To Fix, to die part 2: Ecliptic Boogaloo

1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX (AWD), 172K miles.

The clutch is completely gone. It doesn't matter what gear I put it into or how many revs I give it, the car won't budge an inch. To add insult to injury, when the tow driver winched the DSM onto the flatbed, one of the hooks took out a big chunk of rusty metal.

I've already spent a lot more than the car is worth trying to fix the numerous oil and coolant leaks caused by the tin worm. While a new clutch is not that expensive, replacing a clutch on an AWD Eclipse is labor-intensive even before considering the entire undercarriage is made of rust at this point, and I don't have the time or space at home to do it myself.

The Eclipse is sitting at a shop, awaiting my decision. Winter's almost over, so I've taken the Mustang out of hibernation and should be OK barring any more freak blizzards. Besides the clutch there is still a minor coolant leak thanks to a dying radiator and the fuel lines are also rotting away.

WWGRM do? Fix, or sell for parts/scrap?

I say drop it. If the rust is as bad as you say, it's not worth saving.

Fix the clutch with one from Autozone and keep driving it or sell it. Its a 3-4 hour job max to swap the clutch on a 1G AWD, figure another half hour if it has ABS.

Basically, from the top... Upper intercooler pipe
MAF and intake pipe to turbo
battery
shifter cables
shifter bracket
speedo cable
reverse switch and wiring
starter
dist shield bolt behind turbo
top 2 trans bolts.
Trans mount to trans bolts.

From the bottom... Crossmember under transmission
triangular crossmember by passenger side axle.
Drivers side axle bracket
Small dust cover on clutch
Transfer case
Bottom 2 trans bolts (one is "reversed", threads in from engine side Clutch slave cylinder.

From passenger side wheelwell.... Wheel Pop off 4 rubber plugs and remove transmission mount.
Lower ball joint.
Pop axle free from trans (use a chisel) and swing out of the way

From drivers side wheelwell.... Wheel
Lower ball joint.
Pull axle out of trans (retained by bracket removed earlier)

Then the trans basically falls out. Of course, paying a shop to do this would be muuuurrrda!

Make an awd turbo buggy like this: http://jalopnik.com/5781657/from-eagle-talon-to-dune-buggy-in-many-steps

I'd move on. After 12 years in the UK, I'm allergic to rust.

Ehh I'd part it. 93 with a stock 7 bolt motor? Do you have a 4 bolt rear?

Or

Autozone clutch and rallycross beater

PIctures would help.

A car that can't be driven isn't worth much, I'm sure you could sell it for more than enough to cover putting in a clutch yourself.

Rust that bad=get rid of. That is if it's feasible and you have the money to get something else.

Here's some photos from when I first bought it. Note the black tape rust "repairs."

The Eclipse had to be winched onto the flatbed backwards. The tow driver attached the hooks underneath the front of the rear wheel arches, and it was from the driver's side wheel arch the rust got knocked from. I will try to post up some undercarriage pictures early tomorrow when I get home (I don't have access to photo hosting sites at work).

Part and scrap. Btw, best thread title EVAAAR!!!

Sell to some teenage kid for $500?

haha....how's the gearbox? my friend got a galant VR-4 that might need one soooner than later...

Iffy. You can't shift it too quickly without grinding, though that might be because of the clutch. Takes a little jimmying to stick into reverse when cold. It's fine if you don't beat on it.

I'd definitely change the gear fluid with something decent like Motul 75W-90. Same for the transfer case and VLSD rear end, use Red Line Severe Gear (the rear end seal and fluid were changed recently, but I don't know what fluid was used).

Cut your losses and leave it?

I have a low tolerance for working on things with non-functional fasteners (rusted bolts). So, i would ditch it.

Ditch.

I read the thread title as "Epileptic Boogaloo". My first thought was "Wow, a dance I might actually be able to do."

If it's not worth the cost of the rust repairs and the difficulty of clutch replacement to you, then sell it. Somebody out there is probably willing to fix up an Eclipse that they were going to fully tear down & build anyway.

For me, that'd have to be an ultra rare edition car or have extreme sentimental value to fix. I'd do whatever was the most simple/economical thing to part with it.

Could you find a cheap 2WD base model without any rust & swap your turbo AWD running gear into it?

M030 wrote: Could you find a cheap 2WD base model without any rust & swap your turbo AWD running gear into it?

This is a great idea if the car has sentimental value to you. Does it, or is it just a car?

M030 wrote: Could you find a cheap 2WD base model without any rust & swap your turbo AWD running gear into it?

Not that simple considering the tunnel and rear of the cars are completely different. If he is debating a clutch install I doubt that is on his radar.

Sky_Render wrote:

M030 wrote: Could you find a cheap 2WD base model without any rust & swap your turbo AWD running gear into it?

This is a great idea if the car has sentimental value to you. Does it, or is it just a car?

It's just a car.... he started a thread a few months back saying he picked up a new winter beater. This is the winter beater.

Swank Force One wrote:

Sky_Render wrote:

M030 wrote: Could you find a cheap 2WD base model without any rust & swap your turbo AWD running gear into it?

This is a great idea if the car has sentimental value to you. Does it, or is it just a car?

It's just a car.... he started a thread a few months back saying he picked up a new winter beater. This is the winter beater.

Berk it. Sell the car.

petegossett wrote: I read the thread title as "Epileptic Boogaloo". My first thought was "Wow, a dance I might *actually be able to do*."

You should check out krumping