Mitsubishi Evo V and previous car history
Discussion
I had phoned about for quotes to get my sump gasket leak sorted, BMW wanted £1200 and indy's best was around £500. its a labour intensive job (subframe off)
Decided that i could do the job myself if i could get the spare time. With a work shutdown coming up (end of may) the wife said she could keep the kids busy if i wanted to attempt it.
GAME ON!
Parts were ordered from Leicester Sytner from a nice bloke on the facebook owners club, new aluminium one use bolts, gasket and 7 litres of millers from Opie oils.
I gave myself 2 days to complete, as we know best laid plans and all that.
Day One
First job, jack up your car...i got it as high as my halfords axle stands would allow, this job would have been a million times easier with a ramp or even a pit!
These F8x generation cars have a lot of underbody covers, covers to protect the oil cooler, wheel arch covers, and a front structural plate. they all tie in together.
i bagged the screws as i went and zip tied them to the parts as i removed them.
Space was a major factor in the garage, these parts are large and expensive for what they are, so care has to be taken.
To remove the subframe you have to unplug the electric steering rack, so i disconnected the battery to be safe. This was my first mistake, disconnected and shut the boot......it wont open now and i need the towing eye which doubles as the engine lift hook.
so que 2 hours of fighting with the rear seats to get access, they split fold from a handy lever, in the boot! so i had to remove them from their mounts and seperate the 60/40 joint. then i managed to squeeze my 6'2'' frame half way into the boot so i could reach the lever. success, but wasted time and it was bloody hot in the garage.
finally i could get into the boot and retrieve the towing eye, except it doesnt fit! FFS!!!
Lots of googling later, it turns out you have to use an e36/46/92 towing hook the F8x one doesnt fit the thread.
A call to my bestie and owner of an e91 and he agreed to drop it round the following day.
Decided that i could do the job myself if i could get the spare time. With a work shutdown coming up (end of may) the wife said she could keep the kids busy if i wanted to attempt it.
GAME ON!
Parts were ordered from Leicester Sytner from a nice bloke on the facebook owners club, new aluminium one use bolts, gasket and 7 litres of millers from Opie oils.
I gave myself 2 days to complete, as we know best laid plans and all that.
Day One
First job, jack up your car...i got it as high as my halfords axle stands would allow, this job would have been a million times easier with a ramp or even a pit!
These F8x generation cars have a lot of underbody covers, covers to protect the oil cooler, wheel arch covers, and a front structural plate. they all tie in together.
i bagged the screws as i went and zip tied them to the parts as i removed them.
Space was a major factor in the garage, these parts are large and expensive for what they are, so care has to be taken.
To remove the subframe you have to unplug the electric steering rack, so i disconnected the battery to be safe. This was my first mistake, disconnected and shut the boot......it wont open now and i need the towing eye which doubles as the engine lift hook.
so que 2 hours of fighting with the rear seats to get access, they split fold from a handy lever, in the boot! so i had to remove them from their mounts and seperate the 60/40 joint. then i managed to squeeze my 6'2'' frame half way into the boot so i could reach the lever. success, but wasted time and it was bloody hot in the garage.
finally i could get into the boot and retrieve the towing eye, except it doesnt fit! FFS!!!
Lots of googling later, it turns out you have to use an e36/46/92 towing hook the F8x one doesnt fit the thread.
A call to my bestie and owner of an e91 and he agreed to drop it round the following day.
DAY 2
So i had the correct towing eye and i'd borrowed an engine support beam (sits accross the inner wings and stops the engine sitting on you)
After jigging about the beam, had to lift it on wood due to the E9x towing eye being a bit too long we had a supported engine, now i'll rattle of the following bits to remove the subframe.
-Unbolt engine mounts and lift the engine roughly 10mm
-remove the bolts holding the 2 coolers, one either side of the front wheel arch and shift the coolers down and out the way. Bmw put a subframe bolt right behind them!!
-undo the electrical connections for the steering rack and the UJ for the column
-Now remove the arms from the hub...thats 3 ball joints per side that you could damage the boots of. not happening!
