Might be getting a 3kgt vr4 got some ?s
JP2005
03-08-2004, 09:43 PM
hey...what up yall? im new to these boards, cause ive normally been on camaroz28.com,since i have a 1999 z28, but recently ive been looking into a 3000gt vr-4, because of their unbelievable specs, looks, and price, since im only 17, i was looking into getting around a 1994-1996, but ive seen many of these cars which have had alot of little minor problems that would seem to add up to being alot of $, i have done my research on the cars as much as i could but their didnt seem to be any major deffects anyways, my questions are:
what are the common problems with the 94-95 vr4s?
how much do these problems occur?
and how much are these problems to fix?
alot of times it seems as if the activeaero functions cease to work, or the a/c just quits, and the clutches and trannys seem to have problems, please give me personal experiences with vr4s from around 1994-1996...any help is greatly appreciated
peace and thanks
JP
what are the common problems with the 94-95 vr4s?
how much do these problems occur?
and how much are these problems to fix?
alot of times it seems as if the activeaero functions cease to work, or the a/c just quits, and the clutches and trannys seem to have problems, please give me personal experiences with vr4s from around 1994-1996...any help is greatly appreciated
peace and thanks
JP
Hotshot8792
03-08-2004, 11:37 PM
hey...what up yall? im new to these boards, cause ive normally been on camaroz28.com,since i have a 1999 z28, but recently ive been looking into a 3000gt vr-4, because of their unbelievable specs, looks, and price, since im only 17, i was looking into getting around a 1994-1996, but ive seen many of these cars which have had alot of little minor problems that would seem to add up to being alot of $, i have done my research on the cars as much as i could but their didnt seem to be any major deffects anyways, my questions are:
what are the common problems with the 94-95 vr4s?
how much do these problems occur?
and how much are these problems to fix?
alot of times it seems as if the activeaero functions cease to work, or the a/c just quits, and the clutches and trannys seem to have problems, please give me personal experiences with vr4s from around 1994-1996...any help is greatly appreciated
peace and thanks
JP
hey buddy, you sound like me, Z28 and TT. Anyways, as for the VR-4s, the biggest problems are usually transmission lately, but mitsu called for a transfer case recall which helps out a lot. Timing belts and waterpumps generally go out ever 60K miles. Stock turbos last forever, but mainly, usually it all depends on how well the car is taken care of, if the car was treated properly, they can last a long time without many problems.
what are the common problems with the 94-95 vr4s?
how much do these problems occur?
and how much are these problems to fix?
alot of times it seems as if the activeaero functions cease to work, or the a/c just quits, and the clutches and trannys seem to have problems, please give me personal experiences with vr4s from around 1994-1996...any help is greatly appreciated
peace and thanks
JP
hey buddy, you sound like me, Z28 and TT. Anyways, as for the VR-4s, the biggest problems are usually transmission lately, but mitsu called for a transfer case recall which helps out a lot. Timing belts and waterpumps generally go out ever 60K miles. Stock turbos last forever, but mainly, usually it all depends on how well the car is taken care of, if the car was treated properly, they can last a long time without many problems.
Igovert500
03-08-2004, 11:54 PM
He's correct about the trannys and transfer case recall. Usually the clutches/trannys start having problems which will be most noticeable shifting into 3rd gear. If it's grinding or really hard to shift into 3rd, this is a tell-tale sign that tranny work will be in your future. This could cost up to 3-5 grand depending on where you get your tranny rebuilt or if you do it yourself or get another tranny. So that would really depend on your abilities and the people you know.
As far as turbos lasting forever, that's definantly not true. They can go just as easily as the trannys, if they aren't treated properly and aren't given opportunities to cool down after heavy use, oil bakes inside the bearings and can destroy them. I'd look for a car with a turbo timer already installed and check out the turbos. The thing is that these cars have so many bells and whistles that there is alot that can go wrong, so really take it out and try out everything before you commit to buying one. Any repair has the potential to be expensive simply because these are not cheap cars by any means.
