Newbie from London UK
I have recently bought an io that has a few issues and I came across this forum so I decided to join and tag along! I have spent several evenings googling about this car trying to find part numbers and resolve issues and I regularly end up finding what I need from this forum. 
The car is a 1999 5 door 1800 SOHC automatic that started its life in Dubai. The owner brought it to the UK and put it in storage where it has been for the past 10/11 years! The owner stopped paying for storage a while ago (racking up a large bill) and the storage facility eventually disovered the owner had emigrated. It was put up for sale to recoup lost revenue and it is now mine! I plan to get it in good shape and then drive it out to Mallorca where it will live out the rest of its life.
Upsides:- It has never has paintwork, interior is (apart from dusty) in very good condition and it has only done 66,500 kms!
Downsides:- Apart from a car and one key there was no paperwork at all. Duty and taxes had never been paid and therefore is has never been registered in the UK. I won't bore you with the details but apart from the financial pill to swallow registering a used vehicle in the UK with only a chassis number and no history at all is a right royal headache! One of the rear shocks was damaged (due to being shifted about with a fork lift!), Oil pressure switch is not working, exhaust flexi section is leaking, centre pipe leaking, rear box cracked at weld point, spare wheel cover missing, massive battery leak damage (suspect storage facility put it on charge for several days and it boiled over stripping alot of paint and burning a massive hole in the carbon canister!), has a very bad rough idle and the A/C has no gas.
So far it has had an oil and filter service with Shell Helix 10w/40, new air filter (ordered from Japan), new drive belts, new spark plugs, fresh coolant, brakes bled, new rear KYB shocks, fuel tank drained, fuel filter, wheel balancing and alignment.
With regards to the rough idle it has had the old stale fuel drained, new fuel filter, and has done 70 motorway miles with fresh fuel mixed with quality injector cleaner and it is still shaking at idle. The carbon canister has been removed while I wait for the new one from Japan but I have temporarily bunged up the vacuum hose that feeds it and the new oil pressure switch has not been fitted yet but I do not suspect either of these two things to be the cause. I did notice when replacing the fuel filter that there was alot of yellow/brown grime on the fuel pump casing (which I cleaned off). I suspect this to be Arabian dust! Another area I am keen to investigate is the injectors. My theory is that very old fuel and sand dust may have made it through the filter and has clogged up the injectors. I know somewhere I can send them to be ultrasonically cleaned and flow tested that does not cost too much. If anyone has any bright ideas or sensible suggestions, I am listening. 
Anyway here are a few pics so far......
The day we picked it up
After a light clean inside and out
Battery damage!
After rust treated, primed and painted
Manky fuel pump!
Thanks for the reply and the
Thanks for the reply and the welcome.
I plan on spending my Saturday today tinkering with the car. I will disconnect the battery again for half an hour, re-connect, start and let it idle for a while......thanks. I have welded up the leak on the centre pipe and the crack on the rear box but there is still a slight blow from the front of the flexi section. This car has no Lambda or catalyst as standard (wierd!). Normally if it did have a Lambda I would be inclined to suspect the blow to be a culprit but as this car does not have one I am not convinced - don't know if anyone else has a different take on this??
I have ordered a new timing belt (again has to come from Japan!!). I have not ordered the tensioner as is is expensive and it is manually adjustable. If I think it needs changing when I fit the belt I will have to order one. Do you happen to know what the tension should be set at?
Cheers,
Guy
Lambda
I haven't heard of an io without the oxygen sensor, since you have no cat on the exhaust too.....2 choices, it is normal or it isn't. I don't think that it is normal ! but you never know. Strange !
Have you try ebay.uk for parts ? it might be cheaper than ordering from Japan. Where do you order from Japan (maybe I could do the same if price are good !). I used Amayama a few time from there that it all.
Happy io
I agree it is strange but the
I agree it is strange but the exhust is original genuine Mitsubishi and I cannot see an oxygen sensor fitted. Maybe they have very relaxed emmisions control in Dubai?? It would not surprise me as the fuel costs very little and many people there drive big engine auatomatic vehicles.