So i decided a work around was to remove the brake calipers and pinch pin to the strut and lower the lot, hubs and all.
Deadlifted that into the garden to make some space to work,
offending item off, cleaned both mating surfaces and refitted with new gasket and bolts. about 32 bolts in fact.
Easy as that, as Mr Haynes said, refitting is the reverse sequence to removal...
Well it would be if you didnt snap the first sump bolt you tried to torque up! no swearing, it was beyond that. it had been a long day it was hot etc, i hadnt heard the torque wrench click and thought this is taking a bit to tighten, went 360 round before it snapped, flush to the block....in my defence 8lb/ft, 60 degrees can be achieved using a tool i keep in my trousers!!
Im a bit of an overthinker, so i couldnt leave this as a what if for the night, id go insane. So armed with my black and decker corded drill, cheap ass 3mm drill bit and the only remaining easy out that hadnt been sacrificed to previous 'Jobs'
i pushed the thought of 'im drilling too close to my block on a 30k car' to the back of my mind and went to work.
i breathed the deepest sigh of relief, loosely wound 2 bolts back in, (had to remove all 32 to take the sump off in the hope there was thread protruding, there wasnt) retired to the house for a beer and a sit down.
So i had the correct towing eye and i'd borrowed an engine support beam (sits accross the inner wings and stops the engine sitting on you)
After jigging about the beam, had to lift it on wood due to the E9x towing eye being a bit too long we had a supported engine, now i'll rattle of the following bits to remove the subframe.
-Unbolt engine mounts and lift the engine roughly 10mm
-remove the bolts holding the 2 coolers, one either side of the front wheel arch and shift the coolers down and out the way. Bmw put a subframe bolt right behind them!!
-undo the electrical connections for the steering rack and the UJ for the column
-Now remove the arms from the hub...thats 3 ball joints per side that you could damage the boots of. not happening!
So i decided a work around was to remove the brake calipers and pinch pin to the strut and lower the lot, hubs and all.
Deadlifted that into the garden to make some space to work,
offending item off, cleaned both mating surfaces and refitted with new gasket and bolts. about 32 bolts in fact.
Easy as that, as Mr Haynes said, refitting is the reverse sequence to removal...
Well it would be if you didnt snap the first sump bolt you tried to torque up! no swearing, it was beyond that. it had been a long day it was hot etc, i hadnt heard the torque wrench click and thought this is taking a bit to tighten, went 360 round before it snapped, flush to the block....in my defence 8lb/ft, 60 degrees can be achieved using a tool i keep in my trousers!!
Im a bit of an overthinker, so i couldnt leave this as a what if for the night, id go insane. So armed with my black and decker corded drill, cheap ass 3mm drill bit and the only remaining easy out that hadnt been sacrificed to previous 'Jobs'
i pushed the thought of 'im drilling too close to my block on a 30k car' to the back of my mind and went to work.
i breathed the deepest sigh of relief, loosely wound 2 bolts back in, (had to remove all 32 to take the sump off in the hope there was thread protruding, there wasnt) retired to the house for a beer and a sit down.
DAY 3
Torqued the bolts correctly for the sump, (well i probably did 90 degrees instead of 60, easier to judge by eye) chucked it all back together and put all the covers back on.
It was a long job, would have been 2 days without the issues but saved £1100 off BMW's bill, that was a key factor in keeping me sane :-)
Re-connected the battery, filled it with 6litres of oil and turned the key - she lives. ran it to temp and added the remaining litre of oil (great idea not having a dipstick!!)
after removal of subframe its good practice for alignment.
took it to a mate with a hunter kit and the rear toe and camber bolts are seized. not to clog up his ramp i agreed to free them, so thats a job for this weekend.
Oh and having turned on the ignition i found i have a service, the big one, oil change, spark plugs and filters £860 from bmw, local indy is doing it for £500.
Torqued the bolts correctly for the sump, (well i probably did 90 degrees instead of 60, easier to judge by eye) chucked it all back together and put all the covers back on.
