I need your input Mitsustyle!

[awd-drifter]

Okay, with time and little money these are my plans and i just need your input. my engine has roughly 68,000 miles on it and it drives like a beauty, the only issue is that there is oil leaking very slowly from the Head Gasket. I've been thinking lately and I've decided to keep the Galant a sleeper and slowly restore it. If it somehow runs high 12s or low 13s, I'm done modifying it. Anyways, No matter what though, I'm going to go with DSMLINK as my ems and getting it tuned. the part I'm stuck at is this, i can only do 1 of these only:
(1)Get Evo 3 engine and put it in and call it(engine-wise) done.
(2)Buy a good long block(as a spare engine) locally instead of the Evo 3. and slowly build that.
(3)keep modifying my engine without a spare motor.

please add if you'd like, money($1,000-$1,500) is tight for only ONE of those options. if you have another option, please feel free to post it. Thanks!

[JET]

There is no need to build your engine if you have good compression. The stock engine will do high 12's no problem. I also doubt your oil leak is coming from the head gasket unless you overheated the car and warped the head. That would be pretty rare. When a HG goes in a DSM you will likely be pushing air into the coolant. I would do some upkeep on your current engine and do a few mods. It doesn't take much to get low 13's.

[311evo]

i also doubt oil is leaking from your headgasket. there can be oil-ish substance comming from your exhaust manifold gasket, or oil from the valve cover gasket.

[scheides]

How bad is the leak? I've heard of people complaining of this after doing 1x1 arp headstud installs.

What other mods do you have? Full exhaust, MBC, and fuel pump will get you into the 13's pretty easily.

[turbotalon1g]

My head gasket looked like it was leaking for 2 years, it was fine until I pushed it with 35+psi on a 61.
Don't worry about the motor treat it well and it will be fine.
Put the link on it and go from there. With launch control and NLTS feature you be running a lot quicker than you are now.
The only spare motor you need is another stock longblock, they are always around and cheap.

[Shane@DBPerformance]

DSM motors almost never leak oil from the headgasket. Are you sure it isn't just the valve cover, cam seals, oil dipstick tube spraying or something else?

Is there something wrong with your current motor? You can go 10s on a stock motor.

[TkrPerformance]

you do know that a evo III engine is a 7bolt. and 99% of them are not evo III engines but evo I or evo II that are sold it is hard to find a real evo III engine. Also you will not find one in the 1000-1500 range with it shipped to you.
quick check on evo I-III engines
evo I 1g oil squiters
evo II 2g oil squiters
evo III no oil squiters

[awd-drifter]

How bad is the leak? I've heard of people complaining of this after doing 1x1 arp headstud installs.

What other mods do you have? Full exhaust, MBC, and fuel pump will get you into the 13's pretty easily.

the leak isnt that bad, its not leaving oil on the ground. I'm guessing the previous owner didnt correctly torque the head studs.
Here is where it is leaking from:
#1
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/2of9/leak.jpg
Here is where i can see leaks coming from.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/2of9/leak2.jpg
#2- is not leaking from the oil line, i can see it from the head gasket, it is barely leaking, but leaking extremely slowly. Also, I think there is some blow-by, because everytime I drive on the street, i can smell oil when i am at a stop, but that happens sometimes after the car is warmed up.
Yes, i know i am missing a manifold bolt. There isnt really nothing wrong with my engine, though im positive it will run quickly with a proper retune. I thought most of the Evo 3 engines were 6 bolt, but thanks TkrPerformance for letting me know. I am going to do a compression test pretty soon, I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Full Mod List:
- rebuilt 6 bolt
- head was lightly ported on both intake/exhaust sides.
- stronger valve guides
- lifters with large oil ports
- bored .020
- all new rings, pistons and bearings
- ported o2 housing
- E316g
- FMIC
- 550cc
- 190 fuel pump
- 3" exhaust system
- VAFC (street-tuned)

[scheides]

Oh dude, leave it! You have an awesome setup, if it is not leaking on the ground, and not causing the engine to run incorrectly, then F it! You have the quintessential dsm/gvr4 setup. Maybe add some HKS 272's and just run the thing! E85/1000cc injectors/DSMLink would be the only other change I would look at, but that even is questionable.

[TkrPerformance]

every evo engine 1~9 is a 7bolt