Basketcase
Figured I'd make a spot to document this abused and neglected Mirage that I recently picked up. It's very sad.
Got it inside and started taking it apart to figure out what the heck happened. It was sold to me with a diagnosed dead transmission. I found out that it would still move if you put it into a gear and then started it... seemed like the clutch wouldn't release so it didn't like to shift unless you matched up the RPM's pretty good like a dang ol semi truck. Made some AWFUL noises, too. Did some reading here and it seemed like it might be the clutch disc snapped a spring from the symptoms other's have had. I know the car wasn't treated very nicely... as the next picture will show how it was advertised.
Fortunately the outside wasn't covered in slop when I picked it up! Poor car.
Well, that's why the A/C is dead. The accident damage from hitting animals bent the lower radiator support back some and it cut the line. Sadly, this isn't the cheap line you can actually get online... it's the expensive one you have to get from Mitsubishi. Gotta keep an eye out for a used one in good shape.
Yummy delicious clutch fuzz!
Got the transmission out. Was pretty easy... I was pleasantly surprised. Now, getting it back in myself will probably be a nightmare but maybe I can have someone give me a hand with that. The driver side axle seal was leaking so I ordered some that should work for it.
I circled what I found to make it easier to see. But yes, that's a spring jammed in between the clutch disc and the pressure plate. It still holds just fine and doesn't slip but they really don't like getting beat on. I'd bet money when the car went mudding is when the clutch really took a beating and went towards the end of it's life. New clutch is on the way!
At any rate, it does... well... did start and move. For $400, it was damn cheap. I got it from the second owner with 82,000 miles on it. He got it with 13K and it somehow avoided getting totaled out after mowing down a deer, coyote, and various other woodland critters that like to run out in the middle of the night in rural Illinois.
The plans for it? Well, I'm selling off a bunch of stuff including my turbo Voyager and my turd Malibu Maxx... my two current grunge carrying vehicles. Figured this is a perfect vehicle to modify into a "micro" van for junkyard runs and parts gathering. Greasy nasty old engine or transmission will love riding in this thing. The plan is to take out the rear seats, cage it up to keep the glass and myself safe, and make some sort of good flat platform inside it for moving cargo. I'd love to figure out how to make a really strong slide out cargo floor to make using a hoist easy for loading and unloading engines or transmissions but that might cut into the cargo room a bit too much since the cargo floor goes down pretty far from the hatch opening. At any rate, suggestions welcome to make this thing the best little cargo carrier it can be and also, please keep a lookout for an a/c hose for it... I'll die in the summer without the air conditioning.
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Speck
Originally Posted by Eggman
"Global Small" Concept
Even Fancier Metro (Mirage #2)
Fancy Metro (Mirage #1)
Loaner #1 from Mitsubishi
Loaner #2 from Mitsubishi
Mirage #3: Appliance Car
dspace9
