hey guys got a question. I'm in the middle of a road trip and going up a hill i started to lose power. engine light flashes and then comes on. I start to freak cuz I'm in the middle of nowhere! I limp it to the nearest town its running rough only place open is a mistu dealer. they run a diagnostic & compression test, turns out I've lost all compression in my #2. others are reading fine between 140-150. They are pulling off the head to see what is up they think it might be, thier first idea is a valve or a hole in the piston (!) I'm a long way from home and worried that I'm going to get completely bent over...they are charging me $400 just to pull the head off... any ideas so i can go in with a bit of info before i get screwed?

Thanks guys!

 

400 to pull the head is a crock of ****. You could do that yourself.

Sounds like that motor is done dude.

 

my guess would be a valve or a ring land

 

But the low compression numbers in the 140s on the other cylinders........ that motor is done.

 

140-150 isnt done. Its not really done unless your seeing #'s below 135psi

 

That aint all that car off lol. Its whipped thats for sure.

 

i doubt you put a hole in the piston on a 420a. check your oil to see if it looks weird (frothy). it sounds like a bad head gasket which the 420a (non-turbo 2nd gen's) are known for blowing

 

well it turns out there is a big chunk missing from one of my valves in #2. from the looks of it seems like the head has been machined once, maybe twice by previous owners and the shop is unsure if it will take another. They are quoting me $1400 for the valve replacement and machining or $4500 (!) for a new engine!

The eclipse just rolled over 198000 just before I lost this valve and I really dunno if I want to sink anymore cash into this. Regardless they cant have it done before this weekend so I'm buying a plane ticket home tommorrow. What are any of your thoughts about engine replacement? This is my first mitsu and I don't want to keep thowing cash at it if its a lost cause...

 

They are mother ****ing crooks. Go some place else... or save yourself the trouble and just get rid of it. At this point, repairs will csot more than the car is worth.

 

yea they are really trying to rob you. Those prices are rediculous. The head work should not be more than $500.