DSM Motors anyone?

[Metalhedd]

ive heard that DSM motors have engine problems. Does anyone know specifically what problems they have?

[SexyDSM95]

Originally Posted by Metalhedd

ive heard that DSM motors have engine problems. Does anyone know specifically what problems they have?

...umm can you be a little more specific as to what you may have heard.

[BradC]

2g's have some crankwalk issues. Strong motors though, nothing wrong with a 4g63

[240sxDann]

he means that DSM's are said to be unreliable, but in what way? What tends to break? What needs fixed? Or are they reliable and people dont know what they're talking about?

[TalonTsi97]

IMO It all depends on previous owner of the car and how they were taking care of it. Once you fix what ever problems were caused before you its kinda on how you treat the car. Sure maybe there not the best made cars but owners can help or hurt that situation.

[SexyDSM95]

Originally Posted by TalonTsi97

IMO It all depends on previous owner of the car and how they were taking care of it. Once you fix what ever problems were caused before you its kinda on how you treat the car. Sure maybe there not the best made cars but owners can help or hurt that situation.

That and how the motor was cast from the factory. If it's going to walk it's going to walk no real way to prevent or stop it. Hence why people just do a 6 bolt swap as soon as something like that occurs. In my personal experience mine has been very reliable. Anything that has broken or needed to be replaced was maintinence.

[SpendOne]

I blew my POS up before. Screw these cars!

On a side note:
I think they are as reliable as you make them to be. If you beat it to teh ground, things will happen. Me, myself, beat my car every chance I get. I build it to beat it.

[240sxDann]

what is crankwalk exactly? I know this isn't my thread, my its my cousins, so I'll thread-jack if I want. lol

[240sxDann]

anyone??

[SpendOne]

Originally Posted by 1000Q

What is 'crank walk'?
What is a 'walking' crankshaft?
Is there a recall or TSB regarding the crank walk problem?
How can I tell if my car has a walking crankshaft?
Search for this topic now!

A 'walking' crankshaft is a crankshaft that moves too much inside the engine. This is also known as excessive thrust bearing play. The movement is usually due to the crankshaft not fitting inside its bearings correctly. While not bad for the crankshaft, the movement can place excessive or uneven loads on the bearings, causing premature failures.

Many 2G owners have suffered from walking crankshafts. It appears that Mitsubishi built many 2G engines using defective crankshafts, which were machined out of specification and are thus capable of moving around too much inside the block. All 2G model years appear to be affected to some degree.

To fix this problem, Mitsubishi has designed several versions of matching crankshaft bearings. This allows the defective motor to retain the crankshaft, yet matches the bearings correctly so as to eliminate the excessive crankshaft movement. Matching the bearings in this manner is tricky and requires exact information about when the crankshaft was manufactured, which may be determined by color markings on the crankshaft itself. The 2G factory manual includes information on how to match crankshafts to bearings.

1G owners do not generally need to worry, as there are no chronic problems with crankwalk in per-1995 cars. However, it is possible for any engine to experience crankwalk if there is a problem with the crankshaft bearings. It has been reported that 'small rod' / 7-bolt flywheel motors (manufactured from later 1992 through 1994 on 1Gs) are more prone to crankwalk than 'big rod' / 6-bolt flywheel engines (manufactured from 1989 to early 1992). However, there can be no guarantees, since big block V8s and all other engines can also suffer from crankwalk.

It can be difficult to tell if a particular car is experiencing crankwalk. Symptoms are usually indirect and difficult to diagnose until major damage occurs.

Since the clutch places pressure on the crankshaft, many owners have reported clutch or shifting problems associated with the walking crank. Having the clutch 'stick' down on left-hand turns is often a telltale sign of crankwalk. Other symptoms include inconsistent engagement height, poor or rough engagement, difficulty shifting, ticking noises and varying pedal height or pressure. Another possibility is having the engine RPM decrease significantly when the clutch pedal is down.

Another problem with crankwalk is that the crankshaft may move so much as to literally tear up and destroy the 2G crankshaft angle sensor. This problem usually manifests itself as a ticking noise coming from the timing belt area, as the sensor is literally and slowly ground away by the crankshaft. Any such noise should be investigated right away to prevent serious problems.

Unfortunately, cranshaft angle sensor failure usually leads to a replacement sensor, rather than a replacement crankshaft, as mechanics fail to diagnose the underlying problem. 2G owners who have experienced premature failure of the crankshaft angle sensor should investigate the possibility of a walking crankshaft immediately.

For more information, read this post by Paul Estavez, which describes the crank walk problem in detail. Also read Road Race Engineering's archive of posts that contains all of the Talon Digest posts about the walking crankshaft problem. Those who appreciate that a picture is worth a thousand words will appreciate the Crank Walk Photo Archive.

Although 2G DSM owners have been anxiously awaiting a recall or TSB on the crankwalk problem, there is none as yet. According to Paul's second post on the subject, there may never be a TSB, although some members of DSM Canada are pushing for one in this thread on their discussion board. As a result, it is doubly important that affected 2G owners get their bearings (or blocks, if necessary) replaced before their warranty expires. This might be difficult for owners of aftermarket clutches, as dealerships often claim the aftermarket pressure plates are the cause of the problem.

Quoted from the 1000Q site.

[KrautFed20V]

Originally Posted by 240sxDann

anyone??

Here's an easy solution to you and your cousin. If you have any further questions about crank walk, DSM motors, etc. go to:
www.vfaq.com

If you can't find the answer there then ask. You can also go to the Mitsubishi section of this forum and ask there too.

[99SL2_Modder]

Originally Posted by 240sxDann

what is crankwalk exactly?

[eviltalon]

^^hahahaha.

[turbo4g63]

the only known issue that i have ever heard of is crankwalk...but even that is a few and far between type deal. I have to say (knock on wood) that my dsm has been very good to me...i would say just a spendone said that it is only going to be as reliable as you build it to be. some people may say diff. but i swear by the 4g63 motor. its all about basic maintenance. Keep up on things like oil changes, timing belts, etc and all the other crap that every other car owner does

[awdlaserbeam]

Simply said.... Your mechanical abilities and general knowledge of building motors will dictate the reliablity of your car.

Didnt read the long post describing crank walk, but i am sure it mentioned that CW is only common on 7 bolt motors (produced 3rd week of march in '92 to 99)

[SexyDSM95]

Originally Posted by awdlaserbeam

Simply said.... Your mechanical abilities and general knowledge of building motors will dictate the reliablity of your car.

Didnt read the long post describing crank walk, but i am sure it mentioned that CW is only common on 7 bolt motors (produced 3rd week of march in '92 to 99)

Actually that's debateable. If you read posts on how many people have crank walked most have been higher mileage 7 bolts (95-96). Supposedly Mitsu re-designed or changed something in the 7 bolt for the later years (97-99) to "prevent" this issue.

[awdlaserbeam]

Yea i forgot about that. I am not the 7 bolt master. I just know my car was made in march of '92 and i lucked out with a 6 bolt . Also I cant afford a 2g and then throw parts into it, so i just stick to the 1g. Best gain for my dollar.