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1988 Starion GSR-VR Build https://www.cordiapower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=19104 |
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Author: | 0-PSI [ 24 Sep 2016, 14:53 ] | ||
Post subject: | 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build | ||
Hi gents, Thought I would introduce my '88 GSR-VR which I've been working away on since picking it up this time last year now. Originally from Sydney once imported, it then made it's way to Sunshine Coast QLD where it resided for a number of years before I took the keys to this special machine & drove it back 1,800 kilometers to it's current home now in Melbourne. I had a strong gut feeling in the beginning to make this trip so I followed through with it & it got me home in one piece. Didn't miss a beat the whole journey, all 22 hours. I am the 3rd Australian owner since being imported in 2007. The car itself was in need of some TLC & still is for 28 years old, though it's making good progress this far. This being a late build Starion & one of the last means it got all the good gear standard. Plans are to restore it to a satisfactory level & to keep it on the road to be enjoyed. A small list of progress photos when I've had my phone camera handy can be found on my Minkara account in a well categorized maintenance record section: http://minkara.carview.co.jp/en/userid/2621565/car/2185614/note.aspx Specs: Make: Mitsubishi Model: Starion GSR-VR Year: 1988 Color: W09 Engine: G54B Trans: Automatic (originally) Modifications/Maintenance Exterior: - 'GSRVR' license plates - Wide body mud flaps - Conquest side mirrors (using JDM motor/wiring) [25/05/16] - Conquest tail lights (green bulbs used to emit amber blinkers) - Pajero clear side indicators [05/04/16] - Reproduction 'GSR-VR' hatch decal - Philips H4 X-treme Vision Plus [28/06/16] - Philips H3 Power2night X-treme fogs [30/06/16] - Smoked front indicator lenses - Black powder coated fog light frames - Tinted windows - Polished exterior locks - Rock guard decals removed To be fitted: - Niko Fab air dam - Reproduction 'Intercooler turbo' decals Engine Mods/Maintenance: - Oil changed every 5000km w/ Penrite HPR30 - New OEM timing chain [20/02/17] - New OEM oil pump [20/02/17] - New Aisan water pump [20/02/17] - New OEM timing chain guides & OEM gaskets [20/02/17] - New OEM rocker cover gasket & seals [20/02/17] - New Fel-Pro intake manifold gasket - BSE elimination kit [20/02/17] - TEP Intercooler hard pipe kit w/ Turbosmart dual port recirculated BOV [--/11/16] - Magna M6 head [PO] - ACL Duralite pistons [PO] - New RHS engine mount [26/04/16] - New OEM LHS engine mount - New blue silicone hoses throughout [24/08/16] - Rebuilt Throttle body [07/04/2016] - Blitz Dual SBC EBC set to 12 PSI [PO] - NGK leads w/ insulators [22/03/16] - NGK BUR7EA-11 spark plugs [06/12/16] - Acdelco 430 CCA battery [23/03/16] - Brass battery terminals [23/03/16] - New Gates drive belts [30/03/16] - New Borg Warner rotor button - New Bosch distributor cap - New vacuum advance - New OEM exhaust manifold gasket [02/04/16] - New turbo, dump pipe & oil gaskets [02/04/16] - New Bosch style injector clips [04/04/16] - Bosch 02 sensor - New 180F thermostat & gasket [07/04/16] - JMF aluminium brake resevoir cap - New OEM rad cap - New OEM oil & fuel caps [28/07/16] - New OEM P/S reservoir cap [23/08/16] - MK1 EGR blanking plate [14/07/16] - EGR thermo valve deleted [24/08/16] - New OEM oil pan plug - New OEM engine bay stainless mounting bolts & screws [06/07/16] - New braided oil, fuel & water lines [--/--/16] - Custom bell housing inspection cover (temporary) To be fitted: - Refurbished 14G turbo w/ new studs & titanium nuts - Mazda TPS (in the mail) - MotoCam air diversion panel (in the mail) - Trilogy adjustable fuel pressure regulator - Rear engine mount insulator Gearbox/Driveline: - KM132 5 speed manual conversion [PO] - MK1 short throw shifter (Delrin bushing in mail) [17/03/17] - Redline Shockproof gear oil - New OEM drain plug & gasket - New OEM gear shift gaskets [25/08/16] - New LHS half-shaft boots Exhaust: - 3" mandrel bent turbo-back exhaust [PO] - Magnaflow 14815 stainless muffler & axle pipe [20/06/16] Brakes: - Braided lines front & rear - Cross drilled rear rotors Suspension: - KYB adjustable front shocks in shortened struts - Mookeeh shortened rear shocks - King lowered springs front & rear - Noltech adjustable strut tops - Cusco front strut brace Wheels/Tyres: - Full set of SHP (Sports Handling Package) wheels 16" x 8" / 16" x 9" - Custom chrome wheel center caps - 4 wheel alignment [24/03/16] Interior: - '84 semi-digital dash conversion [09/11/16] - New OEM 3000GT EQ radio [28/07/16] - New OEM leather 'weighted' gear knob [28/07/16] - Black custom floor mats - Magna Elite red door light lens - Rubber gear boot replacement [07/04/16] To be fitted: MotoCam custom 2 DIN, 3 gauge radio panel Miscellaneous: - Cruise control actuator filters replaced [06/12/16]
