Eclipses have defective head gaskets???

I own a 96 Eclipse RS, and from what i hear from mechanics, they have bad gaskets and have to be changed all the time. I had a gasket leak last year and it only had 92k miles, i changed the gasket but the engine soon after died on me, i got another DOHC 2.0 from a junkyard but after a month, the gasket died! is this really true or do i just have bad luck?? and i DO NOT drive my car hard at all, i'm not a speed demon

we do have some leak issues, many with boost , and quiet a few with gaskets...youll notice some oil collecting in the spark plug area when u remove the cover too..

So i'm not the only one, it sucks because i don't know how to change them and they charge $600 just for the labor, i would just get a book and do it myself but i never have time and i don't wanna mess anything yp

So is that something you can avoid by putting in a thicker one or better quality one or something?

A multi-layered steel one is the way to go.

Learning how to change the gasket yourself and saving $350 (after buying parts and tools for the job) would be pretty kick ass too. :) Then you can make money off of replacing other people's headgaskets too.

i tried learning but i kind of gave up the first time. then the second time on my buddys we went all the way cuz he didnt have no money to go get it done.

My step father used to be a parts runner for a mitts dealer in connecticut. He got my head gasket changed for free because it is known issue that they are defective. however it was never posted as a recall for some reason....hmmm kinda strange dont ya think.

My step father used to be a parts runner for a mitts dealer in connecticut. He got my head gasket changed for free because it is known issue that they are defective. however it was never posted as a recall for some reason....hmmm kinda strange dont ya think.
I have not heard of this issue up until this thread.

I have a feeling assumptions are being made, and fact left out. I am on my factory head gasket at 116k, in a bossted application.

Is this 420a or 4g63 related?

I hear crystler makes the best head gaskets for that engine, i heard that from the machanic at my dads work. So try buying direct from the dealer, it will cost alittle more. But you save in the long run when you dont have to replace it alot.

damn i really wish they had made a damn recall!!

damn i really wish they had made a damn recall!!
For what? Shit breaks. Deal with it.

I must say again, that this is the FIRST I have heard of this in my time as a DSMer.

I'll also ask AGAIN if this is a known 420a thing, or a 4g63 thing, or just a general thing.

Basiclly everybody that i know that has a dsm had problems with their gaskets. and they had to be replaced. I know shit breaks, but they juss break a little too often. they should had made a recall.

So essentially, the small percentage of the DSM population you deal with had bad luck?

Cool.


Thanks for spreading worry with the thread starter.

We are talking 2 motors (at least george536 is), so how would you recall 2 totally different products for two COMPLETELY different applications?

is this really true or do i just have bad luck?? and i DO NOT drive my car hard at all, i'm not a speed demon

this dude i asked if he had bad luck or if there was problem. im answering his question. Unless we both have bad luck. i got a valve cover leak and got a head gasket leak. and its been known of people complaining also about the gaskets. im not trying to spread worry to him. juss tellin him from my experience and of wat ive read.

this dude i asked if he had bad luck or if there was problem. im answering his question. Unless we both have bad luck. i got a valve cover leak and got a head gasket leak. and its been known of people complaining also about the gaskets. im not trying to spread worry to him. juss tellin him from my experience and of wat ive read.
First off, the valve cover gasket (and plug well gaskets) are a whole different ballgame than the headgasket. You are comparing apples to oranges.

Second, "telling what you read" is the reason people fear crankwalk so badly. There are guys that'll think they walked when all they need to do is bleed the clutch.


Finally, I will reiterate that I have run no less than 16lbs of boost for nearly 100k and maintain 160-155-160-160 compression, and have never touched the bottom end...even to replace the head gasket.

the thread starter is talkin about his 420a. hes not boosted. i have a 98 gs. and i know the difference in the gaskets. again i am telling him wat happen to me. and wat ive read. im not goin to lie to him and tell him dont worry about it. it never happens to nobody. gotta tell him strait of known problems. not trying to scare him to go get another car or somethin. I love my dsm ( daily driver). im not trying to argue with you juss telling him that it has happened to me.

I'll also ask AGAIN if this is a known 420a thing, or a 4g63 thing, or just a general thing.[/QUOTE]

I can add that I had a '95 4g63 (NT) and it ate 3 head gaskets (including metal) in 5 years. It had cold air and headers for engine mods. It's a fun ride if you have the time for the repairs. I used both shops (rape job @ <>$1,000) and Gateway DSMers for repairs. But, as a daily driver it got too much and after the 4th head gasket and tranny went at the same time while launching with a Mustang. I gave it up.
OZ

You people need to learn to maintain your vehicles.

That, or find someone to do things right ONCE.

I have replaced mine in my 95 gs. only once. just about every one I have seen has a leak and I see quite a few. and yes I am reffering to the head gasket. as for maintaining a head gasket....wtf????? look man if it fails you replace it, other than that what friggin maint can you do to the gasket? In a perfect world the motors on our cars would last forever and would run on air alone.....guess what. it ain't a perfect world. and trust me, If I "maintain" my vehicles any more I'll be performing overhauls every weekend. In my personal opinion whoever made the gaskets, half assed it. am I pissed? no, these things happen all the time. do I think there should have been a recall, no. but I have a lot of friends that have this exact problem on both the 4g63 and the 420a, and I feel it was a known problem that dsm tried to avoid. Now don't get me wrong this isn't a strictly DSM problem, all car companies do crap like this and refuse to fix their own screwups so they can put more green in their pocket and keep it there. like I said above "these things happen all the time" but I don't know a dsm out there that doesn't or has never had a valve cover leak, and that is said in all honesty for both motors. I think it starts leaking when you drive it off the car lot. j/k lol

she leaks like a bitch!.. that's all i gotta say.

I've posted this many times, but here it is again. My brother works for one of the largest Mitsu dealers in the area (Boch, for you MASSholes). Its VERY common knowledge to the mitsu mechanics that the 420 HGs are a common problem. He says whenever they ahve a NT on the lift, they check the back of the block for oil leakage, they almost all have it, and the HG is the issue. I could have sworn they recalled at least some years, but I cant say I know for sure...

Its VERY common knowledge to the mitsu mechanics that the 420 HGs are a common problem. He says whenever they ahve a NT on the lift, they check the back of the block for oil leakage, they almost all have it, and the HG is the issue. ..Got the same info from a Chrysler tech today. My problem is when people say it is a "DSM problem" or "all DSM HGs have issues"...FALSE!

Show me a DSM with a 420a motor...anyone? ;)