93 vr4 question

this afternoon i was coming down the highway and downshifted to 2nd gear turning off the highway...the car locked up, and started making noises and vibrating. i pulled off the road, nothing looked unusual driveshaft looked ok, wheels looked ok. i got back in car 10 mins later i pulled into the bank, and when i was going up the hill it did it again, locked up.. i had it on a steep hill, in neutral and it would not even roll backwards. when it does it i can still put it in gear and it will drive, but i dont wanna drive it again until i know what the deal is.. if i wouldve been rolling around a curve, id be dead now.. what could it be, after i left the bank my front right tire is making a screeching noise? could it be something to do with a wheel, or the driveshaft?

I've never heard of anything like that unless the engine ceases due to an oil leak. It kind of sounds like your brakes are just locking up. Is it only the rear wheels locking up?

Its not the engine.. Its either the wheels, brakes, driveshaft, something like that i guess. But right after it does it, it does not want to roll backwatrds if im on a hill like i have the brakes on and i dont. Right before it happend to me, i hit the tour button for the exhaust both times? could that have had something to do with it? I just dont want to drive it, and it locl up on me again, both times no one was near me, next time i might not be as lucky..I jsut put new pads all the way around like 3 weeks ago for the brakes, so i dont know?????After it happen, it felt like i was dragging something then it went away, but everything looks like it should be

99% sure your tcase has leaked all the oil out of it and is locking up your drivetrain.

whats the tcase look like...where is it located...the last two days i have noticed some oil leaking under it, bout the size of a baseball? how do you fix it? what kind of oil goes in it?

If your TC has in fact gone dry I found a web page on 3si about a guy that had the same thing happen to him. His story sounds similar to yours as well.

http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=323746

the t-case is right behind/under the engine/tranny and right in front of the drive shaft (the drive shaft comes out of it)

it will look like this from under the car (minus the blue thing)
http://www.3si.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=59174

How do I get to it to see if its low? It did it yesterday, i drove it for an hour today and it was fine? But its still making a screeching noise.. I got under it, but i didnt see anywhere to check if it was low, or where to put more in? I thought about it today, the night before i ran over a possum with the right front tire, could that have anything to do wit it????

dude, before jumping to conclusions on the TC, jack it up, pull the wheels off, and check all the brakes. Make sure all the pads are seated properly, etc. If that all checks out, then start looking at the driveline.

did the screetching sound like it was coming from underneath you? from the engine bay? from a wheel or wheels?

I think you may find this useful:

http://www.stealth316.com/2-awddrainfill.htm

This afternoon i jacked my car up and got under it...the transfer case was clean, almost spotless, but the transaxle near the right front tire had some oil dripping from it...It was bout the size of a baseball.. I took the right front tire off and tried to see if I saw anything unusual all the pads are fine and in place. It looked like from the transaxle to the right wheel, it was damp or dark in color all around the firewall. I drove it 20 mins, and it did not lock up or anything. But while im driving with my foot on the gas i hear a noise that sounds like its coming from the drivers side right in the middle of the car. It sounds like when a car is driving on water, that hissing sound..It doesnt do it unless i get on the gas, as soon as i let off, it doesnt make it, but when i hit the gas, it starts again????

the hissing sound when your on the gas is simply your intake. its the sound the air makes when rushing through the intake. common on all cars.

do you think this is somehow related to your leak? i don't think so.

but back to the leak, you described where it was moist with oil. could you find a hole?

OK, seriously, if you have oil leaking from somewhere, and your car is acting odd...STOP DRIVING IT!

Either something can lock up and cause and accident, or you are going to cause more damage by running something dry. If you don't have the means to figure out what is leaking, then take it to somebody who does. Quit driving it, until you figure out what it is and how serious it is.

You said the transaxle is dripping oil, well did you drain it to check how much you had lost? Did you clean it up and check for the source of hte leak? The link on how to drain and fill it was posted above (stealth316).

Its not the intake, it sounds like brakses rubbing but its not...i took it to the guy that did my clutch a month ago. He said while he was doing the clutch, that it took him one whole day to get the driveshaft off. He said it looked like it was in a bind, where someone had been dropping the clutch before i got it. When you go down the road, it makes that sounds kinda like something is dragging under the car. But it only does it when you get on the gas, not if you are just rolling. He said that something had to have broke in the transaxle and hit the seal, and thats why it has been leaking??? I called mitsubishi ndealership here, and they said if it someting in the tranny, that they cant fix it. They told me if its the tranny its unrepairable...there exact words. What could have broke in the transaxle? I have took it to 3 diff ppl, none of them no, i am screwed.

1) Where are you located, I can try and find a decent member or mechanic who knows our cars in your area

2) Mitsu dealerships know as much about our cars as my little brother, don't ever take thier advice...they charge $70 an hour to tell you nonsense, my brother will talk nonsense to you for free.

3) The tranny is repairable...it's a transmission for crying out loud, not alien technology from Area 51.

4) Try this, http://www.stealth316.com/2-awddrainfill.htm
I want you to go about like you would drain the transfer case and the transaxle...forget the rear for now. Drain the 2 of them, and measure exactly how much fluid drains out of each of them seperately. Right those numbers down, because if one is severely low, you may have found your problem. (also check for debris/metal in the oils)

5) clean off any oil spills/leaks on the underside of hte car, refill the t-case and transaxle, drive it around the block 2x, and go back and check them, see if you find a leak.