It was a long job, would have been 2 days without the issues but saved £1100 off BMW's bill, that was a key factor in keeping me sane :-)
Re-connected the battery, filled it with 6litres of oil and turned the key - she lives. ran it to temp and added the remaining litre of oil (great idea not having a dipstick!!)
after removal of subframe its good practice for alignment.
took it to a mate with a hunter kit and the rear toe and camber bolts are seized. not to clog up his ramp i agreed to free them, so thats a job for this weekend.
Oh and having turned on the ignition i found i have a service, the big one, oil change, spark plugs and filters £860 from bmw, local indy is doing it for £500.
Edited by Phils-Fast on Wednesday 14th June 13:00
Well...its been a minute.
The service was carried out by a local Indy for circa £400 so i couldnt grumble.
Used the car a bit and as i do with all of my weekend cars, it went into the garage over winter, These turbo M cars arent the best in wet/icy conditions!
Over winter i thought about the future of the M4 and as i use it as a weekend car/piggy bank i made the decision to move it on.
M4's values are droppng like most modern cars so i looked at what i know best, 90's Japanese metal!
Just over a week ago i did a good deal on a Mitsubishi evo 5 gsr. a pic after its first fill up on the way home.
The car has a few tasty mods, stainless exhaust and air filter. Ohlins road and track coilovers, evo 9 (80 series) turbo and remap. Evo 10 calipers and 2 piece discs up front and evo 10 calipers and stock discs at the back. Also has an RS lsd fitted, no AYC pump/system.
a very different drive home, 3 hours in the Bm was easy going with a dct box and good stereo. The 5 is manual and the stereo had been removed...DOH
Got it home and got the doggo's approval
The car has been recently refreshed after being in storage for a few years.so first job was giving it a good clean. Im not a pro at detailing, my dad has been doing it for years but this one i wanted to do myself.
I've collected quite a lot of Meguires products over the years (xmas & bday presents) so armed with their ultimate products i set to work. Snow foamed, ultimate wash and towel dried.
The paint was rough to the touch, i believe from tree sap so i had a go at Clay barring the body.
Id clay'd the whole car until it was smooth to touch, then used the cheap argos DA polisher and Meguires ultimate compound. i planned to do an 'Ultimate' polish but i was bored and tired so i just used the Ultimate wax. easy to apply by hand and i feel it'll add protection.
Looking forward to better weather to use it and get a few better pics.
The service was carried out by a local Indy for circa £400 so i couldnt grumble.
Used the car a bit and as i do with all of my weekend cars, it went into the garage over winter, These turbo M cars arent the best in wet/icy conditions!
Over winter i thought about the future of the M4 and as i use it as a weekend car/piggy bank i made the decision to move it on.
M4's values are droppng like most modern cars so i looked at what i know best, 90's Japanese metal!
Just over a week ago i did a good deal on a Mitsubishi evo 5 gsr. a pic after its first fill up on the way home.
The car has a few tasty mods, stainless exhaust and air filter. Ohlins road and track coilovers, evo 9 (80 series) turbo and remap. Evo 10 calipers and 2 piece discs up front and evo 10 calipers and stock discs at the back. Also has an RS lsd fitted, no AYC pump/system.
a very different drive home, 3 hours in the Bm was easy going with a dct box and good stereo. The 5 is manual and the stereo had been removed...DOH
Got it home and got the doggo's approval
The car has been recently refreshed after being in storage for a few years.so first job was giving it a good clean. Im not a pro at detailing, my dad has been doing it for years but this one i wanted to do myself.
I've collected quite a lot of Meguires products over the years (xmas & bday presents) so armed with their ultimate products i set to work. Snow foamed, ultimate wash and towel dried.
The paint was rough to the touch, i believe from tree sap so i had a go at Clay barring the body.
Id clay'd the whole car until it was smooth to touch, then used the cheap argos DA polisher and Meguires ultimate compound. i planned to do an 'Ultimate' polish but i was bored and tired so i just used the Ultimate wax. easy to apply by hand and i feel it'll add protection.