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Author: | Bitza [ 24 Sep 2016, 15:35 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Looks great Mike, need more pics...........so lucky to find a widebody 2.6 litre Starion! |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 24 Sep 2016, 16:31 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Thanks Andrew, it's rough around the edges but still presents well enough. I had to jump on it when I got word that it was about to go up on the market. I have spent some money on it to bring it up to scratch, but I think I've gotten out of it substantially cheaper in the long run than to have imported one with their increasing value in Japan. |
Author: | Bitza [ 24 Sep 2016, 18:39 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Looks so much better than my old JA. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 25 Sep 2016, 01:02 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Considering that most un-restored JA Starions out there now days are either complete rust buckets or neglected to no end, that looks A1 Andrew. Did the car go to another enthusiast? The tinted combination lights were a nice touch to the front end. |
Author: | fernandothecarguy [ 25 Sep 2016, 08:50 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
wide body looks nice |
Author: | GORAN [ 04 Oct 2016, 11:47 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Very nice car, make sure you keep that,it's rare to see these days. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 09 Dec 2016, 10:46 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
GORAN wrote: Very nice car, make sure you keep that,it's rare to see these days. fernandothecarguy wrote: wide body looks nice Cheers guys. I think it's going to be the same story with this one as with the Cordia, I can't see myself selling. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 09 Dec 2016, 11:37 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
I still haven't taken any decent photos of the car but I do have some updates of what's been happening lately, the most notable modification was the 1982-1984 semi-digital dash conversion. The cluster was taken from an early jap import which then found it's way to NZ from where I imported it from. As you would expect these are up there in rarity & don't come around often, so whether it was functional or not it was good to have in the collection regardless. I had no intention to hack the cars wiring so I acquired a donor harness from another 86+ Starion to use for the conversion. As from that year onward the connectors changed. What made this conversion a lot easier was that majority of the wiring matched up between both old & new. I didn't have the factory service manual in my possession for the early models at the time as I do now, so in due time I'll be revisiting the few leftover wires which still need connecting for 1 or 2 of the warning lights. Early type connectors cut. And later type connectors wired up to the existing loom for plug & play into the cars body harness. Installed & working. New bulbs were fitted as well as a thorough clean of the cluster both inside & out. And an overall look of the cockpit. Once installed, the car was taken for a test run. The digital speedo, RPM & boost gauge all operated as they should. Fuel, water temp & oil pressure gauges also functioned as normal. However the amp gauge (not a volt gauge as the later models) was left untouched as more research of how it works will be required. The warning lights such as the door, hatch, engine & water reservoir lights also functioned but as mentioned earlier there is still wires that need to be connected for the handbrake & seat belt warning lights. Other than that the dash is 98% complete & completely drivable in the meantime. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 10 Dec 2016, 12:58 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Keeping on the subject of the interior, earlier on in the year I was looking to upgrade the head unit but to stay clear of anything aftermarket. I wanted something OEM & period correct to look at home inside the interior. After doing some research I found the US market 3000GT/Stealth & various other Mitsubishi's of the same era ('91-'94) had a radio which was direct plug n play in some year model Starions & Conquests. So after several months of searching & waiting for something to show up for sale I came across a NOS head unit on US eBay, new in box never used! This particular unit has some great features which made it even more desirable to have, such as the 7-band EQ, AUX input, internal amp & can even function with the stock steering wheel controls. And best of all it retains the Mitsubishi orange glow when lit up, so it fits right in. Unfortunately it wasn't plug & play on mine as I have found there is some minor differences