Maybe moving on...

[EggyRollz]

So I love my MX-3's but I think I will sell the green one mostly because it's an automatic. I put some work into it and an boat load of time but I got a pretty sweet offer from a co worker and I think i'm going to jump on it.

Now the moving on part - Not entirely from the MX-3. I want to set up my "purple" (now black) MX-3 GS 5sp. for auto-x competitions and more of a daily driver in sense.

Now I also have another co-worker with a 1996 3000GT VR-4 who sucked a valve last weekend and basically lost the motor. It is in excellent condition besides the fact it won't start lol...It has all the works though and I am drooling for the car. He only wants 1,500 for it. I've known him for a while and I trust him when he says what he has. It's got really low miles , he doesn't race or beat it ( not that kind of guy ) and he said sometime in the past it was a hand-me-down from his parents.

So needless to say I may have another project soon that will take priority over setting up my rally/auto-x/DD.

[Ryan]

Talk to Jon about how (not) awesome VR-4's are. Fast and all, but maintenance whores with electrical issues.

He's Dark_Rider2k3 on here.

[PATDIESEL]

VR4s were not meant to be really fast anyway. Mitsu built them as a cross between luxury and sport and it turned out that it was an aweful mix. They are neat and can be fast, but with alot of work. However, as a cool DD (what they were meant to be) you would be happy. But I fear if your aim is tracking the car your are going to be pissed when you are getting your butt kicked by every 2000 dollar car with stiff springs and 150hp.
We tracked with a local 3000gt club and they were cool guys, but I was suprised at how much faster we (MOCA) were than a "sport car".

[EggyRollz]

I've hear all the stories from both sides of the fence. They can be fast or they can be slow. All I know is they are heavy as hell and unless you got over 450 HP it's not all that from a stock VR4 TT. From what i've been reading via google , the 3000GT vr-4 in top condition should run high 13's. Not bad for a older car.

I have no problem putting the right amount of money into the car to make it the way I want it. I am not looking for a 1000HP beast maybe 500 at best. On the flip side of that though i've heard the trannies can't hold up due to HP/weight ratios. Then again i've also heard people have no problems whatsoever. I intend to do as much weight reduction as I can without making it look like a empty shell. I want to focus a majority of this on the rotating mass aspect.

I recall when I had my 1991 stealth R/T..I f****n loved that thing but eventually after 3 ECU repairs I said enough is enough and dumped it but it had to have been one of my top all time favorite rides. This doesn't mean I am giving up on my black MX-3 though just putting it on the back burner for now =)

I did a lot of research back in the day when I had my R/T and aside from the ECU issues I had it seemed like everyone was having nightmare after nightmare but then again, This was only with R/T n/a's and TT's i've heard issues with and not so much base models and n/a's/ Maybe it's because people beat the higher HP models ? I'm not big into abusing my cars so I don't expect too many problems onther than typical wear & tear.

[PATDIESEL]

Cool, glad you are doing the research. You do know the Stealth RT and 3000GT are the same underpinnings. GL with it and post some pics if you get it. I liked the Stealth, I had a buddy in highschool in the mid 90s with one and it was hot. He got all the ladies lol

[EggyRollz]

I tossed up a semi-photo of it on my worklog.

I enjoy the ride of them and the all around luxurious feel they offered for what they were. Especially when you have TT and all leather/power options and the aero effects..it's a very smooth and wonderful ride in my opinion. The only thing I don't like is how heavy they 'feel' while turning but AWD takes care of that for the most part =)

Oh I ended up getting a different one hahahaha.


Sure they are heavy , sure they have issues and sure they can be expensive to fix but you know what ? So are Audi's & BMW's & JAG's & etc....yet nobody ever rags on them..I don't get it.

[TrevorTheGallant]

Man i loved the Stealths, i always dreamed of having one.. i drove my friends n/a around town with 19's on it when i was 18. gettin aaaaaall the looks loved the attention haha. then i drove a turbo'd one that was for sale. but man was it ever shotty... it was stuck in Sport Mode and the entire interior was just ...just terrible..but man that thing launched...fun car. didnt buy it...he wanted $12,000!!!!

[Sleeper6]

Ild say for 1500 you cant go wrong, even after you drop a motor in you should still be well under what you could get for the car if you change your mind so why not. And not to mention that car is drop dead gorgeous.

[TrevorTheGallant]

i agree. 3000gt's are pretty fly

[Dark_Rider2k3]

haha I can actually be of great help on this one, as my VR-4 is not running again >_>

Information on mine:

1993 3000GT VR-4 (twin-turbo)
bought with 107k miles in June 20009

When I bought the car, it needed new tires, and was told it had a slight coolant leak. Other then that the car ran great.

