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New Ride in the garage -- I need to name it so I keep it!

8K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  Ruination 
#1 ·
I had been looking for a nice car to run around in, I had test driven some Volvo C30s, Infinity G35 sedans before I decided to buy my Montero that I have now when I found the buy one/get one free deal for it.

So that wasn't enough. :D

I found a deal on a fully loaded Hyundai that needs engine work due to a failed timing belt pulley (destroyed heads). TKEman on here came over on sunday and helped me re-organize my garage to get it in there. (thanks again man!!)

I like this car because of all the options it came with, and the engine is mostly Mitsubishi which I'm very familiar with. I couldn't beat the price as well as the fact that I have every service record for it as well as the window sticker.









Service records since new:



Original windows sticker ($27k)



I can't wait to get into it and repair the engine. The heads will cost me $75 a piece for ones with under 100k on them, and another $300 in gaskets, etc. I already have some of the engine gaskets, headbolts, etc on the shelf I had for spares for my mitsubishi in case I needed to do a head gasket when I was doing the motor work last weekend.
 
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#3 ·
88BamaTrooper said:
car looks great and when you get it running,it rides smooth as silk my man!!!!
That's the plan.. It's in MINT condition and with the repairs, it'll have all the maintenance items done on it that it needs to take it to the next Timing belt service without any issues.

It's even got new good year comfort tread tires, and had a full trans flush by the hyundai dealer at 60k per the recommended service.
 
#4 ·
Good for you. I'm sure you will have it rolling in no time. If you feel real pressed for space I'll be happy to baby sit your pick up for a few years.
 
#5 ·
Those are pretty nice. My neighbor has one. Diggin the spoke wheels.
 
#6 ·
I'm not the biggest fan of Hyundai, but my experience is limited to all of the problems my ex had with her 2004 elantra and a friends Tiburon.

In any case, i bet the price was right, and for a few hundred bucks and a weekend worth of work you will have a good driver. Hope you are prepared to deal with corroded bolts. I think that was my biggest pet peeve with every Hyundai I have ever touched... 2-3 year old bolts would snap from corrosion.
 
#7 ·
ImpulseRocket89 said:
I'm not the biggest fan of Hyundai, but my experience is limited to all of the problems my ex had with her 2004 elantra and a friends Tiburon.

In any case, i bet the price was right, and for a few hundred bucks and a weekend worth of work you will have a good driver. Hope you are prepared to deal with corroded bolts. I think that was my biggest pet peeve with every Hyundai I have ever touched... 2-3 year old bolts would snap from corrosion.
Oh, I'm prepped. I've dealt with cars in the rust belt for too many years. This one is a local one owner garaged vehicle and the engine bay and underside look like the day it was bought (except the dust/dirt)
 
#8 ·
Brennan,

You know me... I am always up for a good CL find! Looks like a nice one. The XL350 was never one of my favorite cars however, if the price it right...

I can be swayed. :lol:

Good Luck!!
 
#9 ·
2002trooper4me said:
Brennan,

You know me... I am always up for a good CL find! Looks like a nice one. The XL350 was never one of my favorite cars however, if the price it right...

I can be swayed. :lol:

Good Luck!!
It's DEFINITELY not one of my favorites, however -- It's nice enough that it's going to be great driver to throw some highway miles on for those extended booty calls. :lol: JK!

Got some progress done tonight, taking a break:





I just have to remove the water crossover pipe, and unbolt the exhaust downpipes, and I can remove the valve covers and unbolt the heads!

I can already see two cylinders worth of intake valves are damaged. They are only slightly bent too which is promising. The bottom end is likely still OK, but time will tell once the heads are off.

Lots of Mitsubishi symbols under here. The entire fuel delivery system and intake are all Mitsubishi design without a doubt. The only weird thing about the engine to me is that it's sideways from my Gen 2 Montero SR that had the same style 3.5l DOHC.
 
#10 ·
That is essentially what that engine is. Having owned a 3000GT VR-4, my first thought looking at that engine is, its a 6G72! It's just a mirror image, right down to the stupid intake manifold-that covers the back head and makes changing plugs a nightmare- thing going on. That would be a 6G74, backwards. Good engines.

To be more specific and fair, it is modeled after the engine (which is a 6G72 backwards) found in the 3rd gen Eclipse V6, which found its way in 2.7L form to the Tiburon, and now 3.5L form in that car.
 
#11 ·
That will be nice cruising to Wally world or Vatozone....on those hott summer race days :mrgreen:
 
#13 ·
ImpulseRocket89 said:
That is essentially what that engine is. Having owned a 3000GT VR-4, my first thought looking at that engine is, its a 6G72! It's just a mirror image, right down to the stupid intake manifold-that covers the back head and makes changing plugs a nightmare- thing going on. That would be a 6G74, backwards. Good engines.

