~Slideways~

On 03/06/2022 at 19:16, shrike said:

Coolent temp sensor, ecu retarding timing until it comes up to operating temp, can always test the sensor and or just unplug to verify

If the temp is no good it wont know its warmed up

Tested the resistance of the water temp sensors from the mivec parts car and compared it to the one of the spare head I bought earlier in the thread.

Both react to hot and cold water the same, both have the same resistance at room temp.

So I think they are ok.

This water temp sensor is in the back of the head rather than the one that is in the thermostat housing, which is definitely for the water temp gauge. So I assume this other one has to be for the ECU water temp.

It was worth a try though, could still be related. Maybe the wiring is damaged etc.

Took this out to the south coast to go see some seals.

Saw seals:

Found a water fall:

Nice.

15 hours ago, shrike said:

Coolent temp sensor, ecu retarding timing until it comes up to operating temp, can always test the sensor and or just unplug to verify

If the temp is no good it wont know its warmed up

Yeah good idea could be that. It was up to temp on the gauge, although it probably has a separate temp sensor for the ecu.

Also tried to do a compression test last night, number 1 went up to about 200psi, but I think the one way valve in my tester is stuffed because it just drops to zero again. Didn't have this problem a week or two ago.

Then tested number 3, because 2 and 4 have the coils in the way and it was raining by then.

Same story, about 200psi and drops to zero as soon as I stop cranking. Annoying, wonder if I can fix the tester...

Thought maybe there was a check engine light that I didn't notice that could explain the sluggishness. Nope, light comes on then goes off after it is started. Seems to idle and rev perfectly smoothly.

Check if knock sensor wire was still attached, it is, would think there would be a constant check engine light if something like that was wrong. i.e. limp mode type thing.

Another guess would be that there is ECU damage from what ever caused 5 fuses to blow. But the fact it seems to start and drive fine with no check engine light it doesn't really fit.

Maybe the timing is out?

Also the ECU is hanging down in the passenger foot well. As if it has recently been worked on. There is also another ECU that was just in the glovebox, it looks to be for a non-mivec Mitsi (plugs simply not compatible).

I THINK the engine swap was done in 2010 because that matches with the Mivec cluster on carjam. i.e. the km's drop significantly to match what this cluster would have had on it back then. It looks to have done 40,000km's since then too so surely it didn't have the ECU just floating around like that.

Car jam history shows it changed owners a bunch of times in the last year. It didn't worry me when I bought it because I wanted it for parts. So I think a lot of people gave up on fixing what ever the problem is.

It would be nice to know what is wrong with it, but I guess I am not going to be using this ECU or even short block. So I will probably stop trying to diagnose it and just get the engine out in order to swap in the 'correct' 4g15 from the 4wd lancer.

That way I can tidy it up, hopefully wof it without too much issue then sell it. I'll grab some clean trim from Pick a Part and that'll make the interior nice, it's actually pretty good apart from the crappy silver spray paint.

I wish I had more time to get through these projects, I really enjoy diving into each one and making them good again...just not enough time to do it all.

Got the torque converter off and had a look at the rear main seal.

It was practically falling out, this is how it was, already half out.

I didn't even need to pry it out just touched it with my finger tip and it flopped out...

It can just be slid back in with zero effort.

Something about a hallway and a hotdog.

Do these seals shrink?

Waiting on BNT for some seals but Covid has done a number on them. 

Got the engine off of the trans jack and removed the transfer case and then the auto.

Waiting on prices for a rear main seal and cam cover gaskets.

In the mean time I had a look over the 'parts Lancer' the one with the Mivec 4g92. Which isn't running right.

When I test drove it before bringing it home it felt very sluggish. I wasn't too concerned since I didn't plan on using the whole engine.

The heater fan controls and clock didn't work at all, I knew that the indicators didn't work as well.

Found FIVE blown fuses. That's a great sign...

Replaced them and everything seems to work again. But why did they blow? I did find that the stereo loom has been cut and is exposed, but would think that would only blow one fuse.

Exhaust is leaking, found gasket very buggered, kind of looks like it was installed wrong too, like it was jammed in since the sides are bent up.

Yes those floor mats are amazing.

As a temporary measure to shut it up I put on some exhaust gasket goo and left it overnight. 

