Model year: 2003
Mods: none
Miles: 15000
Result: cracked piston.
Race/Track History: bought used as far as i know never tracked
Contributing Factors:low oil, over heat, dealer misdiognosis......................?

had electrical probs,replaced spark plugs and wires.............same prob occured a month later..............replaced coil.............1 month later car would loose power at 3700rpm in ever gear...................brought to dealer again.................. after 3 weeks of waiting for approval found cracked piston.................being fixed as we speak......will keep updated

 

So far a significant patern is the 03 and 05, but I think that may be related to # of sales.

Another one is track use with mods.

 

great thread .... now to look into arp rod bolts!

 

someone should make a poll nice thread kind of scary though

 

Model year: 2003
Mods: See Signature, too many
Miles:65,000
Conditions: great condition
Pics:













Race/Track History: 4 times on the Dragstrip/HPDE 2 mile road course (160 minutes on a weekend) 2 autocrosses ALL within the last 12 months!!

Contributing Factors: I had the cams/timing belt changed, and the oil pump balance shaft was 180 degrees out of phase, and the car vibrated like CRAZY for 4000 miles, at 4500 RPM. I was told over and over it was "normal". Kept busting/cracking AC aluminum pipes/3 AC brackets/2 Alternator brackets, etc... (Could have "weakened my bearings). had oil changed 500 miles earlier, was driving some "kids" around, went on a road like Lombard street in San Francisco, but level. heard a THUD/THUD/THUD, and we pulled over, no smoke, no smell, no noise. I limped it home 4 miles, and everytime I got on the gas, I would hear the "rod knock" piston slap, or what ever you call it. I popped the hood at home, looked at the dipstick, and could BARELY see any oil on the dipstick. I am not leaking oil, nor burning it. I guess the winding road caused oil starvation and thus a SPUN ROD BEARING!! I was 2 quarts LOW, so they didn't fill it up when they changed the oil, or it "burnt off. NO SIGNS OF THAT though!! Never smoked, never smelled like burning oil, nothing on my garage floor. Just live and learn I guess.

 

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Model year: 2003
Mods: tbe, mbc@21psi, intake, flash
Miles: 27000
Result: A chunk of my piston was missing.
Race/Track History: been to the tack about 5 times with about 3 pass each time
Contributing Factors:low oil, detonation/knock, cold weather

 

So nrcooled, So how did this ticking noise differ from the normal lifter tick or did it at all?

 

Why isn't this stickied? This is a great thread

 

Thank you RoadSpike, guess I was assuming it was considering the subject matter.

 

MY: 03
Mods: Turbo XS MBC 21 psi, TBE (catless), Walbro, GSC 272 (i/e), Dynoflash custom tune. High Altitude (6000ft) 91 oct.
Miles: 49600
Conditions: 3rd cyl has 60% leakdown, wet test raised compression to 150psi (in line w/ other 3 cyl).
pics: none currently
Race/Track history: 2 1/4 mile passes before cam upgrade. 1 autox (3 runs). 1 track day (4 laps).
Contributing factors: detonation, which cause is unknown. car was never pushed above 5500 rpms, never boosted above 21.5 psi. more info to follow pending teardown.

 

Model year: 2003
Mods: mmh.. theyre in my signature
Miles: 28,000
Conditions: ticking which led to knocking, and eventually led to engine failure ;[ spun 2 bearings, crank needed to be machined and there were metal shavings everywhere
Race/Track History: about 75-100 launches probably... numerous hard pulls from second or third gear.
Contributing Factors: well, the full thread that i already have running is https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=224068. basically, though, it was a hot day and i most probably had an oil leak. it was claimed that my extremely rich conditions were making the fuel mix with the oil and would make the oil so thin that it was barely lubricating my engine. 2 bearings were spun and i had to machine my crank. im actually in the process of getting the aftereffect logistics worked out, but i got i got the car back last friday from gettin the engine rebuilt to stock. i think that's everything... not sure if there's anything else you guys needa know >;]

 

man i hope thr 9's do not have all these issues. SOrry to heae about so many failures on the 8's

 

Only time will tell. I don't think Mitsu has even acknowledged that there is a batch problem with the bearings or rod bolts. For a mass produced performance vehicle running this level of boost from the factory they might just see it as an acceptable failure rate.

 

i guess they are going to replace a lot of motors then

 

Or deny alot of warrentys