3000GT VR-4 that hasn't been started in two years

[HALSTEADTW]

My father has a 1991 Mitsi 3000GT VR-4 that has roughly 62,000 miles on it. The car has set for a couple of years(not maintained or started) and is in need of some serious TLC. I'm trying to purchase the car from my father and was looking for a little advice on what should be done to the oil and fluids if the purchase goes through!

The car, like any sports car, has had some rough miles and it sounds like their is lifter ticking and the oil pressure is lower than I like it. I'm sure you guys will mention Auto Rx and this has already crossed my mind.

Tell me what you think!

 

[PandaBear]

Before you attempt to start it up:

1) Change oil, coolant, tranny fluid, battery, brake fluid, clutch fluid (if manual), wind shield wipers, etc. Check for tire and suspension conditions. Check if any wires were chewed up by rats, etc.

2) Use a rachet to slowly crank the engine a few rev so the fresh oil will flow up to the needed parts, the more the better

3) Start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes, make sure it warm up.

4) Turn off ignition, let it cool a little bit, change the oil again (like a break in after sitting idle for such a long time).

5) Follow new car break in procedure for a few hundred miles.

Good luck.

 

[Tosh]

I disagree with most of what PandaBear suggests.
I hope that others will chime in, but here's the most I would do:
Check fluid levels all around. If the oil is not disgusting, leave it in for now. Pour a couple of ounces of oil through the sparkplug holes, and let it sit for a day. Leave plugs out. (Have new plugs ready, if they're hard to install.)
Check the airbox, wires, fuel lines, brake lines, and engine compartment for rats, etc. You might try some fuel stabilizer and water remover in the tank along with some fresh gas. It would be nice to open the fuel injector lines and get old gas and crud out of there, but that's a lot of trouble. Find a way to electrically disconnect the fuel pump and ignition (or you might start a fire). If the condition of the battery is better than so-so (otherwise charge it or replace it), get a jump and run the starter motor until the oil light goes off. (Beware of a sticking clutch! Keep front and rear of car clear.) Hopefully the engine turns over fine, and you get oil pressure. Put plugs in, reconnect ignition and fuel pump, and start it up. Treat it pretty gingerly: everything in there is 15 years old. And don't kill yourself: That's a pretty wicked car! Start shopping for new tires.

 

[theguru]

Unless it is an Optima type battery the battery in there is going to be dead. Get a new one. Your alternator- charging circuit will thank you for it.

 

[Spector]

Hmm, the tick is common to these engines, if you go to the 3000GT web site you will note that many have the issue but it is of no great concern. As to low oil pressure, you did not state what that means, when really hot in the summer mine will also read pretty low until the RPMs step up. You have really low miles, these engines are pretty well built, the turbos are good the main weakenss from start until they stopped making them in 2000 was the manual transmission, especially when cold.

 

[Gary Allan]

Me? I'd just start the thing and not worry about it ..but it's assured that any cylinder that had an open valve has rust in it on the cylinder walls.

I'd go with the oil in the cylinders (plugs out) and with the rotate by hand method. Beyond that ..heat the thing up and change the oil ..followed up by a few short OCIs. The other stuff you can obsess on as you get time (brake fluid- my favorite) ..coolant ..fuel filter. The fuel itself should work ..but may need something to get any moisture out of it. The new fuel filter and consuming it should take care of the rest.

Beyond that, I think you're sweeping dust off of the pavment (going to some nth degree for very little gain/benefit - the damage, however great or slight - has been done).

 

[Winston]

Timing belt.

14 years. DOHC.

 

[HALSTEADTW]

Well Guys, I put a new battery in her and a little gas and started it up. Nothing major, the lifter tick was pretty loud at first. I let it idle for about ten minutes then raced the engine just a little with nothing happening out of the oridinary. I changed the oil for a short OCI and the lifter tick is already gone! I'm going to address the 60K service (Timing belt) in a couple of weeks.

And by the way I bought it for an easy $1,000!

The oil pressure was showing around 1/4 of the gauge at hot idle. Under load the pressure went up to about 2/3 of the gauge. Is this pretty normal spector?

 

[Virtuoso]

I don't know about 3kGT's myself; but that oil pressure fluctuation sounds pretty normal! I think you got yourself a **** of a deal.

I'm jealous!

 

[Spector]

Yep, 1/4 sound s about right to me. The timing belt, if you don't know when it was changed last it should be done, this is an inteference engine. Mine had low miles but 7 years old, I had it done ( a huge amount of labor involved to the tune of $500-$600) and after replacing it the original still looked decent but could not afford to take the chance so I had it done. Depends if sitting outside in weather etc. Just extremely hard to get to with the turbos etc. You may wish to try playing with different weights of oil to see if the ticking is better with some or not. I don't have the problem yet but on mine you can run anywhere from a 10W30 to a 15w40 depending on climate. I suggest a synthetic oil with the turbos when you finally get settled in. If it is hard shifting when cold (assuming it is a manual tranny) try a 50-50 mix of Redline MTL and MT-90 (GL-4)in the transmission and differential. The rear is a standard 80W90 gear oil GL-5.

 

[theguru]

If you hadn't pre-primed the oil system I'm not surprised ny the loud noises from the lifters. I have a car that I have sit for months ata time. I disable the ignition and turn it over until the oil pressure light goes out, then start it up.

 

[Winston]

$1000 Wow! That is quite a deal. As far as oil pressure, I can tell you what my '95 sohc Mitsu engine calls for. 0-15 at hot idle and 30-60psi at hot 3000rpm.

Mitsu has an interesting procedure in their fsm for priming/fixing lifter ticks. Slowly rev from idle to 3000rpm over a 30 second duration, then drop to idle for 30 sec. Repeat for up to 20 times. This should help with the lifter tick if you need it.

Congratulations.

 

[got boost?]

Keep in mind that you could sell that car on Ebay for ~$10000

 

[HALSTEADTW]

I understand that I could turn some easy money, but I don't think that is what my father had in mind.