in wiring etc. between the US & JP models, however with the help of a reverse wiring harness from Metra meant that very little wiring had to be done. Metra reverse harness kit. Rear view of the unit. This was the old unsightly setup complete with an ill fitting DIN pocket & an Alpine unit which I was using in the Cordia years ago which I removed to fit the stock radio back in it. So naturally it went straight into the Starion when I bought it to rid of the even uglier old out of place Sony head unit that came with the car. And here is the new unit fitted, switched on & working for the first time! Another bonus is that the radio FM frequencies are similar between the US & Australia, so the radio can still be tuned. Not that I need the radio but it's good knowing it all works & makes this a complete & proper functional upgrade. The sound quality from this is excellent, even with the stock speaker setup which in due time will be upgraded also. |
Author: | Bitza [ 10 Dec 2016, 14:04 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Looks great Mike, too bad about the cassette player. |
Author: | fernandothecarguy [ 11 Dec 2016, 17:01 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
love the wide body nice starion |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 07 Jan 2017, 18:53 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Bitza wrote: Looks great Mike, too bad about the cassette player. I think despite having an MP3 player hanging off the front of the radio the cassette player still helps retain the period correct look. I must test it one of these days fernandothecarguy wrote: love the wide body nice starion It's lucky their good looks make up for the time they spend off the road getting fixed! Though I think I'm close now to getting this one mechanically A1. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 07 Jan 2017, 20:30 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
In no particular order, here is some general maintenance & parts replacements to the dated 28 year originals which I changed over the course of last year. This is just what I have managed to take photos of, there is still a lot more to be documented. New OEM oil & fuel caps, which would also fit the Cordia. Old New Rubber seal appears to be full width on the newer cap New oil cap The start of a cleaner looking engine bay, I began replacing a whole bunch of rusted & paint chipped body coloured mounting bolts & screws. x12 OEM mounting bolts for the front guards & nose panel (2 not shown) x4 screws for headlamp protectors Before & after of the front guard bolts Before & after of the nose panel bolts replacement Before & after of the headlamp protector screws The old 28 year old bolts which can now be used as spares elsewhere & out of sight Another replacement cap, this time the P/S Reservoir. Old cap with sticker New & old comparison, the updated cap is a nice upgrade with engraved lettering rather than a sticker New cap fitted And the beginning of cleaning up the spaghetti of vacuum hoses, starting with the deleting the EGR. EGR valve replaced & blanking plate fitted. Earth cable retained as seen T-piece joiner replacing the factory 4 port joiner as there is now 1 less hose used Manifold vacuum port blocked off with shortened hose & bolt (now capped off with a rubber cap) EGR solenoid vacuum port also blocked off with shortened hose & bolt (now capped off with a rubber cap) The parts removed Now with the EGR removed, I also replaced the broken thermo valve with a 3/8 "BSP hex-socket plug to take it's place & further deleting more vacuum lines. Plug & thread sealant ready to go on. Unfortunately at the time there were no stainless plugs in stock as I had intended Thread sealant applied & plug fitted The removed busted thermo valve with previous attempted repairs One of many leaks on this car & one that was progressively getting worse was the gear shift mounting plate gaskets. New OEM gaskets, MD703655 gasket now discontinued! Last 1 from Mitsubishi JP The leak The gearbox & under body soaked in oil As this was originally an automatic car, 2 of the 4 bolts had to be removed from under the car Gearbox mount had to be loosened & dropped slightly for the bolts to be removed Gear shift partially disassembled & surfaces cleaned of old gaskets & sealant, note the new bushings also which make a world of difference Reassembled with new gaskets & a slight amount of sealant to keep gaskets in place when reinstalling Finished Another leak which needed attention was the water hard pipe from the thermostat housing to the turbo. The thermostat housing water pipe had corroded & resulted in a hole forming which was constantly leaking coolant past the hose & onto the housing. Despite replacing the rubber hose with an OEM replacement, a good seal still could not be achieved The OEM replacement hose also appeared to be 'melting' on the other end, leaking onto the vacuum advance. Making