Got new tires, and everything was cool.... or was it?


July 2009

one day upon driving (before fixing that water leak), a line blew. It was the water line that travels around the engine from the passenger side to driver's side. I soon found out when I went to replace it (have to take the ignition coil pack, water lines, water block, and a few small things to get to it), that the other water lines were old and cracking. So I completely redid the water lines.

So I fired the car up and it ran great! However, shortly after fixing the water lines, the added pressure blew my water pump.

August 2009

So I bought a new timing belt and tensioners, water pump, and serpentine belts. Did all that and the car ran great!!!! Finally able to mess with it!!

September/October 2009

Car was in for paint mid-september to early october

November 2009

Car started acting up again. Rough running, and stuff. Fuel pump finally gave out in November.

Replaced Fuel Pump and filter. Seafoamed the car. Ran good again.

December 2009

Car ran a bit bad again. Checked spark plugs which were bad. Replaced spark plugs, wires, and the intake plenum gasket (you have to remove the intake plenum to get to the rear bank of plugs)


Car ran great again!!!! January and February barely let me drive the car with the snow and stuff. Then March came!!! It drove but mid-way through march issues.

March 2010

ECU crapped out. Found out that the ECU's are prone to capacitor leakage. Replaced the ECU and was good to go!

April 2010

Got a stage 2+ clutch and resurfaced flywheel

May and June brought great driving! The car was amazing, fun, and great!

However....

July 2010

ECU crapped out again.


And this is where I am at. The ECU I had rebuilt was under a lifetime warranty so I got this one replaced for free. However, the new ECU is causing my car to run extremely rich. The company wants me to get a wideband O2 which I may do, but I think their ECU is the cause (since it never ran rich before.. the previous ECU was just causing my Injector relay to go nuts).

I still have to replace/check, btw:

ECS (electronically controlled suspension) plug connectors for the front suspension
Boost leak (or find out why I'm only pulling 215 HP on a mustang AWD dyno instead of around 300)
Re-upholster the driver's side leather seat.

But yeah.. here are my tips when buying a VR-4:

1. Make sure that all maintenance is done. DEFINITELY THE 60K!!! The engine is an interferance motor, so make sure the timing belt was done at 60 and 120k if your that high!

2. Check the ECU and (if equipped) the ECS (electronic controlled suspension).

When you check the ECU, just check the computer. It's behind the center console and has 2 bolts on the driver's side, 1 bolt on the passenger side to take it out. Check to see if the capacitors are leaking, and how good the board looks.

For the ECS, you want to first check the ECS board. It's in the trunk. On the right side there is an access panel for it. You have to remove a tool holder thing to get to the access panel. After you check the ECS Board, go to the engine bay. Unplug the ECS connectors from the suspension, and remove the top cover. Check to make sure the wires are not frayed (the wires can fray and split from turning.. dumb right?). If any wires are frayed or look like they might fray soon, leave that one disconnected and replace it if your buying it. Though good luck finding one at junkyards LOL! I am still searching for this part.

If I remember more I'll let ya know!

[Dark_Rider2k3]

VR4s were not meant to be really fast anyway. Mitsu built them as a cross between luxury and sport and it turned out that it was an aweful mix. They are neat and can be fast, but with alot of work. However, as a cool DD (what they were meant to be) you would be happy. But I fear if your aim is tracking the car your are going to be pissed when you are getting your butt kicked by every 2000 dollar car with stiff springs and 150hp.
We tracked with a local 3000gt club and they were cool guys, but I was suprised at how much faster we (MOCA) were than a "sport car".

just wanted to know while this is true in a way, the stock Twin turbo can run about 13.7 at the track.

And it's very easy to get this car up to 500 HP... there are cars past 1,000 HP with this still running stock internals.

[2RotorsNaDream]

He's not talking about in a straight line. Those 3000GTs are horrible in the twisties, I would never buy one. But for $1500 you can't go wrong, if I was you I'd fix it and re-sell it for a lot more money than I put into it.

[EggyRollz]

Well I know about the ECU's and I also know in order to permanently fix it you need to switch to a solid CAP.

Also the one I ended up getting is insanely clean. It's like butter =)

I'm happy with the car and it's potential. Another thing I noticed with a lot of Stealth and 3KGT drivers is the harder you are on them the faster they break down =P ( duh )

Anywho. I love the car and chances are unless someone wants to trade me a 72' SS chevelle or something similar for it , I won't be getting ri dof it anytime soon.

[TrevorTheGallant]

Wow...what a tale Dark_rider...that sucks man

[Dark_Rider2k3]

It's all good... I got the ECU sent back out to them, so hopefully that's what it is (though I doubt it's anything else considering it didn't run rich with the previous ecu)