As far as turbos lasting forever, that's definantly not true. They can go just as easily as the trannys, if they aren't treated properly and aren't given opportunities to cool down after heavy use, oil bakes inside the bearings and can destroy them. I'd look for a car with a turbo timer already installed and check out the turbos. The thing is that these cars have so many bells and whistles that there is alot that can go wrong, so really take it out and try out everything before you commit to buying one. Any repair has the potential to be expensive simply because these are not cheap cars by any means.
ikOnone
03-09-2004, 02:28 AM
transfer cases used to be a big problem, not as much for the 94+ cars because of the better poutput shaft, but because of the recall, i would not be that worried about it anymore.
clutches will be an issue, AWD is hard on clutches but it is not really that much worse than other cars.
i agree with igovert on the thing about the turbos not lasting forever. it really depends on the treatment of the car. i would say that they are generally good for 100k miles and not that costly to replace though.
i would have to disagree with igovert on a few tranny issues though. one bad thing about our cars is that if your synchro gears go bad, the people at the mitsu dealership or any normal mechanic or tranny shop will not know where ot get the parts to fix it. they just tell you you need a new tranny and that is like $4k + ass loads of labor. i am sure that is where igovert got the $3-5k figure. BUT (and this is a huge but) there are people that make them now and as long as you do not drive your tranny into the ground, you can just replace the synchros and the fluid and such all for more like $500 at a good tranny shop. i think kormex makes the synchros but maybe it is someone else. it will say somewhere on www.stealth316.com. like the turbos, i generally see the synchros starting to go at about 100k miles but probably closer to 120-130k normally.
also for the grinding, yes, a grinding in third is a tell tale sign of a bad synchro gear in third but i have never heard that it is more common in one gear than another. in my old car, it started out with first and then second and then a little bit in third. i would think that it is probably because those gears saw more brutal stop and go use.
the thing with the active aero that generally goes wrong is that the front active aero gets grimey and sticks and so it also prevents the back one from working. take it apart, clean and lube it up, slap it back on, or if it is really bad, just take the bar out (but leave the motor to complete the circuit) and i bet that would solve at least half of the broken active aeros out there. a very easy cheap fix.
all in all, it is probably just about as pricy as any other car in it's class. it mostly depends on how it has been treated though. it has it's weak and strong points like any car but if you do your homework, you can generally find the best way past these weaknesses. hope this helps.
chris
clutches will be an issue, AWD is hard on clutches but it is not really that much worse than other cars.
i agree with igovert on the thing about the turbos not lasting forever. it really depends on the treatment of the car. i would say that they are generally good for 100k miles and not that costly to replace though.
i would have to disagree with igovert on a few tranny issues though. one bad thing about our cars is that if your synchro gears go bad, the people at the mitsu dealership or any normal mechanic or tranny shop will not know where ot get the parts to fix it. they just tell you you need a new tranny and that is like $4k + ass loads of labor. i am sure that is where igovert got the $3-5k figure. BUT (and this is a huge but) there are people that make them now and as long as you do not drive your tranny into the ground, you can just replace the synchros and the fluid and such all for more like $500 at a good tranny shop. i think kormex makes the synchros but maybe it is someone else. it will say somewhere on www.stealth316.com. like the turbos, i generally see the synchros starting to go at about 100k miles but probably closer to 120-130k normally.
also for the grinding, yes, a grinding in third is a tell tale sign of a bad synchro gear in third but i have never heard that it is more common in one gear than another. in my old car, it started out with first and then second and then a little bit in third. i would think that it is probably because those gears saw more brutal stop and go use.
the thing with the active aero that generally goes wrong is that the front active aero gets grimey and sticks and so it also prevents the back one from working. take it apart, clean and lube it up, slap it back on, or if it is really bad, just take the bar out (but leave the motor to complete the circuit) and i bet that would solve at least half of the broken active aeros out there. a very easy cheap fix.
all in all, it is probably just about as pricy as any other car in it's class. it mostly depends on how it has been treated though. it has it's weak and strong points like any car but if you do your homework, you can generally find the best way past these weaknesses. hope this helps.
chris
NitroguN
03-09-2004, 07:50 AM
Wow .... $3to$5k ... on a tranny fix? Kinda makes me think twice about getting a Vr4 now .... one of the reasons why i didnt want to get a 3rd gen Rx7 is simply because of the costly repairs. How often does the tranny go out on the vr4's?
Hotshot8792
03-09-2004, 10:38 AM
owning both a camaro and a TT, i can tell you that it definitely is more expensive to maintain a TT than it is a Z28. As for the turbos, if they are treated properly, they can last for a loooonngg time, mine have well over 100K and are still in great shape.