I have tried ebay (in fact I have seached through google as best I can) for parts but this car is different to all the parts I find. Eg. I accidentally cut a steering rack boot with a pressure hose.....woops! I called the main dealer where I have had to source parts from and even this simple item is different to a European Shogun Pinin! The oil pressure switch is the same but the air filter is different and where the catalyst is supposed to be I have a small silencer box. A catalyst for a Pinin is 475/480mm flange to flange in length but this box I have is 380mm?? I need a down pipe as well as the flexi section is blowing so I have ordered a don pipe and catalyst on ebay for a Pinin. I just hope they pair up wth the centre section and I don't hve to have it cut and welded to fit!
Question: is there supposed to be a cover/stone shield for the steering rack gaitor on the battery side of the car (sorry I don't know if you call that "near side" or "off side" on a left hand drive vehicle)? There is one on the air box side.
Thanks DAVEJHB..........at
Thanks DAVEJHB..........at leat I now know it is not too much of an odd ball! 
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Removed the vent on the scuttle panel today and discovered how poorly protected the interior fan is. Those are leaves around the edge at the bottom!
Also discovered a pile of leaves and sand at the other end of the panel.
This is a car without a cabin filter either!
Does your car have a "full width" vent grille?
I went and took a closer look at my car, because I've had that plastic grille out (sprayed it with a textured matt black) and I didn't see anything like your pictures show. My car is RHD, so thinks like the A/C are the reverse of your LHD and it only has a "half width" vent grille - I used a borescope and I can see the coaming around the intake, but not much more - I'll take a closer look on the week end.
Sent the injectors away to be
Sent the injectors away to be ultrasonically cleaned and flow tested. Three were fine but one is 20% down and I have been told that will cause the lumpy idle. Apparently (so I am told) it will be affecting the power higher up as well but as the revs are higher it is not noticable and tricks you into thinking all is ok at above idle. Ordered a new injector from the main dealer and should have it in a couple of days. That and the other parts ordered as well (carbon canister, scuttle panel rubber strip and 2 x steering rack gaitors).
I have bought a European spec down pipe (mine is leaking at the flexi joint), cap for the lambda socket and a catalyst. I am hoping they mate up with the centre section, if they don't then I will have to do some cutting andd welding!
Injectors in again
Three cleaned and tested working injectors and one new injector fitted today with new seals. New carbon canister fitted and throttle body cleaned.
Idle has improved but is still lumpy.......worse when being held in gear (automatic). Idle revs have increased from around 750 to 950 as well.
Down pipe still to be replaced due to a tiny leak from the flexi section but I cannot believe this is the problem.
Any bright ideas folks? I'm running out of hair to scratch!
Zorst now sorted
New down pipe fitted and a catalyst for the first time ever!
Had to chop about 3" off the pipe after the cat so it all fitted up. Slight over kill with the exhaust gum!
Still can't figure out this lumpy idle. Going to do a reset tomorrow and adjust the idle speed after it has gone up to 1,000 - 1,100 after cleaning the throttle body.
No joy after adjusting the
No joy after adjusting the idle and a reset.
I was chatting to friend today about this and he has a theory. One of the injectors was running 20% below optimal and we have no idea how long it had been like that. Assuming it was a while it is possible that cylinder has been running a little lean and may have burnt out a valve. That valve may now not be sealing properly and causing the lumpy idle. I am going to borrow a compression testing kit tomorrow to get a better idea.
I came across an iO 2000mod
I came across an iO 2000mod at the wreckers recently and the head was off it and lying in the back of car and it had a burnt out valve on it, It had a blown valve on either no2 or no3 cylinder so yeh you will know after a compression test for sure. I just hope for your sake you haven't got any blown. Good Luck.
compression result
Did a compression test this morning. All plugs looked good except the cylinder at the back by the bulkhead which was all sooty!
Starting from the front working to the back the results are as follows. 140, 135, 130, zero!!
I suspect it has burt an exhaust valve out so I am going to get the head off and have a look.