Looking forward to better weather to use it and get a few better pics.
Thanks mate, i see it as an upgrade too despite the obvious lack of toys and age difference. Petrolheads are a strange bunch, i know. Japanese cars values are strong at the moment and its a car that been on my 'list' for years, well an evo 6 was.
I bet you were/are gutted to have lost a tommi mak. The prices alone are ridiculous. Quite a lot of parts are the same evo 5, 6 and 6.5 (tme) so even trim bits are priced for an tommi mak now.
I was very close to getting a white one before the supra but after a car-vx check the mileage didnt add up.
I bet you were/are gutted to have lost a tommi mak. The prices alone are ridiculous. Quite a lot of parts are the same evo 5, 6 and 6.5 (tme) so even trim bits are priced for an tommi mak now.
I was very close to getting a white one before the supra but after a car-vx check the mileage didnt add up.
cerb4.5lee said:
I was really impressed with how positive you stayed with the gasket change on the M4, and I enjoyed the humour you put in there too! 
Your Evo is a cracking replacement for sure, and I've always been a really big fan of them.
Enjoy it.
I may have been positive when writing it up for PH but at the time there were words to make a sailor blush!Your Evo is a cracking replacement for sure, and I've always been a really big fan of them.
Enjoy it.
trails said:
Evo looks to be an upgrade to me, lovely old thing and far more occasion than the M4. Good work 
I agree, as a daily car the M4 would be great but as a weekend car it did everything too well. i wan a bit of noise and feel something i believe the evo will give me in spades.trails said:
Evo looks to be an upgrade to me, lovely old thing and far more occasion than the M4. Good work
great sense of occasion, every mirror has something good to look at, be it a wing or an arch. You can see loads through the windows too and its surprisingly compact for a 4 door saloon.liner33 said:
Enjoyed the thread , interesting to go from a M4 to a Evo , but they are a lot easier to work on after the BMW
I have to say the financial side of it plays a big part when the weekend car does maybe 1500 miles in the year. so if it depreciates quickly as the m4 seems to have done (high insurance pushing prices down) a limited number Japanese import has much better residuals this day and age. plus its awesome and makes lots of cool noises !! haha
d_a_n1979 said:
This is what started to put me off the import Honda's in the late 2000s... Prices were getting sillier and sillier really
A lot you could sort with UK spec items; but to try and keep it OEM/JDM etc; that's when it started to get daft.
Fortunately didn't have issues like that with my Jap import BMW E39s; different kettle of fish seeing as they were all made in Germany!
indeed, case in point mine is missing front brake ducts which form part of the inner wheel arch liner area. some on ebay for £300, NLA available from japanese stockists. Also oem gear knob is the same as a TME one and is £127!!A lot you could sort with UK spec items; but to try and keep it OEM/JDM etc; that's when it started to get daft.
Fortunately didn't have issues like that with my Jap import BMW E39s; different kettle of fish seeing as they were all made in Germany!
sbk1972 said:
Nice to see an update. :-)
You and I have similar car tastes. I ordered a brand new Black Evo 5 GSR back in the day via an importer called Dennis Stepney in Findon West Sussex. I waited 7 weeks for it to be delivered from Japan only to be told that the car had been crushed within the container. TO say I was pi55ed off was an understatement.
I originally went to buy a white R33 GTR but then changed to an Evo 5 but I couldnt wait any longer and brought a M3 Evo convertible.
That doesnt look a GSR, is it a Rs ? Didnt they have the active yaw diff ? The speed of those things were amazing. I remember the evo vs Impreza race offs :-) I did eventually buy a Impreza STI v6 coupe.
Tremendous buy. What have you got planned with it ? Fast forward 24 years and these engines / cars are pretty well known now and there are so many mods / preventative maintenance tricks you can do, like the move of the yaw pump etc.
I love and hate reading these threads :-) Reminds me of the great cars I had in my 20s and now in my 50s I drive pure crap. To be young again.