this area a leaking mess! With everything removed, I chose to use Permatex 'Cold Weld' bonding compound for a semi-permanent solution to repair the problematic water pipe. Once fully cured it can be sanded smooth New OEM thermostat gasket to go on Thermostat & gasket in place Housing refitted along with a new OEM top rad hose New steel braided hose replacement now in place of the old hard pipe Next up was the leaking small heater hose which had ballooned seeking some preventive maintenance before getting worse. The OEM replacement. Old & new comparison. To fit the hose, a mounting bracket bolt (below the exhaust manifold) had to be removed to move the pipe aside to slide the new hose on. I lucked out removing & reinstalling it without removing the manifold Next was the OEM upper radiator hose replacement New & old comparison Installed Some more braided hoses fitted & a quick clean & polish of the turbo With only a minor leak from the old inlet manifold gasket to go now, I chose to move onto a more sinister oil leak which I left the best for last. Not knowing if it was the rear main seal or oil pan, I decided it would be a good time to replace the clutch anyway & for my own peace of mind replace every seal & gasket like I had been, seeing as most other things I discovered on this car were either still original or just no good from neglect of the previous owners. The leak in question. Also notice the home made bell housing cover which we quickly made up as the last owner left uncovered since converting it to manual Draining the gearbox Gearbox removed Flywheel removed & with oil as far as the eye could see New OEM seal & case gasket Old & new seals Area cleaned of old sealant & gasket & any other oil that was kicked up onto the back of the engine New seal & gasket refitted as well as a small amount of red RTV Newly machined flywheel & new spigot bearing pressed in New Exedy HD clutch replacement Gearbox in the process of being cleaned & old parts removed Upon removing the clutch fork, the metal clip that attaches to the pivot ball was snapped in 2 from the fork A new OEM clutch fork had to be purchased locally for a hefty price! Unfortunately I couldn't wait to import as I needed the car back on the road ASAP Gearbox cleaned & new clutch fork & throw-out bearing installed New OEM gearbox rear oil seal New seal fitted Oil pan removed & surface area cleaned of old sealant & gasket. For ease of removal, the front sway bar mounting points must be unbolted (2 bolts on either side) & sway bar pulled down on until the pan can slide past Oil pan cleaned & new aftermarket Fel-Pro gasket ready to go on, OEM gasket no longer available Clutch & oil pan reinstalled Drive shaft sanded down with 320 grit sand paper of old flaking paint 2 light layers of primer & gloss black engine enamel were used Upon reinstalling the gearbox, the oil pan was dropped & drained of any remaining fluid as well as a clean up of the area New OEM pan gasket & drain plug kit New & old drain plugs Oil pan gasket in place held down with a smear of red RTV on the underside corners of the gasket Pan reinstalled, new drain plug fitted & bolts torqued New Redline Shockproof gear oil to finish the job! 2 ² bottles were used to sufficiently fill the gearbox. I can safely say that next time I have to remove the box it will be on a hoist! Moving onto some more preventive maintenance & replacing those close to 30 year old parts were new OEM fuel filters, both in-tank & engine bay. New OEM fuel filter & washers What looks to be the original fuel filter unchanged. For ease or removal, both ends of the hoses were removed from fuel rail & fuel hard line Once removed, the filter was placed in a vice & a 19mm socket wrench & spanner were used to break the eye bolts from the filter All 4 new washers & hoses fitted & torqued while off the car (new braided lines & modified top hat now in place) Filter mounted & all hoses reconnected. To reconnect the bottom hose it is easier to work from under the car for better access to the fuel hard line. It will require a 14mm & 19mm spanner to loosen/tighten back up New OEM in-tank fuel filter Old (original?) Filter removed from tank. To remove the filter the tabs must be squeezed & pressed in away from the pipe assembly Wiped clean New filter fitted & reinstalled That's about all I have bothered taking photos of this far, there is still a whole bunch of newer updates which I haven't even started taking photos of yet, but they will come shortly. These just fill the gaps & also show some of the neglected maintenance which this car was in dire need of. See mods list in the first post for full details of upgrades. |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 07 Jan 2017, 20:54 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