Sometimes you think you have bought a good cheap car and then it shits on your head! lol
Love that Bob_oz
Love that Bob_oz
What a funny chap...........ended up watching the following several episodes. As great and old school his methods are I won't be putting them into practice, especially with a modern aluminium engine!
Anyway the head is due to come off on Thursday and I will try and remember to take some pics.
believe this?!!!
Ok so after checking the valve clearances and discovering them all close to factory tolerance we took the head off (shearing two down pipe studs grrr). First we removed and reseated all the exhaust valves. Then turned the head upside down and filled each chamber with brake cleaner to see if the valves were sealing. We did the suspected faulty chamber first and the brake cleaner pissed out of the inlet! After removing the two inlet valves we discovered one of them was bent!! The question I have is how the **** do you bend an inlet valve when the cambelt was in the correct position (had not jumped a tooth) and when dismantling it all it was clear all the bolts accessing the cambelt had never been off before??? There is also no sign of it hitting the piston either!!
I give you the leaning tower of Pisa!
Ordered another valve through a Mitsubishi main dealer - been told it may take a week or two.
On another note I now know where the engine number is stamped. For those of you who want to know, it is at the back of the engine where the block joins the gearbox next to the up pipe and exhaust manifold flange.
Attempted reassembly today.
Attempted reassembly today. New valve in and seated, then thought I would take the rest of the inlet valves out to clean off any carbon and check them over. One was tight and awkward to get out. Twisted it in its seat and it did not spin an even circle.....oh dear! Rolled it on a bench and spun it in a drill etc and it is definitely bent. Not nearly as bad as the other one was as it was still holding compression but bent for sure............damn it!!!
Head has been cleaned and all valves checked. Ordered another inlet valve from Mitsubishi (that's another two weeks or more from Japan!). Its not been easy this one!
We also noticed (in much better light today) that the valves have been numbered using an engraver. Shame we did not spot this a month ago. This now leads me to think that this engine has had a cambelt snap and the idiot mechanic has not checked the valves properly. He must have been a complete moron as one of the cylinders had zero compression with a two millimetre gap between the valve and its seat on one side! So much for me thinking this engine had never had its head off!!
It's alive!
It's alive!
All back together, had a bit of a headache setting the valve tolerences (had to set them with a cold engine) but it runs well.......if I a being petty they could do with being checked again but to a layman they wouldn't know. Done 75 miles home and it feels great.
One thing I going to have to investigate is a really annoying speed warning dong that comes in above 120kph.......driving me nuts!!
There was one thing we could not remember where it went as it has been many weeks since we took it all apart! Pic below and brownie points to anyone who knows where it goes! 
bracket + works
Cheers Bob-Oz
Yesterday had the A/C re-gassed and had the bacteria cleaner stuff shoved up the drain at the same time (don't know who owned this car before me!). Technician said there was 0% gas in the system......why does that not surprise me with this car?!! Anyway it is still working so hopefully there are no leaks - condensor and pipes look pretty good anyway.
Today I drained the PAS fluid from the lower hose and pumped out as much as I could without running it too dry for long. Fluid looked like new surprisingly!
Drained the transmission fluid by removing the short pipe, allowing all the fluid to pump out and then draining the leftovers from the sump. Fluid was dark brown but has now been replaced with some cheap Carlube dextron II. I will do another flush in a month or so with better quality fluid after the cheap stuff has done some cleaning.
Drained the coolant again so now should be nearly all new in there.
valve clearances done
Adjusted the valve clearances this morning with a hot engine........so quiet now.
Only thing niggling me now is a noisy A/C compressor. Too expensive to sort out and I have just re-gassed it.......shall wait until it dies probably before changing it!
ac compressor bearings
yeah if it's noisy when the AC is on it's the compressor - if it's noisy when off it's the clutch bearings and fixed easily.
hunt down a spare compressor from a wreckers and then just wait til winter and swap - it's about $150AUD to get a re-gas here - easy to swap compressors and lines over
works update
Thanks again Bob - yep it sounds like a fridge with a dying compressor growling away. I'll run it for the next few months before deciding what to do. If anyone knows the part number that would be very helpful.