To be more specific and fair, it is modeled after the engine (which is a 6G72 backwards) found in the 3rd gen Eclipse V6, which found its way in 2.7L form to the Tiburon, and now 3.5L form in that car.
Yup! It's a 6G74 block and the bottom end is all identical to my 1999 Montero that I took apart the other day to do the timing belt, waterpump, etc. The only reason it uses different parts on the bottom end is because they have to be more low profile for the fitment of this engine into the car.

I had to hop in it last night to roll it back another foot, and the interior is just so clean and comfy... I also noticed it has only 9k miles on the good year Comfort tread tires. This baby is going to ride smooooooth. :D
 
#14 ·
wow 3.5L that thing should climb mountains like nothing!..

funny, down here when someone talks about a +2000cc car everybody its like wow thats a big engine!, and V6 are less than desirable, everyone looks for 1.6l motors or smaller. I think thats why diesel are so popular here.

looks like a real nice project! I really like hyundai cars the are making big improvements everyear
 
#15 ·
JP36 said:
wow 3.5L that thing should climb mountains like nothing!..

funny, down here when someone talks about a +2000cc car everybody its like wow thats a big engine!, and V6 are less than desirable, everyone looks for 1.6l motors or smaller. I think thats why diesel are so popular here.

looks like a real nice project! I really like hyundai cars the are making big improvements everyear
Not the case here!! Everyone wants powerful cars, and it's no fun to have something t hat can't get out of it's own way on the highway. :wink:

Here was my progress yesterday... been a really busy week so I hadn't been able to touch it till then.



The heads are actually OK. only two cylinders on each head were damaged. Exhaust side on one, and intake on the other. I will take the accessories off the heads, remove the CAMS and bring them to a machine shop to let me know if they would replace the valve guides or not.. but the one head looks like replacing 4 valves will do the trick. The other was hit harder on the intake side on the head, so it may have damaged the valve guide. Not sure yet.

Also.. it looks like most of my mitsubishi's gasket kit is a direct fit! Although I will be ordering the hyundai gasket set (Auto7 brand) I'll be using most of the fel-pro kit I had bought for the mitsubishi just because the gaskets are better looking.

Should be running by next weekend.
 
#19 ·
By the cost to do the heads and the other parts you ordered, it looks like it will only cost you about $700 to get that car going again. Barring any unforeseen repairs and parts you may have to pay for, that's not a bad deal at all.
 
#20 ·
ImpulseRocket89 said:
By the cost to do the heads and the other parts you ordered, it looks like it will only cost you about $700 to get that car going again. Barring any unforeseen repairs and parts you may have to pay for, that's not a bad deal at all.
Hell yeah. the only other parts not in that list I got were the drive belt pulleys, and a new timing plate to go behind the sprocket to replace this:



Also, all the beck arnley parts I have in that order above were all reboxed Hyundai OEM parts in the Hyundai Bags!! I don't even want to know what the crank sensor would have cost from the dealer.

The cylinder head shop just called me to give me some good and bad news. The bad news was their supplier sent them 3.0 valves in 3.5l valve boxes, so he has to overnight some to get there monday and finish up the heads then. the GOOD news!?! He had to replace 9 intake valves, and 2 exhaust valves, 2 guides... total bill for the heads together is $245!!

My total repair bill is looking to be coming in right at $800 after fluids as I expected. Since I'm already on reassembly, there won't be any more surprises. I will have it on the road tuesday. :drunken:
 
#22 ·
So if I bring the beer and steaks...

When can I come down to get you to help me change my timing belt and water pump? :lol:
 
#23 ·
2002trooper4me said:
So if I bring the beer and steaks...

When can I come down to get you to help me change my timing belt and water pump? :lol:
:lol: Dude, I just did the timing belt, waterpump, etc on the Montero now doing this car... as soon as it's out I have a 2006 Elantra coming in for a timing belt & waterpump (just did the brakes on that today). This summer is like timing belt hell! :lol:

Waiting for the heads to come back monday. :? I got all the bottom end stuff assembled again and cleaned all the carbon build up off the pistons.

 
#24 ·
This is why I am glad to have an OHC engine with a timing chain. none of that 60k mile nonsense. Good deal on that head repair work too, that's pretty cheap to do 11 valves and machining. Hopefully it just goes back together and runs with no other issues.
 
#26 ·
That must be one of those new confangled "high performance" valves that allows for a big increase in airflow. I read that they have a drawback with sealing against the head though...
 
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