Number 1 daughter bought a 2007 Mitsubishi eclipse, knowing full well how I feel about Jap crap. I told her when she bought this piece of **** that I wouldn’t work on it. You can see where this is going.

Last month, she asked if I would “assist” her and her boyfriend in putting a timing belt on it. I reminded her I don’t mess with brand “X” crap. She says she knows, she just wants someone to “supervise”. 🙄. Reluctantly, I agree. However, when they both show up in decent clothes I can already tell how this is going to go.

To make a long story short, I bent valves. Once again, I reluctantly agree to pull the head. Maybe it’s my prejudice showing, but the people who say imports are so much easier to work on than domestic cars are flat out nuts!!! Got the head repaired, and reinstalled. I thought I was in the home stretch.

Drained the oil, while the oil was draining I stated to refill the cooling system. All of a sudden, I hear coolant running out of the oil pan and into the oil drain pan!!! WTF????

Im pissed. I’m confused. My blood pressure is thru the roof!

My question: is anyone in readerland familiar with these engines? Anyone familiar enough to know what I might have screwed up? Are there different “families” the 2.4 Mitsubishi engine? Any chance I installed the wrong gasket?? It’s a felpro headset, new head bolts, head was surfaced, the install seemed to go fairly smoothly. How could coolant be getting into the crankcase as fast as I pour it in??

 

Its rare but sometimes when the piston hits a valve it'll **** the piston enough to crack the cylinder wall.

 

I bent the valves due to ignorance.

Since I’m not familiar with these cars, I started by rotating the engine until all the timing marks lined up. Keep in mind, the engine was running fine at this point. Once everything was line uup, I removed the belt, reinstalled the new belt, and installed the new tensioner.

Before reinstalling everything, I wanted to make sure all was well. I stated the engine, it started immediately and sounded good, for about 10 seconds. I didn’t know the crank clogged gear (the gear the timing belt rides on) is a slip fit. With no crank pulley, there is nothing to hold it in position. While it was running it walked forward enough to come off the keyway, engine no longer in time, bent a few valves.

There are very light witness marks on the top of the piston from valve contact. What’s interesting is there are witness marks on other pistons, cylinders that didn’t bend valves. Apparently, this isn’t the first time the head has been off.

 

I'm just offering up my own experience. Having seen a tech burned by this once before I always thoroughly inspect all the cylinders for cracks when there is piston to valve contact.

You could have put the gasket on upside-down, but I'm doubtful it would have fit inverted. Not to mention this isn't an open galley engine, there isn't much of a path for the coolant to get into the crankcase.

 

I’m pissed, but not so pissed to forget to express my appreciation for the assistance.

I agree, the gasket can’t be installed upside down. I know that because the first time I set the gasket on the block I did put it on wrong. The alignment sleeves are bigger than the holes on the opposite side of the head, it won’t fit incorrectly.

 

You could pull the plugs and rotate it. You might see one spray out some coolant. Either way you're next step is to pull the head. Trust me, I feel your pain here.

 

Just make sure her inheritance is diverted to the RE Olds Transportation Museum.