Update on recent works:-
Replaced rear diff, front diff and free wheel clutch fluid with Millers Hypoid 80W90 GL5. Usual black swarf on the front and rear plugs but nothing nasty - rear diff fluid was the worst at a slightly light brown so not that bad. Good peace of mind anyway to know it has fresh fluid in them.
Drain some more ATF from the gearbox. It is still coming out a redish brown so will do another big drain and flush before the winter.
Fitted locking wheel nuts - to the spare as well (it had none!)
Removed the rear bumper and the support brackets. Treated the brackets, primed, painted, a layer of stone chip shield and some Hamerite waxoyle (bit overkill but this car will eventually spend its days by the sea).
Fitted some new Heko wind deflectors. Have deflectors as standard on my '96 Legacy GTB and really like them so at £30 for a set of these Polish Heko ones I am happy.
Removed the factory radio/cassette and dropped a JVC (bluetooth & USB) unit in there. Been driving around London without hands free phone and its a bit tricky! Speakers are next on the list, got one set of Pioneer TS-A1723i 3 ways, just need another set. Oddly I have discovered when I use the fader and select front or back it does the opposite, like select only front and the rears are audible and vise versa! I have a standard patch/audioleads adaptor so no wire chopping done. Looks like I might have to re-pin them!
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Need to investigate a slight knock when front wheels come into contact with speed bumps. Maybe ARB bushes, drop links or strut bar cushions........hopefully not the struts!
As Claude says.........Happy IO
Update - front suspension
Update -
Replaced the front struts (part number MR455401) with KYB 334813. Had a proper result on ebay, some bloke had a brand new set unused and they were mine for only £80! The old struts were leaking and were so shot that if you pressed the damper into the strut it would not come back out on its own! Also replaced the bump stops as they had torn in half.
Whilst in there I replaced the drop links (these were ok but the rubber was badly perished), anti roll bar bushes (again not too bad but were quite hard and slightly perished) and the track rod ends (both had split seals).
Fixed a braking issue where the car was braking better on one corner than the other - turned out to be a siezed slider which got cleaned up a greased and now works perfectly.
I also went a bit mental with some Hammerite stone chip shield and black waxoyl along the inner sills before they scatter salt over the roads this winter!
Pics -
Leaky strut
Torn off bump stop top
New strut in
Free wheel clutch oil change
Hi @GuyG,
Next week I'm booked to change the oil in the engine , gear and transfer box, diffs and... free wheel clutch. How do you replace those 100-120ml?
When I've discussed with the mechanics from Mitsubishi dealer!!! in Elmers End they've said they never replaced the oil in this mechanism, therefore they were confusing it with the vacuum actuator. I thought I'll go crazy, honestly.
So, please tell me how can I change the oil in this mechanism. Any photos or video on youtube or something else? To be honest I didn't find any help in this matter.
Thank you 
Very simple, the drain plug
Very simple, the drain plug is under the clutch housing and the refil plug is on the front side (slightly awkward to access IIRC). I used a basic pump bottle like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Transmission-Gearbox-Oil-Brake-Fluid-Hand-Pump-Top-Up-Awkward-Area-1L-/361254153368?hash=item541c6cec98:g:nbMAAOSwd0BV1z2P
Make sure you use the correct oil. Same stuff for free wheel clutch, front and rear diffs - Transfer box uses a different oil.
Syndicate
.
Whoa 10 years in storage ! The cleaning gave it a new life !
Have you try to disconnect the battery and do the procedure to reconnect it or let it idle for 10/15 min. The fact that it hasn't run for that long could bring some unusual problem
Before driving it again, I would check the timing belt, they can perished in these condition. You should be able do that by just removing the top cover...
Welcome to the forum.
Happy io
My io is now SOLD Thankshttp://pajerio.com/forum/claudes-io-2002-zr-built-thread-onlyhappy-io