Replace timing chain tensioner without ripping apart timing cover?

[andriu33m]

Fummnis - It's a relief to know that the tensioner or chain may not be the issue. Thanks for your advice regarding the belt and battery too. I'm impressed of how much you managed to get from the recording!

Foama - Thanks for your advice too. I would definitely make sure to have the right oil and filter on next service.

Wallythacker - Not sure how thick that additive made the oil but I get your point. The oil and additive used were the ones on the attached pictures.

I'm checking the oil every week so I don't get any more surprises like the last service.

There is an update on this noise investigation as you can see in the pictures. Last Friday I looked under the car and I saw a oil leak from the transmission/gearbox. Seems to be coming from the passenger side driveshaft seal (UK car). I'm taking the car to a different garage to check it and get it repaired if possible next week. Meanwhile I'm trying to use the car if it's absolutely necessary, no more.

On that day I managed to record the sound it makes when I press the throttle when driving. I now wonder if it may be a coming from the transmission with that leak or it may be coming from a different part:

https://audio.com/andriu/audio/mitsu...e-rattle-noise

The noise starts at 00:08 when I press the throttle. I do that several times during the recording.

As this may not be a chain tensioner problem, would it be better to start a new thread or post it in a different one?

[Wallythacker]

Even the oil you have shown used is a fair bit thicker than spec 0-20w. Not thick enough by itself to cause issues IMO but with the thickening agent things might be dicy. Spec 0-20w pours like water (to me) yet my little motor @240,000kms still does not leak/burn/use oil. I would not bother with a new thread, things here go sideways all the time so....no sweat

[OrganicFoxes]

The only problem I have ever had with the mirage is random crap rattling. Most of the time it was something just really stupid like the radiator plastic thing that directs airflow, the intake box, plastic undertray, heat shields and exhaust hangers. I swear it's like every year I unlock a new rattling noise that takes me forever to try to find. I would not jump right to the expensive conclusions as it can just be something simple. I have had metal sounding rattles multiple times that ended up being some plastic piece that was worn down.

Example of that happening to me:
https://youtube.com/shorts/8qtCNAUg2...MQF5SCjY4Lnch1

Was told by a mechanic that it was a broken catalytic converter but ended up being the air filter box. I just put MORE tape around the resonator tube. Was pretty pissed off since that was the worst diagnosis, but to be fair it was an exhaust shop.

[foama]

@andriu33m

It is hard to tell from the audio file what that noise is. It sounds a bit like knocking. You could check if the correct spark plugs are in the car. There is a remote possibility maybe some idiot changed the plugs and put wrong ones in. Btw, the OEM plugs typically last 150 000km or more.

The oil from that plastic container is 100% fully synthetic, PAO based and carbon ester added, the best quality available anywhere. The viscosity at 5W30 is a wee bit thicker than 0W20 and better for an engine where oil level becomes lower in time. In the UK climate that is perfect for our cars. I use practically the same oil from that same brand myself!


We have a how-to describing how to easily cure intake snorkel rattle permanently! See:
https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...le-permanently


In your picture it doesn't really look like the driver side driveshaft seal were leaking. On a few (very few) the cap of the breather on the top of the manual transmission is stuck, causing a tiny amount of gearbox oil to come out and keep the gearbox oily. That cap looks a bit like a thimble, also in size, and is located on the top forward of the transmission. If you look between battery and radiator hose, and downwards from there, you can check if it is oily. The "thimble" covers the breather hole and has a spring underneath. If your push it lightly with a finger, it should give, and easily return up after. Further vertically down along the front of the transmission is the filler plug, spanner size is 24. With the filler plug undone on a car parked level., correct gearbox oil-level just reaches the bottom of the hole. Mannol also makes economically priced 75W80 / GL4 fully synthetic gearbox oil, which suits our cars perfectly.



You now need to properly and reliably find out if oil is leaking or burning, or both. From there on you can proceed further!


