GALANT 1990
MITSUBISHI GALANT GS 1990
MITSUBISHI GALANT GSX 1990
MITSUBISHI GALANT LS 1990
EAGLE TALON 1990
EAGLE TALON TSI 1990
MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GS 1990
MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GSX 1990
MITSUBISHI GALANT 1989
MITSUBISHI GALANT GS 1989
MITSUBISHI GALANT LS 1989
PLYMOUTH LASER RS 1990

Great thread on CAS here: http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/how-to-test-1g-cas.394020/

Once installed, prevent the engine from firing and crank it over until the oil pressure gauges moves (or oil light goes out). Once you have built up oil pressure, undo your engine firing prevention and start it up.

Get the car up to temp (idle) and look for leaks.

Go out for a spin and slowly spool the turbo and watch your boost gauge and for any visible signs of issues (smoke out the tail pipe, not able to build boost, etc)

Happy boosting!

Another great video by Jafromobile takes an hour to explain Rebuild DSM Turbo Throttle Bodies  from 90-99. 

Here is a list of items you should mod on your DSM.

FIrst and foremost. Make sure that your DSM is in top shape by ensuring all maintenance has been done and dealing with any other issues. If your tranny/driveline makes noise, adding 200 extra horsepower will probably break it.

Now that your DSM is ready to accept mods, here they are in order of importance.

Fuel Pump (Rewire+Upgrade)
Air Filter (High Flow) + Pipe
ECM Link (ECU Flashing) (go light version if you want to save some money right now)
Boost Controller
Injectors
Turbo + Spark Plugs (May require hotter plug to avoid blow out) Choose a turbo for your end goal.
   - 16G (250HP), 20G (300HP), 50TRIM (400-500HP), 60TRIM (500-600HP), etc etc.
3" Exhaust (turbo back)
Intercooler
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Cams

By now.. you should be breaking stuff. Upgrade each piece that breaks with something meant to take the punishment.  Don't replace a stock transmission on a 500HP talon with another stock transmission. Look at getting hardened transmission.

Have fun and enjoy your forever empty wallet!  This is only a suggestion. Take a look at forums and see what other people have done



 

This is most likely due to unmetered air entering the cylinders. There a few things for you to check

• #1 Always. Check for Boost Leaks In case you forgot how : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdjadhUP1u4
• If you can not find the leak, use a smoke tester.
• Ensure throttle plate is not stuck and is not bent.
• Check the trottle cable to ensure it is not stuck or too tight.
• What is the TPS volt value at idle position? (Aim for 0.63)
• Blocked off your FIAV? That can cause an internal leak that bypasses the throttle body.
• Biss screw set properly?

Using ECM Link: Yes. There is a write up on how to hook up the BCS to the ECU allowing ECM Link to control the boost values.  You can set boost by gear, rpm, etc.

Guide on everything related to ECU Boost Control using ECMLink: https://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/boostcontrol

Here is now to install the BCS: https://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/bcsinstall