1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years - 3000GT/Stealth International Message Center

cbatters · 06-28-2008, 03:27 PM

My car let me down for the first time in 230K miles / 17 years. Heard some nasty valve train noise, pushed in clutch and then engine died. Pulled rocker arms from both heads and pressurized cylinders. Get some slight hissing so I may have smacked the intake valves. Crank spins smoothly

Timing was off by two teath on the rear intake valves but front was fine.

Current plan is to do a 60K and then see if the nastly noise is still around.

Appreciate advise on best sources for 60K components. (or PM me with deals if you have parts available.)

Clint

stryfe · 06-28-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbatters

My car let me down for the first time in 230K miles / 17 years. Heard some nasty valve train noise, pushed in clutch and then engine died. Pulled rocker arms from both heads and pressurized cylinders. Get some slight hissing so I may have smacked the intake valves. Crank spins smoothly

Timing was off by two teath on the rear intake valves but front was fine.

Current plan is to do a 60K and then see if the nastly noise is still around.

Appreciate advise on best sources for 60K components. (or PM me with deals if you have parts available.)

Clint

sorry to hear that, man. 8o( hope you get it sorted. that is one hell of a good run, though!

cbehnken · 06-28-2008, 04:42 PM

rockville still has the best oem 60K bundle afaik.

Cherry hill triplex mitsu in new jersey can get some very good prices on oem.

Welcome to Cherry Hill Triplex Parts !

barring that you can always do parts dinosaur, but you won't save much.

massstealth · 06-28-2008, 05:02 PM

Oh no Clint! Sorry to hear.

My timing marks were off a few month ago. Front bank intake off by 1 and exhaust off by 2. I rolled them back with a pencil and everything seems fine. (My ecu was junk and randomly shutting engine off like fuel cut.) If you need help, let me know. Im not at the shop anymore but have tools/will travel.

cbatters · 06-28-2008, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by massstealth

Oh no Clint! Sorry to hear.

My timing marks were off a few month ago. Front bank intake off by 1 and exhaust off by 2. I rolled them back with a pencil and everything seems fine. (My ecu was junk and randomly shutting engine off like fuel cut.) If you need help, let me know. Im not at the shop anymore but have tools/will travel.

Thx.

If you pressurize one of your cylinders to 125 PSI with all valves closed, do you get any air leaking or is it silent?

Also, any adviseor estimates of effort to remove the rear head. (I pulled the front ~90K ago but have never pulled the rear.)

Clint

OhioSpyderman · 06-28-2008, 06:32 PM

I just WISH there was something I could do to help you Clint

Rockville Mits (MITSUPARTSDIRECT.COM) is who I also always use. Mike Deal has been a pleasure to work with. If you don't have an account with them, call and tell them that your a 3SI member and they will give you wholesale prices.

I'm sure you have all the tools that I have, but if you need something (and I have it) its yours.

Good luck solving this ASAP.

(I miss you....in a non-gay way!!!)

Bob.

cbatters · 06-28-2008, 06:46 PM

Any positive experiences with aftermarket or is everyone still running OEM for the 60K parts?

Hannibalzero · 06-28-2008, 07:17 PM

Clint, it sucks to hear about the timing skip, but I am damn impressed you've gone 230k without any major problems. I know you maintain your car meticulously, but that is still a good run.

I'd recommend sticking with OEM parts from rockville. Although they've lost some good staff in the last year, their crew is still pretty good. Mike Deal does a great job finding the best prices for "car club" members.

Good luck with the heads.

QSpectre · 06-28-2008, 08:04 PM

I just got my 120k kit from IPS and most of the parts are OEM, the belts are Gates and CONTITECH (timing belt)... pretty nice kit.

cbatters · 06-29-2008, 05:03 AM

I shattered a chunk from one of my #1 exhaust valves at ~170K and picked up two fully loaded heads with 43K but only bolted on the front head. I know what the effort is to do the front and should be easier now. (First time I had to drill out and re-tap one of the turbo-manifold bolts that snappped off. VERY hard steel.)

Best repair is probably to pull both heads, toss on low mileage rear head I have sitting in garage and repair any damage to the low mileage head on the front. (possibly robbing 6 intake valves from the head with the shattered valve.)

Two things I would appreciate:

1. Feedback on what other people experience when they pressurize a cylinder with all valves closed. (with heads and valves that have > 100K on them) mine are making uniform faint hissing sound on all cylinders

2. Link to thread or comments on removing rear head. Specifically, how big a PITA is it to disconnect turbo from manifold or can you leave head-manifold-turbo-connected and just unbolt from downpipe.

