Mitsubishi has problems with timing belt slip....

[Endoe]

Is it true that mitsubishi has alot of problems with the timing belt slipping once its been tampered with.... cause im thinking about putting new cams in it...maybe taking it to SpeedElement.... but from members experience has anyone had this problem after cams are installed....?

[KareBearPowa]

Depends on the installer. A timing belt job is a bit trickier on the 4G63T than other motors. It is recommended to replace the timing belt tensioner as they can become weaker if reinstalled.

[MarkSAE]

A tensioner is hydraulic and should not become weaker if the timing belt is removed.* That's like saying a strut will become weaker if you take it off the car and put it back on.

There's a tension spec in service manual.* You have to get the timing belt tensioned within this spec or your t-belt may skip.* If you reinstall all your parts to factory spec, the tensioning system should be just as reliable as it was before the install.

[KareBearPowa]

You're right mark, I should have said if it isn't installed correctly and tensioned correctly, it could become weaker or fail. I've seen it happen.

[vtluu]

Even before anybody had ever touched my cam gears/timing belt/etc., my timing belt did skip a tooth at some point. I'm not sure when or how it happened, probably at the track or auto-x when I spun and turned the engine over backwards because I didn't clutch in in time.

When I did my timing belt job, I found it impossible to tension the timing belt properly without the special tool to hold the tensioner in position while tightening the tensioner pulley bolt. The problem is that tightening the bolt rotates the pulley in the direction that de-tensions it. (I'm told it's the other way around in DSMs so isn't a problem.)

http://www.3sx.com/store/catalog/tool-timing-tensioner-pulley-tool-2-200-thumb.jpg
http://www.3sx.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=333

The way the tensioner works is you position (rotate around its eccentric center) the tensioner pulley to tension the timing belt most of the way, then the hydraulic tensioner puts the last little bit of tension on it. It's probably very easy to do with the engine out of the car, but in the car there's very little room to work between the engine and the frame.

[cerebus]

Vtluu:
when you changed your timing belt, did you stay with an OEM belt or go with one of the aftermarket ones?

just curious whether the aftermarket belts are worth it. thanks.

[crctslt]

I only use factory belts personally.

[Endoe]

i say this because DSM are in my opinion has the most problems with t-belt skipping tooth.... i have friends with Eclipse with brand new rebuild head installed and month later t-belts skips a tooth...this labor was done at a local shop..he ended up selling the whole car..idles rough and can barely drive...blown motor on another friends car because t-belt skip elcipse too... galant turbo skip a teeth dead sitting at a shop...why is that...i ask this question because im kind of scared that if i put new cams in...there could be a greater chance of t-belt skipping....dangereous....blown motor:(

[vtluu]

I got the Power Enterprise timing and balance belts.

And I now check the base timing fairly religiously (before every track day).

[KareBearPowa]

i say this because DSM are in my opinion has the most problems with t-belt skipping tooth.... i have friends with Eclipse with brand new rebuild head installed and month later t-belts skips a tooth...this labor was done at a local shop..he ended up selling the whole car..idles rough and can barely drive...blown motor on another friends car because t-belt skip elcipse too... galant turbo skip a teeth dead sitting at a shop...why is that...i ask this question because im kind of scared that if i put new cams in...there could be a greater chance of t-belt skipping....dangereous....blown motor:(


I had 6 DSMs and never had a tbelt problem. Make sure they are changed every 60k and they are installed correctly and you should never have a problem.

[MarkSAE]

i say this because DSM are in my opinion has the most problems with t-belt skipping tooth.... i have friends with Eclipse with brand new rebuild head installed and month later t-belts skips a tooth...this labor was done at a local shop..he ended up selling the whole car..idles rough and can barely drive...blown motor on another friends car because t-belt skip elcipse too... galant turbo skip a teeth dead sitting at a shop...why is that...i ask this question because im kind of scared that if i put new cams in...there could be a greater chance of t-belt skipping....dangereous....blown motor:(


Between changing cams and timing belts, I've done them at least 10 timing belt changes on DSMs and never had a problem.* I always followed the factory spec when tensioning the belt.

The shops your buddies used obviously did not know how to properly tension the timing belts.

[AreSTG]

i always thought Mistubishi was notorious for shitty transmissions.

[turbotiger]

I never had a problem on DSM's with belts slipping once installed properly. I've had them slip when they weren't tensionsed properly
Timing belts breaking, however, I have experienced my b-belt break on me before the 60k service interval.
I would recommend going with the super strong timing belts just to be safe.

[KareBearPowa]

i always thought Mistubishi was notorious for shitty transmissions.


Like the wrx, it's more from people doing clutch-drop launches. DSM had a "weak" 3rd gear but that only really showed up on high power drag cars and some hardcore track people, much like the MR 6spd.

[dl_EVO]

i always thought Mistubishi was notorious for shitty transmissions.


Like the wrx, it's more from people doing clutch-drop launches. DSM had a "weak" 3rd gear but that only really showed up on high power drag cars and some hardcore track people, much like the MR 6spd.


the man speaks the truth, Mitsu's trannies are fine. It's just people beat the living shit out of them, beat a car that badly shit is gonna go out.

You beat the crap out of it and it isnt breaking? You arent beating it hard enough!!!

[vtluu]

What do trannies have to do with timing belts?

[AreSTG]

ohhhhhhhh timing belts arent on trannies my bad.........

[SpinOne05]

Are the Evo motors interefence fit? Meaning if the T-belt breaks do valves get bent?

[KareBearPowa]

Yup, buh bye valves.

[StockEVO]

I do notice that on EVO, after doing any cams installs or messing with the timing belt that they are more prone to slipping, jumping teeths than that of DSM. Maybe it's because the installer did not set the right preload tension on the pulley, or maybe there are more EVO specialists than there were DSM. :dunno

I did in fact see one hydraulic tensioner failed after a belt install. But we caught it in time before it did any damage. And yes all 4G63 motor are interference. Slip, snap, chew, mutuliate at belt and you're going to bend at least 8 valves. If you're stupid enough, sit there and keep cranking the engine. You're going to break the valves, pop the rockers off, and make piston and valve salad inside your combustion chamber.