New and need some serious help

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

Ok so im 17 years old and have loved DSM's ever since i saw the first fast and furious movie. I recently purchased a 95 Eclipse GS. Thought it was the coolest car in the world with all of the mods. It had a swapped engine, Turbo, Blow off valve, short shifter, strut bar, front mount, short ram intake, custom exhaust, lowered 2 in, and has american racing rims. To a 17 year old who is looking for their 1st dsm that sounded like music to my ears; turned out i got screwed. I brought it to a family mechanic who took a look at it for free and he found that the engine was a bad swap, and the coilovers were heated down to compress so the car would be lower. Ultimately he told me that the car was unsafe to drive. Now I am in the process of trying to find a new engine, and coilovers to make my car driveable. I am also looking for a mechanic or any refrences to one who will do it for cheap because all of my money went into buying the car. If you could help me out with your suggestions i would greatly appreciate it.

s1ngletracker · 01-01-2010

what exactly is messed up about the engine? Details would be better.

**mlomker** · 01-01-2010

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

From what i was told by the mechanic. It is a dodge neon engine (i feel stupid about not noticing that) and he said the turbo isnt housed right or something. I could take pictures if that would help

turbotalon1g · 01-01-2010

This is a joke right?

An new year fools kinda like an april fools?

**mlomker** · 01-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twenty8

I could take pictures if that would help

yup

viridionplague · 01-01-2010

neon engine,

dsm 1.8 liter engine,

dsm 2.0 engine.

what does yours look like?

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

Ok give me a break im 17 and need to learn alll im looking for is help not criticism

**goodhart** · 01-01-2010

If your Eclipse is a GS, then that isn't a swap, that's the engine it came with. It has (what looks to be) a Hahn turbo kit on it. Other than the wiring being a complete fucking mess, that car shouldn't need any kind of engine swap at all, not sure what the mechanic was thinking...

Also, clarify a bit more what the mechanic was talking about when he said the "turbo wasn't housed right"

I would STRONGLY reccomend bringing this car to one of the site vendor shops (DB, MAP) and have a mechanic that knows what they are doing take a look at it.

**mlomker** · 01-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twenty8

Ok give me a break im 17 and need to learn alll im looking for is help not criticism

I don't think anyone has criticized you. I'm 37 and don't know much about cars, either. I make my living doing something else.

I'm sure there are people on here that can help (lots of guys that do their own wrenching) but they might still be hung over.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodhart

If your Eclipse is a GS, then that isn't a swap, that's the engine it came with.

He might have meant that the engine was clearly removed and replaced (rebuilt or a motor from a different chassis). That would explain the wiring.

DB & MAP are pros but they aren't cheap. You could drop by RS Motors in Burnsville for a once-over as well.

Ihearrtdsm · 01-01-2010

How much boost you running? do you know if you engine internals are stock?

viridionplague · 01-01-2010

looks to me like a turbo'd 420a engine typically found in the 2nd gen dsm's.

i believe the same motor from a neon is actually sohc, and mounted backwards. as well as a few other differences.

the 420a out of an avenger or sebring would be the same from my understanding.

im guessing that the car is did not have an engine "swap", but had the engine replaced. and a turbo kit added

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

Damn you guys are good. This is exactly what im looking for. So what your saying is the engine shouldnt be a problem just from first glance? and i want to do work myself but i dont wanna screw anything permanently. I can do the basics i.e. change oil, and tires. If i just get the coilovers replaced i should be good? I understand you need to look at it but i just kind of want just a little something. Also the wires i want to get cleaned up and shit and maybe someone could help me with that. They are attached to 2 cams which i have no clue what they are for.

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

dsndjsndjs

Twenty8 · 01-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ihearrtdsm

How much boost you running? do you know if you engine internals are stock?

not sure how much i just know i am. im telling ya im the noob of all noobs but i really want to get good at this

**mlomker** · 01-01-2010

Sounds like you should get a second opinion on everything that your mechanic friend told you. Paying for an hour of labor at one of the shops to get a thorough inspection would be a good idea. You can decide how and what to fix once you know what you should be concerned about.

ylimert01 · 01-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlomker

Sounds like you should get a second opinion on everything that your mechanic friend told you. Paying for an hour of labor at one of the shops to get a thorough inspection would be a good idea. You can decide how and what to fix once you know what you should be concerned about.

agreed!

viridionplague · 01-01-2010

you defiantly need to get a boost gauge in there and find out what its running. without knowing exactly what is inside the engine, and what boost you are running, you are running a very big risk of wrecking things.

i recommend driving it nice until you know a little more about the car.

as long as the car seems to be running fine just take it easy, find somone selling a set of stock coils and springs cheap, and hookup with someone for an inspection, maybe map or db depending on where you live.

**goodhart** · 01-01-2010

I'm guessing by coilovers, you mean coil springs? If the previous owner heated the springs to lower the car, you would probably be better off with getting a set of used springs to throw in there.

For the other issues, bring your car to one of the shops mentioned before for a quick diagnosis. Also it wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure it is tuned right. With many of these hacked together cars like this, it isn't uncommon for them to not be tuned right and just be a ticking time bomb. get a boost gauge and drive it VERY nice until you get the car looked at.

twack · 01-01-2010

general mechanics work on general principals. They dont know vehicle specific problems, which our cars have many of, and when you turbo a non turbo you basiclly throw out ever going to a general mechanic. When my garage and house was flooded i brought my car all around to general shops and none of them could find my issue and they all admitted it was way over their head. you can bring it to one of the vendors on here like db or map, but if you dont have the cash your kinda stuck doing it yourself which in the long run is for the best trust me.

do a self assesment of the car and engine. get a compression tester and check the engine out, that will tell you what condition the engine is in. get a cheap multi meter, with this you can check your plug wires and just about any other electronic in the car. because your dealing with a turboed car you really should get a wideband so you can know what the tune is and if it has any fuel issues. Make a boost leak tester, you can check all of your inatke path with this. How does the car drive now? can you boost it without issues? are there any check engine lights (CEL)? if there are any issues with the car describe them and usually we can help you out with what it is or point you int the rigt direction. what we dont have dsmtuners.com and dsmtalk.com and vfaq.com will, dsmtalk has the best search feature.

o ya welcome to the board