Mitsu Montero 3.5L nightmare

[7-UP BILL]

Just letting you know that the timing belt?! (not chain, on a V-6) has to be replaced @ 60K mileage. Dealer said $550. Also to change spark plugs (100,000 miles) the upper intake has to be removed. Anybody want to buy a 2002 w/ 50k on it. Great shape- never been hit.

 

[Darkwriter77]

Is the motor transverse-mounted in a Montero (a-la most FWD cars)? If not, then changing out the timing belt shouldn't be too difficult to do, yourself. Don't pay some jaggov half a grand to do what you can do, yourself, in probably half the time. Grab a Chilton's manual for it, a basic tool set, and have at it.

If the motor IS mounted in there sideways, where you've got like 6" or less worth of room to deal with it ... meh. I've done it before on a '94 Probe GT, and even though I did it successfully, I hope to heck I never have to do one of those evil bastards again. What a PITA. Trying to get both cams to line up (and STAY lined up) with their timing marks and having the crank one notch ahead was enough of a pain, but doing all that crap with only like 4" of space between the front of the motor and the frame rail was just

 

[tomustang]

Most timing belt cars need to have the belts replaced at 60K miles, I don't see the problem

 

[Darkwriter77]

I see the problem: they're a PITA to change out.

 

[Jenns01TA]

I see the problem as well. Here is a double funny - try performing a timing belt change on an Audi. I know a guy who needed to do that and he found out it was easier to just buy a new vehicle.

 

[chromedog]

i just had a montero in to paint the nose... i did notice what a PIA the plugs were. that sux! fyi, the engine is mounted conventionally,but i didnt pay any attention to the timing cover.

 

[Dragstr05]

Just letting you know that the timing belt?! (not chain, on a V-6) has to be replaced @ 60K mileage. Dealer said $550. Also to change spark plugs (100,000 miles) the upper intake has to be removed. Anybody want to buy a 2002 w/ 50k on it. Great shape- never been hit.

Thats all relatively easy, but can be a PITA if its your first time. Pulling the intake off is quite easy, just time consuming. Hardest part is on the driver side when you start messing with the EGR tube and intake brackets.

Timing belt...replace at 60k. I saw too many roll into the Mitsu dealer I worked at with a trashed motor cause the belt wasnt replaced. On another note, I never saw one break under 100k, but I'd still replace it.

 

[strtrcr50]

Be careful. Quite a few mitsu motors have interference valves. Check that you are lined up and then crank over the motor with a breaker bar. If you are off, the valves will hit the pistons. IIRC, the upper intake has a reusable metal gasket.(At least the older ones do.) Don't even have to take off the vaccuum lines. Also, mitsu's hydraulic tensioners are garbage and don't like to be pressed back in. I would recommend replacing the tensioner, seals, and waterpump while doing the belt. I quit being a mitsu tech in 99, so i could be off on the above.