06-28-2008, 03:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
cbatters Member: Burned valve club Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stoughton, MA Drives: 91 Stealth RT/TT Trader Rating: (12)	1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years My car let me down for the first time in 230K miles / 17 years. Heard some nasty valve train noise, pushed in clutch and then engine died. Pulled rocker arms from both heads and pressurized cylinders. Get some slight hissing so I may have smacked the intake valves. Crank spins smoothly Timing was off by two teath on the rear intake valves but front was fine. Current plan is to do a 60K and then see if the nastly noise is still around. Appreciate advise on best sources for 60K components. (or PM me with deals if you have parts available.) Clint __________________ 1991 Stealth RT/TT - Firestorm Red - 193K Miles / Original Owner Maint: Castrol 10W40 / Mitsu Filter / Rislone Replaced: 2X clutch / 3X brakes / 2X front rotors / 2X ABS HU / 1X NGK Plugs / 1X Ball joints / 2X Antenna mast / 1X Active exhaust cable / 1X Windshield / 1X Fuel FIlter / 1X Struts / 1X rear rotors / 1X Front Head / VSS / 1X rear wheel bearings / 1X Transfer case (warranty) / 1x Tie rod end (drivers side) Overhauled: Starter, IAC, BISS, CV Boots Upgrade: SilverStar Headlights / ebay "Xenon" Fog Bulbs (no more yellow!) A/F Gauge / MAP - Electronic Boost Logging / MMCd Data Logger Pending Projects: Steering Rack

06-28-2008, 04:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
cbehnken Forest Gump Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Cape Girardeau Mo Drives: 1992 Stealth TT Trader Rating: (42)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years rockville still has the best oem 60K bundle afaik. Cherry hill triplex mitsu in new jersey can get some very good prices on oem. Welcome to Cherry Hill Triplex Parts ! barring that you can always do parts dinosaur, but you won't save much. __________________ Power: DSM 13G/DR650 Combo, EVO 560cc injectors, SAFC I, K&N, Ebay Downpipe, ATR Dual Catback, no cats, DN Y-Pipe, HKS SSQV, HKS EVC 5 at 14.5PSI, Walbro 255 with AN Bulkhead 8.07 @ 85.55 1/8th mile 1.84 60FT Suspension: KYB GR-2 - Tein S-Techs, Crossdrilled/slotted rotors, AWS Delete Drivetrain: RPS Street Max, M.W. 300m O/S, Seattle F&R Poly Mounts Etc: Roller Bearing Short Shifter Smokinvr-4 Corner box, 10" Rockford Fosgate Punch sub, Eclipse Headunit Leatherseats.com Charcoal/Dove Grey Interior, 99 front end/lights/wing/sideskirts/doorcaps Maintenance New VSS, all 60K stuff, new 1st,2nd, 3rd syncro, trans seals, oil pump, rod and main bearings. Mobile 1 10w40, Redline MTL in trans, 85w90 Coastal GL5 in transfer case and rear

06-28-2008, 05:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
massstealth Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Brockton Mass Drives: 91rt/tt Trader Rating: (16)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years Oh no Clint! Sorry to hear. My timing marks were off a few month ago. Front bank intake off by 1 and exhaust off by 2. I rolled them back with a pencil and everything seems fine. (My ecu was junk and randomly shutting engine off like fuel cut.) If you need help, let me know. Im not at the shop anymore but have tools/will travel. __________________ Bob Rear ended by homeless drunk driver July 12 04 Please wait 13 seconds.. RPS full face clutch, Fidanza flywheel, ATR downpipe, TurboXS dual stage boost controller, K+N fipk, Turboxs h34 bov, Kormex 25 spline, recall transfercase. 180k service done thanks Clint. Soon>>>Hotwire + fuel pump, water/meth SOLD Now driving 38mpg Escort

06-28-2008, 06:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
cbatters Member: Burned valve club Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stoughton, MA Drives: 91 Stealth RT/TT Trader Rating: (12)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years Any positive experiences with aftermarket or is everyone still running OEM for the 60K parts?

06-28-2008, 07:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
Hannibalzero H to the izzO Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Northern VA Drives: Recklessly Trader Rating: (55)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years Clint, it sucks to hear about the timing skip, but I am damn impressed you've gone 230k without any major problems. I know you maintain your car meticulously, but that is still a good run. I'd recommend sticking with OEM parts from rockville. Although they've lost some good staff in the last year, their crew is still pretty good. Mike Deal does a great job finding the best prices for "car club" members. Good luck with the heads. __________________

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06-28-2008, 08:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
QSpectre Forum Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Wichita, KS Drives: 92 VR-4 Trader Rating: (3)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years I just got my 120k kit from IPS and most of the parts are OEM, the belts are Gates and CONTITECH (timing belt)... pretty nice kit. __________________ 1992 Fiji Blue VR-4 Working on getting it going for now! Past Cars: 2003 Cobra (475 rwhp) 1999 BMW M3 1998 BMW 328is 1988 BMW 325xi

06-29-2008, 05:03 AM	#10 (permalink)
cbatters Member: Burned valve club Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Stoughton, MA Drives: 91 Stealth RT/TT Trader Rating: (12)	Re: 1991 RT/TT - First Failure in 230K / 17 years I shattered a chunk from one of my #1 exhaust valves at ~170K and picked up two fully loaded heads with 43K but only bolted on the front head. I know what the effort is to do the front and should be easier now. (First time I had to drill out and re-tap one of the turbo-manifold bolts that snappped off. VERY hard steel.) Best repair is probably to pull both heads, toss on low mileage rear head I have sitting in garage and repair any damage to the low mileage head on the front. (possibly robbing 6 intake valves from the head with the shattered valve.) Two things I would appreciate: 1. Feedback on what other people experience when they pressurize a cylinder with all valves closed. (with heads and valves that have > 100K on them) mine are making uniform faint hissing sound on all cylinders 2. Link to thread or comments on removing rear head. Specifically, how big a PITA is it to disconnect turbo from manifold or can you leave head-manifold-turbo-connected and just unbolt from downpipe.