If that car were mine, I would grab a few old rags and wipe all perfectly clean and dry. Then keep an close eye on it and look daily where and if it becomes oily. Also regularly check dip stick level and top it up if needed.

[andriu33m]

@OrganicFoxes @foama Thanks both. Definitely I have to secure the air box and see if the noise goes away. It's a bit loosely.

When I do that I will check the spark plugs. I have checked a couple of website for the "correct" spark plugs, but I'm finding different part numbers:

1822A071
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305118381...EaAu5YEALw_wcB

1822A086
https://www.mitsubishipartsnow.com/o...bC1sMy1nYXM%3D

Maybe do you know which is the right one or if both of these are ok please? I may ask the dealer too.


I have checked the "thimble" and it looks fine, completely dry and perfectly going up when I push it.


Regarding the transmission oil leak I'm a bit confused as I have spoken with a 3 different mechanics already and they told me that it is the driveshaft seal that is leaking when the car is running as there is no drops on my driveway at all but only around the seal/shaft area. One of them even recommended replace the driveshaft and the seal. I have checked around and I can't see oil at any point above that point. As soon as I can I will do the full clean up and dry of the area and see if it still leaking from there. Here there is a video of that area:

https://youtu.be/VvnmRE1FVPQ?si=7qj1zdUiU6Wj2KYe


Also I have contacted mitsubishi dealer as I couldn't find almost any parts for this car around and I got the prices for the possible parts I may be looking for:

Front Right Driveshaft 3815A428 £427.13 special order (I also have knocking driveshaft when turning)

Front Left Driveshaft 3815A427 £518.00 special order

Front Left Shaft Seal 2502A050 £11.30 in stock

Front Right Shaft Seal 2522A278 £12.80 in stock

Front Right Outer Boot Kit 3817A210 £69.65 special order (Considering this or aftermarket if right inner joint is ok)

Gear oil Fill/Drain Plug 3713A012 £3.03 special order

Fill/Drain Plug seals 1200A277 £2.14 in stock

Gear oil £5.45per litre.


Special order can take up to 14 weeks... so hoping to not to replace the shafts.

[Fummins]

@OrganicFoxes @foama Thanks both. Definitely I have to secure the air box and see if the noise goes away. It's a bit loosely.

When I do that I will check the spark plugs. I have checked a couple of website for the "correct" spark plugs, but I'm finding different part numbers:

1822A071
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305118381...EaAu5YEALw_wcB

1822A086
https://www.mitsubishipartsnow.com/o...bC1sMy1nYXM%3D

Maybe do you know which is the right one or if both of these are ok please? I may ask the dealer too.


I have checked the "thimble" and it looks fine, completely dry and perfectly going up when I push it.


Regarding the oil leak I'm a bit confused as I have spoken with a 3 different mechanics already and they told me that it is the driveshaft seal that is leaking when the car is running as there is no drops on my driveway at all but only around the seal/shaft area. One of them even recommended replace the driveshaft and the seal. I have checked around and I can't see oil at any point above that point. As soon as I can I will do the full clean up and dry of the area and see if it still leaking from there. Here there is a video of that area:

https://youtu.be/VvnmRE1FVPQ?si=7qj1zdUiU6Wj2KYe


Also I have contacted mitsubishi dealer as I couldn't find almost any parts for this car around and I got the prices for the possible parts I may be looking for:

Front Right Driveshaft 3815A428 £427.13 special order (I also have knocking driveshaft when turning)

Front Left Driveshaft 3815A427 £518.00 special order

Front Left Shaft Seal 2502A050 £11.30 in stock

Front Right Shaft Seal 2522A278 £12.80 in stock

Front Right Outer Boot Kit 3817A210 £69.65 special order (Considering this or aftermarket if right inner joint is ok)

Gear oil Fill/Drain Plug 3713A012 £3.03 special order

Fill/Drain Plug seals 1200A277 £2.14 in stock

Gear oil £5.45per litre.


Special order can take up to 14 weeks... so hoping to not to replace the shafts.