The1NamedMarc
03-09-2004, 11:39 AM
If you treat your car right, the tranny will hold up just fine. If you want to launch the shit out of your car, have the $5,000 ready.
Igovert500
03-09-2004, 12:05 PM
IKOnone, I stand corrected. Thanks for all that information. I guess I just assumed that when the synchros start going it can be seen in 3rd the easiest. It seems to me that more people complain about trouble with 3rd gear, but like I said, it was an assumption. And I wasn't aware of Kormex making new syncros, I just meant that the price will vary depending on where you get the parts and who does the work. My friend blew his tranny racing in Philly, but had friends at a junkyard and a decent tranny shop and had it replaced for under400, parts +labor, so that was what I was trying to get across. but thanx for the clarification.
ikOnone
03-09-2004, 02:25 PM
Wow .... $3to$5k ... on a tranny fix? Kinda makes me think twice about getting a Vr4 now .... one of the reasons why i didnt want to get a 3rd gen Rx7 is simply because of the costly repairs. How often does the tranny go out on the vr4's?
no, read my post. more like $500 if you know where to get parts (which you can find out on the web).
igovert - yea, i would assume that 3rd is a common gear to go out first though because it is used in city driving. honestly, if you live in a place where the speed limit on local streets leaves you in 3rd a lot, hell maybe that is the most likely to go out first. also, i am not sure that it is kormex. i know that they make the hardend output shafts and lsd's and such but it might be other folks who make the synchros. does depend on where you go though if you are getting it replaced.
no, read my post. more like $500 if you know where to get parts (which you can find out on the web).
igovert - yea, i would assume that 3rd is a common gear to go out first though because it is used in city driving. honestly, if you live in a place where the speed limit on local streets leaves you in 3rd a lot, hell maybe that is the most likely to go out first. also, i am not sure that it is kormex. i know that they make the hardend output shafts and lsd's and such but it might be other folks who make the synchros. does depend on where you go though if you are getting it replaced.
Sweet Stealth
03-09-2004, 05:03 PM
Trannys themselves are not usually the problem.. The synchros go out more then anything.. Like others sais most dealerships tell you to buy a new tranny..
Kormex makes synchros but are fairly costly.. You can buy every single synchro for $290 give or take a few bucks.. Its been a while sinse I looked.
On my car my second gear is going and 1st gear.. 3rd is 100% fine on my car.. It grinds going into 2nd and back down to 2nd. Also cant go into 1st without being like under 5mph in my TT..
Usually the lower miles the better on a car, but it all depends on how it was taken care of..
Problems ive had in the last 6000miles.100,000 to 106,000 miles
oil cooler lines rusted through
clutch went(people I bought the car from bought a cheap clutch, I shattered it :iceslolan )
Stock boost solonoid went out.
Possibly a few other things.
Can make them pretty quick for cheap..
Stock synchros are fine unless you get huge HP #'s. A company makes the replacement synchros like I said for around $300 just need to find someone to do the work..
Most problems are active parts, IE exhaust,spoiler, dash vents tend to crack after time, leather wear on side bolsters..
Ive seen motors last 60kmiles and some last 200k+ it all depends on the history of the car..
Ryan
Kormex makes synchros but are fairly costly.. You can buy every single synchro for $290 give or take a few bucks.. Its been a while sinse I looked.
On my car my second gear is going and 1st gear.. 3rd is 100% fine on my car.. It grinds going into 2nd and back down to 2nd. Also cant go into 1st without being like under 5mph in my TT..
Usually the lower miles the better on a car, but it all depends on how it was taken care of..
Problems ive had in the last 6000miles.100,000 to 106,000 miles
oil cooler lines rusted through
clutch went(people I bought the car from bought a cheap clutch, I shattered it :iceslolan )
Stock boost solonoid went out.
Possibly a few other things.
Can make them pretty quick for cheap..
Stock synchros are fine unless you get huge HP #'s. A company makes the replacement synchros like I said for around $300 just need to find someone to do the work..
Most problems are active parts, IE exhaust,spoiler, dash vents tend to crack after time, leather wear on side bolsters..
Ive seen motors last 60kmiles and some last 200k+ it all depends on the history of the car..
Ryan
ikOnone
03-09-2004, 06:35 PM
dash vents tend to crack after time, leather wear on side bolsters.
