Newly imported 05 Viento servicing

[mitch980]

Hey all,

I've had my 05 Galant Viento for a few weeks now, and all appears to be going pretty smoothly, definitely ain't got the power of the old VR4, but is still nice to be back in a Galant.

The only concern I have is the timing appears to be slighlty out when cruising at around 60kmh. The engine appears to hesitate slightly from time to time. And the transmission sometimes thinks a bit too long before chaning gears. Thought that may be the tranmission settling in, or possibly the transmission is in need of a flush. And also thought the timing may be due to the car still running on Japanese oil, or it's just in need of a service.

So before I take it in to Donnithorne Simms for it's first service in NZ, I thought I'd check and see if they're the best place to take it, them being the only Mitsi dealer I know of in Chch.

Cheers.

[Subaru ETA]

doesnt sound like the timing... is it a GDI? what are the spark plugs like?

[mitch980]

Yeap it's a GDI. Will get it booked into Mitsi for a service, then they can give it a good once over.

[Subaru ETA]

what fuel you running it on?

[fuel]

that hesitation or stumbling is a characteristic of GDI motors, I'm afraid not much can be done to get rid of that. Weird that it's an '05, I thought the ceased production of the Jap models in 2002/3 at a stretch but still made them for the export market (ie NZ up until 2007)

I'ld get the transmission fluid and filter changed though, chances are the first Japanese owners didn't change it. Make sure it's filled back up with the correct fluid (I think it's Dia Queen MMSP-III), otherwise you'll run into a torque converter shudder shortly after (it happens even with MMSP-III, just takes longer to do it).

[mitch980]

I'm running it on 96 to see how that goes, before I try 91, although will probably stick with the 96.

Not sure about the end of market sorry mate, all I can tell ya is it's an '05 import. Unless the LTSA and importer got it wrong?

And thanks for the tips, pity about the shudder being a characteristic of the GDI, but good to know. It's a bit of pain coming from knowing the Vr4 well to now having to find all the little quirks with a GDI engine. But it's definitely easier on the wallet.

Hope going back to a Galant doesn't bite me in the rear! :)

[VR4WGN]

Run ONLY 98 on it please,and rev the crap out of it,take it for a long HOT burn and she will purr for ages,otherwise do a good service ,run 20/50 oil,and mby take your plenium off and ge tit acid bathed as it will be carboned up as per these pics of a 2.4 GDI motor tends to do ,when driven like a nanna on 91uploaded/53879/1257306669.jpg
uploaded/53879/1257306704.jpg

[mitch980]

Cheers heaps for the advice mate, much appreciated. I'll take it for a spin over the peninsula in the weekend, nice long windy roads to get the revs up. And will get it serviced next week and ask Mitsi about the costs of the acid bath for the carbon build up.

[VR4WGN]

go to a rebuilder not mitsi theyll cost you your life ,it shud only be bout $50 tho

[fuel]

I wouldn't run an '05 model on 20W50 oil, 15W40 is about the most thickest you want to put in there given it's probably done low milage still. 5W30 or 10W30 would be ideal, even 10W40 would be good.

[VR4WGN]

iv only ben running this oil for over 2 ears in all the cars ive built up and theyr still going along good,plus it sems to reduce tappet noise swell

[fuel]

of course it's going to reduce the tappet noise, it's quite a thick oil. It's not so much the grade, it's the fact that most 20W50 oils out there are very low end so they often don't come out with quality options. You'ld at least want to run a 15W50 so it offers better cold start protection, yet give the same weight as a 20W50 when the oil is hot.

[mitch980]

Thanks for the tips on the oil guys. I've read in a few other forums that 10W30 works well, so will give it a go.

And have just talked to Mitsi down here for some service pricing, and it's $250 for a B service, and another $250 for the trans flush, which is comparable to what I pay for the same service for my wife's Caldina GT at Toyota.

But if anyone knows any place cheaper in Chch, and which knows Mitsi's well, let me know.

And will get a price from Mitsi for the acid bath, just to see what they reckon it'll cost.

[Ryan]

Should post up some pictures of your ride /yes