The last picture in your post #41 looks like an axle seal/output seal leak. You have to pull the cv axle out to replace it, it'd be a good time to replace it if it's worn out. Sometimes the sealing surface of the axle will have a grove worn into it over time and will cause a new seal to leak after a short while. You can often get away with just replacing the seal but if the axle is worn down replace both. If you have the car town down anyways, the only extra expense would be the axle shaft, it's no extra labor if you're replacing the seal anyways. If that makes sense?
There's gotta be another source for axles for you. Have you tried partsouq or ebay?

[Eggman]

Regarding the oil leak I'm a bit confused as I have spoken with a 3 different mechanics already and they told me that it is the driveshaft seal that is leaking when the car is running as there is no drops on my driveway at all but only around the seal/shaft area. One of them even recommended replace the driveshaft and the seal. I have checked around and I can't see oil at any point above that point. As soon as I can I will do the full clean up and dry of the area and see if it still leaking from there.

I must have missed something. Did you say you were losing engine oil, or transmission fluid?

[foama]

Just like Eggman, I'm also confused if you have an engine oil problem as well. If oil wasn't changed for ages, and especially if oil wasn't 100% synthetic, these engines can develop elevated oil consumption due to carbon cakeing up the oil rings of the pistons. Same problem as well known with Toyota engines. Then it would be imperative to check oil level more frequently, say every time you fill up for petrol, and top it up when necessary.

As Fummins said, the oil seal around the driveshafts are cheap and easy to replace once the driveshaft has been removed. If an outer driveshaft joint were bad, make noises when turning, or the boot were bad, I would simply get an aftermarket replacement joint! That is cheap and comes complete with the boot. The maker GSP has it as article number 841423, Maker FEBEST as art.No. A410-413 Both are well reputed brands. Expect it to cost around 50 pounds plus freight.
The inner joint of the driveshaft is FEBEST article No.: 0411-A13 or GSP article 841421 Both good brands. The inner joint also includes the boot and section that touches the oil seal. No need for the entire driveshaft to be replaced. An inner joint costs around 80 UK quid.
Replacement is a simple routine job for any mechanic, no need for a special dealer. Maybe you know of a workshop where the owner works on cars himself? That would be first choice. BTW, complete driveshafts are also available as aftermarket parts at acceptable prices in excellent quality. A quick internet search for said part numbers will show you where it is available in the UK.

The prices for parts as you mentioned in previous post are red-light brothel prices, never would I buy parts at such inflated prices! Do an internet search and save pounds.


When taking out a driveshaft, the gearbox oil has to be drained first. If it still has the original oil, it would be best to replace it. Mannol makes the correct sort as their art.no. 8109. It is 100% synthetic, GL-4 75W80, maybe up to 7 quid a litre, need is two 1L bottles. A new aluminium gasket (a washer) under the drain and fill bolts should be used.


FYI: Purpose of the "thimble" is, it is a spring-loaded cover for the breather. You confirmed it is OK, because upon release after pushing it goes back up. If it didn't go back up the breather would be blocked, and gearboxoil would inevitably be pressed out of the seals.

[Fummins]

There's one Mirage here that I filled with 15w40 for it's latest oil change. It was pretty clacky(piston slap). I planned to replace the engine but after seeing how the 524k engine looked inside I'm in zero rush to replace anymore unless they have something else going on.

Update on this car:
Car just showed up here for an oil change. It sounds completely different now. It still has a hint of clack but nothing like before. I took it for a drive around the block and the clack/knock under load is hardly noticeable now. I guess before changing engines going forward I'll give molasses(15w40) a try.

I did run a bit of snake oil(combustion chamber/top end cleaner and fuel treatment stuff made for direct injection engines) in it before dumping in the 15w40 iirc but when it left here a month ago it was still pretty loud/clacky.
I think I'll dump some more 15w40 back in it this go around too.

[7milesout]

Try my personal favorite, Valvoline Premium Blue 15W-40. It's not synthetic though. Been running it on the old blue Dodge since birth and now run it in the ole Scamper. Mighty good stuff, and tastes good too!