security number

Hello,

I read yogsvr4 post on winterizing in the faq and also searched under this topic but I still have this question. Why or what is a security number that I need when changing the battery?

We sold our GT SL after driving it 90,000 miles and liked it so well we just bought a 91 VR4 with low miles. It does need a battery, to go to the shop for recalls because the Dr. who owned it just polished it and seldom drove it and never took it back to the dealer. I am thinking it should also have the 60 K service done and maybe all the fluids changed. Right now it is in our heated garage next to the Firebird.

Your expertise would be appreciated.

All we have done so far is trailer the car home, drive it for 25 miles, wash it and park it. I sent Mitsubishi a letter listing the recalls and asking which dealer they recommend nearest me for the servicing. No reply yet.

I have read the entire faq. I do have the manual but keep forgetting to get it out of the car but that is next read.
No intention of modifications or daily driving, just sunny day drives on days off.
Thinking 5-50w Mobil 1.
All thoughts welcome.

Thanks much

Dan

i believe the code hes refering to in the code for the stock stereo head unit. Check in the manuel to see if someone wrote it there, if not, you should be able to get it by calling any mitsu dealership

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to AF.

It's the stereo security code. Only applicable if it has the stock stereo (which I never did). But basically, if the battery is disconnected and it loses power, it asks for a (4 digit, I think) security code before it will operate again. If you enter the code incorrectly 3x, it freezes up and you have to go through a stupid half hour reset process. Some dealerships will give it away for free if you have hte serial number (from the back of the stereo) and hte VIN number. If no dealerships around you will give it to you free, let us know and somebody on here or another 3000gt forum can usually get it for you.

Awesome that you read hte FAQ, love it when people actually do. I wouldn't go 5w50 personally, if you only plan on having it out on nice days. 5w is usually used on cold climates..if this is a good weather summer car it probably isn't necessary. Then again, in NY, sunny but cold days aren't uncommon, so if you plan on driving it then, 5w weight may not be a bad idea. I actually switch from 15W50 in the summer to 10W40 in the winter (PA & NY).

It's a good idea to get the 60k if it hasn't been done yet. Even if it is low miles, a 17 year old timing belt isn't a comforting thought. Glad to hear you are treating the car right. Might also wanna do the oil pump (usually saved for the 120k tuneup) as well, just to be safe.

As far as recalls, make sure the transfer case isn't leaking and that the recall has been done on it. Also, as a preventative measure, I would highly recommend changing the caps on the ECU board. They are basically gonna leak at some point...if not now, later. Might as well spend $25 now, rather than a few hundred on repairs or a new ecu later on down the road.

As far as recalls, make sure the transfer case isn't leaking and that the recall has been done on it. Also, as a preventative measure, I would highly recommend changing the caps on the ECU board. They are basically gonna leak at some point...if not now, later. Might as well spend $25 now, rather than a few hundred on repairs or a new ecu later on down the road.

As far as I can tell, this car has only had oil changes done locally. It has 21,000 miles on it. I have contacted Mitsu with the VIN for recalls.

I read the link on the ECU from faqs and it does not say if I buy a new one if the caps will be fixed. If so, I may just wait and replace the whole unit.

So here the list for the mechanic, who worked on our GT SL and has worked on VR4 before.

a. change all fluids as detailed in the owners manual.
b. change air and oil filter and use 5w-50 Mobil 1
b. change the timing belt.
c. change the ECU cap if someone fills me in on the process. I followed the av link but what do I do, take it out and send it to them and wait to get it back?
d. change the water pump?
e. install a new battery.
f. install Sylvania Silverstar or Ultra sealed beams.
g. anything else for a 16 year old that has sat mostly in a garage?

It starts right up and purrs. No leaks I can find and no odd noises.Right front tire is a little low on air (50 front/30 rear is the psi from the manual--that seems odd to me, maybe I better check again to make sure I read it right).

I will Lexol the seats and put vasoline on the door gaskets. I already lubed the locks.

The underside looks brand new. Our 99 Anniversary Trans Am convertible six speed I had painted--underneath with rustoleum. The guy took off all the brake lines and such and put three coats of paint on thick for the entire underside of the car. The VR4 looks just as good without the paint job. I was told it was not driven in the rain and always garaged and it looks like it.

Looking forward to the dialogue before I bring the car in to the mechanic. I will have to check the odometer before I leave it to make sure he does not take it joy riding...like in Seinfield with the dry cleaner wearing his jacket to the movies.:eek:

Could check for boost leaks too, theres bound to be some.

Yeah you wanna pressure test it for boost leaks, as over 16 years some vac hoses, rubber o-rings, and what not have dried up and probably are leaking out metered air. This makes your turbos work a bit harder and costs you power. If you do a search this topic has been covered adn you can build a tester from Home Depot for $5.

ECU caps...chances are mechanics wont touch them. It's an electrical job, not a mechanic's job. Most mechanics have no idea about htem, they will just replace an ECU if it's bad. Here you will need to track down the capitors themselves and find someplace locally that is comfortable soldering circuit boards (tv/radio repair shop, etc) or send it to AVPro. I think there is a section on this in the FAQ. If you have further questions not covered in there, let us know. Basically teh caps can be found on 3si.org for $5 or less, then you need to pay somebody like $20 for their 10 minutes of soldering. AVpro is great, and they offer a lifetime warranty, but you are looking at ~$270 for everything if you go through them.

What else... tire pressure. I havn't actually ever looked in my manual for tire pressure. But with my 18s on my 96vr4, I run about 35psi up front and 32 in the rear. pretty sure that's what the metal plate in the door jam recommends...check your car to make sure.

As far as water pump, belts, oil pump, just check the FAQ under 60. You want everything under the 60k performed. Oil pump is under 120k but you may wanna do it as well. Pulleys maybe fine...at your mileage I wouldn't be really concerned with them.

Also, if it starts right up without fail, and the battery isn't leaking..you don't really need to change it. Just my .02