Started it the next day and found it was another loud leak from the flexi. I want to drive it around the block to test it a bit, so wrapped it in some fiberglass matting and held it on with some hose clamps 

Sounded a lot quieter so got it to operating temp and took it around the block.

VERY sluggish. Like the timing is retarded?

No misfires and revs fine, just very very sluggish.

In first gear up I got it into the MIVEC engagement point which is something around 5000rpm. It really opens up and sounds really cool. But still super slow.

So at least I know the Mivec solenoid is working and it must have enough oil pressure to engage it.

I got it home and pulled a spark plug, looks real old. Was about to do a compression test but then my wife got a bloody migraine. So dropped it all and will get back to it another day.

I am semi considering putting the 1.6 mivec into the awd Lancer. Since this parts car Lancer appears to have been driving around for 12 years with this conversion... it's a lot of effort though when the end goal is to build it with a 1.8 block and turbo it. But then again the first wof could tell me to go away and cert it.

19 hours ago, kicker said:

Cheers!
Keen to see more of your N360

Me too 

This is awesome.

Got it out last night, didn't need to remove the alternator in the end. I thought it would get in the way but was able to move the engine forwards enough.

Used my transmission jack, its rated to 500kg but I was a bit worried about balancing it. I guessed where the centre of the weight would be and didn't quite get it right so it leaned over a bit...

Reminds me of a 16v smallport 4age.

Plan is/was to take the engine and trans out the bottom, with the loom all still attached so I can swap it into the 'parts' lancer (with a manual box).

Found the ecu location, which is under the dash on the tunnel. No real problems accessing it to unplug the loom. Nice work Mitsi.

Loom is easy to disconnect under the carpet up to the firewall where it then goes behind the heater motor. Nice.

Can't get to the engine side of the loom big rubber grommet thing since the ABS unit is in the way, tried anyway but could not. So had to disconnect the brake lines and the ABS unit. Not too bad I guess.

Now I can pull the loom through a bit, but it doesn't seem like the plugs can fit behind the heater bits. Hmmm bugger, maybe it I undo the mounting points for the heater stuff?

Undo the nuts at the bottom, can only see one above the blower unit. Can barely get a spanner on it, spent 20min on trying to undo this one nut. Maybe I have to remove part of the blower to get to it...realise its all one unit unlike most other stuff I've dealt with and there is no way I can get to the other top mounting nuts to remove the whole thing. Don't want to disconnect he AC lines... Not so great Mitsi...

So I have another go at trying to get the plugs behind the Fan unit. Then I notice/can feel another part of the loom going to the A piller. Oh maybe that's what is stopping it. 

Found where that goes and disconnect. Nice...maybe now.

Nope still can't get it out.

OK fck it. 

NOW I CAN GET THE LOOM OUT. 

Quite like the way they've mounted the cluster plugs so it stays in place though. So... yay Mitsi?

Not pictured: remove radiator, AC pump (tied off to the side), auto cooler lines, air box, loom connections to fuse box inside and in engine bay.

That's as far as I got. But I think all I need to do now is remove the Alternator, shifter lines and two fuel lines then it should be ready to come out the bottom while still attached to the crossmember.

Also, never seen one of these stickers. They would have had to remove the cluster to do this:

Made a start on getting the 4g15 out of the Lancer.

Put it on the hoist, which involved moving 6 cars and a trailer 

Drained the auto trans fluid.

Drained the engine oil. Looked real black but no flakes:

The transmission magnetic drain plug itself had a bunch of crap on it. It doesn't really matter though since I am not using it.

Unbolted the knuckles from the struts and that gave just enough room to pull the drive shafts out.

Not in the photo but compared to the manual drive shafts I am pretty sure they are the same length. I was hoping that would be the case so I have spares.

A photo of my oil collection as well as the 4wd'y bits.

Rear 4wd bits, there is some surface rust to clean up but overall the underside is in good condition. Even the rails are pretty damn straight.

Tiny exhaust is tiny:

That's as far as I got and it was too late at night to cut the exhaust bolts off which were seized on.

Plan is to drop it out the bottom with the loom still attached.