As of 2017, in the next month I will be replacing the old tired stock 12A turbo in favour of a dealer optioned upgraded new 14G turbo. I know this was an option in the US for the 2.6, not sure about Japan however. For the cars supporting modifications I could have chosen an aftermarket 16G for the same money, though I don't want to be running more than 14-15 psi MAX on a daily driven car which I'm building up for reliability over HP hence the 14G being a perfect OEM replacement. I have also taken the car off the road due to a suspected bad balance shaft bearing/guide or chain. It's one of the above & has now gotten louder prompting me not to continue driving, so I've decided that I'll be removing the balance shafts. I have an elimination kit from the US already here ready to go in & a mostly complete (some parts discontinued) OEM timing kit arriving shortly from Japan so I can start the tear down. I have my doubts that the timing components have been changed, so for my own peace of mind yet again everything is getting replaced. By the end of this, there will be very little that has not been freshened up mechanically so I'm hoping for some trouble-free motoring this year so I can focus on the body & interior. Parts arriving in the next few weeks: From Mitsubishi JP: MD333225 - Water Pump Gasket MD020308 - Front Crank Seal MD191427 - Timing Cover Gasket MD191429 - Timing Cover Gasket MD191432 - Oil Pump Gasket MD021232 - Engine Timing Chain Guide MD021233 - Engine Timing Chain Tensioner MD021242 - Sheet, Rubber MD084945 - Dampner, Timing Chain Tensioner MD024682 - Valve Cover Gasket MD021246 - Sproket Timing Chain MD122692 - Sproket Timing Chain MD154049 - Spring, Tensioner MD021247 - Gear MS241117 - Bolt MF450008 - Washer From the US: MD069800 - Oil Pump MD153644 - Engine Timing Chain Guide (NOS) MD154048 - Engine Timing Chain (NOS) MD021219 - Dowel Pin (NOS) GMB Water Pump 148-2130 |
Author: | Bitza [ 07 Jan 2017, 21:00 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Nice pics Mike, but the petrol cap is for a leaded version, I ordered MB129890 and it came in at 8mm not 10mm, did you drill yours out? |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 07 Jan 2017, 21:13 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Thanks Andrew, slow night here as you can probably tell I ordered the MB129890 in-tank filter based off part numbers from Starion/Conquest parts catalogues. Direct fit, no drilling. |
Author: | 4cylturb [ 08 Jan 2017, 10:09 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Awesome post! Love the detail you go into with each photo. It's going to put such a smile on your face after you've driven it for a couple of thousand k's and you look under it and it is completely clean and dry. Makes it all worthwhile and allows you to actually enjoy it rather than worry about the little things. Excellent work mate! |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 08 Jan 2017, 15:01 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
4cylturb wrote: Awesome post! Love the detail you go into with each photo. It's going to put such a smile on your face after you've driven it for a couple of thousand k's and you look under it and it is completely clean and dry. Makes it all worthwhile and allows you to actually enjoy it rather than worry about the little things. Excellent work mate! Appreciate the kind words mate I completely agree with you, sometimes it's the little things that can turn you off a car or kill the motivation. Though at the same time when those minor problems are fixed they can give the most satisfaction over anything else. I've put a few thousand on the clock since fixing the oil leak(s) back in October & safe to say it's as dry as the Simpson Desert under there now & how it will be staying while in my ownership! |
Author: | 0-PSI [ 13 Jan 2017, 16:51 ] |
Post subject: | Re: 1988 Starion GSR-VR Build |
Received "a couple of compressors" in the post today. First one is the re-manufactured OEM upgrade 14G turbo (part no. 49178-01760) complete with turbine housing, actuator etc. which I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I've been waiting on. A step up from the stock 12A. This should compliment the rest of the VR's mods well & shall be good to have a now spare bolt-on replacement once I get the 12A rebuilt or upgraded, seeing as finding another 12A locally would be a slim chance. Just in time as I think the seals are on their way out. Comparison: - TDO5-12A-8CM2 320 CFM - TDO5H-14G-8CM2 465 CFM And second is a re-manufactured OEM A/C compressor by Four Seasons in the US. My original compressor was leaking from the front seal & with no luck did I find someone who was willing to re-build/seal it, so I opted for a reman unit. Time will tell just how well they are rebuilt once I have it fitted & re-gassed. Desperate times call for desperate measures in the Summers heat. Next update I will hopefully have received the long list of OEM timing components from Mitsu Japan to make a start on the freshen up. |
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