6) The part about it locking up, and then still working on and off, confuses me, generally I was under the impression, once the t-case drained and locked up, it was done for and the car wouldn't move, so I'm almost wondering if this may have to do with the carrier bearings on the driveshaft wearing out. That would cause vibrations and clunking noises, but I don't know if the rest of the symptoms fit. I'll try to do some searching tonight.

last night i drained the t case...COMPLETLY empty, not one drop all metal shavings. Transaxle was full. I was up till 3 this morning putting oil in the tcase letting it run, then draining it. Every time i did it, a crap load of metal come out. i did it 17 times, and it was finally clean.. After that i took a light and tried looking inside of it, everything looked shiny i guess from rubbinh up against each other, but from what i could see it was all still in there.. I put the red line 90 in it..let it sit all night took it to work this morning.. It ran good, no noises, acted fine like it did, when i first got it? But the t case was dry, nothing at all n it. But if its leaking somewhere then it is just a matter of time till it does it again right? We couldnt see anything leaking from the tcase..that was clean and dry and the t axle was oily ands dirty

STOP driving it.
The t-case is the number one recall on these cars.
I hate to say it, but you shouldn't have kept refilling/flushing.
Mitsu has to repair it for free, you want them to see it's empty and full of metal shavings.


http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=116949

http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78886

Check those out, seriously read them.
You have got to get it replaced.

If it locks up on you while you are driving, it could cause a SERIOUS accident. Get it towed to a dealership, tell them about the recall, and tell them they are going to replace it, and anything else that is damaged, for free. If they don't, I think those 2 threads up above have the appropriate numbers to call. DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

I read the thread, whats the number to d c, or whoever. I want to have to facts in line. When i called the dealership today, he said all they will do is look at the seals and replace if needed. But all that metal that come out, something is bound to be broke in in. I just want to have my ducks in a row b4 i go there, so if they say we will not replace whats broke just the seal, then i can say i talk to whoever in dc or the other organizations, and say you need to inspect it and replace it if its broke. i parked it and will trailor it up there, but i dont want them to say its seals, then have to bring it home , then have to wait weeks before something gets done. But by all the metal that come out, something is tore up inside of it.. He told me when i called today he could order me one for 1100, trying to screw me royally, knowing they should fix it, if its broke..

another question..my ecs button , nor the exhaust button doesnt work anymore, none of them light up on my dash? does all that stuff have a sep computer??? if so, whats it called and wheres it located?

First call your dealership. Give them your VIN and explain that the t-case has leaked bone dry, and that when you checked it, there were aluminum shavings EVERYWHERE, and that you are positive the splines on the shaft have been stripped due to poor lubrication. Ask them what they will do under recall.

If they only offer anything short of replacing the t-case and any otehr damaged parts, get the dealerships information, and the service manager's name. And call the number below.

Here is what I found in one of those threads I listed above:

"Mitsubishi Customer Corrections Dept.
PO Box 6400
Cyprus, CA. 90630-0064

I just called Mitsubishi at 888-648-7820 / Opt 3 / Opt 5 this week, and they are able to look at what dealership signed off, and the date it was signed. This may help get you answers, but you still may have to fight with the dealership. Also, with this number, you can file a complaint towards the dealersip if you see fit."

Don't take any BS about anything. If they tell you that the recall was already performed, tell them that they obviously didn't solve the problem, because it still leaked, it still locked up, and it could have caused a dangerous accident..don't be scared to threaten legal action.

Depending on your dealership and how much of a prick their service manager is, you may have to get on the phone with Mitsu headquarters and keep annoying them, but eventually, if you keep annoying the right people, and threaten legal action, if necessary, they should replace the t-case and any input/output shafts that have been damaged.

If they give you some BS about them not being able to replace teh output shaft, without replacing the tranny:

www.vr4stealth.com has the pics/instructions on that (under repair,transmission).

Basically, the point is, your dealership maybe nice, but chances are they are cheap and incompetant bastards. So don't take any BS, and don't take NO as an answer.

Also, you can search here and find the recall, if htey give you some BS about it not being for your year:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/

ECS has it's own computer:
http://www.3sxperformance.com/faq/ecsmodule/index.asp

However, before screwing with that, try checking under the dust covers on the tops of your struts, and making sure all the wiring is good.

The active exhaust has probably rusted or gotten damaged under the car and stuck in one mode. Do a search, others have had this happen.

I took the dust covers off today and the wires were all together nothing looked wrong..then i checked the computer in the trunk, and the wires were connected there too.. Is there a fuse? or anything else i can check? I hate having this nice car, and nothing seems to work on it. I know the cars are getting old, but i do not even know what to replace to make it work. If i turn on the exhaust button, it makes a noise under the car, but it doesnt light up on my dash anymore. ????

theres no lights on for the ecs or the exhaust mode? maybe its just your indicator lights that are out, man. The ECS should be easy enough to test if its working. I find its a pretty noticible difference between modes, sport mode giving a much stiffer ride. The exhaust note change is harder to pick up on, though. If you hear something under the car when you hit it, its probably working, or at least stuck in sport mode. To be sure, the module for it is in the trunk, mounted opposite where the ECS comp was. Watch it as you change modes. The cable should stay pretty tight in both modes, it should not get alot of slack in it in tour mode.

Im not sure if or where the fuses for those 2 systems are, but i believe that a blown fuse would through an "ECS" light on the dash

Im not sure if its a fuse to it or not. I know all the wires are connected though.. Its weird the lights never work, but if i jack the car up and then start it, both will come on flashing for a few mins, then cut off. There is no diff in the stiffness. It just doesnt work for some reason? It would be nice for it to work though so i could enjoy the goodies of my car.