I also purchase a whole other Lancer which has a Mivec 4g92 conversion, bit rough but it was a good price. No certor wof but has a 'covid reg'. Conversion looks to have been done in 2010. Originally it was a 4g15, so I plan to take the one out of the 4wd lancer, fix the seals etc and swap it into the 'parts' lancer to sell and get some money back.

The parts Mivec lancer apparently isn't running right. I wasn't too worried since I will be rebuilding the engine anyway. But there are some parts I want to keep off of it, like the momo wheel (worn out), mivec engine, mivec ecu, white face cluster, side skirts and maybe the suspension. Looks like they are king springs but not sure if they are compatible with the 4wd suspension.

I had taken it for a drive around the block a few times, it has blown exhaust manifold gasket at the bottom flange where it joins 2-1. And it had previously run out of fuel so I had to bring what I had which was only about 4L. But it started first pop etc and didn't look to overheat. Clutch feels worn but it shifted fine.

Oh and it has THESE (never mind the silver painted plastic trim):

2 hours ago, yoeddynz said:

That head is huge. There can't be much room between it and the bonnet?

I'm figuring it's a fairly hefty engine in weight? 

It is pretty tall yeah, but being aluminium it doesn't feel all that heavy, well compared to others I can remember. There is a quite a bit of empty space too.

The 4g93 1.8 block is a taller block than the 1.6 so it will definitely be taller than a 4g93t like in a GSR. The hybrid 1.8 with this head has been done before so I'm sure it won't be too bad... maybe some bonnet ribs need removing... I guess I'll see!

Not sure which project thread this belongs to but the 1.6 Mivec engine for my Lancer comes with quite nice extractors from factory. 4 into 2. I don't have the lower section, which must take it from 2 to 1. 

They don't look like press mends like the horrible Mazda one.

I have the MX5 B6 exhaust flange cut off (still with factory weld bead inside the ports), comparing this to the Mivec manifold the spacing is very close!

This is with the remains of the cut off mx5 tubes basically sitting inside mivec ports.

Could possibly cut off the mitsi flange and weld on the mazda one. Will offer it up to the engine bay when I get a chance. 

The design is MUCH better than the Mazda one, maybe it'll be worth modifying it to fit?

Oh I wonder if maybe the oil pump gear is broken, I've read that can happen on 4G's.

A place in Malaysia makes billet upgrades. Probably worth doing.

Out of interest I checked the bearings and they all look ok?

Took a piston out and no damage to the ring lands etc. 

The rods are TINY!

Also interesting that it has piston oil squirters built into the rods which is pretty cool.

So I'm not sure why this engine had it's sump taken off and oil pick up removed and left off?

Maybe one of the other rods is bent?

Doesn't really matter though. Just interesting to see.

Sanding like a beach.

Last few low spots to fill last night, feel like maybe I'm going overboard a bit but on the other hand I can't bring myself to not fill these low spots after all this work.

Front is looking good now. There were a couple of low spots in the centre which is now good.

Next will be to prime it again with a more thinned down mix. Then maybe wet sand 400 grit, depends how well the primer goes on.

Man, you should really get a slide hammer.

4 minutes ago, mjrstar said:

Dave Thomsen (Thomsen automotive) had a very rapid mivec turbo Mirage years ago. It may have gone ~10 seconds 1/4 mile in fwd  format if I recall correctly. Before he converted it to a circuit car.. It might be worth tracking him down for a chat. 

 

It's possible that the complete 1600 mivec engine becomes a better base for a turbo application.. (maybe) 

 

https://www.thomsenautomotive.com/

 

 

Nice, thanks for the info. I've seen that name before I think.

A 1600 mivec could work, but I guess I'd be giving up some response. Thing is a 1.8 block could be had for $100 so makes sense to go with that since I'd have to put stronger rods etc into the 1600 as well anyway.

I've had a few 4age turbo's in fwd and it was great fun. 220kw was amazingly responsive with a td05. That was 920kg though and this will be 12-1300 kg minimum? 

Another interesting 'parts bin' thing is, can I use 5 stud hubs from something else at PickaPart? Maybe an Airtrek or Legnum? 

Or do I keep it as 4x100 with 15's and biggest brakes I can fit?

If I do swap it to 5 stud I could use the spare wheels from my 200sx.