Ive seen motors last 60kmiles and some last 200k+ it all depends on the history of the car..
Ryan
damn, so true, these are not big problems but VERY common. the vents crack and are hard to replace and the driver's side leather (usually more because it gets more use) is very often ptretty worn or torn.
i got 215k on mine and it runs fine :)
also, arn't those $300 synchros the "upgraded" synchros and someone makes close to stock synchros for more like $100 - $150. i got the "about $500 fix" price guess for the tranny from $300 for 2 synchros and $200 for labor which i thought was a good ballpark average figure but i could be wrong.
Ive seen motors last 60kmiles and some last 200k+ it all depends on the history of the car..
Ryan
damn, so true, these are not big problems but VERY common. the vents crack and are hard to replace and the driver's side leather (usually more because it gets more use) is very often ptretty worn or torn.
i got 215k on mine and it runs fine :)
also, arn't those $300 synchros the "upgraded" synchros and someone makes close to stock synchros for more like $100 - $150. i got the "about $500 fix" price guess for the tranny from $300 for 2 synchros and $200 for labor which i thought was a good ballpark average figure but i could be wrong.
sLADe781
03-09-2004, 08:15 PM
Are these problems common for only VR4s or does it go for all types of 3KGTs?
JP2005
03-09-2004, 08:28 PM
thanks guys, ive been reading about cars that grind when shifting from 1st to 2nd i figured it was the synchros but wanted to make sure, and theirs no better people to ask than people who actually own the car... the truth is like i said right now i have a 99 z28, but was looking into getting a vr4 in the next couple of months...first im gonna get a turbocharged opel gt, then my vr4, and then a crotch rocket... but i was just making sure the price was right on the repairs, youre responses have really helped me :naughty: i just cant wait to get my 3kgt :iceslolan hotshot trust me i know owning a tt is gonna be alot more given the fact the only money ive had to pay for my z28 is my unneccesary speed needs, and none in repairs, just a question for all of you who have suped your vr4's how much hp you got and what you runnin a 1/4 in?
once again thanks
JP
once again thanks
JP
ikOnone
03-09-2004, 10:08 PM
jesus jp, where are you getting all of this money?!?!?! i want in on what ever drug you are selling. also, honestly if i were you, i would try to find a 93 VR-4 that is in good condition except for the tranny, then get a price quote from a mitsu dealership for a new tranny and labor and get them to write something that says that they only replace them, they do not do work on them, then talk them down on the price A LOT and then fix the problem for a rew hundred dollers :iceslolan
slade, no these are mostly vr-4 problems other than the seat wear and cracked dash vents. the lower models do not have the turbo and transfer case problems (obviously) and they do not really have the clutch/tranny problems either because they are only FWD and they have less power. the lower models are very reliable from what i hear but i have never owned one. again, it all depends on how it is treated though.
slade, no these are mostly vr-4 problems other than the seat wear and cracked dash vents. the lower models do not have the turbo and transfer case problems (obviously) and they do not really have the clutch/tranny problems either because they are only FWD and they have less power. the lower models are very reliable from what i hear but i have never owned one. again, it all depends on how it is treated though.
youngvr4
03-10-2004, 12:24 AM
did you say $200 for labor to do the synchro's? let me know if this is accurate because if so maybe i don't need to sell my car.
JP2005
03-10-2004, 10:48 PM
lol ik, im not selling drugs im a telemarketer and work at mci like i said im only 17, so i dont have any real bills to pay, so what better than cars? and the real reason i wont a 94+ is because of the non pop up headlights, and im getting a body kit, and the kits look alot better w/o the headlights
Sweet Stealth
03-11-2004, 05:12 PM
Kormex makes hardened synchros I belive?? Maybe just stronger ones.. You can buy all replacement synchros for just under $300 from CRS..
C46 1st/2nd Outer ring 31.13
C47 1st/2nd Blocking ring 15.03
C48 1st/2nd Inner ring 23.93
C45 1st/2nd Set of three rings 70.09 Times 2
C11 3rd/4th Synchro ring 22.95
C63 5th Synchro ring 65.40
C74 Reverse synchro ring 68.00
296.53
If you dont make huge HP most people say the above ones or stock ones are just fine. Mine lasted 100k miles so im sure these could last around that..
