New to Teardown

[Intaris]

Okay so I admit this makes me sound like the typical kid overly excited about his car but who really gives a care. I'd appreciate that you just don't reply if you don't have something worthwhile to say... Sorry previous bad experiences with forums.

Anyways. I own a 1990 Chrysler Lebaron with the Mitsubishi 3.0L v6 engine and an automatic transmission in it. I bought it and drove it over the summer. Cutting to the chase the transmission started to slip and I decided that I like this vehicle enough that I'm going to spend the cash to replace the trany rather than buying a new to me vehicle.
The problem lays here in. Before I replace the transmission I decided I wanted to tear down the engine and rebuild it, replacing all the parts that can be upgraded and cleaning the rest. I know that I can't do all of this, I'll have to send it to the shop for a professionals touch, but I want to do as much of it on my own as I can. I want to learn everything I can about this engine while I do this.
Now that I've drolled that out... Any suggestions on where to start? I want to do this right and any help would be appreciated.

btw I was told by my father to check the engine compression and I did but I can't find a site to tell me if the 120 psi is where it should be. Anyways he asked me to do this so that I know if I need to work on the cylinders, head, and so on. What I guess I'm trying to ask is, is it worth the extra trouble, cash, time, and danger -he tells me it raises the risk of blowing out my engine- of reboring to work on this area of my engine in the way I'm wanting?

[Polygon]

First off, I don't suggest you get another automatic as the A-604 was a garbage transmission. It will just break again. If you're going to spend the money, get the manual. Second, jump on eBay and spend about $80 on a set of shop manuals for your car. They will tell you everything you really need to know to work on that car.

I'd just tell you but I know very little about the 3.0L engine used in the LeBaron.

[Joric LeBaron]

Sad to see ya had a few bad experiences with in forums.. happens tho.. some muppets rejected from sesame street about..

I agree with Polygon.. while doing a engine rebuild is satisfyin when you get er done, and gives a sense o pride.. yer still gonna needs at least a haynes and/ or a chiltons.. The professional touch..??.. you thinkin of a rebore..?? or just a rebalancing of the crank..?? good idea.. tho a rebore might need bigger pistons.. Hmmmmmmm.. sounds like a good project

Heres another idea.. also check out ebay for the lebaron in europe.. i ferget what it was called.. but they had manual shifters some of them so you might get a good trans.. try Holland (netherlands) and belguim and germany.. and dont fret as many speak good english.. I dont remember them in UK..

Any good luck fella.. pikkies and details of the progress etc..

[madmanmapper]

Yea... guys don't you know that the 3.0L with a manual trans is a VERY rare find? Locating the transmission itself would be hard enough, let alone getting all the stuff to go with it (shifter, cables, interior parts) then you have to worry about how the car will react when it realizes that it no longer has a transmission. The very computerized nature of these cars means it would basically depend on responses from the automatic trans to run right.

Now, if you want to go all-out, and spend the money, you sound like you do, just get your A-604 rebuilt. They're just about the cheapest trans to have rebuilt. You say you want to do as much of it as you can by yourself... so do you have the time, tools, and place to work on your car by yourself? If you're equipped to remove and install the trans by yourself, why not take it out, bring it to a trans shop, and pay $500 to get it rebuilt? Also, the A-604 is not a "garbage transmission," it is merely more sensitive and wears out a little fast. But a rebuild should last you 80K miles anyway. And it shifts so smoothly you would think it has only one gear. I love my '604s, I have 2

As for the engine... well how many miles are on it? You're talking a serious project to rebore your engine. If it runs ok now, you might consider just leaving the engine in the car and taking the heads off. Then you can do a partial rebuild: head gaskets, valve job, timing belt, seals. I did that to my 3.0L Lebaron! I even made a thread with detailing instructions for it. Of course, I'm a mechanic. I'd suggest doing major (and optional) engine work like that by yourself. Unless you have a mechanic that you REALLY trust. Because if you take your car to someone you don't know and tell them to rebuild the engine, especially if the car runs fine, how do you know how much of it they will actually rebuild, if anything at all? I say, take out your trans, and while a shop is rebuilding it, do the partial rebuild on your engine. Then you can change your rear main seal too. And when you're in there, you can simply check your pistons. If they have too much play in them then you might consider having it bored slightly. If I'm not mistaken, you should be able to find the pistons and rings for a bigger bore, since it's a Mitsubishi engine and relatively common.