Simon
Im going to continue purchasing cars off my 'list' for as long as i can. im 37 now and have owned around 34 cars. Certain once cheap japanese cars are now an investment.You and I have similar car tastes. I ordered a brand new Black Evo 5 GSR back in the day via an importer called Dennis Stepney in Findon West Sussex. I waited 7 weeks for it to be delivered from Japan only to be told that the car had been crushed within the container. TO say I was pi55ed off was an understatement.
I originally went to buy a white R33 GTR but then changed to an Evo 5 but I couldnt wait any longer and brought a M3 Evo convertible.
That doesnt look a GSR, is it a Rs ? Didnt they have the active yaw diff ? The speed of those things were amazing. I remember the evo vs Impreza race offs :-) I did eventually buy a Impreza STI v6 coupe.
Tremendous buy. What have you got planned with it ? Fast forward 24 years and these engines / cars are pretty well known now and there are so many mods / preventative maintenance tricks you can do, like the move of the yaw pump etc.
I love and hate reading these threads :-) Reminds me of the great cars I had in my 20s and now in my 50s I drive pure crap. To be young again.
Simon
The car is a 5 gsr with spotlight covers like the RS, a previous owner has removed the AYC diff pump and pipe work and the rear diff is now an RS lsd unit. So a rawer more natural driving experience is to be had.
Ive only owned it for neary 2 weeks but it has already got under my skin.
I'm looking forward to my next drive out but my wife seems a little sour that the rear facing child seats might not fit. Although these are a 4 door saloon theyre tiny next to a modern saloon.
Saturday, i cashed in my free-time tokens from the wife and kids and set off for a 150mile round drive to get to know the car.
So, the first proper drive of the evo. i was blown away by how capable this thing is.
North Wales is an amazing place to explore for the breath taking scenery alone. Armed with 350hp 4wd and michelin pilot sport cup2 tyres it was a giggle.
I spent the first hour of driving at an average of 35-40mph, the car doesnt like this at all, too slow for 5th gear but 4th feels like its ready to go at every twitch of your big toe. my route took me to the evo triangle where i took a pic of my "evo on the evo triangle". lovely stretch of road from the sportsman arms to the main road, spoilt by average speed camera's.
Do these work if you stop for a pic/wee and then hammer the next section? we will find out in the next few weeks im sure haha
From there down to betws y coed, before i get there i take a left and head over to Blanaeu ffestiniog, a stunning route i really enjoy. Then from there to Bala via my favourite stretch of road and in this car an absolute riot!! The Evo is compact enough that it can be placed well on the road and the steering response and feel are sublime, 2nd only (just) to my vx220!
A 4dr saloon has no right to drive like this.
This is the car i've been looking for, the ideal mix between retro and modern for the roads i like to drive its amazing.
As a daily it would be horrible, the clutch too hard, the exhaust too loud. In this situation though, as a weekend experience, amazing!!
So, the first proper drive of the evo. i was blown away by how capable this thing is.
North Wales is an amazing place to explore for the breath taking scenery alone. Armed with 350hp 4wd and michelin pilot sport cup2 tyres it was a giggle.
I spent the first hour of driving at an average of 35-40mph, the car doesnt like this at all, too slow for 5th gear but 4th feels like its ready to go at every twitch of your big toe. my route took me to the evo triangle where i took a pic of my "evo on the evo triangle". lovely stretch of road from the sportsman arms to the main road, spoilt by average speed camera's.
Do these work if you stop for a pic/wee and then hammer the next section? we will find out in the next few weeks im sure haha
From there down to betws y coed, before i get there i take a left and head over to Blanaeu ffestiniog, a stunning route i really enjoy. Then from there to Bala via my favourite stretch of road and in this car an absolute riot!! The Evo is compact enough that it can be placed well on the road and the steering response and feel are sublime, 2nd only (just) to my vx220!
A 4dr saloon has no right to drive like this.
