More photos Mitsubishi Eclipse
What you should expect for a used 1G 90-91 Talon TSi 1990
| Date: | December 5, 2005, 10:04 pm |
| Name, Location: | Joe, Cleveland OH |
| Vehicle: | Mitsubishi Eclipse |
| Year: | 1990 |
| Modification: | Talon TSi AWD |
| General comments: | I have been a Talon TSi owner since 1991. I bought my first TSi in '91, crashed it after 15 months then bought a used '90 TSi in 1994-5. These '90-'91 Talon/Eclipse/Lasers brand new were arguably the best vehicle bargain for cost/performance. For under US$22k you could own a fully optioned AWD 195HP 2 door coupe that could take on a Porsche 944s/944 turbo, Mustang 5.0, Acura Integra GS, Celica Supra, and other cars in those classes. For those shopping used DSM's here are a few tips: 1. Timing belt failures will kill a Talon/Eclipse/Laser engine. If the timing belt fails, you will most likely loose 8 Intake valves and possibly have a damaged piston and/or head. I personally have lost 8 intake valves and 8 exhaust valves in two separate timing belt failures. This damage can set you back at least US$1,800 (new valves, machined head, new valve guides, timing belt, and associated labor.) Take the time to have the car inspected and watch that timing belt! 2. Other common engine problems are the Exhaust Manifold (cracks due to flow), Turbo and/or housing cracks, valve cover and rubber engine seals. The valve cover is fragile (becareful when reinstalling), the gasket and half moon gaskets (for the camshaft and sprockets) are exposed to high temperatures and can break down or stiffen, thus loosing their sealing effectiveness. Look for fluid leaks around the engine and address them quickly. 3. CV Half shafts / boots, wheel bearings, axle bearings, and rubber axle seals need to be inspected. If the boots and seals are damaged, replace them immediately. It's more cost effective to replace a boot or seal than it is to replace the axle, shaft, or joint. 4. Stock Clutch and transmission in these vehicles are pretty durable, but not indestructable. If you have to replace the entire clutch assembly, consider a CF/DF clutch kit that includes a new throw out bearing. Synchro issues (grinding when shifting into gear at certain RPMs) will require transmission work. 5. Electrical is pretty solid, except for a couple of things. Traditionally, the ECM in these vehicles have problems with leaky capacitors. Apparently a series of ECMs were produced with caps that would leak electrolyte onto the ECM board, thus causing a short circuit. There are resources available to replace these caps for a reasonable fee. If you screw up the firing order when you replace plug wires, you will most likely blow a hole in the coil pack and injector wiring. Remember the cylinder order for '90-'94, 4321 from passenger to driver (timing belt side) and 4123 top of the coil pack down to the firewall. Damage of this order will cost you US $500 minimum. Learn from my experience. 6. Leather seats in these cars do not wear very well. The vehicle's low height and seat design make it inevitable for the driver's seat to show extreme wear. Seat covers or an upholstery job are not too far out of budget, so dont overlook the car's mechanical condition in favor of interior appearances. |
| What things have gone wrong with the car: | A/C Evaporator coil needed replaced at 75k, taligate lift shocks replaced every 3-4 years, Valve Cover is very delicate, occassionaly leaks oil, 2nd gear synchro (grinds at shifts <2800 rpm)problems at 105k, timing belt failure forced top engine rebuild at 125k. |
| Previous car: | 88 Pathfinder, 87 Celica GT, 92 Rodeo, 91 TSi, 90 TSi, 01 Focus LX, 05 Focus ST |