C46 1st/2nd Outer ring 31.13
C47 1st/2nd Blocking ring 15.03
C48 1st/2nd Inner ring 23.93
C45 1st/2nd Set of three rings 70.09 Times 2
C11 3rd/4th Synchro ring 22.95
C63 5th Synchro ring 65.40
C74 Reverse synchro ring 68.00
296.53
If you dont make huge HP most people say the above ones or stock ones are just fine. Mine lasted 100k miles so im sure these could last around that..
youngvr4
03-11-2004, 05:58 PM
but what would it cost to install?
Sweet Stealth
03-11-2004, 06:56 PM
Where do u live?? There is one guy on 3si that does it pretty cheap.. I can find out wheres hes from, I have an idea where he is around anyway..
It really depends.. Some shops might quote $200 some may quote $1000, its really hard to say.. Ive never looked into replacing them.. I was about to but decided I could live with it because I did the clutch/flywheel the winter before and didnt feel like doing it again..
It really depends.. Some shops might quote $200 some may quote $1000, its really hard to say.. Ive never looked into replacing them.. I was about to but decided I could live with it because I did the clutch/flywheel the winter before and didnt feel like doing it again..
youngvr4
03-11-2004, 07:03 PM
i live in seattle, wa
Sweet Stealth
03-11-2004, 08:42 PM
OH ok the guy is from NC so that wouldnt work.. Ive heard several people talk about driving to him cause it was fairly cheap to do.
Also if you are someone you know if good with instructions and/or working on cars. Check out vr4stealth.com There is a write up of how to do it with pics and that..
Also if you are someone you know if good with instructions and/or working on cars. Check out vr4stealth.com There is a write up of how to do it with pics and that..
ikOnone
03-12-2004, 12:18 AM
i am really not sure about the $200 figure, i kinda pulled that one outa my ass. come to think of it, just getting it in and out might cost $200 but i do not think the synchro work would be that much more. i would go to 3si.org and find a local group of enthusiests. i bet one of them could help you do it or tell you about someone in your area that will do it for cheap and is reliable.
the $300 is for all of them though right? i would suggest replacing all of them at once too (might as well) but wouldn't it be cheaper just to do one or two gears?
the $300 is for all of them though right? i would suggest replacing all of them at once too (might as well) but wouldn't it be cheaper just to do one or two gears?
Sweet Stealth
03-12-2004, 02:53 PM
I found those #'s on 3si.. When I look at it.. I think its more then $300, it says $70 times 2, and I dont think they added that in there..
Personally I would take the tranny out yourself or they will charge you far more then $200 just for that.. Probably $200 for pullin, $200 for putting it back in.. Thats on the cheap side.. According to one site it takes about 8hrs to pull the tranny and put it back in.. 8hrs x (what)$70 is a lot of cash..
I pulled my tranny with the help of my brother and its a pain but doing it again wouldnt be as bad.. It took up probably 15hrs to do the whole thing(clutch/flywheel &tranny up/down)
I would personally buy all the synchros.. My car has 106k miles on the TT so I might as well do them all if I do it..
But you are right.. I would probably at least do 1st,2nd,3rd, and maybe even 4th.. Chances are the car hasnt been hammered into 5th that often.. Sometimes reverse wares out though as well..
My luck is bad so I would just change them all.. :rolleyes: But u could take the figure I posted(not sure how up to date it is) but then just add up the gears you wanna change.. or subtract the ones you dont want..
Personally I would take the tranny out yourself or they will charge you far more then $200 just for that.. Probably $200 for pullin, $200 for putting it back in.. Thats on the cheap side.. According to one site it takes about 8hrs to pull the tranny and put it back in.. 8hrs x (what)$70 is a lot of cash..
I pulled my tranny with the help of my brother and its a pain but doing it again wouldnt be as bad.. It took up probably 15hrs to do the whole thing(clutch/flywheel &tranny up/down)
I would personally buy all the synchros.. My car has 106k miles on the TT so I might as well do them all if I do it..
But you are right.. I would probably at least do 1st,2nd,3rd, and maybe even 4th.. Chances are the car hasnt been hammered into 5th that often.. Sometimes reverse wares out though as well..
My luck is bad so I would just change them all.. :rolleyes: But u could take the figure I posted(not sure how up to date it is) but then just add up the gears you wanna change.. or subtract the ones you dont want..
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