This is the car i've been looking for, the ideal mix between retro and modern for the roads i like to drive its amazing.
As a daily it would be horrible, the clutch too hard, the exhaust too loud. In this situation though, as a weekend experience, amazing!!
Edited by Phils-Fast on Thursday 25th April 15:29
During my drive there were a couple of irritating features.
Firstly the gearknob, its original and after circa 80k miles looks like its been chewed. Now the quandry do i go oem or aftermarket? Let me just make it clear, by aftermarket something cool not a sex toy looking thing!!
i decided to bite the bullet and order an oem knob, unfortunately that cost £115!!
The other irritant is the steering wheel, it looks ok if a bit boring but its really rough on your hands. Im not a buttercup with cotton wool mits either! ive been an engineer for 20 years and a car hobbyist for as long. I dont want something too flash to replace it and have a rather era correct Italvolanti imola RS. so i think that will go on. its a little aged but cool and ergonomic and maybe not made of sandpaper!!
Firstly the gearknob, its original and after circa 80k miles looks like its been chewed. Now the quandry do i go oem or aftermarket? Let me just make it clear, by aftermarket something cool not a sex toy looking thing!!
i decided to bite the bullet and order an oem knob, unfortunately that cost £115!!
The other irritant is the steering wheel, it looks ok if a bit boring but its really rough on your hands. Im not a buttercup with cotton wool mits either! ive been an engineer for 20 years and a car hobbyist for as long. I dont want something too flash to replace it and have a rather era correct Italvolanti imola RS. so i think that will go on. its a little aged but cool and ergonomic and maybe not made of sandpaper!!
After a little thought, i decided that it had to be the oem gearknob. I found that Torque GT had them in stock with a 10% discount, then i paid in 3 with Klarna.....not for any financial reason, only to relieve the pain of being shafted! haha
As you can see it was definitely needed.
Recently heard from a previous owner that 5 months ago it had a clutch and cambelt, so that a relief to hear.
As you can see it was definitely needed.
Recently heard from a previous owner that 5 months ago it had a clutch and cambelt, so that a relief to hear.
I had an old steering wheel sat around the garage for a few years, it came off an mx5 track car i built.
Purchased a HKB steering boss from Tegiwa and fitted it up to see what it looked like.
I like the look of it and its of the same era..in fact date of manufacture is July 1997, the car January 1998. Almost made for it. little nerdy fact but i thought it was cool.
Purchased a HKB steering boss from Tegiwa and fitted it up to see what it looked like.
I like the look of it and its of the same era..in fact date of manufacture is July 1997, the car January 1998. Almost made for it. little nerdy fact but i thought it was cool.
trails said:
Wheel looks spot on...seeing these things on the road always mLes me smile.
Ahhh, the good old days
I could have bought a new Nardi wheel but it doesnt suit the 90's dash in my oppinion. I have thought of getting a radio that looks period correct too but with bluetooth capabilities. Ahhh, the good old days
Heaveho said:
Great back story, and a great car to end up with. Like you, I was 37 when I got my Evo. 20 years later and it's still here. If you " get " them, they become impossible to replace, despite the fuel consumption and general running costs.
Its strange, i have had a few opportunities over the years to get a 5/6 but my dream car was a supra so i chased that dream instead. always been a big fan of coupe's too. i do genuinely think its the best all round car ive ever driven. The fact it has an RS diff helps with servicing costs, no fancy ayc to service.....Winning...Brett748 said:
That’s a great line up of cars!
I drove a TT Supra manual last year and it’s the most exciting car I’ve ever driven.
I’d love a go of an Evo too. You have great taste.
Still my favourite car of those ive owned. ive never driven a manual tt supra and with the price of them i dont think i'll own another MK4. an N/A auto supra is around the £20k mark nowadays. I drove a TT Supra manual last year and it’s the most exciting car I’ve ever driven.
I’d love a go of an Evo too. You have great taste.
For the roads around north wales the Evo is definately the better suited car.
The 90's is definately a high water mark for cars in my oppinion and japan were leading the way.
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