What did you do to your Mirage today?

[7milesout]

Changed the daggone oil (again) last night. 2,235 miles. This is the 4th batch of new oil in the engine. Going to do it 1 last time at 5,000 miles. From that point on, I will stick to the maintenance intervals spec's on the LCD screen.

The oil was darker than I figured it would be. No problems, just darker than I suspected. Oh and it went MUCH better to pull the filter off from the top (quicker / easier). Quicker because I used a 2nd drain bucket under the filter and did that while the sump drained. Thanks for those suggestions from this thread earlier ... I pay attention and listen to good advice!

I had to take my shirt off due to the girth of my arm reaching down to the filter between the engine and radiator. Sharp edges would have ripped my sleeve. The oil change went well until I was topping off the level, and the funnel slipped out the fill hole and dumped a couple ounces. It all mostly spilt down behind the headlight, in front of the service belt area on the under body plastic cover. So not a huge problem, just more reaching down and wiping up as much as I could.

The "filter access" position is, using my left arm, putting my head near the intake tube and snaking my arm down around the radiator hose to get my hand on the filter (for any future readers doing this for themselves). I did have to break it loose with a wrench and cap. It was not easy to find the stud to thread the new filter back on (higher than expected), but after this iteration, I think I could get the next filter started quick and easy.

[inuvik]

Changed the daggone oil (again) last night. 2,235 miles. This is the 4th batch of new oil in the engine. Going to do it 1 last time at 5,000 miles. From that point on, I will stick to the maintenance intervals spec's on the LCD screen.

The oil was darker than I figured it would be. No problems, just darker than I suspected. Oh and it went MUCH better to pull the filter off from the top (quicker / easier). Quicker because I used a 2nd drain bucket under the filter and did that while the sump drained. Thanks for those suggestions from this thread earlier ... I pay attention and listen to good advice!

I had to take my shirt off due to the girth of my arm reaching down to the filter between the engine and radiator. Sharp edges would have ripped my sleeve. The oil change went well until I was topping off the level, and the funnel slipped out the fill hole and dumped a couple ounces. It all mostly spilt down behind the headlight, in front of the service belt area on the under body plastic cover. So not a huge problem, just more reaching down and wiping up as much as I could.

The "filter access" position is, using my left arm, putting my head near the intake tube and snaking my arm down around the radiator hose to get my hand on the filter (for any future readers doing this for themselves). I did have to break it loose with a wrench and cap. It was not easy to find the stud to thread the new filter back on (higher than expected), but after this iteration, I think I could get the next filter started quick and easy.

Use a Baldwin B1431 next time. It's a longer filter than the OEM. No clearance issues but it makes it very easy to access for oil changes. I use this filter on both my Mirage and Outlander Sport.

[7milesout]

I will certainly look into that. Mo' longuh = Mo' filtuh. In theory cleaner oil. Thanks.

[18slcmirage]

CVT Drain and filled
1st@35000
2nd@36000 miles
3qt out and then 3qt in

Thanks to jimmy409

https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...ion-Oil-Change

Fluid looks much clearer

Idk if these blacks are bad but it was almost black before the first fill...any thoughts are appreciated.

[Dirk Diggler]

CVT Drain and filled
1st@35000
2nd@36000 miles
3qt out and then 3qt in

Thanks to jimmy409

https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...ion-Oil-Change

Fluid looks much clearer

Idk if these blacks are bad but it was almost black before the first fill...any thoughts are appreciated.

Uh I'd Fummins to comment on that man. I've never seen shavings like that on the paper towel after checking the dipstick. If it is metal shavings.

[Fummins]

That picture looks blury to me. If the fluid is black I'd drop the oil pan and have a look for metal rather than pulling the plug and refilling over and over.
From my experience, if you have black fluid you usually have a problem and it won't last much longer. Hopefully that's not the case with yours!

The 2017 I have on the hoist has had the fluid changed fairly regularly, I'm sure it's driven like a rented mule as the cvt fluid always seemed to be darker than the others and changed more often. I last changed the fluid in this car about a month ago and it's totally screwed now. Keep receipts or some kind of proof of your fluid changes. Do what you can to keep warranty from being void. Unless you can replace it yourself.

[PityOnU]

Finally got around to assembling and installing the OEM roof rack this weekend. Apparently, it's made by Thule with just the Mitsubishi logo slapped on it, so the $200-something Mitsubishi is asking for it actually isn't that bad.



The installation instructions it comes with are pretty crap, though. The standard Mitsubishi "no words, only pictures" deal. Need to play "Where's Waldo?" in each comic panel in order to find all the information you need.

Tips for anyone following me:

1. Positioning the rack bars on the car is actually super easy - open the doors and look at the inside of the door sill. There are small indents marking the mount points. I only realized this after sliding the two rack bars back and forth on the roof for about half an hour. (It doesn't mention this in the instructions.)
2. Pay attention to the part numbers and their locations in the comic panel showing the clamps and rubber feet - each specific corner needs a specific part.
3. The instructions have you put what is essentially a phone screen protector on the roof and doors of your car where the clamps would otherwise rub and scratch. These end up looking terrible, so don't do that. Instead, take your time, cut the plastic pieces to size, and then wrap them around the clamp itself. Then your car is protected, no longer where you mount the bars. It also won't looks like crap when you don't have them attached.

I also got to try out my Curt hitch with a fancy bike rack I got over Black Friday.



Held the bike well, but I am concerned about scratching the hell out of my hitch and then having it look rusty and terrible. I know the truck boys out there will say "Duh, it's a hitch, it's supposed to be scratched and rusty. It means you're a man with hairy chest that actually uses it." Well, Piddles is not a 1993 Chevy Silverado, I actually put a lot of effort into keeping it clean and shiny, and I don't really want it looking like it's been beat to hell on a farm for the past 25 years.

I ended up coating the bike rack "tube" with a layer of Plasti-Dip to try and stop scratching. Did the same with the locking pin. Both of those coatings only ended up lasting one use, however, and the bike rack is pretty wobbly without one of those stabilizer clamps. Recoated with two layers of Plasti-Dip and will keep an eye on it next time I go out. Scratching may end up being unavoidable.

[Fummins]

I installed a hitch on the wifes sorrento this summer. Before bolting it on I gave it a few coats of spray on box liner. I've yet to tow anything with it and may never bother but it shouldn't rust as fast. If I put a hitch on the Mirage I'd do the same thing. I wouldn't making anything look nice with my truck, it's rusty and dented and I treat it like crap. I don't even know where the tailgate is.

[7milesout]

I wouldn't making anything look nice with my truck, it's rusty and dented and I treat it like crap. I don't even know where the tailgate is.

Heresy...

[Fummins]

Heresy...

Come on now, use your words....