Hi everyone,
Not exactly an Evo but I figured it shares the same platform so I might get some help from here.

About the car, its an 4G63 n/a SOHC controlled by an Haltech E2500 in a Mitsubishi Colt. Stock engine, nothing too crazy.

Sooo.. The issue.

Car starts fine when cold, drives fine when cold and idles fine when cold but will start having troubles when getting warm. After a bit of driving and oil temp to operating temp it will start getting idle issues. Haltech is doing everything it can to make the engine idle, catches the rpms at 1k and steadily lowers them to 900 but the engine starts seizing up and the rpms bounce to 600-700 and the ecu starts saving it by retarding ignition. Most of the time it can successfully save it but not always. Nothing too bad right? Totally acceptable being a track car. But thats not all..

Issue nr 2 has to do with starting the car. The starter makes half a turn and then seizes. I try starting it again, it again turns half a turn and then seizes. It all started a few months back with idle issues and then starter slowly seizing but still being able to start the car. At this point it is not able and not even pushing the car and then clutch kicking it will start it anymore.

Lets talk about push starting then.. wont start, I let it cool for a bit and the starter will end up starting the car but it will sound like a diesel. Ticking and clicking.

At this point ive checked my Haltech tune and made tons of changes to it to no avail. Checked and cleaned all the grounds and power cables to the starter, even added another engine to body ground.

Nothing seems to be helping and im thinking it's something mechanical in the engine? I've read of balance shafts seizing but what else has/can happen to these engines? At this point im out of things to try other than look inside the cylinders, take off the rocker cover and oil pan. But maybe someone has had a similar issue?

I will try attaching a link to a folder in Google Drive that contains a few videos of the aforementioned issues..

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...t5?usp=sharing

Thanks for the help,
Gregor

 

Hi Gregor @GregorEST

Watched both Vids. Yeah that short .08 sec vid sounds like something is seizing? The longer engine run vid sounds diesel like as you noted (maybe valvetrain?). Do you have an oil analysis facility that can check your pan oil? (looking for wear metal values). Also, the guys here sometimes ask for run logs off the ECU that may show some values out or range but you noted the logs look ok?

Cheers, Joe

 

Hi Joe,

Im suspecting valvetrain too because the sound seems to be coming from the head, might pull off the rocker and take a closer look if I can see any hotspots. What I think is weird is that after a bit of driving the sound dissappears and everything will be back to normal.

I might get some Haltech logs later.

Gregor

 

Maybe some of that engine heat is making things quiet down & seem to run OK? Consider, at least, pulling the valve cover for an inspection?

 

Ok, so yesterday I checked under the rocker and found sparkling in the little oil pools, continued to remove the oil pan and check the conrod bearings. They all seem alright and I spot no crazy damage to them.
The whole oil pan and oil is sparkling and I will cut open the oil filter today. I will attach a few new pictures to a Google Drive folder I made.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...t5?usp=sharing

My question is that the balanceshafts journal seems to be blue, see pics. Is that from manufacturing or no? Maybe the balanceshaft is the issue here?

Thanks,
Gregor

 

Just cut open the oil filter. Its full of little metal particles but nothing too major.. YET. We are all suspecting that this may be the balanceshaft bearings. How does one go about checking them and does the engine need to be removed?

Added a few pics and a video of the oil filter to the drive folder too.

Cheers

 

Hi Gregor

Only pic i can see is pan oil. No other pics. We have our own picture server so you can upload here on EvoM (see above pic icon when youre editing your post)

Your notes regarding metal in the oil & in the filter sounds troubling

Pretty sure accessing the balance shaft area is pretty tough to do w/the engine in but im sure its been done. The whole front of of the engine comes off (alum cast oil pump cover). Engine would have to be lowered to get the shafts out to inspect the bearings

 

Figured it would be easier to upload it all there because my Iphone takes pics in .HEIC thats not supported here

The link was wrong, sorry. This is the folder now.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...t5?usp=sharing

Im thinking its the balance shafts due to the blue spots around the journals. Thinking about deleting them and maybe saving a block?